MacII PSU -> ATX Conversion . . .

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

. . . This was something I was looking for back in the days of the IIfPEx Hack . . .

. . . which was lost in the storage room disaster.

Anyways, if anyone has a DOA Mac II, here's a handy little PSU from the Dell OPTIPLEX that I snagged w/some other junk yesterday for $5 . . .











As the 68k MLBs fall by the wayside over time, I'd like to see as many of the classic Beige & Platinum cases as possible switched over in an ubuntuCentric Hacks Movement in order to get modern peripherals, processors & a LEGAL, no cost OS/Application Software Suite (and the GIMP!) into general use around here in our favorite boxes.

Other flavors of 'nux/'nix would be welcome in such a hacks movement, even those based on NetBSD, but we won't discuss ANYTHING in the MLA that might get us in hot water with the "mother ship!" There are plenty of places for software discussions, we're here to Hardware Hack Rainbow Macs!

mod mode>

Lets have some fun!

p.s. I haven't looked into it yet, but that PSU MAY fit into a Pizza Box!

p.p.s. Does anyone recognize which ATX version that connector represents?

 

[Anonymous Freak]

This is not a standard ATX power supply. This is a custom-form-factor Micro ATX power supply.

In the past, Dell was notorious for using non-standard power supplies; sometimes even including non-standard pinouts!

This one appears to use standard ATX 1.x pinouts, though. Based on what I can find, it is either ATX12V 1.2 or ATX12V 1.3.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

This is not a standard ATX power supply. This is a custom-form-factor Micro ATX power supply.

I thought that might be the case from the size of the box it came from and was wondering if it even has all the voltages necessary to run the Miniscule MoBos that're cropping up.

This one appears to use standard ATX 1.x pinouts, though. Based on what I can find, it is either ATX12V 1.2 or ATX12V 1.3.

I've got a couple of first rev ATX Mobos w/ISA/PCI and AGP1/whatever on board.

I know it hasn't got nearly enough power for my PEx board, but it'd be easy to hack it into a lot of different Macs for runnin' ubuntu and the like on modern low power boards.

 

[Bunsen]

In the past, Dell was notorious for using non-standard power supplies; sometimes even including non-standard pinouts!

Yup. I avoid Dell power supplies for this very reason. Sometimes they even used non-standard wire colours. :scrambled:

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

In the past, Dell was notorious for using non-standard power supplies; sometimes even including non-standard pinouts!

Yup. I avoid Dell power supplies for this very reason. Sometimes they even used non-standard wire colours. :scrambled:

: So, basically what you're saying is that: you avoid using Dell PSUs because they do exactly the same things that Apple did when Apple designed their silly@$$ custom, industry substandard, PSUs for the 68k/PPC era?

Gimme a break! :lol:

What other ATX PSU fits inside a Mac II PSU shell? The freakin' fan & power plug even line up! :?:

 

[Anonymous Freak]

In the past, Dell was notorious for using non-standard power supplies; sometimes even including non-standard pinouts!

Yup. I avoid Dell power supplies for this very reason. Sometimes they even used non-standard wire colours. :scrambled:

: So, basically what you're saying is that: you avoid using Dell PSUs because they do exactly the same things that Apple did when Apple designed their silly@$$ custom, industry substandard, PSUs for the 68k/PPC era?

Gimme a break! :lol:

What other ATX PSU fits inside a Mac II PSU shell? The freakin' fan & power plug even line up! :?:

The difference is that Apple didn't even use connectors that *LOOK* like an industry standard. (And, at the time, there was no ATX standard.)

The point is that Dell took an already-established industry standard (ATX) and tweaked it specifically to make it incompatible, so people would have to buy replacements directly from them.

Sony did the same thing, (at least as recently as 2004,) having otherwise-standard ATX motherboards customized to have a different mounting screw layout. (The boards were made by standard companies, like Asus, and otherwise were 100% identical to non-Sony Asus boards. They just had mounting holds different than ATX, so you can't put a "stock" Asus board in a Sony, nor put a Sony-modified Asus board in a standard ATX chassis.)

 

[Bunsen]

^ What Anonymous Freak said. Not because of any grudge against Dell for being aholes with an industry standard, but because I can't be bothered wading through the interwebs trying to find documentation for a specific Dell PS when there are standards compliant ATX power supplies of all shapes and sizes free for the taking. It's prioritising my time, not waging some futile war.

But if this supply suits your needs for modding, go for it. Just be sure you check and record the actual supply voltages on each line before proceeding.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

The difference is that Apple didn't even use connectors that *LOOK* like an industry standard. (And, at the time, there was no ATX standard.)

The standard was AT in that era (SE/MacII/MacIIcx) and the ONLY difference was that Apple's Under-Powered PSUs used a different connector.

The point is that Dell took an already-established industry standard (ATX) and tweaked it specifically to make it incompatible, so people would have to buy replacements directly from them.

. . . and this is different from what Apple did somehow?

Sony did the same thing, (at least as recently as 2004,) having otherwise-standard ATX motherboards customized to have a different mounting screw layout. (The boards were made by standard companies, like Asus, and otherwise were 100% identical to non-Sony Asus boards. They just had mounting holds different than ATX, so you can't put a "stock" Asus board in a Sony, nor put a Sony-modified Asus board in a standard ATX chassis.)

Apple (His Highness "the Steve") killed off the only effort Apple ever made to adopt ANY industry standard!

At least Sony's boards attached to everything else that was industry standard for the era!

Got drill? Got standoffs? No biggie if you ask me! [] ]'>

______________________________________________________

final microrant:

No difference, IMHO, Apple's PSUs were always industry sub-standard, with nary a single watt to spare on a maxed out computer. Each and every model had a "custom" design that was incompatible with all other case designs and their PSUs failed at rates nearly as bad as those of the very lowest end of Industry Compatible PSU mfr's products, very likely because they were marginal in terms of power and cooling budgets straight from the drawing board!

______________________________________________________

Whatever! Gimme a suitable substitute or a better reason not to use what I've got here, the price is right and the form factor is spot on! :rambo:

 

[Bunsen]

Hey! No I didn't!

And can we have one thread that doesn't descend into an omgapplrsoevil rant? I was trying to give you a useful piece of technical heads-up, and so, I believe, were other posters.

As for who did what when and why, I DON'T FREAKING CARE!

Sheesh.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

:I Sorry, comrade, I've got to try to curb my tendency to vent about Apple's Quadra/PPC era decisions.

 

[Mars478]

Bunsen...

Have you taken your pills?

*Ducks*

 

[Gil]

Bunsen...Have you taken your pills?

Very thin ice...

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Bunsen...Have you taken your pills?

Very thin ice...

*Ducks*

Not that thin, it was a joke.

I vented . . .

. . . got slapped down, deservedly so . . .

. . . I apologized . . .

. . . slapper got teased . . .

. . . teaser got chided . . .

. . . game over!

Back on topic, everything's cool! )

 

[Bunsen]

Bunsen...Have you taken your pills?

No, I ran out. Can I have some of yours?

 

[Osgeld]

dang I knew I left mine somewhere

 

[Mars478]

Bunsen...Have you taken your pills?

No, I ran out. Can I have some of yours?

Sure you need some vicodin?