Modern Mac SE upgrades?

SECoyote

Member
I would like to ask if there are any modern upgrades that I can install on my Mac SE and whether it's worth it or not. My main goals are to browse the web, FTP, maybe try out some chat rooms, and any other cool ideas that might also be available.

Using system 7.0 I had a lot of trouble just running a web browser due to RAM limitations (4mb), Also I did like the idea of running Mastodon on my computer as well with Macstodon. Although it seems I need a 68020 at least. I don't know if I should try finding a way to upgrade it using an expansion board with a 68030 on it, and maybe extra RAM, or just use an older OS and give up on Mastodon on the SE.

I have also heard of networking cards for these computers, but I don't think I need one due to having a PISCSI. Although I have not been able to get the computer online with it.

Sorry for my ramblings, although what are your thoughts should I get an expansion card? and if so which?
 

cheesestraws

Well-known member
I'm afraid to say that I think you're using the wrong computer for the things you want to do. The SE is not a fast computer and cannot really be made into one - ther are some very good accelerators, but they are 1. expensive and rare and 2. basically replace large chunks of the inside of the computer. You can IRC from one relatively successfully, but trying to do most other "internetty" things is going to be an exercise in frustration.

This is why the SE/30 is so popular among old mac nerds, even though in many (most?) ways it's a grossly impractical computer - it has the physical charm of the SE, but enough wallop to actually do stuff that isn't just "ooh, that's a 68000, let's wait for it to do something"
 

SECoyote

Member
I think replacing the whole motherboard to an SE/30 might be counter intuitive since I am basically making another computer. And I think that I have one of the older models since mine has resistors instead of the jumper for the RAM.

I did think about building Bolle's Performer card, I need to learn how to solder first though. Although by what @cheesestraws said, It seems like the SE isn't the best for what I hope to accomplish even with the Performer card. Does anyone have experience with that card anyways??

If the card won't help maybe a PPC Mac might be best. would the Quadra 700 be a good choice? that's still a 68K machine 😓 nvm
 
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Unknown_K

Well-known member
I have a few SE machines and turning them into SE/30's in not an option for me since I have a couple SE/30's anyway.

The stock SE is a great 68000 machine with 720K drives for old software plus you have a HD making life fun. I never bothered to collect the original compacts because without upgrades they were a bit useless.

Since the SE has a PDS slot you can either add ethernet to make life easier moving files or get a Radius 68020/25 upgrade to speed it up but not compete with the SE/30. I have machines with both. If you go with the Radius there is always the SCSI to ethernet external modules.
 

Franklinstein

Well-known member
would the Quadra 700 be a good choice? that's still a 68K machine 😓 nvm
You can always get a PPC upgrade card and turn it into a Power Mac. You'd get the looks of the Q700 and the performance of a 6100 or thereabouts, though its RAM ceiling is kind of limited unless you get aftermarket 16MB 30-pin SIMMs. Nobody loves the first-gen Power Macs so they're pretty cheap as far as vintage Macs go, especially compared with the (honestly overhyped) Q700. And if you run across something like a Performa 5200 people will probably actually pay you to take it even though it's worlds faster than an SE (or even SE/30).

If you want to stay 68k you probably want an '040 or possibly an '030 with an '040 upgrade card in it. Anything based on the Quadra 630 will likely be relatively cheap.

I have an SE with a Rocket 020 in it. It's an interesting piece of kit but still not fast enough to really do anything "modern" (read: internet-y) with. At best it could run as a terminal feeding off a newer system. Plenty of how-tos about doing that already exist.

As for new upgrades, as mentioned previously, most focus on 68k machines seems to be on the SE/30 with other machines benefitting as an unintended result (such as with Bolle's excellent Carrera '040 clone). The SE's not unloved, exactly, but the amount of work needed to get usable improvements out of it would basically end up using the host logic board as a power, disk, and display pass-through. I think there was a project here a while back about building a from-scratch video card for the SE/30 that used a high-performance FPGA and/or an entire SOC that basically took over the system completely and was even capable of running modern Linux using the Mac as a nothing more than a physical shell. While I applaud the effort put into such a thing, it kind of defeats the purpose of using a classic Mac for me.
 
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