There was a time when I didn't think i'd ever come back into the community again. I checked in on the troops recently though and really felt as though there were certain conquests and developments I wanted to share. Overall I didn't think i'd have anything to lose by checking in and giving everyone a bit of a status report in the world of iMac600 in the post-68kMLA era.
Needless to say, my collecting far from stopped.
In the last several months I went on a run to collect examples of modern Apple design, that is machines and devices created under the eye of Jonathan Ive (who has since become somewhat of a personal hero) and certainly scraped together some decent machines in return. So i'll start with these.
[PHOTO] iMac G4 1GHz and 800MHz
[PHOTO] iMac G4 1GHz on display
What astounds me is the absolute motherload of Apple hardware they had in their storage sheds, from big CRT Studio Displays to Snow White Apple iMacs, Power Macintosh G4s and all sorts... I will eventually ask them if I can take a look in there again. The school IT manager, being a fellow Apple nut himself, does see where i'm coming from and that tends to help, along with the fact I give them cash toward school resources for hardware they don't want... it's a win/win however you look at it.
[PHOTO] iPod with Accessories
I still don't feel any buyers remorse, absolutely love the way it looks, feels and sounds and just the way it plays music. An iPhone or iPod Touch is a great device, but the iPod is in the true spirit of minimalist design to achieve a task the very best way it can- and the iPod First Gen is the very epitome of it.
The next haul came from a member on the MacTalk Australia forum. Although a lot of the machines I didn't exactly show a huge interest in, I decided to head down there and see just what was on offer anyway. What I returned with startled me, excited me and in some cases disappointed me... and i'll explain why as each machine is checked off.
[PHOTO} The Compact Trio
[PHOTO] Macintosh SE
[PHOTO] Macintosh Classic
[PHOTO] Macintosh Centris 660AV
[PHOTO] Power Macintosh 6100/66av (Better of the Two)
[PHOTO] Power Macintosh 7220/200 (4400 "Tanzania") PC Compatible
[PHOTO] Macintosh IIci & Power Macintosh 6100 Parts Machine
[PHOTO] Macintosh LC 475 (Sticker on front said "Flinders Medical Centre")
The real shame comes with the Power Macintosh 6100s. These machines in particular grabbed my interest for three reasons. The first being they're one-hundred percent Copland Mac OS compatible and with the 660AV acting as the debugger, I could have booted it up for the first time. The second is that they're one of the few Macs to have an alternate boot chime. The third is that I have a 6100 DOS card here with an Intel Overdrive on it that could have been fun to play with, although there's an AV card already in there. If I could find a 6100, 7100 or 8100 ROM SIMM there's a good chance that i'd be able to get it running, but even then I still need the funky monitor to go with it. The AV card has a standard DB15 Macintosh Display connector on it, but I have no idea if that'll drive a display without the primary monitor connected.
Finally and a real thrill for me was the day I was asked to clean out the store room at the high school (where i'm currently working on a volunteer basis to give the technicians a bit of assistance). We went on the understanding that a lot of the stuff could just be thrown out, since they don't want it anymore, and what I scored out of it was absolutely freakin' fantastic in terms of small conquests.
[PHOTO] Mac OS X Pocket Guide, OS X Jaguar Pack and the iMac Software Restore Disc Packs
[PHOTO] iMac G3 Software Pack (Newer), Mac OS 9.2 and 10.0.4 Restore CDs, iMovie 2 and Apple Hardware Test
[PHOTO] iMac G3 Software Pack (Older), Mac OS 9.0.4 Restore CDs, World Book, Adobe PageMill and Kid Pix Studio
[PHOTO] Mac OS X Cheetah CD, Apple FireWire Cable and iMac G3 Modem Phone Cable
There's some other stuff in that store room i'd like to try and liberate from the tip, including a little iMac G3 Graphite Keyboard and an Apple LCD Studio Display. I may have varying degrees of luck with those though.
So i've been just a little bit busy in the last few months as you can see. Contrary to the huge list of gear, it doesn't take up much space at all, but regardless i'd like to get rid of some of the dead machines and the LCs, and then sell off some Power Macintosh G4s and G3s, the iMac Tray Loader, maybe the 660AV and the 7220 after they've been cleaned up and tested. After that it'll just be down to recapping the Classic and finding a ROM SIMM for the 6100 so I can start messing around in Copland.
Ideally some time down the track I want to focus more exclusively on the post-2000 Macs rather than the 68ks. I don't mind a few machines for tinkering when i'm bored but the post-2000 Apple gear, in particular machines like iMac G4s, Cubes, Pismos and devices like the iPod that have significance in design and artistic value are the devices I really want to aim for. The CRT based iMacs and eMacs count into this, but due to their bulky size and weight I can't really keep collecting them.
Anyway, just checking in with the troops and letting you all know that I didn't fall off the face of the earth, still very much alive and well and certainly still into the Apple collectors and restorers scene.
Cheers
- Michael (iMac600)
Needless to say, my collecting far from stopped.
In the last several months I went on a run to collect examples of modern Apple design, that is machines and devices created under the eye of Jonathan Ive (who has since become somewhat of a personal hero) and certainly scraped together some decent machines in return. So i'll start with these.
So the iMac G4s I picked up for an absolute steal. They came from the Computer Recycling Scheme, purchased from there by a nearby primary school and sold to me when they had their major cleanout. The 1GHz is in fantastic shape, boots up and runs beautifully and is by far an absolute jewel in my collection. The 800MHz has a dark spot on the LCD and a crackling power supply, but otherwise works and could be a candidate for restoration.iMac G41GHz PowerPC G4 Processor, 768MB RAM, 40GB Hard Disk, 15" Display, AirPort Extreme Card Installed
Very Good Condition
$50 AUD
iMac G4
800MHz PowerPC G4 Processor, 512MB RAM, 60GB Hard Disk, 15" Display
Average Condition
$50 AUD
[PHOTO] iMac G4 1GHz and 800MHz
[PHOTO] iMac G4 1GHz on display
What astounds me is the absolute motherload of Apple hardware they had in their storage sheds, from big CRT Studio Displays to Snow White Apple iMacs, Power Macintosh G4s and all sorts... I will eventually ask them if I can take a look in there again. The school IT manager, being a fellow Apple nut himself, does see where i'm coming from and that tends to help, along with the fact I give them cash toward school resources for hardware they don't want... it's a win/win however you look at it.
This one... not so cheap, but I had to have it. The First Generation iPod has always been a Jonathan Ive favourite of mine, and when I realised that they're not exactly getting any more common, in the true nature of impulse buys I jumped at the opportunity when it arose and ended up with this little baby.iPod (First Generation)Mechanical Wheel, 5GB Hard Disk, Professionally Replaced Battery, Earbuds & Foam Pads Sealed, White FireWire Cable, AU and US Wall Adapters, iPod CD and User Manuals, Leather Case and Silicone Jacket
Very Good Condition
$170 AUD + $20 Postage
[PHOTO] iPod with Accessories
I still don't feel any buyers remorse, absolutely love the way it looks, feels and sounds and just the way it plays music. An iPhone or iPod Touch is a great device, but the iPod is in the true spirit of minimalist design to achieve a task the very best way it can- and the iPod First Gen is the very epitome of it.
The next haul came from a member on the MacTalk Australia forum. Although a lot of the machines I didn't exactly show a huge interest in, I decided to head down there and see just what was on offer anyway. What I returned with startled me, excited me and in some cases disappointed me... and i'll explain why as each machine is checked off.
This haul was a big one, but I went there mainly for the Centris 660AV. I didn't even know I was getting an SE or a Classic until i'd turned up, which was a nice surprise. In addition to the haul I ended up getting another LC III, LC II x2 and an LC 475 spare, but they're not exactly all that significant. The SE is in fantastic shape and hasn't yellowed, although it could certainly use a CRT transplant with one of the spares I have around. The Classic is also in good shape with some minor nicks around the edging but no yellowing, and surprisingly the logic board still works so I plan to change the capacitors before they leak. Sadly neither compacts came with their hard disks or drive carriers, so any attempts to install another drive will most likely require making a bracket of sorts. The Centris 660AV works a dream, currently running Mac OS 8, it just needs a CDROM drive and sled to complete it. Finally the LC 475 is a bit of a surprise, since it's in decent shape and boots up just fine, and although it has no hard disk it does come with the bracket, just not the SCSI cable. Shame it isn't a Quadra 605 though.Macintosh SE2.5MB RAM, No Hard Disk
Very Good Condition
Macintosh Classic
4MB RAM, No Hard Disk
Good Condition
Macintosh Centris 660AV
16MB RAM, 250MB Hard Disk, No CDROM Drive
Good Condition
Power Macintosh 6100/66av x2
No RAM, No Hard Disks, No CDROM Drives
Dead (No ROM SIMMs)
Power Macintosh 7220/200 (4400) PC Compatible
Unknown RAM, 4GB Hard Disk, CDROM + Floppy, Cyrix PCI Compatibility Card
Good Condition
Macintosh IIci
Unknown RAM, No Hard Disk
Dead (Intermittent Boot, No Video)
Macintosh LC 475
Unknown RAM, No Hard Disk
Good Condition
[PHOTO} The Compact Trio
[PHOTO] Macintosh SE
[PHOTO] Macintosh Classic
[PHOTO] Macintosh Centris 660AV
[PHOTO] Power Macintosh 6100/66av (Better of the Two)
[PHOTO] Power Macintosh 7220/200 (4400 "Tanzania") PC Compatible
[PHOTO] Macintosh IIci & Power Macintosh 6100 Parts Machine
[PHOTO] Macintosh LC 475 (Sticker on front said "Flinders Medical Centre")
The real shame comes with the Power Macintosh 6100s. These machines in particular grabbed my interest for three reasons. The first being they're one-hundred percent Copland Mac OS compatible and with the 660AV acting as the debugger, I could have booted it up for the first time. The second is that they're one of the few Macs to have an alternate boot chime. The third is that I have a 6100 DOS card here with an Intel Overdrive on it that could have been fun to play with, although there's an AV card already in there. If I could find a 6100, 7100 or 8100 ROM SIMM there's a good chance that i'd be able to get it running, but even then I still need the funky monitor to go with it. The AV card has a standard DB15 Macintosh Display connector on it, but I have no idea if that'll drive a display without the primary monitor connected.
Finally and a real thrill for me was the day I was asked to clean out the store room at the high school (where i'm currently working on a volunteer basis to give the technicians a bit of assistance). We went on the understanding that a lot of the stuff could just be thrown out, since they don't want it anymore, and what I scored out of it was absolutely freakin' fantastic in terms of small conquests.
Now these i'm really happy with. I wanted the early OS X CD for ages and found it, quite literally, in the bin. The iMac G3 stuff comes into play with my Graphite iMac G3 named "Kiva" and my attempts to restore it to a complete factory kit. The iBook G4 stuff is for my iBook, which i've also been making into a complete kit and have pretty much completed.- Mac OS X Cheetah (10.0.4) CDROM, Sealed in Jacket- Mac OS X Jaguar (10.2) CDROMs, Sealed in Sleeve, Manuals, Purchase Cards and Getting Started Books included
- iMac G3 Software Restore Discs
- Mac OS 9.2
Mac OS X 10.0.4
Apple Hardware Test
iMovie 2
- iMac G3 Restore Discs (Earlier Model Pack)
- Mac OS 9.0.4
Kid Pix Studio
Adobe PageMill
World Book Encyclopedia
- iBook G4 Software Restore Discs, Sealed in Clear Sleeve
- Mac OS X 10.3
Manuals, Panther Books, Warranty Cards
- iMac G3 Phone Cables & Wall Connectors, Translucent
- Some Apple FireWire Cables
- Mac OS X Pocket Guide for OS X Jaguar by Chuck Toporek (O'Relly Press)
[PHOTO] Mac OS X Pocket Guide, OS X Jaguar Pack and the iMac Software Restore Disc Packs
[PHOTO] iMac G3 Software Pack (Newer), Mac OS 9.2 and 10.0.4 Restore CDs, iMovie 2 and Apple Hardware Test
[PHOTO] iMac G3 Software Pack (Older), Mac OS 9.0.4 Restore CDs, World Book, Adobe PageMill and Kid Pix Studio
[PHOTO] Mac OS X Cheetah CD, Apple FireWire Cable and iMac G3 Modem Phone Cable
There's some other stuff in that store room i'd like to try and liberate from the tip, including a little iMac G3 Graphite Keyboard and an Apple LCD Studio Display. I may have varying degrees of luck with those though.
So i've been just a little bit busy in the last few months as you can see. Contrary to the huge list of gear, it doesn't take up much space at all, but regardless i'd like to get rid of some of the dead machines and the LCs, and then sell off some Power Macintosh G4s and G3s, the iMac Tray Loader, maybe the 660AV and the 7220 after they've been cleaned up and tested. After that it'll just be down to recapping the Classic and finding a ROM SIMM for the 6100 so I can start messing around in Copland.
Ideally some time down the track I want to focus more exclusively on the post-2000 Macs rather than the 68ks. I don't mind a few machines for tinkering when i'm bored but the post-2000 Apple gear, in particular machines like iMac G4s, Cubes, Pismos and devices like the iPod that have significance in design and artistic value are the devices I really want to aim for. The CRT based iMacs and eMacs count into this, but due to their bulky size and weight I can't really keep collecting them.
Anyway, just checking in with the troops and letting you all know that I didn't fall off the face of the earth, still very much alive and well and certainly still into the Apple collectors and restorers scene.
Cheers
- Michael (iMac600)