USB/Firewire cards (or chipsets) that work in the TAM

[alk]

Thanks! Turns out, I've got a Tango 2.0 in mine. The last time I used it, it worked fine. That was a long time ago, though.

 

[ArmorAlley]

I came across this just now on  the Macintosh Garden: http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/sonnet-tangotempo-firmware-update-version-13

Sonnet Tango/Tempo Firmware Update (Version 1.3)

I (handle = weasel) have SUCCESSFULLY tested this patch with my Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (TAM), running Mac OS 9.2.2, and an older Sonnet Tango/Temp combo card (Tango 2.0 — which I recently purchased used on eBay. A picture of the type of card I have is also uploaded. I suspect that this firmware update will work on a whole generation of older Sonnet Tango-series USB/FW combination cards!

Without this firmware update, the Mac only recognizes this card as some sort of "PCI Bridge", but neither USB nor Firewire devices work with it.

WITH this firmware update, so far the USB functionality works fine. Will test Firewire and update later.

 

[trag]

Does that update the firmware on the Tango card or on the 20th Anniversary Mac?    Most (all?) USB/Firewire combo cards do not have on-board firmware.   They rely on drivers loaded by the OS.

 

[omidimo]

It patches the system, and has to be reapplied if the PRAM is zapped. 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Is that patch for 6400/6500 as well as TAM?

 

[trag]

Ah, so it's an Open Firmware thingamajigger that lives in the NVRAM.   I wish I felt that it was worth the effort to learn Open Firmware, so I could decode the thing and figure out what it's doing.  Because I want to know what it's doing, but I don't want to expend the amount of effort it would take to find out....

 

[EvilCapitalist]

I'll have to check but if that's the same version I have at home it didn't work the Tango 2.0 I tried, but it looks like from your photo that you've got one of the strange Tango 2.0s that was really a Tempo Trio minus the IDE controller/ports.

 

[omidimo]

The patch was for x500/TAM primarily as the x400s played nicer.

The Tango (Trio Style) cards shipped with different chipsets, so that could be the reason for the issues. 

 

[ArmorAlley]

There is a TAM-compatible USB card on sale on eBay at the moment.

USD 500 (reserve not met), no bids and it comes with a free TAM and G3 upgrade. It's in Brentwood, Tennessee, if that's of any help.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Twentieth-Anniversary-Macintosh-TAM-20th-G3-500mhz-USB-/152669288124?hash=item238bcc76bc:g:FN0AAOSwdrhZl3ca

 

[EvilCapitalist]

If anyone is nearby to do a local pickup that's a machine to grab, if only for the 500MHz Crescendo (providing the reserve is reasonable).

 

[aplmak]

Ok I found my Sonnet Tango 2.0 board... I installed it.. turned USB extensions on and applied the patch.. Now when I boot it freezes at the MacOS screen and mouse freezes.. I've zapped the PRAM no change.. I've held shift to disable extensions no change... Any help would be appreciated!

I remember now tinkering with this a while back... I am using OS 9.1.. and the USB drivers for that. Last time I tried this I think I suspected having a SSD IDE drive may had something to do with it... 

Again any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[EvilCapitalist]

Which Tango 2.0 do you have, the strange one that looks like a Tempo Trio with the IDE ports missing or the standard one (see page 2)?  The one I tried was just the standard model and it never got past the "pci-bridge" stage, though my TAM did boot successfully with it installed.

 

[ArmorAlley]

Hi all,

I have a new possible lead for ye. There is a seller in eBay.de selling MacAlly USB 1.1 PCI cards. His (or her) handle is snogard, the card in question is the Macally UH-241 USB 1.1 Adapter and it's current asking price is €6.10.

Shipping is only within Germany, but I'm if asked nicely, he may ship abroad. I can always bid for it. I'm off up to Germany in a few weeks' time.

HTh,

aa.

 

[aplmak]

I really need help with this... I have NEVER had a card working on my TAM.. and I have tried so, so many... I have a few that I know are compatible.. For sure... But I think I have the wrong extension versions and so on. I've tried 9.1's (runnin 9.1) and I think it's freezing on the "USB Support" or "USB Mass Storage Support" extensions... I am working now to find out what one.. And these are the OS 9.1 versions.. I've tried USB Support floppy images from a Apple Recovery CD but those didn't work either... Any help here would be greatly appreciated.. I need to know what version to use on OS 9.1 or do I have to change OS's??? Like I said I do know I have 1.1 OHCI compatible cards... I'm just having issues with the correct software..

And Apple System Profiler see's the card... but it's still an Unknown type.. But the system is seeing the card..

It is a Keyspan 1.1 2 port PCI card... Do I need Keyspan drivers perhaps... This is really driving me nuts..

Found a lot of useful info here: http://www.zone6400.com/files/firewire_USB.html

But if anyone has any suggestions for me I would appreciate ANY and ALL help...

 

[EvilCapitalist]

You shouldn't need anything more than the standard Apple drivers.  I'm assuming you've already done PRAM and CUDA resets?

 

[aplmak]

Evil I tried so many combinations and could not get it to work.... It's two extensions or one of the two.. USB Support and USB Mass Storage Support... They freeze it upon start up and I have to remove the card to get it to boot... It won't even boot with extensions off... This is on SSW 9.1... I've eliminated the Sonnet Crescendo G3 upgrade.. and everything else... It's those two extensions.. I even found the Kespan utility program to work on Mac OS for it.. no help..

I'm going to configure a brand new IDE drive with maybe 8.6 and see if I can get it to work... It's so weird!!!!!!!!

And I've tried two USB Adapter Card software 1.3.5 and 1.4.1 I think they were... as well as sys 9.1 versions.. removing all associated files for each and starting fresh...

 

[EvilCapitalist]

That is very strange.  I had a similar issue when I was trying the 14 or so combo cards I ran through but wiping the drive and using a fresh install always worked for getting the known good cards to be recognized again.

 

[aplmak]

Yeah as we all know a nice wipe and new install usually solves a lot of issues...

"Have you turned it off and on again".... lol... (from IT Crowd)

 

[just.in.time]

My quest is at an end!

The G3 DT showed up yesterday and the lots of cards came in last week and I finally had a chance to get in to everything last night. As it turns out, the "original" OrangeLink card that was in the lot of many cards I bought was the second revision so I didn't bother testing it (though I will be doing so at some point this weekend). The G3 DT that omidimo found DID have the version 1 board which I put in my TAM and (after running the pci bridge patch), I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

20170511_224010.jpg

The version two card which I'll try out hopefully some time this weekend

Did that version 2 card end up working?

 

[EvilCapitalist]

I don't think I ever ended up trying that card to find out.  I even ended up finding an original Sonnet Tango and have yet to swap out the original OrangeLink for that card.