a 68k mac project

[WhoaMan]

Lately, I have been working on a new project. I want to design and build my own 68K MAC clone, based off the Mac Plus and Mac Classic. I plan to keep the general memory layout the same, dividing the 16meg memory space in to 4 sections and their general assignments, also i plan to use 4mb of ram. I have dumped the ROM, the OS and Toolbox dispatch tables, and OS functions loaded in to RAM from my Mac classic. I am working on labeling all the jump table functions and matching them with their bad op-codes to trigger them. (if anyone has a list of these functions, please let me know). I would love to hear your comments and suggestions for this beast of a machine

Goals:

*build a custom 68K compatible Mac clone using an MC68EC000 Freescale processor running at 20mhz

*replace "Boot Disk" in ROM with 2mb of Flash Ram. (with USB interface for updates)

*increase screen buffer sizes from 22KB to 59Kb to allow 800x600 res @ 1bpp.

*integrate 8" 800x600 LCD screen from digital picture frame.

*integrate compact flash storage for hard disk emulation (while still having a 50pin header for internal SCSI drives and external SCSI devices)

*create new old-world style ROM, free of apple IP to allow free distribution

 

[Cory5412]

I can't say I've got anything that'll help, but I will say that this sounds like a pretty ambitious project, I'm really excited to hear about the progress as it occurs. It sounds as though, based on your list of specific goals for the project, you're fairly well-aware of what needs to happen to make it a reality, which is awesome.

I wish you nothing but the very best of luck and skill, and I really do hope you keep us all apprised of the situation on this project. [] ]'>

 

[benjgvps]

Not too sure about the screen from the picture frame, I wanted to do something similar (PSP screen hooked up to, if I remember, VGA or composite) and couldn't find any help.

 

[aphetica]

I love intricate and ambitious projects.

Have you started sourcing parts yet, or are you going to wait until you have everything mapped?

 

[trag]

Of course I can't remember the details (like the URL or the person who did the work) but there's a fellow with a website up where he cloned the hardware. He took each of the custom chips on the logic board and rebuilt them out of non-Apple components and wrote out the logical equations that describe the chips. And he breadboarded together a Plus board in the process. I do not think that he rewrote the ROM, but I don't remember. I'll try to check to see if I have the site bookmarked when I'm home, but my memory is so leaky...

I want to say it was an Aussie who did it, but I may be misremembering.

 

[RichCini]

This project is something I've always wanted to try but I just don't have the hardware design expertise. I would be interested in following the project and I'd also be interested in the info on the Aussie chap who did some hardware cloning. I did some Googleing this evening and haven't come up with anything yet.

Great project!