Classic II ROM/FPU expansion board

[pineapple donut]

Hi folks,

Has anyone ever seen a ROM/FPU expansion board for the Classic II? I'm not convinced that anyone ever bothered to take up Apple's offer of developing third party expansion boards for the Classic II.

I'm [vainly] hoping that a talented and generous hardware engineer has developed one and posted the circuit diagrams on the 'net.

regards,

PD

 

[porter]

I'm not convinced that anyone ever bothered to take up Apple's offer of developing third party expansion boards for the Classic II.

I didn't think it had any expansion options.

The LCII and LCIII have a slot on the motherboard for the socket for an FPU, the LCIII normally already had the socket, the LCII just had the holes full of solder, which can be carefully removed and a socket installed. Can you confirm if the Classic II has similar?

 

[pineapple donut]

I'm not convinced that anyone ever bothered to take up Apple's offer of developing third party expansion boards for the Classic II.

I didn't think it had any expansion options.

Can you confirm if the Classic II has similar?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_Classic_II

The Classic II has a 50-pin internal expansion slot intended for either an FPU co-processor or additional ROM. The socket is not designed to be used for any other purpose and is not suitable for use as a general expansion slot. Apple never produced an expansion card of any kind for this slot.

This isn't to say that nobody else did.

 

[porter]

The Classic II has a 50-pin internal expansion slot intended for either an FPU co-processor or additional ROM.

Shame the 68882 has 68 pins. So it's not a simple one for one.

http://www.amiga-stuff.com/hardware/mc68881-882.html

 

[pineapple donut]

I wouldn't think it would be that simple. The developer note describes the pinouts for the connector, but its up to the engineers to decide how to interface with the data bus.

 

[porter]

I wouldn't think it would be that simple. The developer note describes the pinouts for the connector, but its up to the engineers to decide how to interface with the data bus.

Ironically they made it more complicated than it need be, if they made a square inch of space near the CPU they could have put in a socket for an FPU instead of the 50pin connector.

 

[lorddoomicus]

Hi folks,Has anyone ever seen a ROM/FPU expansion board for the Classic II? I'm not convinced that anyone ever bothered to take up Apple's offer of developing third party expansion boards for the Classic II.

I'm [vainly] hoping that a talented and generous hardware engineer has developed one and posted the circuit diagrams on the 'net.

regards,

PD

I had one installed in my Classic II many eons ago ... but sold the FPU and memory ( I had it up too 10 Meg ) after I upgraded to a 6100. It would be cool to have 10 Meg and an FPU for my Classic II. Then again, I figure I should just get an SE/30 ... then I can put AU/X on it too.

- Derrik

 

[skeletor]

Hi folks,Has anyone ever seen a ROM/FPU expansion board for the Classic II? I'm not convinced that anyone ever bothered to take up Apple's offer of developing third party expansion boards for the Classic II.

I'm [vainly] hoping that a talented and generous hardware engineer has developed one and posted the circuit diagrams on the 'net.

regards,

PD

I had one installed in my Classic II many eons ago ... but sold the FPU and memory ( I had it up too 10 Meg ) after I upgraded to a 6100. It would be cool to have 10 Meg and an FPU for my Classic II. Then again, I figure I should just get an SE/30 ... then I can put AU/X on it too.

- Derrik

No doubt, the SE/30, was and still is the way to go...far more potential,

much faster, bigger data bus, than the classic II....the classic II, was a poor replacement for the SE/30, when it was retired...

in fact, the classic II, should have been the original Classic released, instead of the original 68000 classic, issued in 1990 (?)

at least, apple should have boosted the 8 mhz to 16 mhz, on the mb, sorta like they did on the portable.....

no contest between the SE/30 and classic II...I love 'em both, but

I'll take the SE/30, hands down...

a few yrs ago, on the net, I saw an example of a guy from germany,

who built a plexi glass CUBE, and moved the guts and picture tube from a

classic II into it...It was very cool.....I believe it was originally listed

on the applefritters site..

 

[LCGuy]

Ayup, ZeCube.

I love that guy's hacks, they're very neat.

 

[equill]

The FPU card was, ultimately, the only expansion ever offered for the Classic II PDS slot. Mine was made, if memory serves, by Applied Engineering. I picked it up about five years ago (eBay), and have never seen another offered anywhere else. US landfills probably contain the vast majority of some of the aftermarket offerings for the Compact AIOs, especially for the likes of the Classic II.

Algernon Apple, the present repository of the card, did sterling service for both of us during and after the five years of my wife's BA (Hons). If he never chimed again he would retain an honoured place in this household. I shall not bore you with his considerable accomplishments, as they are already recorded here.

de

 

[equill]

Codicil: I have just had a scratch amongst some papers that had not been disturbed for several years, and found a slip from Applied Engineering about their FastMath Classic II card, v1.0. I have the feeling that there was more, and when tomlee59 has got and finished with his Round Tuit, he may perhaps lend it to me while I find the remaining data about the FastMath.

de

 

[pineapple donut]

Codicil: I have just had a scratch amongst some papers that had not been disturbed for several years, and found a slip from Applied Engineering about their FastMath Classic II card, v1.0. I have the feeling that there was more, and when tomlee59 has got and finished with his Round Tuit, he may perhaps lend it to me while I find the remaining data about the FastMath.
de

If you find time to scan the documentation I'd be very appreciative. There is just so little to find on the web.

regards

 

[equill]

PD

You may already have come across this, which has leads in other directions. Algernon Apple supported System 7.5 with 6MB (total) of RAM throughout much of his tertiary work, so part of the thread, at least, puzzles me. He completed my wife's (then) studies with 2 x 4MB (10MB total, all recognized) replacing the 2 x 2MB. Even with only 6MB installed he had had no trouble in dealing with a FileMaker database of >10,000 records, each with >20 fields. With subsequently-acquired experience, I believe that Algernon, having a 68030 rather than 68000 CPU, could be very comfortable with a made-to-order System 7.1.3.

I beg you not to hold your breath, but I shall disinter my Agfa e50 at some time, and include the Applied Engg flier in the banked-up work.

de

 

[Scott Baret]

I own one of these FPU cards. It's got a 68882 on board and turns the Classic II into a sweet little MS Excel machine. It was sitting peacefully inside a Classic II my cousin gave me for my 15th birthday.

If I had an extra analog board (either kind would do as I have CRTs for both Rev. A and Rev. B) I'd be able to get that particular Classic II back up and running...I ran benchmarks on it when I first got it (in 2001), comparing it to an original LC (which is roughly the same performance-wise as a Classic II/LC II/Color Classic). Should I get the Classic II on its feet again I will run two benchmarks, one with and one without the FPU card.

 

[pineapple donut]

Thanks for the replies folks. If anyone finds the time to scan either the documentation or hardware they have I'd very much appreciate it. You can probably imagine what I'd like to do with the information, and it probably is a little bit ridiculous.

regards,

PD

 

[Mac128]

The FPU card was, ultimately, the only expansion ever offered for the Classic II PDS slot.

Apple discouraged the use of the expansion slot for anything other than an FPU or ROM card due to electrical restrictions.

I'm not entirely sure what the intent behind a custom ROM was, however. Possibly to serve the same function as the built-in ROM disk on the Classic's 512K ROM, to use as a network client, or custom hardware. It is no surprise Apple dropped the FPU from the Classic II, The SE/30 was really the last of the mass market B&W compacts, as most consumers were moving toward color by 1991. If cost were a real factor to opt for a B&W Mac, chances are those customers did not really need an FPU. In essence a back-door expansion in the event someone did to prevent them from choosing a PC.