Color Classic CC Mystic VGA 640x480 Hack Mod

[crazyegg]

Hi All,

I recently acquired a CC and an LC575 motherboard.

I read and absorbed all I could and am now running a CC Mystic with an ACard SCSI-IDE bridge CF boot drive using Mac OS 8.1.

However, I now have the itch to increase the resolution of the CC to 640x480.

There are some conflicting details on how this hack is to be performed (specifically with regards as to which points to solder).

The conflicting links are below:

http://colourclassicfaq.com/general/vga.html

http://www.micromac.com/instructions/CC_Video_upgrade/index.html

Can someone who has done this mod please comment as to the proper procedure for performing this mod? Thanks!!

Regards,

ed...

 

[Macdrone]

Ok you may have misinterpreted the mods they are totally different. One mods the motherboard and one mods the CC. The differences are you cannot return the CC to normal easily if you do the video mod to the CC's hardware (meaning you cant put the original motherboard back in without extra VRAM) and the hardware of the CC screen is now at higher voltage which taxes those parts harder than normal. If you do the motherboard mod then you can leave unit intact, and replace mobo's however you want and it doesnt hurt the CC hardware more than normal (no extra voltage through alost twenty year old parts). The outcome is the same but one is harder on the CC unit and one is not. I have done both ten years ago but they were only ten years old then.

Good Luck on your mod decision either way.

 

[crazyegg]

Hi All,

Both mods above are for the ANALOG BOARD of the CC to be modded. In both links above, the LC575 motherboard is left intact I think.

There appears to be two methods of modding the ANALOG board of the CC.

Am I missing something here?

Regards,

ed...

 

[uniserver]

did you get a rear I/O cover so your lc575 board looks nice in there?

 

[mcdermd]

I have used this procedure:

http://colourclassicfaq.com/general/vga.html

and it worked fine.

 

[Brooklyn]

I have used this procedure:
http://colourclassicfaq.com/general/vga.html

and it worked fine.

I have done both the "VGA" and "high res" mods. I had less problems with the VGA mod (linked above) and it is easier on the components. You have to modify both the analog board and motherboard.

 

[mcdermd]

I'm pretty positive I didn't modify my LC575 board at all. I think it was all done on the analog board.

EDIT:

Chris Lawson[/url]"]This step is where my procedure differs from those published elsewhere on various Japanese sites, mostly by members of the Club for Creating the Strongest Color Classic (CCSCC). The other modifications suggest one of two options: either modify the (usually) LC575 logic board or fool around with wires in the wiring harness. Doing the logic board modification has no advantage that I can see; in fact, I recommend against it because, should you ever have occasion to replace the logic board, you will need to modify the new one as well. Likewise, I recommend against cutting and patching wires in the wiring harness simply because if you make a mistake, it's very difficult to splice wires in an IDC cable (and even more difficult to re-wire one). Due to the major disadvantages of the previously available methods, I decided to come up with one that contained all the modifications on the analogue board where they could be relatively easily undone.

 

[crazyegg]

Hi All,

I do not see any reference to the modification of the motherboard on either of thoese two links above. Both methods modify the analog board only. Both are very similar to each other.

The only differences between the two methods is location of the soldering more or less.

I would really like to know which method is the best one to use. Thanks!!

EDIT: The two links that I included at the beginning of this thread are basically Chris Lawson's approach as outlined in the above post. Which is better?

Regards,

ed...

 

[Brooklyn]

I'm pretty positive I didn't modify my LC575 board at all. I think it was all done on the analog board.

You're right, its been awhile I thought it was both, but its just the analog board near the connector.

 

[Bunsen]

I seem to recall reading a long time back that the mod could be done completely on the wiring harness. Does anyone know if that's true? Wiring harnesses are a lot easier to replace than original CC analog or logic boards.

 

[ClassicHasClass]

How useable is 8.1 with the 560x... resolution?

 

[LCGuy]

I've used OS 8.1 at 512x384...while 640x480 is a heck of a lot nicer, much like System 7 it is perfectly usable at that resolution, apart from apps that require 640x480 or higher.