ColorView SE? What's that?

[BadGoldEagle]

Saw this thing today while browsing eBay.

What is that? I can't find anything mentioning it. Is that a color video card for an SE?? With a VGA output? Clearly this Mac has been tinkered with: the rear screws are different.

But more importantly, do you know if the software's still available?

Damn, that thing is in Germany, but I'm seriously considering driving 400 miles to pick this baby up!

Edit: It's not ColorView but ColorVue.

 

[Carboy7]

Get it!

 

[BadGoldEagle]

It costs about 25 euros right now. How much would you bid on that special Mac? I'm thinking $150, but it might be too much...$

It doesn't need any drivers! Cool, 'cos the seller replaced the HD with a 40mb one. 

The SE 1/20 and 1/40 are rather rare in Europe, they're just rebranded SE FDHDs but still. I need to own one.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

ISTR it's a CLUT sort of deal that works with the color ribbons on an ImageBanger and an external display, but that's from a very hazy past lifetime.

 

[BadGoldEagle]

Monitoranschluss auf der Rückseite ist ohne Funktion.

:'(

-> Monitor port on the back does not work...

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

"Does not work" and will not work are two very different things.

Chances are they "tested" it using a stock 60Hz VGA Display running off the DA-15 connector with a VGA adapter at a Mac Sync Rate that ain't never gonna sync in that config. Have at it!

 

[fri0701]

I think I may have found some information for you!

Here's a page from InfoWorld about this "mystery" card:

https://books.google.com/books?id=5T4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=%22colorvue%22+se+macintosh&source=bl&ots=lHtdfccQDO&sig=HWC9KlO7z2ggdVQHAiasmPA8C88&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiBt_SxsfjRAhWGQCYKHRM3CtwQ6AEIITAB#v=onepage&q=%22colorvue%22%20se%20macintosh&f=false

And some information from Low End Mac:

http://www.lowendmac.com/video/68k/index.html

Hope this helps!

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Yep, revue's 1988, the card outputs 640x480@66.7Hz for Apple's then current offerings and supports MultiSyncs. If they used fixed scan rate VGA display for testing, it still hasn't been "tested." Since you say you need to own an SE, SNAG IT!!!

 

[Bolle]

What always can happen is that there is no card inside at all amd only the back panel is left. I just got an SE/30 which was that way. DB15 back panel in the back and no card inside... Monitor output was "not working" as well obviously }

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Way cool breakout panel though.

 

[BadGoldEagle]

I have good news:

Q :  Hi You said the video connector on the back isn't working but this card requires a special type of display with a fixed refresh rate. If the refresh rate on your test display isn't 66.7Hz exactly, the video out won't work. Can you give me the model of your test display so I can check out if the card is bad? My German is very rusty, sorry. I hope English is fine.
R :  Thank you for your mail. I remember that there was no hardware attached to the port, so no testing was done at all. There are only cables attached to that port. Maybe I described it wrong. I would like to apologize for that. If anyone placed a bid because of the hardware he/she thought was attached to the port, feel free to withdraw any bid that was placed before I wrote this answer.

So I'm still interested. I know it's literally impossible to see what the future is made of, but how much do you reckon it will sell for?

I mean, a mint 'normal' SE costs from 80 to 120 dollars on ebay. So I'd say €165 is about right for this machine. 

Let's see...

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Like I said, that's a really sweet expansion port cover plate. ;D

 

[Bolle]

So with no card inside and only the cover plate on the back I would not go anywhere near 100€.

If you look at how big of a difference in colour there is between the model sticker on the back and the case you see that it seems to be pretty yellowed.

This will probably go way up because people are not reading all the way down to the question you asked him and will bid because they think there actually is a card inside. }

 

[Gorgonops]

It's a pity the card isn't in there, I'd have been somewhat interested on a report on how well said card actually worked in practice. There were several of those oddball cards that claimed to provide color for Macs without Color Quickdraw (I believe there was even a SCSI one) and I know their compatibility was really hit-and-miss.

 

[Bolle]

So just to clarify, I asked him again in German. No card installed

@BGE if you need a 1/20 we might be able to arrange something as I have one of those spare but lets first see how that auction ends in case you already placed a bid.

 

[BadGoldEagle]

Haven't placed a bid yet, and certainly won't now. 

My german is definitely rusty. I didn't understand the card wasn't actually in there until now... What a dumb@$$!

That said, I'd love to get my hands on a ColorVue some day. Looks awesome! Yeah I wonder how they pulled it off! I mean the SE has no color quickdraw built in its ROMs (unlike the /30...)

@Bolle: That would be awesome. PM me with your price. Thanks again for asking the guy about the card, I really appreciate it!! Would have been kinda disappointed.

List of all B&W Compact Macs variants from Apple:

Macintosh 128k. 
Macintosh 512k
Macintosh ED (512ke, platinum) MISSING
Macintosh Plus ED - MISSING
Macintosh Plus (Beige) - MISSING
Macintosh Plus (Platinum)
Macintosh SE 2x800k
Macintosh SE FDHD
Macintosh SE Superdrive - MISSING
Macintosh SE 1/20 - MISSING
Macintosh SE 1/40 - MISSING
Macintosh SE/30
Macintosh Classic - MISSING
Macintosh Classic II
Macintosh Performa 200 - MISSING

A shrink. Because I am definitely crazy. MISSING

I got 7 outa 15. I ALWAYS NEED MORE! One of each is enough though.

Once the list is complete, I shall open a museum. Hahahaha.

NB:

ED was only sold in Holland AFAIK. It was converted to Platinum at some point in 87. Bezel is from a Plus (although no writing on it), and back is from a 512ke but it's platinum all right. Early EDs were beige as usual (bezel was from a normal beige 512K)

1/20 and 1/40: seen a couple (2 or 3 in total) in France but it seems there's a lot of these guys in Germany. Don't think it was sold outside of Europe though!