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Complete Collection of Every Compact Mac?
- Thread starter funkytoad
- Start date
Me too.
I don't have any of the development machines (ie transparent etc), but I do have a Platinum 512KE (ie prior to the colour change over during the Mac Plus era).
http://macdownunder.no-ip.info
Regards,
Macdownunder
No - I thought as you did, until I picked up this platinum 512KE. I thought it was a re-spray job, but the platinum badges would have been very difficult produce out of the factory.
I'll see if I can dig it out and get some better photos later this week.
Kind regards,
Macdownunder
I would definitely be interested in those photos. For you see, I've owned and used Macs extensively since 1984 and I've never seen a geniune "from-Apple" Mac in Platinum prior to 1987.
The Plus came on the scene in January 1986, in beige. The 512kE was discontinued in August that same year, having about as short a life as the notorious Mac IIvx (a box I myself once owned). Here is a LEM article with even more facts on this for you. And here is another LEM article pointing out the fact that Platinum came to the plus in 1987, well after the 512k-series had been discontinued. Therefore, unless you have an extremely rare prototype 512kE, I cannot see how it would be platinum, unless it somehow discolored itself over time in such an odd manner (something I've never seen before).
So again, I look forward to seeing those properly white-balanced photos of your machine! 8-o
The Plus came on the scene in January 1986, in beige. The 512kE was discontinued in August that same year, having about as short a life as the notorious Mac IIvx (a box I myself once owned). Here is a LEM article with even more facts on this for you. And here is another LEM article pointing out the fact that Platinum came to the plus in 1987, well after the 512k-series had been discontinued. Therefore, unless you have an extremely rare prototype 512kE, I cannot see how it would be platinum, unless it somehow discolored itself over time in such an odd manner (something I've never seen before).
So again, I look forward to seeing those properly white-balanced photos of your machine! 8-o
You are a little unkind to the 512Ke, which, according to EveryMac and Apple, was available from 14 Apr. '86 until 1 Sep. '87, ie it was released three months after the Plus, although it lived for about 16mo. compared with the Plus's 57mo. The run of the 512K ended on the day that the 512Ke was released.
I just asked my 512Ke, and it replied that it felt neither notorious nor shortlived. It proudly showed me its serial F6207FFM0001ED, which indicates manufacture in Cupertino, in mid to late May '86. It is undeniably beige. The date of manufacture is supported by the Apple/University (of Western Australia) Consortium labels, which are dated in June and August of the same year. No longer just a 'low-end Plus', and especially with 2MB of RAM and an HD20, this 512Ke skips along on System 6.0.8.
de
Edit: added Apple techSpec link.
Correct - on the Mac 128 and 512 the badges are on the back.
Looks like I need to get the camera out tonight.....
Regards,
Macdownunder
Equill, clearly, the thrust of my post was about the color of the 512ke being "beige" -- a point you agree on. Also, if you read my post you will find that I used the adjective "notorious" in front of the IIvx (which didn't originate with me, mind you). I only likened the lifespan of the 512kE (not the 512) to the IIvx to indicate how short it was relative to other shortlived models. And if the LEM article dates are bogus, they should be asked to edit their articles. But regardless of the exact dates, it is unquestionable that the Plus had a longer "sales life" than the 512kE and continued to be sold (and improveed) after the 512kE was discontinued.
I personally have great respect for the 512k (original 64k ROMs) because it is everything the 128k should have been from the start. The first Mac suffered from the lack of RAM, something the 512k addressed. The Enhanced version of the 512 wasn't a bad machine, but some early software apps were incompatible with the new ROMs (I know this from experience because I have a 512 and both the 64k ROMs and the 128k ROMs). True, the 512kE had better 800k floppy drives than the 128/512 did; but in retrospect, you can see that the 512kE is basically a Plus with half the RAM. The 128/512 are a different breed than the Plus, so I myself cannot directly compare them. Hence, as a collector today, I would snap up the 128 or a 512, but I would choose a Plus over a 512kE any day. (While the SE and SE/30 are better than the Plus, they are a different breed of machines that are not directly comparable to the Plus, in my opinion.) The Plus also has a slightly more modern analog board than the 512kE. You can view my analog board photos here:
630-0102
630-0102-E
661-0462
I personally have great respect for the 512k (original 64k ROMs) because it is everything the 128k should have been from the start. The first Mac suffered from the lack of RAM, something the 512k addressed. The Enhanced version of the 512 wasn't a bad machine, but some early software apps were incompatible with the new ROMs (I know this from experience because I have a 512 and both the 64k ROMs and the 128k ROMs). True, the 512kE had better 800k floppy drives than the 128/512 did; but in retrospect, you can see that the 512kE is basically a Plus with half the RAM. The 128/512 are a different breed than the Plus, so I myself cannot directly compare them. Hence, as a collector today, I would snap up the 128 or a 512, but I would choose a Plus over a 512kE any day. (While the SE and SE/30 are better than the Plus, they are a different breed of machines that are not directly comparable to the Plus, in my opinion.) The Plus also has a slightly more modern analog board than the 512kE. You can view my analog board photos here:
630-0102
630-0102-E
661-0462
It was but the gentlest of nudges, to emphasize that the 512Ke was alive for 16, not 4 months, and that its place (if not Apple's intention) was to be a 'low-end Plus'. As such it had several affinities with the Plus during its much shorter life, but the 512Ke was never privileged to wear the platinum.
de
de
I certainly appreciate the information, Equill. And I still feel that LEM should be informed of this inaccuracy on their website. The way it stands now, it's nothing more that a blatant lie serving to misinform the masses about Macintosh history. I would write LEM myself if I knew your information source. So perhaps you might consider doing so?
I have a 512Ke that is clearly platinum. Can't check the serial number from work but if I remember when I get home, I will do so. It is badged on the back as a "Macintosh 512K", and (from memory) has model number M0001E. The badge on the front is also different - not inside a larger square like the 128K and 512K's are. I have also seen a picture of a 512Ke that has "Macintosh ED" printed on the front, but I have never seen one "in the plastic" so to speak. 
In my opinion, the primary deficiency of the 512Ke is the lack of SCSI.
Ken
In my opinion, the primary deficiency of the 512Ke is the lack of SCSI.
Ken
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