Nathan_A's Vintage Computing Curios

[Nathan_A]

And about that SE/30 24-bit PDS graphics card, here's the Interware VDR-2A.



It'll do 24-bit at 640x480, and it's really fun to setup a small color display next to an SE/30 for games and playing with some era appropriate low-end desktop publishing. Driving 24-bit color with the stock CPU is... not great. However, with a CPU upgrade it's a noticeably better story. Lower bit-depths are actually quite manageable.

 

[superjer2000]

Great thread and write ups! Very theatrical!

 

[Nathan_A]

Great thread and write ups! Very theatrical!

Then you'll love this spicy fella. The self-immolating power of the Interware Booster MP 400 !!! Having run this thing briefly in my PowerTower Pro to verify its operation I'm pretty sure that the imagery on the box is to metaphorically capture both the feeling of power in wielding dual 200 MHz 604e processors to slice through even the most daunting workloads as well as the burning heat that comes off the heatsink from sheathing those silicon katanas right next to each other under the heatsink (while also having what appear to be two power transistors screwed to the end of it too).



I'm 99.9% sure this is a rebranded Daystar nPower MP card sold to the Japanese market by Interware. If everything works out to plan I'll be putting this mythical warrior into a (still pending acquisition) UMAX J700 to be the demonstration BeOS box in the 6-layer sushi roll that is my "Powerhouse Pizza Boxes of the 90's" collection. A few of which are deep dish like the J700. Pictures of that whole setup will come at a later date once it's all properly assembled.

DISCLAIMER: I live in Portland, OR where this kind of artisanal cuisine fusion is the norm, so keep that in mind when silently judging how I put sushi and pizza in the same sentence with each other.

 

[Nathanplus]

I have one SE/30 that I actually use and one spare that I'll probably sell after I get it recapped. I also have too many possible ways to give them Ethernet network connectivity. I really should relieve myself of most of these at some point.

Like an Asante MacCon+ SE 30/Et...

View attachment 41155 View attachment 41156

...and an Asante MacCon+ TK/TP...

View attachment 41157 View attachment 41158

...and a Novell Etherport SE30...

View attachment 41159 View attachment 41160

...none of which I need anymore because all my connectivity needs are splendidly provided by this fantastic piece of tech from @Bolle... BolleMac ComboCon30, so cool...

View attachment 41161 View attachment 41162

This last fella goes in my SE/30 and gives it not only Ethernet, but also allows simultaneous use of a 24-bit 640x480 display output card and a 33 MHz 68030 + L2 cache accelerator. Again, so cool.

Hey let me know if your going to sell any of your ethernet cards for se/30s Ive been looking for one.

 

[sulley86]

First of all: impressive collection, Nathan! I was curious if you or somebody else could help out finding a driver for the DSP board. I've got two of those Radius ThunderColor 30 cards, both work fine with the official Radius driver.

But I was not able to get the DSP driver. All pages and links I've found so far either are dead or do provide the proper driver

Really appreciate any help, as I would like to make a video review of the card + DSP at some point of time.