I bought this old SuperMac graphics card on eBay. I knew it was going to be an early card, given that it nearly contains only through-hole parts.
The ROM label is interesting, in that it says "SPECTRUM" but not "/8" or "III" or any additional modifier. I assume 'D6' is the ROM version. Looking at the raw ROM file reveals the version to be 1.0b6. So, a prerelease ROM? Given the mid-1987 date codes on some of the other chips, I think this is a production release.
With the card installed, I was in for a bit of a treat. 1024x768 resolution in 8-bit color circa the launch of the Macintosh II. Wow! I was sure it would be only 640x480.
Although no driver is required, the SuperVideo software did not work with such an old ROM.
Back to eBay. Quickly!
Someone was selling an identical board with a v1.97 ROM. (The seller said this card had weak color, but it seems to be an issue with choosing the correct sync settings. The color is beautiful with @bigmessowires Mac Sync-inator. There is some waviness which the first card doesn't have. I assume something has aged poorly in the second card.)
Not sure what that copyright date is. I think 1990. I copied a '0' from the part number and made it partially transparent. Seems to fit.
With the newer ROM, the SuperMac software works. There are seven resolutions / frequencies which can be enabled if the correct crystals are installed.
Does anyone know where I could get a 30.24 MHz oscillator in a full can? Not available on Digi-Key, Mouser, or eBay. Maybe a surface mount with adapter board? But, it would need to be a 5V part. It doesn't even look like programmable oscillators are available.
The ROM is a M2764A-2FI. Ha! That's only 8KB. In fact, the earlier firmware just filled up about 5KB.
The Texas Instruments chip is blacked out on both boards. Any idea what would remove permanent marker but not the chip markings? I understand the TMS34010 was popular at the time, but that number doesn't quite fit the markings.
The board does have a design flaw. They put the connector too high on the slot. It barely fits a monitor connector on a Macintosh II (IIx, IIfx) model.
But the monitor cable connector does not have enough space on the compact Mac II series, such as a IIci. Seriously, I tried. It doesn't fit.
Did Apple change the slot length specifications? That seems like such a weird thing to alter.
What's in a name?
What is the official name of this video board? The initial ROM is simply "SuperMac Spectrum". The later ROM is "SuperMac Spectrum/8".
Looking through old issues of MacWorld, the first mention of this card by name is July 1987. By the way, I didn't see an 800x600 setting in the SuperVideo software, so maybe they didn't ship that configuration.
But, later in the issue the card is called "Spectrum 1000/1" and "Spectrum 1000/8".
In that same issue, here is a comparison of the competing cards around the time of the Macintosh II launch. The card and monitor would set you back $4500.
A year later, RasterOps caught up with color cards, including millions of colors.
But, SuperMac also released a 24-bit color card. Hence, the Spectrum/8 name stuck to differentiate it from the Spectrum/24.
As of the August 1988 MacWorld issue, Apple did not support 32-bit QuickDraw. According to technical note QD01, 32-bit QuickDraw shipped in May 1989, was built into the IIci ROM, and shipped with System 6.0.5 in 1990.
Anyway, it is cool to own such an initially powerful color card, even if it pales in comparison to later generations.
ROMs attached.
- David
The ROM label is interesting, in that it says "SPECTRUM" but not "/8" or "III" or any additional modifier. I assume 'D6' is the ROM version. Looking at the raw ROM file reveals the version to be 1.0b6. So, a prerelease ROM? Given the mid-1987 date codes on some of the other chips, I think this is a production release.
With the card installed, I was in for a bit of a treat. 1024x768 resolution in 8-bit color circa the launch of the Macintosh II. Wow! I was sure it would be only 640x480.
Although no driver is required, the SuperVideo software did not work with such an old ROM.
Back to eBay. Quickly!
Someone was selling an identical board with a v1.97 ROM. (The seller said this card had weak color, but it seems to be an issue with choosing the correct sync settings. The color is beautiful with @bigmessowires Mac Sync-inator. There is some waviness which the first card doesn't have. I assume something has aged poorly in the second card.)
Not sure what that copyright date is. I think 1990. I copied a '0' from the part number and made it partially transparent. Seems to fit.
With the newer ROM, the SuperMac software works. There are seven resolutions / frequencies which can be enabled if the correct crystals are installed.
Does anyone know where I could get a 30.24 MHz oscillator in a full can? Not available on Digi-Key, Mouser, or eBay. Maybe a surface mount with adapter board? But, it would need to be a 5V part. It doesn't even look like programmable oscillators are available.
The ROM is a M2764A-2FI. Ha! That's only 8KB. In fact, the earlier firmware just filled up about 5KB.
The Texas Instruments chip is blacked out on both boards. Any idea what would remove permanent marker but not the chip markings? I understand the TMS34010 was popular at the time, but that number doesn't quite fit the markings.
The board does have a design flaw. They put the connector too high on the slot. It barely fits a monitor connector on a Macintosh II (IIx, IIfx) model.
But the monitor cable connector does not have enough space on the compact Mac II series, such as a IIci. Seriously, I tried. It doesn't fit.
Did Apple change the slot length specifications? That seems like such a weird thing to alter.
What's in a name?
What is the official name of this video board? The initial ROM is simply "SuperMac Spectrum". The later ROM is "SuperMac Spectrum/8".
Looking through old issues of MacWorld, the first mention of this card by name is July 1987. By the way, I didn't see an 800x600 setting in the SuperVideo software, so maybe they didn't ship that configuration.
But, later in the issue the card is called "Spectrum 1000/1" and "Spectrum 1000/8".
In that same issue, here is a comparison of the competing cards around the time of the Macintosh II launch. The card and monitor would set you back $4500.
A year later, RasterOps caught up with color cards, including millions of colors.
But, SuperMac also released a 24-bit color card. Hence, the Spectrum/8 name stuck to differentiate it from the Spectrum/24.
As of the August 1988 MacWorld issue, Apple did not support 32-bit QuickDraw. According to technical note QD01, 32-bit QuickDraw shipped in May 1989, was built into the IIci ROM, and shipped with System 6.0.5 in 1990.
Anyway, it is cool to own such an initially powerful color card, even if it pales in comparison to later generations.
ROMs attached.
- David
