TEMPEST SE Project

[ScutBoy]

That's unusual. Usually the cases on TEMPEST machines are steel, or at least covered in mesh to act as a Faraday cage to manage stray RF.  However, by the pics of the internals, they may have been able to certify with all the covers over the logic board, etc.

 

[unity]

There are two ways to do it. Either a new case design which leaves the internals stock. Or this design, which leaves the case intact but heavily modifies the internals. I would think a metal case would be the most cost effective way to go.

 

[Bunsen]

Didn't think it was too easy back then, no wireless network to tap into. Probably some very sophisticated stuff to be able to do that.

Not really. The signal going to the CRT is high voltage, high current, and varies up and down according to the brightness of each pixel. A varying current in a wire is a radio transmission antenna. So all you need is a receiving antenna (probably a highly directional one so you can pick your target), some amplification, and a matching (or configurable) monitor. Some way of recording it for future reference also I guess, probably direct to tape in the day.

 

[unity]

Well after having a delay in parts AND being hit by the worst flu I have ever had, this project is finally coming together tonight.

 

[unity]

Well its back together and runs! I just need to put the back bucket on and call it finished. Really overall not too much work. Just lots of cleaning and lubricating the floppy drives.

I considered making this an SE/30 but there would be no way to install a hard drive properly and the SE/30 does not support two internal floppy drives. But I do have an 030 upgrade for an SE that I might drop in here. If I do, it will never come out. I tried once and the RAM on the upgrade acts like barbs and its almost impossible to slide the mobo sled back about now that its back together. But still, I may.

The only remaining thing to do will be converting a mouse and keyboard to DB-9. I really doubt the original Mac mouse will work and I dont want to try it and fry something. So for now, I have no mouse/keyboard to use with it unless I bypass the modification (easy to do).

 

[haplain]

Well done and thanks for the update. Awesome piece!