webtv, $1

[John8520]

While at the beach I nabbed a webtv from a dinky thrift store for $1, its one of those phillips/magnavox ones, apparently model 'MAT960A101.' It boots up and displays video just fine, and I have the keyboard which works. I've yet to try connecting it to a phone line, because I cant remember if the msntv, or whatever it was called, service got shut down or not. In any case, does anyone know of any kinds of little mods or whatever that can be done to these? I'd kinda like to do something with it. Cleaning it should be on that list, prolly been in that store for six years...

 

[Bunsen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebTV#Linux_on_the_MSN_TV2

 

[John8520]

That seems only to work on the MSNTV2, which is a 733Mhz celeron PC, not a propritary MIPS box.

 

[John8520]

Oh, and another interesting thing that ocurred to me is that somehow this might be usable as an IR keyboard, it outputs purely, no need for input from the webtv box.

 

[LCGuy]

Its an MIPS machine? I'm thinking...any way to get a CD-ROM hooked up to it? Maybe you could put NT4 on it, which supports MIPS.

 

[John8520]

It's MIPS, but it's a weird custom thing made for the webtvs. Also, nope, no IDE or SCSI or anything, or a storage device for that matter.

 

[Unknown_K]

Can you turn it into a network terminal?

 

[Bunsen]

MIPS is supported in a lot of Linux and BSD distros.

Are there any identifiable expansion slots or headers inside, with or without something in them?

 

[iMac600]

Philips MAT-960

Type: Classic

Modem: V.34

RAM: 2 MB

ROM: 2 MB

Storage: 2 MB

CPU Speed: 112 MHz

CPU Chip: R4640

Sounds like an interesting find.

 

[Bunsen]

double post

 

[Bunsen]

And a PS/2 keyboard port apparently

Here's a list of "power off codes" that activate diagnostic pages etc

 

[John8520]

Those codes look rather interesting, I wonder how you're meant to type them in?

As for expansion, it has two external options, one is a four pin card slot on the front, under a trap-door, to accept a credit/cardbus card sized object, possibly a "key" to unlock more features? On the right side there is a very wide an bizarre port under a screwed on panel. It's vaguely reminescent of the duodock connector, may be not as wide, and it has a little pushbutton next to it, to sense that something is plugged in to it I assume. It's actually sticking out of the case, though, so whatever would be pluged into it would either be a very heavy cable, or a box mushed right up to the side.

 

[Bunsen]

The "key", I assume, is the subscriber ID card that lets you log on to the MSNTV service.