DayStar Adapter - But What Model?!

[omidimo]

Recently got a IIsi and finally cracked it open to find this lovely and strange card, there is no marker of what model it is. I am thinking dual PDS adapter similar to the SuperMac one that shipped with Spigots. Anyone have more info?

 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Dunno about SuperMac, did they make Cache cards too?

 

That's logic, buffering, TAGRAM and twin passthru slots as you surmised. Nice card! Have you checked to see if there's one like it in the NuBus Mafia scans over on 'fritter?

 

I'd be very interested to know if TattleTech or any of the other utilities can detect that cache card without drivers for it installed? My guess would b no.

[omidimo]

The SuperMac card is a common sight, but it has been mentioned on the forum a few times. The reason I am thinking dual PDS stems from the little 2 switches and lack of clear labeling stating CACHE CARD ONLY. The last thing I want to do is fry a card. 

 

 

I have to find a working drive and tray and test the IIsi out with the card.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I've only got the single slot passive SuperMac VidCard adapter. This double slotted version you posted is also a simple passive RA riser/adapter.

 

Check the silk screen on the solder side of your card. You can tell they're both PDS passthru slots by the identical orientation of the pinouts. Every PowerCache Adapter I've ever seen has had the IIci Cache slot "flipped over" so that pin one of IIci is opposite pin one of Passthru like so:

 

 

You'll find the same is true of your TwinSpark adapter. Buzz your new card's passthru connections. You'll find they're one to one across the board. The IIci cache slot pinout is all over the place by comparison.

 

Your card's not just a passive adapter, it's a very cool Cache Card! Color me jealous!

 

edit: dunno what use those switches are? My first guess would be that they're related to cache function. Addressing switches for PDS cards are spec'd to be on the card itself. One switch appears to be connected to a resistor for pulling a signal up somewhere. IIRC slot address switches select the interrupt on the PDS to which the card will respond. Dunno, I'm too tired to see straight, but it looks very cool!

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2017 by Trash80toHP_Mini
add'l info

[joethezombie]

I came across one of these cards a little over a year ago in my quest to find a PowerCache adapter.  I found it to be the "ComboCache IIsi".  I have never been able to find a product manual or description of what the switches would do, and I haven't experimented with it as of yet, with most of my time going towards the bigger fish to fry.  I did archive this MacWorld advertisement which I had printed out and placed with the card so I wouldn't forget.

 

 

[omidimo]

Sweet Joe! That was the key I needed, now it all makes sense! I went digging thru old issues of MacUser and found this ad which clearly states the two lines. 

 

 

A very interesting find. Will come in handy for future IIsi tinkering. 

 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

SWEET! Two more cards on the gottafindit list now:

 

SCSI PowerCard™ - Curious about what this one does. I wonder if it caches data on the bus, provides DMA, or both? Doesn't sound like a SCSI 2 card in that ad.

 

RAM PowerCard™ - MUST have this one. I'm wondering if the driver allows for a higher ceiling or if they did something like license the 16MB limited Connectix Virtual? Putting SIMMs on the 030 PDS appears to have been an ongoing project of one member. Does anyone have more info?

 

Have you got the old issues on wood pulp or is there a MacUser archive somewhere like the one for MacWorld?

[omidimo]

http://vintageapple.org/macuser/

 

http://vintageapple.org/macworld/

 

Every issue has been OCR'ed so it is great for searching. The book section is awesome too. 

 

I actually have physical copies of MacWorld 1984-1995 and numerous random issues of MacUser from 85-95. They are essential tools since the Archive.org crawlers only go back so far in the past. 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Outstanding! 'User was always SOOOO much better on the technical front than the dumbed WAAAAY down to least common denominator consumer level 'World.

 

Is that a recent addition to the archive? Always wished for it to appear.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2017 by Trash80toHP_Mini
clarification/typo abatement

[omidimo]

Yes, the MacUser catalog was only recently added. There were only a few issues on Archive.org before, so this is a monumental addition.

 

I agree that MacUser was much for fun as it was far more tinkerer-friendly than MacWorld's general purpose-y style. It probably had a lot to do with it's UK roots as the best enthusiast magazines flourished in the 80s/90s over there, and some still continue to do so today. 

 

My love affair with MacUser was solidified with this terrific issue (Jan.1994):

 

 Memories...from the corners of the net's mind. Beige-y-colored memories of the way computers were.

 

Edited December 3, 2017 by omidimo

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I've already found a much needed reference pic in an advert!

 

I started putting together a listing of each year end index of MacWorld, but got frustrated when it appeared to be randomly published and missing for some years? I'll try doing the same for MacUser now, frustration be damned! If someone has the full version of Acrobat, experience and the inclination, putting together a .PDF of those pages for searching it would be a wonderful research tool.