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  1. RetroViator

    iivi No Chime, No Video, Recapped and working Power supply….Help?

    I have a IIsi doing something similar. I need to get back to it, but I’m thinking there is a bad via somewhere… perhaps under an IC —most likely around the soft power area of the board. I bought an ATX PSU extension cable so I could power the unit and still get to board so I could check signals...
  2. RetroViator

    nubus who dis?

    Curious. The first thought that popped in my head was wondering if it’s a customized scanner card of some sort (perhaps one with a document feeder). I’ll interested in seeing a photo of the card when you get the IIci (and congratulations for scoring a IIci!).
  3. RetroViator

    So, five Mac IIci walk into a shop...

    Good to know. Thank you.
  4. RetroViator

    So, five Mac IIci walk into a shop...

    I have made modest progress since my last post. First, I assembled an external BlueSCSI, though I'm having trouble with it. I'm getting five red blinks, so it's not seeing the SD card. I've verified the card and image work in my internal BlueSCSI, and I've checked the solder connections and...
  5. RetroViator

    So, five Mac IIci walk into a shop...

    The Macintosh IIci is a special computer for many Apple fans. It was a powerhouse in its day, and some of us have happy memories of exploring System 7 on these lovely boxy computers. A few may have seen my recent Twitter posts talking about my efforts to restore five Macintosh IIci. I acquired...
  6. RetroViator

    Compact Mac Video Adapter

    Perhaps related, earlier today I watched this video explaining that Myst was made on a Mac SE with a clip attached to a board that allowed the SE to connect to a color display. (Timestamp 7:31). The video identifies it as ScuzzyGraph II.
  7. RetroViator

    Captain's Quarters II BBS Anniversary!

    It’s the retro BBS I check out regularly because it’s targeted for early Mac and IIGS users, with a great community of smart folks.
  8. RetroViator

    Need help diagnosing iisi

    The IIsi also has RAM soldered directly to the board. You might want to check it and the associated LS chips. I’ve seen cap leakage do bad things to those logic chips.
  9. RetroViator

    OS9.ca

    Thanks to @Byte Knight and his wonderful Captain's Quarter II BBS, I learned about OS9.ca. It's a fantastic website that beautifully recreates the '90s underground Mac scene. I haven't transferred the files I've downloaded to a vintage Mac to confirm they deliver the goods, but the site...
  10. RetroViator

    Macintosh 128K Peripherals

    Not to divert attention from your question, but I'm curious about the DB-25 mod where I'd expect to see the battery holder. Is it to connect external SCSI devices? If so, does it has a Mac Plus board inside? Back to your original question: finding an original mouse and keyboard is a...
  11. RetroViator

    iMac G3 DV Refurb

    Yep. Been there, done that. 🙁
  12. RetroViator

    Help needed with dead Mac 512K board

    It could be corrupted RAM or ROMs, but I got a checkboard pattern when my Mac SE had a bad solder connection on the analog board that resulted in the 12V rail only providing ~3V.
  13. RetroViator

    An Archive/Resource area

    For instance, earlier today, I went hunting to find the post from @The House of Moth providing a number of Macintosh service manuals (https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads/power-mac-imac-ibook-and-powerbook-g3-service-manuals.471/). I knew it was somewhere, but it took me a little while to find...
  14. RetroViator

    What are your vintage grail items?

    As for grail items, I've got three: Osborne 4 (Vixen) -- A friend of mine had one after passing me his Osborne One. It may have been peak CP/M. Commodore PET -- They look just so darn cool! Quadra 840AV -- The best Quadra, and I used one at work back in the day. Aside from those, I'd also...
  15. RetroViator

    iMac G3 DV Refurb

    With compact Macs, the solder joints for the analog board's connectors are often cracked and need to be reflowed. It's a remarkably easy fix once you know what to look for. I suppose any joint subjected to high heat at significant voltage could be at risk.
  16. RetroViator

    Solder Tweezers

    So @JDW's video on recapping the Mystic Color Classic piqued my interest in solder tweezers. I have a tremor (primarily in my non-dominant hand), so I'm always looking for ways to make my tinkering more effective. My iron is the Hakko FX-888D, and they make a tweezer attachment. Any tips or...
  17. RetroViator

    PowerBook Duo with "Vinegar Syndrome"

    Once upon a time, I got the bright idea of fixing a PowerBook Duo with a bad display. The computer had been stored in a hot and humid space, and the screen contracted "vinegar syndrome" (so named due to the vinegar-like odor coming from the screen. I decided the thing to do was to peel off...
  18. RetroViator

    iMac G3 DV Refurb

    I did test the caps in mine after removal, and they were still in spec, but on the low end of acceptable. if you’re interested, you can read about my experience at https://retroviator.com/2021/05/29/apple-imac-dv/.
  19. RetroViator

    IIc keyboard replacement

    Unless I’m mistaken, @jcm-1 hinted at KansasFest about efforts underway with @MacEffects on just such a project.
  20. RetroViator

    Leftover Extra Part

    Sure, here is the other side. It looks like it would be obvious, given how it is designed to attach to something, but it alluded me.