Grail Item Acquired - Twentieth Anniversary Mac

[KnobsNSwitches]

Well, I never really thought i'd be able to get one of these. I know there are folks who scoff and say "it's an overpriced PowerBook 3400". But it just looks so cool. And it sounds absolutely terrific. I've wanted one for years, and yesterday I met up with everyone's favorite founding member, ScutBoy, and took it off his hands.

Behold, my TAM: With a working CD-ROM! No buzz! Clean speaker grilles!

Excuse the mess. I'm currently working on a new office so this is a temporary home. But i'm just thrilled right now and naturally wanted to show it off.

 

[jajan547]

I just got one too congratulations!

 

[KnobsNSwitches]

Things I've learned about the TAM so far:
1) The subwoofer and the main unit both have fans. Makes sense, but in a silent room they are definitely noticeable
2) Sound throughput works even when the system goes to sleep. You can't adjust volume without waking it up. This significantly increases the ability to use the TAM as a stereo with some other device plugged into the mic port.
3) The LCD is truly fixed resolution at 800x600 - which means no fullscreen anything. Somehow I knew it wasn't a multiresolution panel, but I still expected Whitecap or the Apple video player to take over the full screen. I'm not sure why.


thank you for coming to my TED talk

 

[ScutBoy]

Enjoy! I know it's found a good home!

 

[StevieC]

and now i'm wondering if there might be an LCD panel of equal size, with compatible mounting screw-holes, of greater pixel-count that could be swapped in, and would be compatible with the motherboard's onboard signal to the stock LCD

 

[retr01]

@StevieC, as far as I know, the PowerBook 3400 and G3 (Kanga) screens can be used with the TAM. As for screen resolution, both have a native resolution of 800x600. So, I am unsure about finding an LCD screen with a higher native resolution.

 

[ScutBoy]

Behold, my TAM: With a working CD-ROM! No buzz! Clean speaker grilles!

...and the G3 card!

 

[Patrick]

With a working CD-ROM! No buzz! Clean speaker grilles!

does it have a nic card ?

i have 1 where the cdrom doesn't work. and i have another where the comm port where the NIC card plugs in doesn't work.

 

[François]

and now i'm wondering if there might be an LCD panel of equal size, with compatible mounting screw-holes, of greater pixel-count that could be swapped in, and would be compatible with the motherboard's onboard signal to the stock LCD

Aren’t the motherboard video signals just VGA?

 

[KnobsNSwitches]

I've been working on a new office, converting a shed. Finally all moved in. Things are bit snug (95 sq feet!) so my full-size stereo and speakers didn't make the move, but the 20th anniversary mac is a great replacement, as it is both stereo AND visualizer in one compact package. (see, i can justify anything...)

i've recently started using G-Force as a visualizer, after previously using WhiteCap for many years. There are still a couple of files that freeze the Mac, but audio keeps playing even if things are hung.

 

[ClassicHasClass]

Very nice! I have a similar TAM (G3, CS2 NIC, 9.2.2, repaired buzz-free base). A periodic goal of mine is a "fast booter" (or a really thinned boot floppy) so I can play CDs in it without having to wait for the full MacOS to come up.

 

[KnobsNSwitches]

Very nice! I have a similar TAM (G3, CS2 NIC, 9.2.2, repaired buzz-free base). A periodic goal of mine is a "fast booter" (or a really thinned boot floppy) so I can play CDs in it without having to wait for the full MacOS to come up.

That's a clever idea. I wonder if an SSD + base TAM system 7 install would do the trick?

 

[retr01]

It should work with an MSATA (Mini PCI-E SATA) SSD with an IDE to SATA adapter as long as the structure inside the TAM can support that. For example:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GRMUQRG?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I've been working on a new office, converting a shed. Finally all moved in. Things are bit snug (95 sq feet!) so my full-size stereo and speakers didn't make the move, but the 20th anniversary mac is a great replacement, as it is both stereo AND visualizer in one compact package. (see, i can justify anything...)

i've recently started using G-Force as a visualizer, after previously using WhiteCap for many years. There are still a couple of files that freeze the Mac, but audio keeps playing even if things are hung.

Very cool. How does the turn table work into the TAM? Is the amplifier going to the mic in?

 

[3lectr1c]

Aren’t the motherboard video signals just VGA?

If someone figures that out I’d love to get an XGA screen running in my 3400

 

[jajan547]

I got lucky with mine found a sealed Apple Service Replacement screen for $65 should be here any day. When I take out the old one I'll see if I can find a somewhat compatible replacement.

 

[3lectr1c]

P/N of the screen in my 3400 was the Sharp LQ12S11. @Action Retro said in his TAM video that his screen was a Samsung IIRC, so there may be more than one vendor.

 

[jajan547]

P/N of the screen in my 3409 was the Sharp LQ12S11. @Action Retro said in his TAM video that his screen was a Samsung IIRC, so there may be more than one vendor.

Well this is good news there's variety which is important!

 

[François]

If someone figures that out I’d love to get an XGA screen running in my 3400

I was talking about the TAM’s motherboard. And by the way, the TAM is not a 3400, it’s a 5500.

 

[3lectr1c]

Well yes, but they use the same screen so the signals are compatible. If there’s a better screen for the TAM, it should also work in the 3400.