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Paralel

Tinkerer
Dec 14, 2022
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Glad to be here! I wasn't aware that this place existed until just recently.

I've tinkered in IT since I was a teenager and eventually worked in the field as an adult. I've been involved in vintage computing, specifically Compact Macs, 68k Powerbooks, Tandy/GRID notebooks, & parallel port soundcards for about 15 years now. I was the other 1/2 of the team that created the first homebrew ROM expansion/Math co-processor expansion card for the Mac Classic II. I'm a System 7.1.x evangelist.

I've been a member of 68KMLA, Vintage Computing, etc... over the years. I'm essentially a refugee from 68KMLA.

My current interest is on trying to adapt a TI 486SXLC-040-PJF as a replacement for a Cyrix Cx486SLC-20 in a GRID laptop who's original design was intended for the Intel 80386SX-20.
 
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eric

eric

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Paralel said:
I'm a System 7.1.x evangelist.
Click to expand...
The best System IMHO

Paralel said:
I wasn't aware that this place existed until just recently.
Click to expand...
Where did you hear about us? And glad you did!

Paralel said:
I was the other 1/2 of the team that created the first homebrew ROM expansion/Math co-processor expansion card for the Mac Classic II
Click to expand...
Nice! I have one in my Classic II! (not sure if it's your design or another though)
 
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Paralel

Tinkerer
Dec 14, 2022
125
50
28
eric said:
The best System IMHO


Where did you hear about us? And glad you did!


Nice! I have one in my Classic II! (not sure if it's your design or another though)
Click to expand...

Your taste in System software demonstrates you are a man of refinement and good taste.

I found out about this place through a post someone made on 68kMLA. I drop by 68k about once a year or so to see if anything major has happened, and I was surprised to hear about (yet another) major crash. Someone posting about it mentioned this forum and I immediately hopped on over and joined up.

If it's the Classic II expansion card that has the socket for the ROM expansion, it's definitely the one that Alaska and I worked on. As far as I am aware, no one else ever made another card that included the ROM expansion. Mainly because it requires a 4-layer board minimum, which costs more than the 2-layer board needed for just the FPU, and most people weren't terribly interested in the ROM expansion. Personally, I find the ROM expansion to be a substantial advantage. It's possible to put a minimal System 7.1.x installation on the ROM and use it as a ROM Drive just like the original Macintosh Classic.

I eventually plan to make another version of the board that includes a PGA socket since that would allow for the highest speed FPU, 50 MHz. Not that there is a huge difference between the 40 MHz PLCC and the 50 MHz PGA, but it's the same reason we do anything, because it can be done!
 
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