Scott Small 🇨🇦Jul 19
LikesOldMacs

Something special arrived while we were away! Took a gamble on this reasonably priced IIfx board 🤞

Fortunately I have a case and the other bits from a seriously-bombed IIfx, so hopefully this one cleans up easily (some swabbing, all the chips look fine, two caps to swap). And I think I have some AAA holders handy to swap for the batteries 😊

Super busy so this may take a while to get to, but please say a prayer/incantation/whatever that it works!

Jul 17 at 7:28pmWeb
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 20
So! Lazy attempt at hooking the batteries up without removing the holders. Replaced the two electrolytic capacitors. Aaaaaand nothing 😬 there are some funky looking traces, but they all tested ok for continuity.
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 20

But! Somewhere in my memory hole was the jump start procedure for the Mac II series. ~3V to pin 15 of the power supply and we are off to the races!!! It got ground thru the battery holder connection, all I had to do was tap the battery + to pin 15 🤷‍♂️

Obviously the startup circuit is wonky somewhere (traces under the plastic battery holders?). But the keyboard, mouse, sound, floppy and SCSI all work! Whatever video card I pulled from the pile even supports millions of colors at this resolution 😍

Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 20

It shuts down and restarts fine on its own, and will turn off by pressing the power button on the rear of the board.

So the question is...do I just wire up a momentary switch to give it a jump start each time and call it a day?

Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 26
Prepping the case from the bombed IIfx for its new board. Didn't feel like grinding plastic to pull the metal shield, so just slathering some enamel paint over the rusty areas.
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 26

While that's drying, we have another special item to bench test...a NewerTech Variable Speed Overdrive module! This was in the bombed IIfx that I've had since 1999 or so. Was never able to test it, or TBH knew what it was until now.

You can read more about it here, and there is also a link to the manual in this thread https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/iifx-board-with-spectrum-eng-dt-1088-in-rom-slot.31781/

Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 26
So thank you NewerTech, the control panel is still available on their website!!! 🤯
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 26

And informal speed testing confirms we are cooking along at a truly Wicked Fast speed! (The IIfx was code-named "Wicked Fast")

This is the time it takes for one "Cheetah Year" in SimCity 2000: ~31 seconds at stock 40MHz, and ~27 seconds at 50MHz.

Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 26

You can push it too far 😬 but a bit of Tetris suggests 50MHz is pretty stable 😅

It is hard to explain the experience of the IIfx...like, it is really fast. In a clean system 7 environment this thing is so snappy for all period software I've tried. The BlueSCSI (only a v1) doesn't hurt either!

Show threadJaycosm🔆Jul 27
@likesoldmacs Great info! Does the IIfx only work with BlueSCSI v1? I know the IIfx has the unique SCSI terminator. I have a IIfx in storage and I was thinking of getting a BlueSCSI for it when I take it out of storage.... assuming it still works.
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 27

@jay I think it should work with both v1 and v2, I just only happen to have a v1 internal. I would expect a v2 to be even faster!

This one is running through an internal filter terminator thing that was in the old IIfx, but I suspect it may not even need it. People have shared that normal active terminators seem to work fine too, so don't hesitate to try it before seeking out the unobtainium special black one. Drop a note/post if you get it working!!

Show threadJaycosm🔆Jul 27
@likesoldmacs Thanks for your response ✌😄 I actually have the IIfx special black unobtanium SCSI terminator somewhere... lol (hopefully, I put it in the same box 🤞). I'll have to experiment when I finally take it out of storage. It's actually an upgraded Mac II - I purchased the IIfx motherboard upgrade from Apple when it was offered years ago. I love that machine!
Show threadblturnerJul 29
@likesoldmacs @jay I have an external v2 bluescsi and have used it with a IIfx
Show threadJaycosm🔆Jul 29
@ben @likesoldmacs Thanks for the info, Ben 👍
Show threadCowboy Who?Jul 27
@likesoldmacs I remember the first time I played A-Train on a IIfx. After living with a Performa 405 forever, it was AMAZING.
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 27
@CowboyWho lol my benchmark is an LCII too!! Almost 3x faster and all the special chips 🤤
Show threaddan 💾Jul 26
@likesoldmacs Yikes! That sound almost too fast to play! :D
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 26
@billgoats time flies when you're having fun!!
Show threadAnna Christina Jul 27
@likesoldmacs
Who is BenHex? :-)
Show threaddan 💾Jul 21
@likesoldmacs doesn’t sound allll that unreasonable, really!
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 21
@billgoats versus potentially screwing up the board more too! 🤪
Show threaddan 💾Jul 21
@likesoldmacs Nah, that wouldn't ever happen, I'm sure >.<
Show threadThatKomputerKat Jul 20
@likesoldmacs wish I could find some of that particular Appletron monitor. 
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 21
@thatKomputerKat ahhh yes the M1212...flaky and un-shippable, but great if they work!
Show threadSpaceJul 21
@likesoldmacs Thank you! Mayhap it’ll work on my Performa 6500/300.
Show threadLikesOldMacsJul 21
@original_peterm careful! I don't know that other macs are jump-start able 😬
Show threadSpaceJul 21
@likesoldmacs I have a beige G3 that won't fire up. I'll put the power supply back together and see what I can do. But I will let the voltmeter sniff at pin 15 before connecting the battery. And maybe press the "go" button while the meter is there there. Has anyone done that as a disgnostic?
Show threadAI6YR BenJul 26
@likesoldmacs 😲
Show threadjustbobJul 17

@likesoldmacs

Looks great. Can't see any popped caps (usually found near power supply ports) 😀

Show threaddan 💾Jul 17
@likesoldmacs Marvellous!
Show threadMarc EpardJul 17
@likesoldmacs Wicked Fast
Show threadScott Small 🇨🇦Jul 19
@likesoldmacs Welcome to the IIfx club, hope yours isn’t as picky about RAM as mine is 😎