Tag: MACAA

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Several Projects In Progress

The LC MACAA prototype last mentioned a month ago has required a few more rounds of updates to more thoroughly engineer for the possibility of power supply or regulator chip failure. Latest prototype PCBs are here, and need assembly / testing as usual. A 3D-printed mounting bracket has been designed, and will be improved upon prior to release (it’s kind of ugly).

A new project in the list is a replacement for the eMate 300 RAM and Flash expansion card. These cards are rare and expensive, but only use three reasonably affordable chips – and that makes them the perfect target for reverse engineering. Prototypes are in motion for the original 1 megabyte style plus an upgraded 4 megabyte version. Want your eMate to have as much RAM as a 2100? That’s the goal here. 🙂

I’ve also taken on a reverse engineering task, to redesign the flex cable for a backlit screen upgrade for the Macintosh Portable. That has been designed and I’m looking around for the right connectors now.

All of this while still working on BlueSCSI! The new PowerBook version 4 is up for sale, and it’s 100% surface mount in order to bring the edge connector closer to where you’d find it on an original hard drive. An F4 variant of the PowerBook design is also in progress. And through-hole style mainline BlueSCSI and F4 BlueSCSI prototypes are on the way from the PCB manufacturer (with active termination, of course). Lots going on here.

How many projects do I have in motion? All of them, of course. 🙂

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LC MACAA Prototype Success

Prototype PCB for the LC MACAA worked without a hitch. The board was just a little too large, so I’ve shaved it down and ordered a second revision. Also found a compatible power supply connector housing and pins.

The LC MACAA can be a complete drop-in replacement for your original LC power supply, with no soldering necessary (unless you feel like it). Next is the 3d printed mounting bracket and final wiring setup. LCs need 12v, 5v, and -5v. The MACAA board provides 5v and -5v from 12v – you can use either an external 12v power brick or the Mean Well supply that I found fits perfectly into the original width.

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New Project Series: MACAA

F4 BlueSCSI is now finished and up for sale in the shop. It’s faster than the original BlueSCSI, but more expensive because the “Black Pill” modules cost more.

My next target are the power supplies in your old Macs. They’re getting old, and in some cases replacing the capacitors isn’t enough to fix them. Thus, new supplies are needed.

Enter the MACAA (MACintosh Atx Alternative) – a project to recreate power supplies for these old Macs using all-new components. Note that this is the ATX Alternative and won’t focus on using ATX or PicoPSU supplies unless that makes the job a lot simpler.

First target is the Macintosh LC Series. LC, LC II, LC III, Quadra 605, LC / Performa 475, and all the other LC clones which use the same supply. PCB design for the MACAA prototype is done, and an order will be placed soon.