#vintagemac — Public Fediverse posts

Picked up this official Apple DB9 <-> Mini-DIN8 adapter from eBay the other day, so that I can have a serial cable for my vintage Macs, in the hope of using it for TechStep diagnostics among other things.

Unfortunately, it's not wired correctly, according to the guide at https://recon-68k.github.io/#serial-adapters-and-cables. And I didn't check the pinout first because my multimeter died (see: https://oldbytes.space/@smallsco/117193190601081442) and I figured it would be fine anyway, after all it's an official part right?

But with it connected to my serial cable (this guy: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0759HSLP1) between my MacBook Pro and my Power Mac 6500, the serial cable got hot - scalding hot - needed-oven-mitts-to-unplug-it hot 🥵 Hopefully nothing got damaged.

(I'd also tried earlier with my IIfx and it did not get hot but it didn't work either)

cc: @jack68k

#RetroComputing #VintageMac

I love the Mac LCIII, so let's try to save this one that someone ran a drill into. Just another normal Saturday noon stream here at the BigBadBench. #ewaste #vintagemac https://youtube.com/live/-zvet5a9AaA?feature=share

Apples support for iPods is incredible. This #iPod mini (128GB upgraded) released in early 2005. It's support ranges from #OSX 10.2 Jaguar up until today with MacOS.

And it syncs and plays modern format like Apple Lossless (ALAC) and AAC 320kbit on it's original firmware. Though the Apple Music app on modern #MacOS seems to lack the feature to remove songs so I used the #Powerbook for music management via #iTunes instead.

#ipodmini #Apple #PowerPC #retrocomputing #PPC #VintageMac

After some searching I found one of my old #iPods. The 3rd gen iPod nano. Could not find my older 4th gen iPod (ClickWheel).

I could load new music from my Mac Studio with MacOS Tahoe directly to the iPod with the #apple music app and then manage the library on #iTunes on #OSX 10.5 Leopard on my 12" #Powerbook G4

With a bad battery and even worse display I loaded up the #iPod with some #PowerMetal and headed out on a sunday walk.

#VintageMac #Retrocomputing
#PowerPC #PPC #Leopard #ipodnano

Today I benchmarked the two #Powerbook 12" against each other. My original companion from 2003 against the newly purchased one from 2005.

The 1GHz with 768MB & 100GB HDD - 10.4:
- Geekbench 2 score: 530
- Xbench 1.3 score: 37.15

The 1.5GHz with 1280MB RAM & 128GB SSD - 10.5:
- Geekbench 2 Score: 635
- Xbench 1.3 score: 53.69
- Xbench 1.3 score with old HDD: 44.37

#VintageMac #Retrocomputing #Apple #Geekbench #Xbench #PowerPC #PPC #Tiger #Leopard #OSX #Macintosh

Bought an #SSD Upgrade to the #Powerbook G4 12" 1.5GHz

- chenyang mSATA Mini SATA SSD to IDE 44Pin
- Transcend MSA230 128GB mSATA SSD

Opening up this computer takes some commitment. And while I was in there I also lubricated the CPU fan to fix some noise. Then booted the computer from an external #Firewire disk and restored the #Sorbert Leopard image.

#VintageMac #Retrocomputing #PPC #PowerbookG4 #G4 #msata #Macintosh #PowerPC #osx

Today I did something fun!

On my left is my dear old 1GHz #Powerbook #G4. The best machine i've ever owned. But it's been around and seen better days.

Bought an upgrade: 1.5GHz, 1.25GB of RAM and 2x the VRAM.
Though just a CD-RW instead of a my broken DVD Burner. And the display is so much brighter, and the keys feels brand new!

Ordered an #msata to de adapter and disk just in case, but don't know if i want to use it.

#PowerPC #VintageComputing #VintageMac #PPC #Macintosh #Retrocomputing