The Macintosh II Video Card (a.k.a. Toby ) is a 12″ NuBus card compatible with 680×0-based NuBus Macs running up to Mac OS 7.6.1 . It was introduced at the same time as the Mac II . It is not compatible with the Centris/Quadra 660AV and only partially compatible with the Quadra 840AV .
The Macintosh II Video Card is unaccelerated. With an optional RAM upgrade that requires eight 120ns DIP chips, it supports 640 x 480 in 8-bit color. Without the RAM upgrade, it supports 640 x 480 in 4-bit color. It will not drive the Apple 12″ RGB Display or 12″ Monochrome Display, which only operate at 512 x 384 resolution. It only supports 640 x 480 output.
This Mac video card can support a special resolution of 704 x 512, and then only on certain Apple 640 x 480 displays and with the shareware MaxAppleZoom control panel – although the control panel has apparently expired. (It was last updated in June 1993.) I have seen one recommendation for using 672-pixel mode with the 12″ Macintosh Monochrome Display.
Building on the success of the Mac IIcx , the IIci offers 56% more power in the same compact case. A new feature was integrated video. The big advantage: Users no longer needed to buy a separate video card. The big disadvantage: The built-in video uses system memory (this is sometimes called “vampire video” ).
Built-in video replaces the Macintosh II High Resolution Video Card (25 MHz motherboard video vs. a 10 MHz NuBus connection) and supports 8-bit color on a 640 x 480 screen as well as 4-bits on a 640 x 870 Portrait Display. Depending on bit depth, this uses between 32 KB and 320 KB of system memory. Also, Byte reports (Oct. 1989) that because the CPU and video share the same memory, the CPU is shut out of accessing RAM during video refresh, reducing performance by up to 8%.
Our own tests on a IIci show that although CPU performance does increase slightly when using a NuBus video card, video performance with an unaccelerated video card is about half as fast as the built-in video. Unless you need to support a larger screen or have an accelerated video card, overall performance may be worse with a video card than with internal video.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 25 MHz 68030
Fpu: 25 MHz 68882
Ram: 1 MB, expandable to 128 MB using 4-SIMM banks of 80ns 30-pin memory; can use 256 KB, 512 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, 4 MB, 8 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs
Rom: 512 KB
L2 Cache: optional, later 32 KB standard
Hard Drive: 40 or 80 MB SCSI
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
Gestalt Id: 11
Code Names: Pacific, Aurora II, Cobra II
Upgrade Path: Quadra 700
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 13.6 lbs.
Video Port: DA-15
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
Building on the success of the Mac IIx , the 1989 IIcx offered the same horsepower in a smaller case. This was made possible by eliminating 3 NuBus slots and using a smaller (90W) power supply.
Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the Mac IIx ROMs were “dirty,” containing some 24-bit code. Running in 32-bit mode requires Mode32 (search the page for “mode32”).
“The Mac IIcx has more potential to be a breakout machine for Apple than even the original Mac II. The latter showed that Apple could slug it out, head-to-head, with the muscle machines of the DOS world. The IIcx shows that Apple has learned to fit that raw power into the world of the office.” – Jim Seymour, MacUser, August 1989.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 16 MHz 68030
Fpu: 16 MHz 68882
Ram: 1 MB, expandable to 128 MB using both 4-SIMM banks of 120ns 30-pin memory; uses only 256 KB, 1 MB, 4 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs (requires MODE 32 to go past 8 MB)
Rom: 256 KB
Hard Drive: 40 or 80 MB
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Video: requires video card – see our Guide to NuBus Video Cards for more information.
Addressing: 24-bit, 32-bit requires Mode32
Gestalt Id: 8
Code Names: Aurora, Cobra, Atlantic
Upgrade Path: IIci , Quadra 700 (case must be modified to make room for video port)
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 13.6 lbs.
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
Scsi Ports: DB-25 connector on back of computer
Sound: 8-bit stereo
Nubus Slots: 3
Power Supply: 159W
See: Online resources and links for the Mac IIcx
Low End Mac Best Buy: Buy a used Mac IIci (starting at less than $20 depending on configuration). For a little more than buying just the motherboard, you’ll usually get 8 MB RAM and an 80 MB hard drive. If you have more RAM in your IIcx – and it’s fast enough for the IIci – you can transfer it to the new computer. And you’ll still have your IIcx as a spare computer.
Six months after moving from 16 MHz to 25 MHz with the IIci , Apple introduced the “wicked fast” 40 MHz IIfx. This was the Mac of choice for graphic designers, offering nearly three times the performance of the IIx – thanks to a lightning fast CPU, a new type of RAM, and special SCSI DMA and I/O chips which relieved the CPU of much of its burden. A built-in 32 KB static RAM cache also helps boost performance.
The IIfx was built on a 40 MHz motherboard and had the fastest clocked CPU that Apple used until the Quadra 840av of 1993. NuBus cards still ran on a 10 MHz bus, which is one reason Apple announced its first accelerated video card, the 8•24GC , along with the IIfx. Regular video cards were simply overshadowed by the rest of the system.
With a nod to it’s Apple II ancestors, the IIfx had two 6502 CPUs to manage the floppy drive(s), ADB port, and serial ports (see Technote HW 09 for more details). Unlike the 1 MHz Apple II computers, these CPUs ran at 10 MHz.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 40 MHz 68030
Fpu: 40 MHz 68882 FPU
Bus: 40 MHz – fastest until Quadra 840av
Ram: 4 MB, expandable to 128 MB using both 4-SIMM banks of 80ns 64-pin memory; can use 1 MB, 4 MB, 8 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs (the IIfx was the only Mac to use 64-pin SIMMs)
Rom: 512 KB
L2 Cache: 32 KB
Hard Drive: 40, 80, or 160 MB SCSI
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Video: requires video card – see our NuBus Video Card Guide for more information.
Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
Gestalt Id: 13
Code Names: F-16, F-19, Stealth, Blackbird, Zone 5, Four Square, IIxi, Weed Whacker
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 24 lb.
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
The IIsi shares some features with the SE/30 , some with the LC series, and some with the Mac II series. Like the SE/30, it has a 68030 PDS (Processor Direct Slot) for expansion. Like the LC , it has no built-in NuBus slot, is quite short, and has a curved front. But with an adapter, the PDS can be converted to a NuBus slot, making it a legitimate member of the Mac II family (all other members of the Mac II family have built-in NuBus slots).
The IIsi was designed as a less expensive, less expandable alternative to the Mac IIci . Cost saving measures included eliminating NuBus expansion slots, soldering 1 MB of RAM to the motherboard, and using a slower CPU (20 MHz instead of 25 MHz).
Although the IIsi was marketed as a 20 MHz computer, users quickly discovered it used parts rated at 25 MHz. (Apple had intended it as a 25 MHz computer, but chose to scale back the speed to avoid cutting into IIci sales.) Chipping the IIsi to 25 MHz – or even 28 MHz – is not unusual.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 20 MHz 68030
Fpu: 68882 (optional with NuBus adapter)
Ram: 1 MB on motherboard, expandable to 65 MB using a 4-SIMM bank of 100ns 30-pin memory; can use 256 KB, 512 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, and 4 MB SIMMs (you can use 8 MB and 16 MB SIMMs, although Apple does not officially support them)
Rom: 512 KB, usually soldered to the motherboard, occasionally on a DIMM
L2 Cache: none
Hard Drive: 40 or 80 MB SCSI
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
Gestalt Id: 10
Code Names: Erickson, Raffica, Raffika, Ray Ban, Spin, Oceanic
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 10 lbs.
Video Port: DA-15
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
Scsi Ports: DB-25 connector on back of computer
Sound: 8-bit stereo
Audio In: 8-bit mono
Power Supply: 160W
The Ultimate Writing Machine: Quiet and free of interruptions , Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 2007.09.20. For creative writing, turn off messaging, use a quiet computer, and reduce clutter on your screen. An old computer may be your best choice.
The Mac IIvi is a slower version of the Mac IIvx , running a 16 MHz 68030 CPU on a 16 MHz bus. The IIvi was never sold in the United States. Unlike the IIvx, the IIvi cannot accept a level 2 (L2) cache, although it can accept an accelerator.
In terms of performance, on some benchmarks it held its own against the crippled IIvx.
The Mac IIvi was the first Mac available with a built-in CD-ROM drive and also the first Mac to use a metal case.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 16 MHz 68030
Fpu: 16 MHz 68882 (optional)
Ram: 4 MB on motherboard, expandable to 68 MB using lone 4-SIMM bank of
Rom: 1 MB
L2 Cache: none
Hard Drive: 40, 160, or 400 MB SCSI
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
Gestalt Id: 44
Code Names: Brazil, Lego
Upgrade Path: Quadra 700 , Quadra 650 , Power Mac 7100
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 25 lbs.
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
The Mac IIvx was an okay computer, but a big “Huh?” for Mac IIci users. Where the LC and LC II had been compromised by using a 32-bit processor on a 16-bit data bus, the IIvx ran a 32 MHz CPU on a 16 MHz bus. This gave it slower performance than the IIci, which was still available (stock IIci tests 30% faster than IIvx; adding 32 KB cache to the IIci bumps this to 60%).
In fact, the old 16 MHz Mac IIx outperformed the IIvx on some benchmarks! Needless to say, most serious Mac users chose the IIci over the IIvx.
The Mac IIvx and its near-twin, the Performa 600 , were the first Macs available with a built-in CD-ROM drive and also the first Macs to use a metal case.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 32 MHz 68030
Fpu: 32 MHz 68882
Ram: 4 MB on motherboard, expandable to 68 MB using lone 4-SIMM bank of 80ns 30-pin memory; can use 256 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, 4 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs
Rom: 1 MB
L2 Cache: 32 KB
Hard Drive: 40, 160, or 400 MB SCSI
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
Gestalt Id: 48
Code Name: Brazil, Lego
Upgrade Path: Quadra 700 , Quadra 650 , Power Mac 7100 motherboard
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 25 lbs.
Video Port: DA-15
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
Building on the success of the Mac II , the 1988 Mac IIx housed a 68030 CPU and 68882 FPU (floating point unit) in the same case. Breakthrough features included the DOS-compatible 1.4 MB SuperDrive (a.k.a. FDHD for floppy disk, high density) and virtual memory. Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the Mac IIx ROMs were “dirty,” containing some 24-bit code. Running in 32-bit mode requires Mode32 (search the page for “mode32”).
The IIx requires special PAL SIMMs when using 4 MB or larger SIMMs. With these it can support 128 MB.
There is a ROM SIMM slot on the Mac IIx which must be filled with a IIx ROM. Without this ROM, the computer will not function.
Specs (via Low End Mac)
Cpu: 40 MHz 68030
Fpu: 16 MHz 68882
Ram: 1 MB, expandable to 128 MB using both 4-SIMM banks of 120ns 30-pin memory; supports 256 KB, 1 MB, 4 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs; 4 MB and 16 MB must be PAL SIMMs
Rom: 256 KB
Hard Drive: 40 or 80 MB 5.25″
Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
Video: requires video card – see our Guide to NuBus Video Cards for more information.
Addressing: 24-bit, 32-bit requires Mode32
Gestalt Id: 7
Code Names: Spock, Strato
Upgrade Path: IIfx
Adb Ports: 2
Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
Weight: 24 lbs.
Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
Scsi Ports: DB-25 connector on back of computer
Sound: 8-bit stereo
Nubus Slots: 6
Power Supply: 230W
See: Online resources and links for the Mac IIx
Low End Mac Best Buy: Buy a used Mac IIfx (starting at less than $50 depending on configuration). This provides almost 3x the speed and usually 8-16 MB RAM and an 80-160 MB hard drive. Since you only have 2-8 MB in your IIx, the fact that the IIfx uses 64-bit SIMMs isn’t a big factor. You may well get an accelerated video card in the bargain.
