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Just got a Performa 638CD need a ethernet card for it

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NathanAllan

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It was back there, all alone, not even destined for the auction block and I snagged it for $10! To me this was a very sweet deal. Anyway, it's the complete rig including manuals and everything.

The one thing I want to do is put it on the local ethernet, so I am looking for a card for it. I guess this part opught to be in the Wanted section.

Anyway, here are my plans for it. It has the near useless TV tuner that I can think of one great use for-- doing game reviews! Also I intend on putting the 65XE on that same coax input, that will make one sweet rig. This will be a great time to use one more of the old Nasa boxes I have (19" rack mount workstations) and wrap them all up together. Pics soon!

I'm pretty excited about it, never had one of these things before and didn't have time to mess with it today (was helping take down a 30' radio tower, that was fun) but tomorrow it's ON!!

I made a video on the whole score on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFANJqYreYY

yes, I would like you all to go see the video, but I'm really excited about what this computer can do. Does anyone know about any kind of video capture sopftware for it? I'm googling it.

Nathan
 
Those shuttles are super cool!

I think I have an empty case floating around here that I now know was for a signal generator. Have to see if I can dig it up, looks just like yours I 'think'

Nice haul, congrats

-Lance
 
If you want a little more oomph with your Mac you can throw a 6200 logic board in there. Replacing the cpu with a full 040 is an option too, but that board has only one RAM slot, IIRC. Regardless, it's a pleasant Mac OS 7.6 experience as it is.

Look around the resellers' sites for a Comm Slot I ethernet card; you should find one somewhere in the $10 range.
 
I did find one for around $9 shipped from the bay, planning on getting that one. Right, only one ram slot in it, but it works well so far.

Running the TV tuner makes the picture a little dark, but that could be the monitor. Also I've only used the RF in, I'll try the av cables tomorrow, as well as the s-video.

I looked up the signal generator and the Bearcat scnner, both go for about five bucks each. No problem, I can spruce them up, maybe add a few littl ethings and move them on.

That "cellphone" radio has been modified, not really clear on how and haven't powered it on yet. I might give that one away to a ham operator to tinker with.
 
mac boards

mac boards

If a 6200 board will fit then I guess a 6400/6500 will, on the basis that the 5200 can be upgraded with a 5400/5500 board and the 6x00 models were more or less the same but without a built-in monitor. The 6400/6500 has a PCI slot too, and they can be upgraded with a G3 processor and run OS9.1. So there's plenty to tinker with.

Regarding the TV cards, my experience [in the UK] was that they were pretty dire. For one thing the 5200 didn't seem to have anything like enough power for video processing. But I got a poor picture on the TV card, even when plugging a games console into it.
 
Did using the AV jacks in help?? That's my next thing, but I have to find the remote for the system to switch to those jacks.

I am really liking this little system, though I really do want another keyboard for it, my extended has a bad jack (might solder it or at least check it out) and the one that came with it has no ADB mouse port.

So far I have found several ethernet cards fgor it, so I can stop looking and just get one. Thanks for the reply!

Next project is an external hdd. Scsi is fun.
 
remote

remote

Regarding a remote - for the 5x00/6x00 series, a Sony remote works. I've got a Sony cd remote [no idea what model it was for...] and I can use it on the Apple CD player on my 5500. A Sony TV remote is supposed to work on the Apple TV software as I recall, but I could never find one :). Maybe the same is true of the earlier models.
 
I figured I would just piggyback off of this thread, I picked up a Performa 6230CD today, it has AV inputs but no coaxial input. It runs System 7.6, has a 1GB HDD, around 700MB of which is taken up by the System Software...

It has AOL version 3.0 on it (Ah, the memories!) and it has a 14.4k modem built in. I'm having trouble connecting, as my house abandoned dial-up long ago. The PDS slot is taken up by the AV input card, so it would need to be Comm I card for Ethernet. Is it possible to make this do wireless at all?
 
I doubt there is a ready-made solution; you may have to figure out your own way. These Apples don't have serial and ppt as the PC does, so afaik no ready made external would work.

PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, I's love to get it on the wireless, too!
 
There are Mini-Din 8 to USB adapters, such as this one:

http://www.buy.com/prod/keyspan-usb-twin-serial-adapter-2-x-8-pin-mini-din-rs-422-serial-usb/q/loc/101/203202279.html

Here's a guide on how to get a Performa series computer online, it seems using a cable modem is the best route to go, especially if you can find them on the cheap, your computer is near a coaxial jack, and your internet access is one flat rate for unlimited usage:

http://lowendmac.com/macdan/2k0222.html

Of course, you still need an Ethernet card. I'm probably going to do this. Not wireless, but at least it's not dial-up.
 
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It looks like ethernet is a must, in any case. That USB adapter is for the host to be on the USB side if I don't miss my guess, not for serial control.

Thanks for the links, though, much information, very appreciated!
 
You're welcome, I think this was a little bit before wireless Internet, but Ethernet and Cable modems are possible.

What seller did you get your Ethernet card from? Our machines use the same Comm slots, so what worked for you should work for me. Can I see a picture of the card also, if possible?
 
If you're talking to me, I haven't gotten one yet. When I do get one, I promise I'll be bragging about it!

People keep asking me if I want to sell it, and when I say no they go on and on about how useless it is. Well, if it's so useless, why do THEY want it?

It'll get some mainline use as a computer. Online or not, it's one nifty desktop. But definitely ethernet is a must, as soon as I can swing it.
 
More awesome finds related to the cards:
http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Manuals/hardware/0305461AENETCSTWSTUG.PDF

Apple's manual for the card I posted above.

http://68kmla.net/forums/archive/topic.asp.TOPIC_ID=6341.html

Driver software for the card.

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-North_American/Macintosh/Networking-Communications/Open_Transport/

More drivers in case it is needed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122249

Allows a connection from Ethernet to a wireless network. Not sure about Mac compatibility, though...
 
That unit should have a video slot in it for video in and out (just needs the board), it has a TV tuner slot (which you have), and LC PDS slot (used for ethernet or a the rare PDS supermac spigot LC capture card).

Watched your video, did you get a whole bag of PC mice with 25 pin serial ends?
 
Tupin, I'm gonna see about getting that tomorrow for sure!

Unknown_K, no, just the one, the rest were assorted common mice with a few much needed serial ones thrown in. I'm *still* going through all that stuff. One neat thing in there is a Toshiba SCSI caddy CD-ROM missing the caddy. All is in the box except the caddy, complete with manual and controller card. Neat stuff!

I'm really itching to get that Apple online! Oh, and I read the manual \for the tuner (has ALL manuals!!) and it showed me how to change to the composite input, so better picture! For some reason the picture is a bit dark.

Gonna look for that Sony remote, or see what I can dig up on the original. Very busy lately, so not much time for fun stuff.

Great thread!
 
I get to test mine out today, now that I know how to do it. Ethernet card is on its way! WOOHOO!! Having this is going to make me want to use it a lot-- I'm still planning on doing all my youtube vids on it, just don't know how yet.

Next up is for more ram, but that'll have to wait. But hopefully I'll post here from that machine and write on eletter on it-- it has a printer, too, somewhere. Er, compatible, at least.
 
My ethernet card got here today and now there is another thing-- I don't have a browser installed. I thought, no big deal, I'll go get an old version of Netscape. I *did* find one, but it's in a .bin format and I am at a loss. I thought it was a disk image but it wasn't and I don't know how to install it.

I also found a .dmg format file that is Netscape. I'm working from a windows machine and don't have access to .dmg anything (unless someone can tell me how to use it on a Win machine).

Is there a disk image or something I can use or instructions on how to make this happen somewhere? I looked around but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack, there are so many things to read.

As far as the card, it's connecting to the router but I can't do anything with it yet. :(
 
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