Re: Some questions about a2 upgrading

["**** ****" <***@***.com>]

Roy and/or Janet Miller wrote in message <39EF468C.3003D711@inetnebr.com>...
>**** **** wrote:
>
>> Not exactly certain you'd need to ignore it... we'd run the vga card as
if
>> it were looking over the shoulder of the built in video.
>
>I'm not a tech, so I wouldn't know what is possible on the //e.


I don't consider myself much of a tech, either... yet. :-) I really need to
do some more research on this before I go shoving my foot down my throat any
farther than it is. Probably already in danger of being shown for a fool by
someone more in the know. Still, just generally speaking, I can't think of
any reason why a scheme like that couldn't work. If anything keeps it from
working, would be complexity, not impossibility.

>> >>     And of course, there is the question of how to beef up the power
>> supply.
>> >> I have noticed that several vendors sell aftermarket power supplies,
are
>> >> these refurbished, or even new? Are any of them enhanced in any way?
>> >
>> >Jameco sold/sells a new power supply that provides twice the wattage as
the
>> >original II powersupply. I have one in my machine (will all slots
filled,
>> >including a 20 meg hard drive, Transwarp and one meg RAMWorks III, I
need
>> it!),
>> >it has slots on top to allow the heat out, so there is an increased need
>> for a
>> >fan or to run with the lid off.
>>
>> They have internal connectors for drives then?
>
>No, just the normal IIe connector. I understand that you can alter a PC
power
>supply to use with a II, perhaps that would solve your need?


To be honest, I'm not sure I could do much in that regards. In electronics,
power supplys seem to be a science to themselves. My knowledge seems to end
right after knowing the difference between AC and DC. :-/

>For one, could externally overclock localtalk to 1mps, could also
>
>> switch... what this does, is allow everyone to speak simultaneously,
>> increasing bandwidth. A few 65c02's (since I'm already having to learn
>> 6502/816 asm anyway) would buffer each port, and negotiate among
themselves
>> where to send it.
>
>I understand that the IIe Workstation card (I have one) uses a 2 mhz 6502
(and a
>RAM buffer) to handle the AppleTalk network, since the II's own 6502 is too
slow
>to do that. Increased bandwidth would leave the WorkStation card in the
dust,
>wouldn't it?


Actually, could be wrong here too, but I think even the Mac 128 and 512
can't overclock. But keep in mind that this feature would be in the
"advanced" model... if we are already doing switching, then we just fatten
the buffers a bit, and have auto-sense for speed. The onboard cpu's could
then dole it out at whichever speed was needed. Even if we are talking 1mps,
they are still relatively small file and/or light traffic. I wouldn't think
any ridiculous amount of buffer would be needed. Supposing we put a dram
controller in there of some type, even a ridiculous amount of memory would
neither be difficult nor expensive. I mean, come on... I can't be the only
one here with spare 30 and 72pin SIMMS out the wazoo. ;-) Say we put 4 or
even 8 megs in, these are things you buy used, and buy cheaply. Hmm.. That
might mean going with something other than 6502 though. Still, there are
only a gazillion different mpu's and mcu's to choose from.

And just to keep everything in perspective, the "simple" localtalk hub is
nowhere near this complex, and the common denominator 230kps speed. You
should see the component list for this... it basically boils down to a
handful of rj45 jacks and a few 1cm square transformers (like  fat IC).
Depending on whether I can figure out exactly which transformers I need, I
will definitely build this one. The advanced model, I'm afraid I would
really only be interested in it, if someone besides myself could get use out
of it too.

Roy, thanks for the input. Truly appreciate it... just wish more
conversation here could be of this nature.

Thanks again,
John Oyler
jojo4@va.mediaone.net