Re: Newbie Apple IIgs questions

[heuser.marcus@freenet.de]

David Murray wrote:
>
> Hi guys.. I'm an old-school computer user.. I have extensive
knowledge of
> Commodore and Amiga computers as that is what I grew up with.  I'm
even
> really good with 6502 assembler.. but of Apples, I know little.  I do

> have extensive knowledge of the Macintosh, though.

Which you can put to good use when transferring disks easily between
platforms.

> So here I am.. I was just given an Apple IIgs and I can't quite get
> everything working.  I've looked around on the internet and haven't
been
> able to answer some questions.

You should save this bookmark or learn it by heart:
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs2CONTENT.html

This is THE essential Apple-II-FAQ.

> First off, I can't get any color out of the composite output jack.
It is
> just grayscale.  I have figured out how to get to the control panel
and
> it is set to "COLOR" on the monitor section.. but still no color
output.
> I do not have a RGB monitor that will work with it.  Is it like the
Amiga
> systems where the hardware only outputs grayscale to the composite
> connector?

Yes. You only get color with the RGB output.

But you have some choices what to hook up:
- the Apple GS Color Monitor
- an analogue RGB-monitor which has "TV-capable" frequencies, such as
the Commodore 1084 or the 1081. An old NEC MultiSync should work, too.
- or a TV-set with an RGB-input...

You can't use a Mac Monitor, though.

> Although, I'm impressed how clear it is on my Commodore 1084
> monitor, especially the 80 column mode.

With an appropriate SCART-adapter you can use your 1084 in RGB-mode.

You can make one yourself - or buy a ready made one.
Definitely worth checking out: http://vintageware.orcon.net.nz/

This site sells adapters but also has a schematic which worked good for
me.
My old 1081 is much nicer to look at than the much smaller Apple
monitor (heavy moiree...).

> Second.  I have two 3.5" floppy drives.  They are part# A9M0106
However,
> when I connect them to the back of the IIgs and turn it on, I get a
black
> screen and the computer won't do anything.  It doesn't matter which
drive
> I connect, same thing.

Do they make a sound or light the red LED when powered up?
Does the GS actually loses the picture when they are connected?

> I currently have no O/S disks, but I've downloaded the images from
> Apple's website and I'll be putting them on 800K disks using a
Macintosh
> up at work tommorow.  but I have a few questions about GS/OS

Most older Macs with an 68K-CPU should be able to read and write
GS-Disks. PowerPC-Macs generally won't. Even 68040-based Quadra 840AV's
sometimes have problems because of a different floppy controller. At
least mine does.

But first you should make sure that your GS-drives actually work.

> And lastly.. Just a general question.  I used IIgs systems back in
junior
> high and didn't realize they were any better than a IIe because all
we
> were allowed to do was write programs in BASIC.  I was unaware of the

> existence of GS/OS until a few days ago.  Knowing what I know now, at
the
> time the IIgs came out if your choices were a Macintosh SE or an
Apple
> IIgs, why would you pick the SE?  I mean, other than higher clock
speed
> it seems like the IIgs was a superior system.  Of course, I had an
Amiga
> back in Junior High and thought that Macs generally sucked back
then..
> but I like them now, but that is another story..   So the main thing
is,
> why did people choose the Mac?

Can't say. Had an Amiga at the time ;)