Re: Laser 128 - questions...

["M. Pender" <mpender@hotmail.com>]

On 4/8/04 12:54 AM, in article c52lvn01rvm@news1.newsguy.com, "David Chiu"
<none@nowhere.org> wrote:

> 
> "M. Pender" <mpender@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> BC9A31F7.9C83%mpender@hotmail.com">news:BC9A31F7.9C83%mpender@hotmail.com...
> 
> : Not so strange; I believe there were at least three major variations of the
> : 128EX including:
> : - removal of the Z80 coprocessor socket
> 
> At risk of sounding stupid... *WHAT* Z80 socket? (Does anyone have pic of this
> particular version of logic board?)

Logic board?  It was a socket, labeled Z-80, on the original Laser 128
motherboard.  Apparently they though about offering CP/M capability but
removed the feature early in the lifecycle of the product.

> : - changing the case style from the original "block" style case to the
> : rounded corners
> 
> Yes. I've always thought the original case was an atrocity of ascetics.

I thought the keyboard with the original case was better than the later
models though.
 
> : - introduction of the UDC drive electronics
> 
> For some reason I keep thinking UDC has always been a part of Laser.

Nope.  I had one of the earlier models and had to buy a UDC card to use a
3.5" drive, at least until I exchanged my machine for a 128ex that had the
UDC electronics.
 
> : - removal of the QHR graphics
> 
> *WHAT* QHR?

Quad-High resolution graphics.  IIRC it was like DHR, but with twice as many
pixels across the horizontal dimension.  Of course, since none of the Apple
software of the time used the mode, one might well question why the folks at
Laser bothered.
 
> : And IIRC the EX/2 was the very end of the line.
> 
> Apparently enough of a "threat" that compelled Apple to seek out ZIP for the
> //c+

The EX was also a 3.6 MHz machine; I'm just referring to the fact that the
EX/2 was the final design.

- Mike