Re: Big Time IIe mod

["Bill Knight" <admin@ghettogamer.com>]

I was thinking of having the PC part act as the main power controller, and
hide a small momentary button so that the motherboard will get its power on
signal. Then once that happens the powersupply will fire up and the IIe will
boot.

"Jason Whorton" <jason at microxl.com> wrote in message
vh215b94mf5g01@corp.supernews.com">news:vh215b94mf5g01@corp.supernews.com...
> Hi.  That sounds like an ambitious project.  How are you going to get an
> Apple IIe motherboard to turn on with an ATX "soft power" power supply?
> Besides that, you are looking at major heat issues.
>
> Hope this helps,
> Jason Whorton
>
>
>
> "Bill Knight" <admin@ghettogamer.com> wrote in message
> news:WgZPa.14758$C07.13925@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
> > Hey all, I'm embarking on an interesting mod project with one of my
> old
> > Apple IIe machines. My goal is to fit a decent PC inside it (making
> use of a
> > microATX Nforce 2 motherboard and AMD processor) while simultaneously
> > retaining the Apple IIe functionality. Basically what I'm going to do
> is
> > this:
> > 1. Mount the new motherboard on top of the Apple IIe board. Issues:
> need to
> > find a way to mount the memory expansion and disk controller from the
> IIe at
> > a 90* angle. I have seen this for AGP cards, so some creating
> soldering
> > should work.
> > 2. Wire Apple IIe keyboard to ps/2, but include switch to change input
> from
> > going to ps/2 port to going to Apple IIe. Issues: either need to
> create a
> > circuit to translate signals along the Apple IIe ribbon cable to
> something
> > the ps/2 port can handle OR solder the keys from the Apple IIe
> keyboard to a
> > ps/2 controller from an IBM keyboard (and then have a switch to cut
> off
> > either the ps/2 output or Apple IIe output so that its either
> bypassing the
> > traces and going to the IBM vs. bypassing IBM and using original
> traces &
> > ribbon cable to go with Apple IIe.
> > 3. Mount a 2u 300watt PSU, which is close enough in size to the
> original:
> > apple IIe PSU:
> > 9.75" long, 3.5" wide, 2.25" tall
> > 2u:
> > 8.2" long, 4" wide, 2.8" tall
> > This should work in powering the IIe fine, since all it needs is a
> series of
> > 12v and 5v inputs (can pull from a drive attachment on the 2u)
> > 4. Mount CDROM in external IIe disk drive enclosure. I just gutted a
> broken
> > one and test fitted my slot loading CDROM, but it looks like the CDROM
> is
> > just a bit too long to fit in with the original floppy faceplate (I
> was
> > hoping to keep that and just stick the CD through the slot for the
> disk... I
> > may be able to take the CDROM apart and shave down the length a bit,
> other
> > option is a laptop CDROM drive, but as far as I can tell none are slot
> > loading. Maybe able to make floppy front swing up like a door...). I
> will
> > use a custom ribbon cable of ~ 50 wires and a thick gauge wire to
> provide
> > the 40 IDE required signals, the +/-12 and +/- 5 volt lines for power,
> and
> > the R, L and Ground for audio through one cable, preserving original
> look.
> > 5. Hard drive will be mounted inside, either below keyboard or above
> PSU. PC
> > speakers will be taken apart and mounted inside. PC fans will be
> mounted at
> > angles to provide airflow through existing ventilation holes on sides.
> A
> > SLK-800 copper CPU heatsink will be used, but with the fan blowing air
> > through it sideways (no vertical clearance).
> > 6. Apple IIe motherboard will be moved back some, and new outputs
> fashioned,
> > with switch to go between PC output and IIe
> >
> >
> > Yes this is ambitious, and yes I am crazy :-)
> > BUT... If anyone has any suggestions, or more importantly, ideas as to
> how
> > to do some of this (especially concerning the switching between IIe
> and PC
> > mode, and other electrical things) feel free to comment...Preliminary
> > fitting looks good
> >
> >
>