Re: Whats it for?

["Mark Cummings" <NOTfigjams@primus.com.au>]

> >> - Many IIgs-specific cards would not fit in IIe's slanted case
>...
>     Well both accelerators have a slanted edge, as do the Apple SCSI
> boards and older RamFAST. Memory cards might be the catch, neither
> my RAM GS/4M's or CV-RAM/8M have a slanted edge and would most
> likely not fit at the front of a IIe case.

An Accelerated IIeGS Platinum ! What are you thinking ? Now that would be
rare. I have already run into the memory card problem last night. Seems to
me that the best location for the motherboard is hard up against the PSU. or
within a bees whisker. This places the memory card slot such that a memory
card will just miss the top right lip of the case. Not exactly where I
wanted to put the motherboard as it means that the back connectors don't
line up as good if it was about 1/4" - 1/2" to the right. I also found out
that the only RAM card I have that will fit is a 256K Apple one (wow, that's
useful !), or my 4MB GS RAM ULTRA (which only works in a ROM-3 (not much use
either). The 4MB GS Juice Plus is too tall at the front and will poke out
above the lid. And I think the 8MB Sirius RAM will probably have a major
problem with the SIMMS hanging off the back also interfering with the top
lip. Besides I didn't want more than 4MB, and over 1.25 MB would be my
minimum. I might have to search for another RAM board, or swap one of mine.

> of 256Kx1--can't remember the company who made it though the
> name "RAM 4000" comes to mind). Stereo cards may also be iffy...

thanks for the info, I'll search for them on the net when I've finished
testing the chips I have so far, so I know how many I need exactly.
The Stereo card doesn't bother me, I'll just use the regular GS for that and
built in sound will do for this special.

> >The IIeGS was dropped AFAIK, before the Platinum came out,
>
>     Are you positive about that? The Apple IIgs was introduced
> September 1986 (I presume the IIe upgrade was announced
> the same time or shortly afterwards) and the Platinum IIe was
> released January 1987--just 4 months later.
>     Also, magazines wrote reviews for the IIe upgrade a couple
> of months after the Platinum IIe had been on the market with
> no mention of it being discontinued at the time. I seem to
> remember it being dropped sometime in 1988...

No I am not certain, just a wild guess, and I thought I'd read it somewhere
before on this newsgroup.

A couple of other problems I have already discovered about the IIeGS
Platinum I'm building:

1. The speaker cable needs to be extended by making a new cable and
soldering it to the existing speaker. Not too hard. I have the connectors
already, just add wire and solder.

2. the Platinum case has 4 mounting points already at the back of the case.
These are metal and would be a major concern if contacting the bottom of the
ROM-1 board. I plan to leave these in place and screw in some kind of
plastic screw or glue a sheet of thick plastic over them.

3. None of the plastic mounting connectors line up with the GS motherboard.
I plan on drilling new holes in the base so that they line up with some of
the round or square holes in the ROM-1. Then mount new standoffs.

4. The IIe power supply does not have sufficient cable to reach the ROM-1
connector. Looking inside the IIe supply, it appears to be long enough if
the cable is placed through the cord clamp a bit further back. So this
doesn't look too hard.

5. the speaker output connector may not be accessable, or may be too weak at
that point in the case to put a hole in it. the other connectors look OK,
except that by positioning the motherboard near to the PSU will mean that
the lower two DB9 mounting holes will overlap new holes needed for the RGB
and smart port connectors. I may have to glue something over these
overlapping holes for asthetic reasons. Also I may not bother with the RGB
port. Working colour monitors are a bit scarce here.

6. the $/lb switch on International models has no function, and just hangs
loose inside. Probably no loss on a US model.

7. Fitting a fan may be more difficult, maybe only a small one will fit.
This shouldn't be a problem if minimul cards are fittted. At least the
Platinum PSU has cooling holes, so it's not going to be as bad as the older
sealed gold unit in the first IIe's.

Mark