Re: Un/Newbie Questions

[Jeff Blakeney <CUTjblakeney@sympatico.ca>]

On 30 May 2005 17:25:16 -0700, sc-ii@hotmail.com wrote:

>Hey all. After being out of the ][ world for a few years, I'm coming
>back.

Glad to see yet another user return.  Personally, I haven't left since
I started using these machines in 1983.  :-)

>I just got a new ROM03 system with only an Apple 256k card in it (so
>total mem is 1.352mb or something like that) and two SuperDrives (but
>no SuperDrive controller), and don't remember much about the system.
>Hopefully someone can refresh my memory on some topics.

That would be 1.375 MB (1.125 + 0.25).  Fully populating that card
will give you 2.125 MB of RAM to use which is enough for most purposes
but if you get yourself a 4 MB memory card then you'll be up to 5.125
MB and not have to worry about RAM at all.  I used to have 8 MB of
memory in my memory expansion slot but decided to save some power and
generate less heat in my IIgs by just using a 4 MB card.

If you can track down a SuperDrive controller card you'll have plenty
of storage and a simple way to transfer data between your PC and IIgs
using 1.44 MB disks.

Getting a mass storage device for your IIgs is also very nice.  I
don't know how long I could stand to use my IIgs if I didn't have my
hard drive.  :-)

>1.
>I don't have an RGB monitor yet, so I plugged the RCA video into the
>RCA video-in jack on my TV. But there's no color. The hardware Control
>Panel thinks there is color, but flipping things around just gives me
>shades of grey. What did I miss?

I believe the composite output works the same on the IIgs as it does
on the other Apple IIs.  If you are in a text only mode then the
computer does not output any colour burst signal on the composite
video output but when you go into a graphics mode it does.

The thing I found weird is that if you do have an RGB monitor hooked
up and tell the control panel to switch to monochrome display, you
still get colour on your RGB monitor unless you are in Double Hi-Res
mode.  :-)

>2.
>I want to do music, probably with GS/OS only. What is the best (MIDI)
>hardware and software combination? SynthLab?

I use the Apple MIDI interface.  It can be used by both Macs and the
IIgs and is simply a small box with a 8 pin mini DIN connector and
cable to connect to either the modem or printer port on the computer
and has two 5 pin DINs for hooking up to MIDI equipment.

As to software, SynthLAB has pretty nice sound but you are limited to
7 voices at a time and it has little to no way to edit what you
capture.  There are some commercial programs I've never had a chance
to try like MusicWriter and MasterTracks.  Two commercial ones I have
tried and wasn't impressed with are Music Studio and Music
Construction Set.  There is also shareware, freeware and public domain
programs like SoundSmith and Music Composer.  I'm sure there are
others as well.

There are lots of options for sound hardware for the IIgs as well.
The stock IIgs only outputs sound in mono so if you want to get stereo
output you need to track down a stereo card.  There are also
digitizing cards that will let you capture audio but most of those are
mono only.  I think the Audio Animator from Applied Engineering might
have had the ability to capture in stereo.

>3.
>I want to do some early educational stuff with the system (my kid is <
>1 year but that'll change soon enough). I only have a Wintel machine
>now. I think I can get a CDROM for the IIGS and download disk images on
>the PC, but then what? Actually, I don't have a SCSI card on the
>IIGS.... Plus I don't know what IIGS 3.5" kiddie or educational titles
>are good....

Most of the educational software for the Apple II line was for the 8
bit computers and is one 5.25" disks.  You might want to look into
adding one or two to your system to make using them easier.

-- 
 Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University in the
                 Apple II Community on Syndicomm.com
 CUT the obvious from my address if you want to e-mail me