Re: //e

[a_specto@alcor.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

"Luis de Santos" <desantos@cfl.rr.nospam.com> wrote:

>Which //e is best to get, the platinum //e with the numeric keypad, or the
>classic //e without?  

    Neither per say, it's a matter of aesthetic preference.

    The only functional difference is the changed keyboard on the 
Platinum IIe: the layout matches the IIgs, including the addition of
a numeric keypad. Unlike the IIgs keyboard however, the keypad
simply mirrors keys from the main keyboard (e.g. you can't use the
keypad to emulate joystick movements in a game--even with a
IIgs motherboard upgrade). 

    All Platinum IIe's shipped from the factory with the "Enhanced"
chipset and an Extended 80 Columns Card (128K/DHR support).
Shift-key presses are also detectable by software, by default (not 
a new feature, just a motherboard setting).

>are there ROM differences or something?

    No. The Enhanced chipset was introduced during the beige IIe
era (March 1985) and the same firmware, byte for byte, made it in
to the Platinum IIe (January 1987).

    There were manufacturing differences, mostly irrelevant to users.
These included: Less RAM chips (using higher bit density DRAMs),
a merged ROM chip (16K 'CF' ROM replaces 'CD' and 'EF' ROMs),
location for shift-key mod shorted, reduced 80 Extended Columns
Card (only two DRAM chips). And the obvious of course, that the
keyboard, case color and logo styling changed.

    Overall the classic/beige IIe might be preferable. All the features
of the Platinum IIe are already present (or upgradeable by simple
means) and you have the option of EITHER the original chipset
or Enhanced chipset, Solid-Apple key (instead of 'Option') and
the classic IIe look. I suppose it's almost the same as the C64 
versus the C64c--I ended up tracking down both, but I'm going 
to tinker with the classic brown one for a more authentic feel.

Mitchell Spector
a_specto@alcor.concordia.ca