Forums | MacLife

greggv8 · 2005-06-06 4:56 am

Right now, there's a card being made with USB ports and a SmartMedia slot. But it's not for the Macintosh NuBus.

You'd never guess what computer it's for.

Not in years.

It's for the Texas Instruments 99-4/A! YUP! The same guy also makes IDE hard drive cards for the TI.

So why isn't there someone so talented out there designing a USB, IDE, and whatever else combo card for the NuBus PowerMacs? (As many things as can be squeezed on, please! My Media 100 system only leaves one free slot in my Radius 81/110.)

There's even been an IDE interface for olde CP/M systems that plugs between the Z-80 CPU and its socket.

Where are all the hardware hackers doing these neat things for Macintosh? Name just about any other computer and you can find _something_ nifty and "impossible" being done.

But not for Macintosh. The craziest that scene gets is flashing less expensive PC versions of videocards for use in a Mac or the odd casemod.

And when is someone gonna get off their arse and do USB 2.0 drivers for OS.9?

*mumblegrumble*A USB card for a 26 year old Home Computer and we can't even get USB 2.0 drivers for OS9 for hardware that can be bought off the shelf!*mumblegrumble*

ironhawk · 2005-06-06 7:14 pm

I think it's more a matter of initiative.
The current hardware hackers in the forum don't have much interest in nubus machines, partly because he CPU upgrades are few and slow.

Not that you don't have an interesting idea, we just aren't doing much with nubus macs.
As for flashing, I always find the software related stuff to be more dificult than the hardware related stuff ( though I know software folk who see opposite ).

Does nubus in the TI have the same form factor as in the Mac?
If so, maybe it would work in a Mac. Most USB/Firewire PCI cards which work in Wintel machines also work in Macs, so long as you have USB and Firewire extensions installed. Maybe you'd have the same luck with a nubus card?

greggv8 · 2005-06-07 8:11 pm

The TI's expansion box doesn't use NuBus. It's some type of normal card edge connector and it's 8bits wide.

ironhawk · 2005-06-08 10:17 pm

I just read the specs for that computer...
Wow. Just wow. For someone to make a USB/ SmartMedia card for THAT old...
Just... wow.

SchmoBurger · 2005-06-12 12:17 am

I have one of those old TI Home Computers,... they use little cartridge type things resembling a print cartridge to store programs. I'd love to get my hands on some fancy USB card for one, that'd REALLY make my day.

Hmm... We really could use USB 2.0 drivers for OS 9, that and irDA file transfer software for OS X...

greggv8 · 2005-06-12 6:08 pm

Check out this group for your TI http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ti99-4a/

And this http://www.99er.net/

SchmoBurger · 2005-06-25 10:28 am

Thanks man!

Forums | MacLife

#1 2005-06-06 4:56 am

USB for NuBus? It's possible.

#2 2005-06-06 7:14 pm

Re: USB for NuBus? It's possible.

#3 2005-06-07 8:11 pm

Re: USB for NuBus? It's possible.

#4 2005-06-08 10:17 pm

Re: USB for NuBus? It's possible.

#5 2005-06-12 12:17 am

Re: USB for NuBus? It's possible.

#6 2005-06-12 6:08 pm

Re: USB for NuBus? It's possible.

#7 2005-06-25 10:28 am

Re: USB for NuBus? It's possible.

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