Macintosh Classic II

Last updated

Macintosh Classic II / Performa 200
Macintosh Classic 2.jpg
Developer Apple Computer, Inc.
Product family Compact Macintosh
Release dateOctober 21, 1991 (1991-10-21)
Introductory priceUS$1,900(equivalent to $4,250 in 2023)
DiscontinuedOctober 18, 1993 (1993-10-18)
Operating system System 6.0.8L - Mac OS 7.6.1
CPU Motorola 68030 @ 16 MHz
Memory2 MB, expandable to 10 MB (100 ns 30-pin SIMM)
Display9 inches (23 cm) monochrome, 512 × 342
DimensionsHeight: 13.2 inches (34 cm)
Width: 9.7 inches (25 cm)
Depth: 11.2 inches (28 cm)
Mass16 pounds (7.3 kg)
Predecessor Macintosh SE/30
Macintosh Classic
Successor Macintosh Color Classic

The Macintosh Classic II (also sold as the Performa 200) is a personal computer designed and manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from October 1991 to September 1993. The system has a compact, appliance design with an integrated 9" monitor, typical of the earliest of the Macintosh range. A carrying handle moulded into the case added a degree of portability at a time when laptops were still relatively uncommon.

Contents

Like the preceding Macintosh SE/30, the Classic II was powered by a 16 MHz Motorola 68030 CPU but experienced about 30% slower performance due to the limitations imposed by a cost-reduced 16-bit data bus, versus the 32-bit bus used in the SE/30 design. The system had a base memory configuration of 2 MB, with a 10 MB upper limit and was supplied with either a 40 or 80 MB hard disk. [1]

While the Classic II was styled after the earlier Classic, architecturally it had more in common with the Macintosh LC. The use of custom ICs, identical to those used in the LC, enabled the Classic II to have a lower component count than older Macs, which reduced manufacturing costs. Unlike the LC and the SE/30 before it, the Classic II lacked an internal Processor Direct Slot, making it the second slotless desktop Macintosh after the Classic.

The Classic II is one of three machines to be originally repackaged as a Macintosh Performa when the brand was first introduced in September 1992 to compete in the home user space. [2] Called the "Performa 200", it was sold with the same specifications as the original Classic II but often supplied with bundled software. The exact packaged software varied by retailer but usually included the At Ease desktop alternative, which aimed to provide a simpler user interface experience than the standard Macintosh Finder. The Performa 200 was initially offered at a retail price of about $1,250 USD. [2]

The Classic II is the last black-and-white compact Macintosh, and the last desktop Macintosh to include an external floppy disk drive port. Apple discontinued support for the Classic II on January 1, 2001.

Models

Hardware

Rear panel showing the ports. From left to right: microphone, ADB, external floppy disk drive, SCSI, printer (serial), modem (serial) and headphones. Two TORX case screws are visible, bottom left and right. MacintoshClassicIIRearPanelPorts.jpg
Rear panel showing the ports. From left to right: microphone, ADB, external floppy disk drive, SCSI, printer (serial), modem (serial) and headphones. Two TORX case screws are visible, bottom left and right.

Processor: 16 MHz (15.6672 MHz) Motorola 68030 (32-bit internally, 16-bit bus), with an optional Motorola 68882 FPU

RAM: 2 MB, expandable to 10 MB using two 100 ns 30-pin SIMMs

Display: 9" monochrome screen, 512 × 342 pixels

Audio: 8-bit mono 22 kHz

Hard drive: 40 or 80 MB

Floppy: 1.44 MB double-sided

Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit

Battery: 3.6 V lithium

Expansion: Connectors on the rear panel include an ADB port for keyboard and mouse, two mini-DIN-8 RS-422 serial ports, DB-25 SCSI, DB-19 External floppy drive, and two 3.5 mm minijack audio sockets for audio in and headphone out.

The Classic II has a 50-pin internal expansion slot intended for either an FPU co-processor or additional ROM. [6] The socket is unsuited for use as a general purpose expansion slot. Apple never produced an expansion card for this slot, [7] although third-party FPUs were available including the FastMath Classic II by Applied Engineering [8] and Sonnet offered a synchronous (16 MHz) and asynchronous (50 MHz) 68882 FPU. Retro computing hobbyists have also subsequently produced open-source designs for this slot. [9]

Macintosh Classic II main board Apple Macintosh Classic II Main Board.jpg
Macintosh Classic II main board

The main board from the Classic II (left) contains the logic for the system. High voltage components such as the PSU and CRT driver circuitry were on a separate "analogue" board. The 68030 CPU can be seen on the right, which is next to the FPU/ROM expansion slot. Two ROM chips in sockets are below the CPU. The RAM is to the bottom left. This model contains 4MB, of which 2MB is soldered to the board and 2MB is in SIMM sockets. Just above the RAM is the Apple "Eagle" chip which contains video interface circuitry and glue logic. Above that is an AMD manufactured SCSI controller and serial chip, close to an internal and external SCSI connector used to attach hard disks or other peripherals. There is a PRAM battery carrier to the left of the CPU (the battery is not present) with an internal floppy drive connector just above it with the floppy controller chip on the left. To the right of the floppy connector is an 8-bit microcontroller which manages the ADB bus.

Macintosh Classic II Rear View.jpg
Back of the Classic II
Macintosh Classic II Left Side Reset Interrupt Switch.jpg
The interrupt (left) and reset (right) buttons protruding from the air vent on the lower left hand side of the Classic II. The interrupt button (also called the programmer's key) is used to access a debugger.
AppleADBKeyboardBrighter.jpg
The ADB keyboard that shipped with the Classic II. On many Macs the large button at the top near the Apple logo was used to power on the machine. However, this feature was unsupported by the Classic II. The keyboard contained two ADB connectors. One connected into the back of the Macintosh, the other was used for connecting the mouse or other peripherals. The mouse could be connected to either side for left- or right-handed use.
Apple desktop mouse.jpg
The ADB mouse that shipped with the Classic II.

Timelines

Timeline of Compact Macintosh models
Power MacintoshMacintosh LC 520PowerBookMacintosh LCMacintosh PortableMacintosh II seriesApple IIeMacintosh Color ClassicMacintosh Classic IIMacintosh SEMacintosh SE/30Macintosh ClassicMacintosh PlusMacintosh SEMacintosh PlusMacintosh XLMacintosh SEMacintosh 512KeMacintosh 128KApple LisaMacintosh 512KMacintosh 128KMacintosh Classic II
See also: List of Mac models and Compact Macintosh
Timeline of Macintosh Centris, LC, Performa, and Quadra models, colored by CPU type
Macintosh Performa 6214Macintosh Performa 6210Macintosh Performa 6205Macintosh Performa 6230Macintosh Performa 6220Macintosh Quadra 840AVMacintosh Quadra 650Macintosh Quadra 610Macintosh Quadra 605Macintosh Quadra 660AVMacintosh Quadra 800Macintosh Centris 650Macintosh Centris 610Macintosh Quadra 950Macintosh Quadra 630Macintosh Quadra 900Macintosh Quadra 700Macintosh Performa 6420Macintosh Performa 6410Macintosh Performa 5440Macintosh Performa 5430Macintosh Performa 5280Macintosh Performa 6360Macintosh Performa 5260Macintosh Performa 6400Macintosh Performa 6400Macintosh Performa 5400Macintosh Performa 5400Macintosh Performa 6260Macintosh Performa 5400Macintosh Performa 5420Macintosh Performa 5410Macintosh Performa 5270Macintosh Performa 5260Macintosh Performa 6320Macintosh Performa 6310Macintosh Performa 6300Macintosh Performa 6290Macintosh Performa 5320Macintosh Performa 5300Macintosh Performa 6218Macintosh Performa 6216Macintosh Performa 6200Macintosh Performa 6116Macintosh Performa 5220Macintosh Performa 5215Macintosh Performa 5210Macintosh Performa 5200Macintosh Performa 640CDMacintosh Performa 580CDMacintosh Performa 588CDMacintosh Performa 638Macintosh Performa 637Macintosh Performa 636Macintosh Performa 635Macintosh Performa 631Macintosh Performa 630Macintosh Performa 578Macintosh Performa 577Macintosh Performa 575Macintosh Performa 476Macintosh Performa 475Macintosh Performa 560Macintosh Performa 550Macintosh Performa 275Macintosh Performa 6118Macintosh Performa 6117Macintosh Performa 6115Macintosh Performa 6112Macintosh Performa 6110Macintosh Performa 467Macintosh Performa 466Macintosh Performa 460Macintosh Performa 410Macintosh Performa 520Macintosh Performa 450Macintosh Performa 430Macintosh Performa 405Macintosh Performa 250Macintosh Performa 600Macintosh Performa 400Macintosh Performa 200Power Macintosh 5300 LCMacintosh LC 575Macintosh TVMacintosh LC IIIMacintosh LC 550Macintosh LC 580Macintosh LC 520Macintosh LC 630Macintosh LC 475Power Macintosh 5200 LCMacintosh LC IIIMacintosh LC IIMacintosh LCMacintosh Classic II

See also: List of Mac models

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References

  1. ↑ Pogue, David; Schorr, Joseph (1999). MacWorld Mac Secrets, 5th Edition. IDG Books. ISBN   0-7645-4040-8.
  2. 1 2 Seiter, Charles (November 1992). "Mass Market Macs - Apple's New Performa Series Is Coming To A Store Near You". MacWorld Magazine. pp. 110–115.
  3. ↑ "Macintosh Classic II: Technical Specifications". Apple.
  4. ↑ "Apple User Group Connection - December 1991". Apple.
  5. ↑ "Macintosh Performa 200:Technical Specifications". Apple.
  6. ↑ "Apple Macintosh Classic II Developer Note" (PDF). 1991. pp. 27–28.{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  7. ↑ Macintosh Classic II: Math Co-Processor Card Availability
  8. ↑ Access my library [ dead link ]
  9. ↑ Dymczyk, Marcin (May 2, 2023), Macintosh Classic II FPU card , retrieved July 9, 2023
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