3 replies to this topic

[Keatah]

Just theoretically speaking, what do you think would be the most coolest and versatile II+ or //e setup?
We have 7 slots to work with, a joyport, cassette port, a video modulator connector, lots of socketed chips. Even the possibility of an Expansion Chassis with extra slots.. I suppose working with a IIgs or //c would also be a valid exercise.

Anything goes as long as it's practical and works. I don't wanna hear shit like connect an expansion chassis, then connect 7 more expansion chassis. While it may work, I can't imagine it being practical or useful. Or gut it and build in a mini ITX Pc.. nope!

Let's hear your configurations folks!


From the early BBS days I generally ran a //e setup something like this:

Slot 0 - 80col/64K expansion card
Slot 1 - Grappler+ parallel printer interface - MicroBuffer - Epson MX-80 F/T with Graphtrax III+
Slot 2 - Apple Cat II modem w/212, firmware, expansion module, tone decoder, headset, rs-232
Slot 3 - Usually empty (though I would dream of plugging in a 2600 cartridge, try it! It fits!)
Slot 4 - Mockingboard soundboard
Slot 5 - Sider 10 meg drive & interface
Slot 6 - Standard Disk II controller - 2 genuine Disk II disk drives.
Slot 7 - A.E. TimeMaster II H.O. clock card

Joyport - external joystick ZIF extension cable - regular TG Products Joystick or TG Paddles or Koala Pad
Casette Port - a standard cassette recorder
Internal composite connector - Sup 'R' Mod II modulator - Sony Trinitron TV set KV1222R
External composite connector - 1084 commodore monitor

Splice in A/B switch for internal speaker or output to external amplifier
Splice in switch to turn on/off the power indicator lamp, I liked gaming in the dark
Kensington System Saver Fan
//e Enhancement Kit with 65C02 and Mousetext rom

There were other configurations and unbalanced mutations from time to time on my other systems, but this was a long standing general config I used daily.

Edited by Keatah, Mon Jan 2, 2012 5:45 AM.

[The Usotsuki]

Slot 1 - parallel card
Slot 2 - Super Serial
Slot 4 - Z80 card
Slot 5 - Mockingboard (or flip 4 and 5? some stupid software doesn't seem to find Z80s in slot 5...)
Slot 6 - disk ][
slot 7 - CFFA

I got a Super Serial and a Z80 card, don't have a parallel card, CFFA or Mockingboard....YET lol

[JamesD]

I have a IIgs with a CFFA and 4MB RAM. It does pretty much anything Apple II wise I need.
I haven't found any need to plug in the Z80 card I have.

What would I add?
I would like to add a Mockingboard.
Some software supposedly requires the disk II ROM so you have to disable the internal controller and plug in a Disk II Controller to tun it. Nothing I've tried has had that issue yet though.
I would like to add an accelerator board and to upgrade to the new CFFA.

An Apple IIc+ is a good alternative but there's not much you can do to expand it. It does come with 3.5" disk drive which is nice.
The Laser 128EX or 128EX2 will do anything a IIc will do, plus they have a full size keyboard, high speed mode, and a buss expansion connector.

[Blackbag]

Keatah, on Mon Jan 2, 2012 5:06 AM, said:

Slot 0 - 80col/64K expansion card
Slot 1 - Grappler+ parallel printer interface - MicroBuffer - Epson MX-80 F/T with Graphtrax III+
Slot 2 - Apple Cat II modem w/212, firmware, expansion module, tone decoder, headset, rs-232
Slot 3 - Usually empty (though I would dream of plugging in a 2600 cartridge, try it! It fits!)
Slot 4 - Mockingboard soundboard
Slot 5 - Sider 10 meg drive & interface
Slot 6 - Standard Disk II controller - 2 genuine Disk II disk drives.
Slot 7 - A.E. TimeMaster II H.O. clock card

Slot 3 could be an Uthernet ethernet adapter, one of the few cards that can live there due to the 80-column firmware.
You could save slot 7 by getting a no-slot clock and patching prodos to recognize it.
Then throw a cffa3000 in slot 7, remove the sider controller in slot 5 and move your disk controller to slot 5.
For the cffa3000 to act as a virtual disk drive, slot 6 needs to be open, and it will act as a prodos smart port HD in slot 7

Hmm, now I wonder if you can put the uthernet in slot 6 with the cffa3000 in slot 7 emulating a drive controller in slot 6 and use them both...