intersting! i have no idea but i would guess that it is a diagnostic port used in the manufacturing/testing process. I am curious if someone actually does know. You could always ask Apple ;-)
intersting! i have no idea but i would guess that it is a diagnostic port used in the manufacturing/testing process. I am curious if someone actually does know. You could always ask Apple ;-)
We use them where I work to step through processor instructions to debug low-level code. Usually only development machines have them installed. I wonder what Apple is using this connector for (Could be for something completely different...). Interesting.
Intel used to have a motherboard or some part of a motherboard they called the Zappa. Zappa'
s estate didn't like them taking Frank's name in vain however. Maybe there is a connection, since it's right next to an intel chip.
I think that's some sort of diagnostics/debugging connector for the system management controller.
On the MP3,1 and earlier, there's only one chipset controlling the whole system. On the MP4,1 and later, there's two- one on the backplane board (the big PCB that has the PCI-e slots on it), and another located on the CPU daughter card. AFAIK, it's the same chip on both sides of the system (called the "Primary SMC" and "Secondary SMC" in the service manual), so it'd make sense that they'd be named Big Frank and Little Frank.