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Macintosh Centris 660av

Meldar

Meldar

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 3, 2008
184
0
pocket of liberalism in farm country
So, I was in my dad's home office and seeing this old machine sitting there covered in dust got me thinking.

I looked and found that all the cables were still there; they were all unplugged and since they are all fairly unfamiliar looking to me, I plugged them in where they would fit. :p

I didn't stop there though; I dusted the whole thing, rearranged the setup, made sure everything was connected - then turned it on.

I was genuinely surprised to see it still worked. Seeing that screen "Welcome to Macintosh." and the boot sequence initiating just like it did four years ago (when we last used it) was really a blast to the past.

I grew up with this and it was pretty cool playing all the little time-wasters that're still there.

I'm not selling it, ever; I do wonder what it's worth but would never part with it.

Storytelling over. Here're some pictures; I can get more later this week.

It runs Mac OS 7.5.3 (flawlessly) and has a 230MB hard disk and anywhere from 8 to 68MB RAM (I didn't check that yet). It's also got a 55MHz PowerPC processor - it loads CDs and floppies without a hitch!

(that's an Epson photo printer - it just sits there, not plugged into the computer, doesn't have to (can't) be)

n853730421_2928700_796.jpg

n853730421_2928701_1610.jpg

n853730421_2928702_2384.jpg


Honestly though, I do have a quick query which you vintage Mac collectors should be able to answer: This being a PowerPC Mac, would I be able to take some of the fun games onto floppies and get them onto my MacBook, and be able to play them? The MacBook is Intel, of course, and I haven't tried as of yet.

So that's my vintage item. It's from 1993 - older than all my siblings, only a year younger than me, and a very fun pastime.
 
Meldar said:
I'm not selling it, ever; I do wonder what it's worth but would never part with it... This being a PowerPC Mac
Click to expand...
definitely don't sell it. having a gem like that is much more rewarding than the pocket change you can get by selling it. and just for your own knowledge and correctiveness(??), the pm 6100 was the first apple computer to use the powerpc chip, which came later than your centris 660av.

ohh and i love the "pizza-box" design of the case. it can almost pass for a sleek laptop if it were a little smaller :)
 
Thanks for that Satori - I'll check it out! Do I just get the file from the old machine onto my MacBook and then drag and drop it into the Mini vMac window or what?

KompleX thanks for clearing that up, I didn't research that enough I guess. I like the design too; I haven't seen flat CPU units for awhile now, everything is vertical (and to be honest, a lot bulkier).
 
Great find.

I have that computers big sister the Quadra 840av, still running it's stock 68k processor. They are not worth much on the market these days (perhaps later??), but they are still valid computers to have and operate.

I still write my articles on this computer from time to time, and the games you can play are irreplaceable in some cases, as many are forgotten, and not available anyplace!
 
Well if you want more games this guy has a whole bunch of abandoned games. (Note: any the publishers do not want available he removes from his site)
http://mac.the-underdogs.info/

Personally I would use Basilisk II for 68K emulation since it has color support.
http://gwenole.beauchesne.info/projects/basilisk2#downloads
another Basilisk II Port
http://www.users.bigpond.com/pear_computers/BasiliskII.html

The toughest part is getting Basilisk II to boot.
try this page for help http://www.zisman.ca/Articles/2006/LEM-Classic-on-Intel.html

For the latest software updates you can download them straight from Apple
http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#system

I think you can go to Mac OS 8/8.1 on a 68040 but it is much more resource hungry personally I would stay with System 7.5 but 7.6.1 was the king and had much of the OS 8 user interface. Then get Wolfenstein 3D, Kings Quest and Doom II. For the PPC processor I would get Duke Nukem 3D.

Something you should find out is if it is a Quadra 660AV with a PPC upgrade card or if the motherboard was replaced with a 6100 60/66mhz board. You said 55Mhz but I do not remember a 55Mhz PPC cpu (maybe aftermarket) but the 660AV had a 25Mhz 68040 and a 55Mhz DSP (digital signal processor, I think AT&T made it). Anyways good find I remember drooling over those.

840quadra said:
Great find.

I have that computers big sister the Quadra 840av, still running it's stock 68k processor. They are not worth much on the market these days (perhaps later??), but they are still valid computers to have and operate.

I still write my articles on this computer from time to time, and the games you can play are irreplaceable in some cases, as many are forgotten, and not available anyplace!
Click to expand...
Try the above links for those abandoned games. Anyways you lucky SOB:D I remember thinking constantly about wanting the Quadra 840 since they were such power houses but they were out of a 13 year olds chore and lawn mowing budget I had to settle for a IIvx. What is funny is that even though I know it is so udderly obsolete I still think of the 840AV as a powerhouse. I know I could get one for about nothing but the dream would be destroyed:rolleyes:.
 
I LOVE the big apple keyboards...you feel you are dealing with a computer and a machine...now they are tiny and virtual keyboards are on cell phones(iphone) and blackberry.... looking at it, keyboards now is like simple gadgets, like tiny radios, or a keychain electronic games, like that game tamagochi
 
((sorry back from the dead)) :eek:

velocityg4 said:
Well if you want more games this guy has a whole bunch of abandoned games. (Note: any the publishers do not want available he removes from his site)
http://mac.the-underdogs.info/

Personally I would use Basilisk II for 68K emulation since it has color support.
http://gwenole.beauchesne.info/projects/basilisk2#downloads
another Basilisk II Port
http://www.users.bigpond.com/pear_computers/BasiliskII.html

The toughest part is getting Basilisk II to boot.
try this page for help http://www.zisman.ca/Articles/2006/LEM-Classic-on-Intel.html

For the latest software updates you can download them straight from Apple
http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersoftwarelist.html#system

I think you can go to Mac OS 8/8.1 on a 68040 but it is much more resource hungry personally I would stay with System 7.5 but 7.6.1 was the king and had much of the OS 8 user interface. Then get Wolfenstein 3D, Kings Quest and Doom II. For the PPC processor I would get Duke Nukem 3D.

Something you should find out is if it is a Quadra 660AV with a PPC upgrade card or if the motherboard was replaced with a 6100 60/66mhz board. You said 55Mhz but I do not remember a 55Mhz PPC cpu (maybe aftermarket) but the 660AV had a 25Mhz 68040 and a 55Mhz DSP (digital signal processor, I think AT&T made it). Anyways good find I remember drooling over those.

Try the above links for those abandoned games. Anyways you lucky SOB:D I remember thinking constantly about wanting the Quadra 840 since they were such power houses but they were out of a 13 year olds chore and lawn mowing budget I had to settle for a IIvx. What is funny is that even though I know it is so udderly obsolete I still think of the 840AV as a powerhouse. I know I could get one for about nothing but the dream would be destroyed:rolleyes:.
Click to expand...

Haha, well I say get one. They are by todays standards completely obsolete, however they (including the 660av) have features that have never existed on any mac before or after. My favorite feature is the ability to show video throgh any application, message box, window, etc. it is really nice when I am writing articles (yes I still use my 68k for this from time to time), or when I am writing new code for one of my sites.

The other nice thing about the Quadra AVs is the audio record capabilities. As stated in quite a few period and more recent articles, the DSP on these produces much cleaner audio output than many newer (and even modern) systems because the audio does not go through the main system processor which can create audible artifacts and such. A couple of my podcasts were recorded on the quadra later mixed down on my Macbook.

kingmohd84 said:
I LOVE the big apple keyboards...you feel you are dealing with a computer and a machine...now they are tiny and virtual keyboards are on cell phones(iphone) and blackberry.... looking at it, keyboards now is like simple gadgets, like tiny radios, or a keychain electronic games, like that game tamagochi
Click to expand...

Haha yes, I love those keyboards still to this day! I use my classic mac or B&W (which supports ADB devices) quite often for working on articles and such.
 
Don't forget about System 7 Today, which I sadly rarely update anymore.

BTW, emulating classic Macs isn't fun. None of the solutions to do so are even remotely stable or user friendly. Since you have an actual classic Mac, you're best off just using that.
 
That Epson printers to new,you need an older Epson with an appletalk jack or
an Apple laser or some Hp printers with Appletalk jacks. An apple stylewriter 2400 or 2500 you can still get ink for them. Look at the local thrift store.
 
Mac SK said:
That Epson printers to new,you need an older Epson with an appletalk jack or
an Apple laser or some Hp printers with Appletalk jacks. An apple stylewriter 2400 or 2500 you can still get ink for them. Look at the local thrift store.
Click to expand...

Well Appletalk is a protocol, not a hardware interface or standard. Many HP printers (and other brands) incorporate Appletalk over Ethernet. I have an HP Laserjet 4000 that has this feature, great for printing and such.


image.php
 
On the hardware side, you can also buy (or used to be able to buy) AppleTalk to Ethernet bridges. I'm still running an old LaserJet that way.

Oh, and I still have my Quadra 660av and a 14" AV display. I can't seem to part with them. :)
 
Macintosh Quadra 660AV boot error

Hello everybody!

I found a Mac Quadra 660AV at home, and I wanted to turn it on. I plugged all the cables in, and turned it on. First nothing happened. Then I cleaned. Now it turns on, just keeps freezing or something. I can hear the startup sound and see the Apple logo, but then black screen and it stops. Nothing else happens. Can someone explain me why this is happening? And is there a solution? I'd really like to see it working.
 
gababi05 said:
I can hear the startup sound and see the Apple logo, but then black screen and it stops. Nothing else happens. Can someone explain me why this is happening? And is there a solution? I'd really like to see it working.
Click to expand...

Do you have any of the original software that came with it? It's possible the operating system on the hard drive is having trouble. If you had an OS install CD, you could boot to that by inserting the CD and holding down the 'c' key while starting up the computer.
 
gababi05 said:
Hello everybody!

I found a Mac Quadra 660AV at home, and I wanted to turn it on. I plugged all the cables in, and turned it on. First nothing happened. Then I cleaned. Now it turns on, just keeps freezing or something. I can hear the startup sound and see the Apple logo, but then black screen and it stops. Nothing else happens. Can someone explain me why this is happening? And is there a solution? I'd really like to see it working.
Click to expand...

If it shows you the progress bar, it might be switching to a video mode that the display doesn't support.

Try this, turn it on and IMMEDIATELY hold down the shift key on the keyboard. You should see "Welcome to Macintosh" and "Extensions Off". If it boots thru to the finder, open the "System Folder" and dive into the "Preferences" folder and drag any file to the trash like "Monitors Prefs", "Monitors and Sound Prefs" or "Display Prefs", and then select "Restart" from the special menu. Allow it to boot WITHOUT holding down the shift key this time and see what happens.

Also, if the machine has a second display card (I can't recall if the 660AV had a PDS right angle adapter for second video), then it might be defaulting to the other display card once the video overlay driver loads. Check the rear of the machine carefully for another display port with two rows for a total of 15 pins. The second one can be hidden from view if you try to look at the back from the front, bending over the machine ( does that make sense? )

:confused:
________
clear trichomes
 
Last edited:
Thanks MacTech68, but but I kept the Shift key pressed for 2 minutes, but nothing happened, and there isn't other display port. I think I'll download a Mac 7.1 for it, and try that out.
 
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