Subject: Re: LC-III Questions...
To: None <slumped@thekeyboard.com>
From: Cameron Kaiser <spectre@stockholm.ptloma.edu>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 04/22/2001 08:02:53
> I'm thinking of picking up an LC-III to shove NetBSD/mac68k
> on because for the LC I already have monitor, keyboard, LAN
> card (possibly) and perhaps most importantly, room.  A few
> questions spring to mind:
> 
>   1. Will an LC PDS 10Base-T card work in an LC-III?

It *should*. I know the LC3's PDS slot is an extended connector but I think
the signals are compatible on the common portion.

>   2. Is the 68882 socket in an LC-III PLCC, PGA or something
>      else?

I don't recall if there is a socket, but if present I would guess it's PLCC.
In any case, I'd preferentially just get an accelerator board for it -- much
simpler affair. They show up on eBay all the time.

LowEndMac has a good page on the LC3, try

	http://www.lowendmac.net/lc/lciii.shtml

>   3. Is the 68882 run from the same clock as the 68030, or
>      can a faster one be used?

Same clock. However, there is a very easy way to overclock the entire machine
and effectively turn it into a LC3+ (warning: you'll need to make sure you
have the right System Enablers installed *before* you do this or the machine
will no longer boot). See

	http://www.lowendmac.net/chip/lc.html

This will bring you up to 33MHz. However, if you go get the board, I would
wait on trying this modification as many of them do not like LC3+'s (and it
tanks the machine's Gestalt ID).

Speaking of clock chipping, if you have a Mac Plus why not extend it to 1GHz?
(Especially on one particular day of the year.) See

	http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~schrier/plus.html

>   4. How large a hard disk is required (basic NetBSD, no X
>      required)?

I'd say 300MB is plenty. You can probably get away with as little as 100MB
but I wouldn't push it.

>   5. Should I try to get a Quadra 610 or something instead?

Why not a IIci? Cache cards are cheap and fast, it does have an FPU, three
NuBus slots, 30-pin SIMMS are practically being given away, and compatible
with ruddy near everything? :-) Also, you can put more than 36MB in it.

Failing that, perhaps a Q700 ('040)?

>   6. Just how mad /am/ I?

Stop by the office and I'll see if you should be involuntarily committed. :-)

-- 
----------------------------- personal page: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ --
 Cameron Kaiser, Point Loma Nazarene University * ckaiser@stockholm.ptloma.edu
-- All I ask is a chance to prove money can't make me happy. ------------------