Thread

Internet Radio on a Performa 640CD?

68kMLA Software 22 posts Oct 24, 2011 to Oct 27, 2011

#1 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 - 22:49 68kMLA

Hey all!

I've got a Performa 640CD sitting here, and was wondering what i could to with it to give it some good use. It currently has 8.1 on it, but I'd like to put 7.6 on it. I'm wondering, though, can I use this machine with internet radio of any sort?

Thanks,

Blake.

#2 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 11:59 68kMLA

Using MpegDec you should be able to stream ShoutCast radio stations, at least from I've been reading.

#3 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 16:49 68kMLA

You may not be able to do anything else on the machine at the same time, though.

One wonders if the MPEG Media Card and or DOS card could be persuaded to help out.

#4 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 17:26 68kMLA

I'm pretty sure a 486 will be happy to play MP3s as long as it has an FPU - a 486SX won't work for this, so a DX or DX2, if possible.

#5 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 17:53 68kMLA

One wonders if the MPEG Media Card and or DOS card could be persuaded to help out.

I was wondering about the MPEG Media Card myself, haven't found mine yet, though. I'll check out the Docs, ASAP.

#6 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 18:02 68kMLA

Pretty sure it's MPEG1 only. It'll play a VCD, but not a DVD.

#7 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 18:08 68kMLA

True, but MPEG1 ought to be easy enough for a jukebox hack, dunno about the Internet Radio Part though.

In what format is it streamed? :?:

#8 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 21:04 68kMLA

like I said, most likely MP3.

#9 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 - 21:19 68kMLA

Then CHEAT! }

Forget the MPEG Media Card entirely and stick a friggin' "audio out" MP3/Internet Radio decoder inside hooked up to the 640CD's Audio In!

It's still a CD Player/Television/VCR Monitor! :approve:

#10 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 07:14 68kMLA

Okay, So I pulled out my PowerBook 1400cs, and installed mpegdec, it works absolutely wonderfully streaming shoutcast stations. now we've gotta try for the 68k!

I'm going to bring the performa home tomorrow, and do a fresh install of 7.6. I shall report back then! I have no experience with the DOS card, though I do know that it is installed. The ram is maxxed out on the mac side, I'd imagine it is on the DOS side as well. Any tips for getting the dos card running after a fresh install of 7.6?

Blake.

#11 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 11:13 68kMLA

Try a lighter system; 7.6.1 could be very chubby, so try 7.0 or 7.1 - I know 7.0 is free from Apple's support site.

#12 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 13:36 68kMLA

7.6.1 will be just fine on max RAM and an 040, and is probably the best OS, both for that machine and for what you want to do. You can always trim the boot INITs to make the system use less RAM, with Extensions Manager, Symbionts, or Conflict Catcher. And I'd suggest grabbing the free upgrade for Open Transport from Apple.

Networking -and- playing mp3s is a lot to ask of the old beast. A nice lean boot would probably help, as would having the fewest impediments between the Mac and your modem. Are you using CommSlot ethernet?

Check out System Seven Forever for more hints and tips. And mpegdec's website will tell you what kind of performance you can expect on the 040. You might have to go down to mono, or a lower bitrate.

a 486SX won't work for this, so a DX or DX2, if possible.

Could be wrong, but I don't think the DOS card's CPU is socketed.

#13 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 14:10 68kMLA

Also, ISTR the MPEG card only decodes video, relying on the CPU to handle audio. I'd check out lowendmac.com's article/s on it, and on the DOS card. Think there's also an article on the MPEG system at S7 Forever.

*If* it can be done, using the 486 as an mp3 copro would be kinda awesome. Maybe try a DOS mode player- there's a few out there, old and new.

#14 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 14:46 68kMLA

Can the PC card output sound? You could theoretically use a DOS mode MP3 player. What processor does the PC card have anyways?

#15 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 15:13 68kMLA

Can the PC card output sound?

Yes, through the Mac's ports, IIRC.

#16 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 16:09 68kMLA

...and ethernet?

Bah, I checked, the PC compatbility card has an SX by default - no FPU will make real-time playback of MP3s locally impossible, let alone streaming. However, it can be replaced by a real 486...

#17 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 17:48 68kMLA

There are several different DOS/PC cards. The one in a 630/640 is specific to that model. The one you linked is not related.

...and ethernet?

YES. >

#18 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 20:04 68kMLA

Sorry, please forgive me for insulting Lt Gen. Bunsen Burner with my pathetic questions. I have no idea about DOS cards...

#19 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 21:13 68kMLA

About DOS card cpu replacements:

http://home.comcast.net/~gionpeters/hhhh/doscard.htm

#20 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 22:15 68kMLA

Brought home the 640 this morning, and installed 7.6.1 on it. I'm happy to report that it streams internet radio with MPEGdec without a hiccup.

I'm downloading the software to install windows on this machine as we speak. I have found that it does have the 486DX2 in it.

I never really knew how nice system 7 was until recently, as I never used it much. When I had a performa as a kid, I had 8.1 on it. But this just looks so clean and wonderful!

Now, what do you guys use your 68k's for? I've got some old games on it, and IRC as well as Hotline and AIM. I think I may actually write a paper for class on this machine later today.

Blake.

#21 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 - 23:23 68kMLA

Photoshop, ClarisWorks and light browsing. The last Photoshop for 68k is 4, but low-end 68ks will want 2.5 and mid-range is 3.0. iCab can get you to modern sites as well.

#22 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 - 10:31 68kMLA

The link for pcsetup2x on that page is dead - but that's the name of the file you need to set up the DOS card. It was released as freeware before that site disappeared, and ISTR an "improved" version floating around too. One note: I believe the drivers will only work with Windows installed: ie, the card won't boot into native mode DOS.

General 630/640 and DOS/PC Compatibility card info:

http://www.lowendmac.com/quadra/lc-630-dos-compatible.shtml

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_performa/stats/mac_performa_640cd.html

http://www.edibleapple.com/2009/12/09/blast-from-the-past-a-look-back-at-apples-dos-compatibility-cards/

http://homepage.mac.com/olivers/DOScard/DOScard.html

http://support.apple.com/kb/TA33858

http://www.applefritter.com/node/2042

http://pccardfaq.com/

System 7.6.1 info:

http://main.system7today.com/ (Sorry for wrong name above)

http://www.lowendmac.com/martorana/06/0324.html

Update downloads:

http://main.system7today.com/updates.html