Home▸ Forums▸ installing a 575 analog board in a Color Classic
installing a 575 analog board in a Color Classic
· Hardware · 6 posts · May 27, 2015 View original thread ↗
#1 Sat, 29 Nov 2014 - 03:20
Geforce4 Titanium 4600 PC to Mac Flash. A preliminary study:

The nVidia Geforce4 Titanium 4600 is by far the fastest video card available for Mac Os 9. This card is based on the NV25 engine @300 Mhz with 128MB of of Samsung @325 Mhz DDR (2.8ns) Video RAM. The Mac version comes with a DVI port and a ADC (Apple Display Connector).



 It is important to know the all Geforce4 family to avoid mistakes:

Geforce4 MX (NV17) is an enhanced version of the Geforce2.
Geforce4 Go (NV17) is a movile version of the Geforce4 MX.
Geforce4 Ti (NV25) the 4200,4400 are downgraded versions of the 4600.
Geforce4 Ti (NV28), is the AGP8X version of the Geforce4 Ti. Here we have to be carefull, as the AGP8X cards need hardware modifications and the NV28 may be not compatible with Mac Os 9 Nvidia drivers. This card can be labeled as Geforce4 Ti 4800, Ti 4600 8X, Ti 4800 SE, 4200 8X etc...

So:

- We have to find a PC card that best match the Ti4600 Mac  specifications.
- Find the firmware and the flash process, probably similar to other nvidia cards.
- And find the hardware modifications. Probably AGP pinout and voltage related...
#1 Wed, 27 May 2015 - 02:29
Let me start off by saying I am not a computer guy......  So this is probably why no one has done this before.  They know it will not work!  :)

I have working pull of a analog board from a 575.  I noticed that down along one side of the 575 analog board was, well, nothing.  I have about 1 inch or more of board with nothing on it.  And on the other side, if I am careful how i cut, I can cut off between 1/4 and 1/2 of an inch depending on if I am going to cut off the tabs that hold the board in place. 

I am looking at ways to get 640 X 480 out of my Color Classic but I am not willing, at this point, to do the VGA mod.

One would have to do some bracing and cuttings in the Color Classic.  I don't know if it would even work on the Color Classic 10" CRT.  I believe the CRT in the 575 is 14 inches and I know it is 640 X 480.

I have a wood working buddy who builds fancy cabinets.  I think he could saw this fiberboard analog board for me and get it right on the money.

Something has to be really wrong with this idea or someone would have done this before. 

What am I missing?

jack the new kid

#2 Sat, 29 Nov 2014 - 03:20
then again i guess the dual dvi is not so much a big deal when u can find a ADC to DVI adapter converter

#2 Wed, 27 May 2015 - 02:48
Have you considered taking the 575 components and mounting them in a custom case? That way you can make the front flat to mount an LCD? Your woodworking buddy could probably make something that you wouldn't need to saw the internals.

#3 Thu, 4 Dec 2003 - 13:27
Here we have most of the info we need:

http://themacelite.wikidot.com/


They have flashing tools and techniques . And a lot of ROMs, including ones for Nvidia Ti 4600 and Quadro 4 700 XGL.
We only have to find the right PC video cards to begin to test ...
#4 Sun, 6 Jan 2002 - 07:57
We have DieHard report about the ASUS V8460 ULTRA succesfully  flashed with the PC GeForce 4 Ti4600 (Arti) 1105  ROM,

... and my (MacTron) failed with the Quadro 900:

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=681.msg11447#msg11447

... but we are still in on track for Dual DVI nVidia 4600 cards. There are a few from MSI and Grainward, but may be those are really Geforce4 Ti 4800:  the AGP8X version of the Geforce4 Ti whith the GPU NV28. Here we have to be carefull, as the AGP8X cards need hardware modifications and the NV28 may be not compatible with Mac Os 9 nVidia drivers
#4 Wed, 27 May 2015 - 03:53
Transplanting something like this requires considerably more work and modification than the VGA mod on a CC board.  CCs are not that rare and you could always keep a junker/spare CC analog board just in case yours fails, which I think is unlikely - it's only slightly out of spec running at the higher resolution.

#5 Wed, 27 May 2015 - 16:30
Byrd.....  Thank you for your post.  If I had a schematic of a Color Classic analog board, I could figure some of this out for my self, but I can not seem to find or buy any documentation.

For example, do you know what the vertical scan rate frequency is in the color classic before the VGA mod? And do you know what the vertical scan rate frequency is after the VGA mod?

I had no idea that one could roll in a 575 logic board and a 575 analog board into a color classic.  From what little I see posted, this would not push any component out of it's design spec.

jack the new kid

#6 Wed, 27 May 2015 - 16:44
360alaska said:
Actually it has been done before: http://www.fenestrated.net/~macman/CC575/
Click to expand...
360alaska....

Wow!!!  While I do not like taking a dremel tool to the inside of my Color Classic, if I had a super charged 575 logic board and a 575 analog board, I would not have to worry about pushing components out of it's design spec.

I do have a few questions.  The degaussing cables (I think that is what they are) would need to be swapped from the CC analog board.  And I *think* (but not entirely sure) that the metal box that sticks to the end of the yoke of the CC CRT may or may not just plug in.

I sure wish the photos on the link you posted were larger.  Do you know of any way to get in touch with the author of that page - Tyler Smith?  It looks like this page was put on line about 8 years ago.  I would like to chat with any one who has done this mod.  Any guess where to start looking?

Great link.  I like this the best so far.  Muct better then the VGA mod.

Thanks so much.

jack the new kid

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