Duo Faq
Duo Faq
Hardware Guides · 1992 · TXT
| Filename | duo-faq.txt |
|---|---|
| Size | 0.09 MB |
| Year | 1992 |
| Downloads | 8 |
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Contents
Date: Sat, 9 Jul 94 17:12:51 +0100
From: " nick.c " <nick@pitt.edu>
Subject: DuoFAQ
Folks:
Included is the latest Duo FAQ. It's a compilation of usefull
information for powerbooks users, with a lot of specific info
on the powerbook Duo. Please add it to your archive.
-- nick
_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ Sea Shells to C shells, Waikiki to
_/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ the Internet, a wave, is a wave...
_/ _/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/
_/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ _/ _/ CompSrv: 71232,766 I-Net: Nick@pitt.edu
Enclosure: DuoFAQ_complete [95,789 bytes]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Macintosh Duo's - part 0
* Last Revision: 07/09/94 *
In October of 1992 Apple released an entirely new kind of computer,
the Macintosh Duo. The Duo, being such a strange beast, has left a
lot of people in confusion. This file summarizes the Duo
information I've collected to date - hopefully it will end some of
the confusion. This information is accurate as of today to the
best of my knowledge, but I make no warranties. I'd appreciate any
corrections or updated information being mailed to me (please be
succinct and patient about a response).
I post updated versions of this FAQ on comp.sys.mac.portables roughly
every two weeks and copies are available via anonymous FTP or AFS at
mac.archive.umich.edu and it's mirrors in the archive/mac/util/powerbook
directory.
Nicholas C. De Mello
"nick.c"
nick+@pitt.edu
Added since last post
=====================
o Included Rich Wolfson's explanation of how to totally
dis-assemble your duo (and tried it out too!).
o Included some new info on the RasterOps mini docks
(how to use with multi-sync monitors and warning:
*they are not currenty compatible with 280/280c's*
o Note: the control stip you're looking for is not on any
ftp sites. It is currently only available with new powerbooks
o Note: the "Table of Contents" only appears in section 0/3
now (otherwise I'd have to resection the parts again -
1/3 and 3/3 are too long)
Next project
============
Trying to make a 'section 4' that will have portable
information that's not unique to the Duo. Ie ram and
battery info, airlines x-rays, battery friendly word
processors. Hopefully, this'll eventually grow into
a seperate FAQ.
Table of Contents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 1: The Duo
===============
* Introduction: What is a Duo?
* The Models: What Duo models are/will be available?
Duo 210 : Economy Duo -- Oct, 1992
Duo 230 : Standard Duo
Duo 250 : Active Matrix Duo -- Oct, 1993
Duo 270c : Color Duo
Duo 280 : 040 Gray Duo -- May, 1994
Duo 280c : 040 Color Duo
Duo 2300/60 : 603 Gray Duo -- Jan, 1995
Duo 2300/60c : 603 Color Duo
* Dockless Duos: Do I have to buy a Dock?
File Transfers
Ram Disks
Updating Systems
Installing Software
* Optimizing Duos: How can I squeeze the most out of my Duo?
Systems
Why don't my title bars have that "3-D" affect?
Why doesn't Strech 3.0 work with my Duo?
How can I get that "3-D" affect in my title bars?
FPU's
What is a FPU?
Do *I* need/want one?
How does a FPU affect battery life?
RAM
What's ram?
How much ram do I need?
RAM Disks
What is a ram disk?
Why/when should I use a ram disk?
How do I install a RAM system disk?
How do I get rid of a RAM disk (get the ram back)?
Batteries
What's that switch on the battery for?
What do the numbers on my battery mean?
What's a "type II/III" battery?
Which battery do I have?
Can I use the new (type II/III) batteries in older Duos?
Do I need to completely discharge (condition) my batteries?
What's the *right* way to insert a batter?
Battery Power
Why should I turn off my modem when I'm not using it?
How can I get more life out of my battery?
Hard Disks
Why should I reformat my drive?
Why does my 80 MB drive say it's 75 MB?
What's the problem with reformatting 120 MB drives?
How do I reformat my drive for maximum capacity?
What's the largest internal HD available? (520 MB)
Where can I get it?
Displays
What are those vertical dark lines on my screen?
What are those black spots on my monitor?
How can I get rid of both?
Serial Port
How do I connect a printer to a Duo?
What's the "internal/external" or "compatible/normal"
switch in the Powerbook setup mean?
How do I use non-com toolbox programs with an internal modem?
Programmers Keys (needed for MacsBug)
Where is the interupt/restart key on a Duo?
Why don't they work when the Duo is docked?
What alternative is available?
Part 2: Accessories
===================
* Expandability/Docks: What do I need a Dock for?
Features: what can a dock do?
Micro-Docks:
Apple's Floppy Adapter
Newer Tech SCSI Microdock
Newer Tech Color Microdock
Newer Tech Ethernet Microdock
Lapis SCSI Dock
Asante's Ethernet Microdock
Mini-Docks:
Apple's Mini Dock
E-Machines Powerlink Presenter
E-Machines Desknet/Etherdock
RasterOps DuoMate 8
RasterOps DuoMate 16sc
Full-Docks:
Apple's Dock
Apple's Second Dock
Coming Attractions
FAQ's about docks
Why can't I close the lid of my Duo while it's docked to a mini dock?
How can I have the lid closed while docked to a mini dock?
* Recommended
Useful programs
Battery Optimization
Useful accessories
AppleTalk Cable
SCSI Adapter
Ethernet
Hand Scanner
Useful Sources of Information
Magazines
News groups
FTP sites
Part 3: Repairs and Upgrades
============================
* Bugs/Problems: Help! My Duo just...
Keyboard: keys unresponsive;
rev A,B,C,D keyboards - how to tell which
ADB: keyboard/mouse freezes up
Enabler: What enabler you should use.
Buzz: makes noise while asleep
HD gone: duo in dock won't recognize Powerbook HD
Missing Battery: duo can't find it's battery
Battery Leads: pressing on palmrest crashes Duo
* Sources: Where should I buy...?
Ram Suppliers
HD Suppliers
CPU Suppliers
Clearing Houses
Others
* Opening Duo's: How do I install...?
Install ram : easy for tech savvy people
Install HD/modem : hard - not recommended
* Upgrades
Apples 2xx -> 250
Apples 2xx -> 270c
Apples Duo LC040 Upgrade
Apples Color Display Upgrade
MacProducts 2xx -> 33 MHz/40 MHz
James MacPhails FPU add on
Disabling the Hardware Sleep
* Modems
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Macintosh Duo's - part 1
* Last Revision: 07/09/94 *
In October of 1992 Apple released an entirely new kind of computer,
the Macintosh Duo. The Duo, being such a strange beast, has left a
lot of people in confusion. This file summarizes the Duo
information I've collected to date - hopefully it will end some of
the confusion. This information is accurate as of today to the
best of my knowledge, but I make no warranties. I'd appreciate any
corrections or updated information being mailed to me (please be
succinct and patient about a response).
I post updated versions of this FAQ on comp.sys.mac.portables roughly
every two weeks and copies are available via anonymous FTP or AFS at
mac.archive.umich.edu and it's mirrors in the archive/mac/util/powerbook
directory.
Nicholas C. De Mello
"nick.c"
nick+@pitt.edu
--------------------------
Introduction: What is a Duo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What is a Duo? A Duo is Apple's smallest lightest notebook
computer. Unlike other notebooks it has no floppy drive, no SCSI,
and no direct way of attaching an external HD or floppy drive. What
it does have is a serial port, phone jack (with internal modem),
and a 152-pin 32-bit PDS (processor direct slot) in the back
(called a PowerLatch connection), that accesses every signal line
on the cpu. This is true for all models as of today.
So what's that PDS (processor direct slot) for in the back of the
Duo? It's what makes the Duo unique - the PDS is a wild card. It
allows adapters (called Docks) to connect directly and intimately
with the Duo's motherboard. These adapters let you add features to the
Duo at the most fundamental level - something you can't do with
any other powerbook. You can add ethernet, new video capabilities,
SCSI-2, accelerators, and other options that haven't even been
invented yet.
This expandability lets you tailor the same computer to entirely
different environments: at home, coupled with a floppy adapter and
external drive it's a stand alone home computer; on the train it's
the smallest, most portable powerbook; in the office, with a full
Duo dock, it's a business machine with 1 gig drive, ethernet, and
17" monitor - or whatever *you* choose to add.
What is a Duo? It's whatever you want it to be.
--------------------------
The Models: What Duo's are/will be available?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Duo 210 and 230 were released in October of 1992.
The powerbook Duo 210 has a 25 MHz 68030 CPU with no FPU. It weighs
4.2 pounds (with battery) and measures 1.4 inches thick. It has an
internal microphone, speaker, standard size keyboard, and a
recessed internal 11 mm diameter trackball (smaller than
the powerbook standard of 19 mm diameter). The 210 can accept a
maximum of 24 MB of ram. The internal monitor is a 9" 4-bit
gray scale (16 grays) supertwist (passive matrix) with a resolution
of 640x400. There are four ports on the back: power in (*not*
compatible with other powerbook AC adapters), serial din-8 (for
appletalk, printers, external modems, etc.), RJ-11 modem (only if
internal modem is installed), and the powerlatch PDS slot on the
back. There is no internal floppy drive. The 210 was discontinued
in October of 1993.
The Duo 230 is identical to the 210, except it has a 33 MHz clockspeed.
The Duo 250 and 270c were released in October of 1993. Apple is
offering upgrades of previous Duo's to the 250 or 270c (current
cost has been quoted as $2000 for the 2xx to 270c upgrade).
The Duo 250 is identical to the 230, except it offers a 4 bit
gray scale (16 grays) *active* matrix monitor (sharper images) and
uses type II Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery. The processor is
the same as that of the 230. According to Apple the type II
batteries should run the 250 for 2.5 to 6 hours per charge. IMO
the improvements of the 250 are not worth the $1000 price difference
from the 230.
The Duo 270c offers three major improvements over the 250: color,
a maximum of 32 MB of ram, and a FPU. The 8.4" active
matrix color display is slightly smaller than all previous
duo displays, and offers two choices of resolutions: 16 bit
(thousands of colors) color at 640x400 (duo standard) or 8 bit
(256 colors) color at 640x480 (standard for all other Macs).The
improved display makes the 270c 1/10 inch thicker than the 230,
thus necessitating a different "hood" on the duo docks (see docks
below). The type II NiMH battery is supposed to power the Duo for
2 to 4 hours. Note: since the 280 and 280c are expected to
use a LC040 CPU, the 270c is the only Duo ever proposed that
has an FPU. Oh and there's this little green light on the Duo
270c's cover. It's to let you know if the Duo is asleep when it's
closed. Light off - Duo shut down; light blinking - Duo asleep.
The Duo 280 will offer a 33 MHz LC040 CPU. The LC040 is a fourth
generation Macintosh CPU without the integrated FPU (as in the
Centris 610 and Quadra 605). Apple intends to use the Duo's unique
magnesium frame as a super heat sink for the processor. In addition to
a tremendous increase in performance the 280 will accept up to 40 MB
of ram, and is expected to last from 2-4 hours per charge of its
NiMH type III batteries. The 280 will have a 9 inch 4-bit gray scale
display.
The 280c is expected to be identical to the 280 but offer
a 16-bit color 8.4" active matrix display, as in the 270c.
Apple claims battery lives of 2-4 hours. (yea, right...)
The 2300 and 2300c: Apple says they'll ship in January of next year.
We'll see. The 2300 and 2300c will be identical to the 280 and 280c
with a 603 risc chip. The 603 will be attached directly to the
motherboard, so the Duo's will be faster than they're Blackbird
breathren, however upgrades to the 2300 motherboard for older Duo's
are expected to be more expensive ($500 for Blackbirds, expected
$1000 for Duos). All this info is rough, take it with a grain of
salt.
--------------------------
Dockless Duo's: Do I have to buy a Dock?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No.
I got one of the first Duo 230's off the line, and went six months
without so much as a floppy adapter. I saw the Duo first and foremost
as the smallest, lightest, powerbook available (and besides, I couldn't
get a dock/adapter for love or money - they just didn't exist).
However, there are some things to keep in mind. You have no floppy
drive, no SCSI connection, and no way to replace corrupt system
files - you're gambling. If you're new to the Mac, or if the
Duo is your only Mac, I'd suggest you buy at least the floppy
adapter and external drive. If you have access to a second Mac, the
SCSI adapters (Lapis or Newer Tech - see dock section) are the
cheapest option for installing a new system (via SCSI-HD mode),
and (IMHO) a wiser investment than the floppy adapter/external
drive.
If you do go without a net (and even if you don't) here are a few
tricks that come in handy. First, buy an Apple image writer cable
(a cable with a DIN-8 connection on both ends). If you plug,
one end into the Duo's serial port and the other into a second
Mac you have an appletalk equivalent of a null-modem. By turning
on appletalk on both machines (via the chooser) you can transfer
files in and out of your Duo. This is slower than SCSI transfers,
but the only way you'll be able to install new software. If your
system is shot though - you can't use appletalk.
A ram disk is great. In addition to increasing your battery life,
running a system on a ram disk lets you have a redundant system
on your hard disk. If the first gets corrupt you have the second as
backup.
If you do lose your system (I lost mine twice), start calling
stores in your area. Most will let you plug your Duo into their
showroom Dock long enough to install a new system. If they don't,
remember to forget them when you need to buy new peripherals.
--------------------------
Optimizing Duos: How can I squeeze the most out of my Duo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
System:
=======
Have you noticed that the title bars on your document windows
are the old black and white, 2-D type (as opposed to that neat
3-D effect in system 7). The reason for this, is the system
4-bit gray scale Duo monitors do a strange thing with those
3-D bars. They make them look like a current of liquid is
running under them - constantly in motion. It's a neat effect
but Apple thought it would be distracting.
So the system enabler for your Duo replaces the standard WDEFs
(window definition procedures) resource with the old black and white
versions. If you want to get the 3-D effect you need to remove
this "patch."
To do this make a copy of your system enabler, and open
it with res-edit (if you don't know what res-edit is,
you probably don't want to be doing this) and remove the
WDEF resource. Move your active system enabler out of the
system folder (save it - you might want to use it again) and
put your "edited" version in it's place. Then restart
the computer. I've never heard of any conflicts resulting
from this hack - but I doubt it's Apple approved. You've
been warned.
Also, a very usefull shareware program Strech 3.0, works
by overriding the systemd WDEF resource. Since the enabler
is holding the last word for this resource, it overrides
Strechs overriding of the systems resource. If you remove
the WDEF resource in the enabler (above) Stech works fine.
FPU's
=====
FPU stands for floating point unit. It's a co-processor
(assitant brain) available in some computers dedicated to
math tasks that require decimal point calculations. The
68030 macintoshes use a seperate chip, a 68882. One of the
advantages of the 68040 chips though was to build this unit
right into the CPU. The 68LC040 chips are cheaper, more
battery friendly 68040 that have the FPU lobotimized off the
chip.
Most of what we do on a macintosh doesn't require (or is even
accelerated) by a FPU. If you're just using Microsoft Word
to write a paper, or a telecom package to contact CompuServe
or the net, or playing your favorite game - it won't make a
lick of difference. Some users though run MathCad, or Mathematica,
or give Excel a real workout. These programs benefit tremendously
from the use of a FPU (my SE/30 for example has half the clock
speed of my Duo 230 and runs some of my calculations 10 times
faster). High level graphics programs, like RayDream Designer
also benefit from a FPU.
So why don't all Mac's have a FPU? It uses battery energy (about
10% more). As a result Apple chose not to put FPU's in the
210, 230, 250, and are using LC040 (FPU less 040's) in the
280 and 280c. Currently the only Duo with a FPU is the
discontinued 270c.
Keep in mind though - the FPU only accelerates the float calcs
in your program - and even float intensive programs have a lot
more int calcs going on than floats. As a result you're likely
to get more of an overall performance boost for your program by
upping the cpu speed or using a LC040 cpu than adding a FPU.
Apple's full Duo dock I has a socket for a FPU, so you can add one,
and use the FPU with a 210, 230, 250, or 270c (the 270c is smart
enough to turn off it's own if a FPU exists in the Dock). Their
full Due dock II has the fpu standard (you don't need to add one).
Note the 280 and 280c will use LC040 CPU's, which can not use an external
68882 FPU - they'll just ignore the FPU if present in any dock.
One last option exists. A fellow named James MacPhail in Canada
has figured out how to wire a FPU into a Duo 210, 230, or 250
or mini and micro docks. See the "Upgrades" section for details.
Note: even if you wire an FPU into a dock - it won't do anything
for a 280/280c - the LC040's just aren't compatible.
RAM
===
What's ram, how's it different from a hard disk? There are two
kinds of memory in your computer. Your hard disk is like a filing
cabinet, it takes effort to find what's in there and you don't
actually do any work there, but you can store a lot of stuff. Your
ram is like the top of your desk. You have much less space, but
it's easy to find stuff there (hopefully) so you only keep the
things you're working on right there. If you want to actually
work on a file, say a text document, you first get it from
your hard disk (your filing cabinet) then transfer it to ram
(your desk) and then start working on it. When you're done
with the document, you save it back to the hard disk - just
like you put away your report in the file cabinet, to free up
desk space (ram). One place this analogy breaks down…
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