[The Godfather]

I thought this information was in a safebox, guarded by Apple's butchers. The info is in ADC.

http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/...iMac/iMac.html

And the legendary iMac PCI chip is here:

http://www.mot.com/SPS/PowerPC/produ...chips/106.html

Let's find out once and for all if having an external PCI connector (or maybe more) hanging from the iMac is even possible.

And that also takes that Ca$h will take pictures of his iGameWizard.

Hack

[The Godfather]

And it seems that the PCI chip in the iMac is the same as the on in the blue G3.

Um... Im sorta blacklisted from MacNN right now, but hopefully this wont get deleted. Anyway, thanks for the info, but it really didnt provide too much new info. What we need is someone thats willing to lend me ANY type of Mac PCI card.. preferably a rage 128 or something decent, but not complete crap, with fairly modern drivers. If I get it working, I'd give it back to ya, and I'd go buy a V5.

Ca$h

[The Godfather]

Cash,

Do you mean you knew all this stuff about the Grackle PCI bridge and read all through the chip's user manual? I think I saw some chip pin-out in the PDF from Motorola. You say this is not enough... I fiddle around microcontroller sites and I am somewhat knowledgable in computer design and I think these docs are key to the Mezz-PCI rosetta stone.

Did you try your design with a not-so-fancy PCI card? Maybe an old ATI All-In-One (TV!) could prove your design is good. I think you don't need to ask borrow a $300 card.

Hey, let's work together in this

Did you see the iMaxPower G4 for iMacs? What do you think?

Well, I think that the G4 is pretty cool, it should really help with OSX...

But about the PCI Mezzanine thing... I want to borrow a PCI Mac card that has CURRENT DRIVERS, not some crappy card from 3 years ago that might not work because of using an updated OS or something... see what I mean? Its just better to test it with a card you might use, than something that nobody would ever touch.

Ca$h

[The Godfather]

Do you have a design already in mind?

Yep. I just need to quit getting speeding tickets, attempting to save for my 333 to be OCd to 400, and spending gas on my neon long enough to purchase a mezzanine plug and PCI slot. It'll be cool.

I should go order them soon. Ah well.

Later.

Ca$h

[The Godfather]

Man, you should start reading those Motorola docs

[The Godfather]

I think you'll like this
http://www.mot.com/SPS/PowerPC/teksu...sandpoint.html

[The Godfather]

I've been browsing Motorola's site and after some minutes, I started to smell that it wasn't Apple who's been designing PowerMacs all this time...

I can't believe it! There are so many of these
http://www.mot.com/SPS/PowerPC/teksu...nsysdesign.pdf


[This message has been edited by The Godfather (edited 08-08-2000).]

[wlonh]

ah, another BINGO!

[SpeedRacer]

Ca$h just pointed out an interesting article about the mezzanine slot in another thread.
http://macprof.macity.it/imace/archives/imacemezz.html

From what this says and what i have found about standard mezzanine connectors NOT matching up with Apple's mezzanine it would appear that the slot is NOT a standard PMC and PC-MIP-based slot (ie: these Moto docs may be referring to things completely unrelated, even if a bit interesting).

Anyway, just thought i'd pass on the info.

Speed

[The Godfather]

Yeah, I figured that the Motorola docs I refer are just info about system board and the motherboard. I knew it when I went through the schematics. These docs aren't enough for this holy grail, but it was a great aid to learn about PCI connector pin-outs.

But still, according to Apple's ultra-simplistic schematics, the system board connects to the motherboard through the Grackle PCI bridge (in system board), and the Mezzanine connector (yeah, the true mezzanine is located under the memory slots, the one under the mobo is a mockup). I've got the Grackle user's book, now I've got to read it. Hopefully, my iMac's new firmware hasn't disabked this port.

Hrm. Ok, here's what I want to know. What is the TECHNICAL name for the mezz connector? There has to be a number or something considering there are lots of different mezz connectors...

Also, on 1st gen iMacs the connector for the Daughtercard looks VERY similar to the mezz connector. Are they the same? Or am I just smoking too much crack?

Ca$h