Macintosh TV

From RetroWikipedia
Revision as of 18:00, 18 April 2025 by imported>57birdnerd (Fixed CS1 maint tag)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Not to be confused with Apple TV.

Macintosh TV
Also known asMac TV
LD50
Peter Pan[1]
TypeAll-in-one
Release dateOctober 25, 1993; 31 years ago (1993-10-25)[2][3][4][5]
Introductory priceUS$2,097 (equivalent to $4,565 in 2024)[6]
DiscontinuedFebruary 1, 1994 (1994-02-01)[7]
Units shipped10,000[8][9]
Operating systemSystem 7.1 - Mac OS 7.6.1
With 68040 upgrade, Mac OS 8.1, or with PowerPC upgrade, Mac OS 9.1
CPUMotorola 68030 @ 32 MHz
Memory5 MB RAM (80 ns 72-pin SIMM), expandable to 8 MB, 1 MB ROM
Storage160 MB HDD,
1.44 MB SuperDrive
DisplayBuilt-in 14" Sony Trinitron CRT
GraphicsVideo: 512 KB VRAM; supports 640 × 480 at 8-bits
Dimensions17.9" × 13.5" × 16.5"
Weight40.5 lb.
SuccessorPower Macintosh G3 All-in-One
Websitesupport.apple.com/kb/SP217

The Macintosh TV is a personal computer with integrated television capabilities released by Apple Computer in 1993. It was Apple's first attempt at computer-television integration. It shares the external appearance of the Macintosh LC 500 series, but in black.[10] The Macintosh TV is essentially a Performa 520 that can switch its built-in 14" Sony Trinitron CRT from being a computer display to a cable-ready television. It is incapable of showing television in a desktop window, although it can capture still frames to PICT files.

It comes with a small credit card-sized remote control that is also compatible with Sony televisions. It was the first Macintosh to be made in black and comes with a matching black keyboard and mouse. Later Apple would issue a custom black Performa 5420 in markets outside the United States with many of the features of the Mac TV. Apple's similar TV tuner card was a popular option for later LC, Performa series, and select models of Power Macintosh G3 beige computers.

Only 10,000 were made in the model's short time on the market.[8]

Specifications

The Macintosh TV is equipped with a 32 MHz Motorola 68030 CPU, a 16 MHz bus, and 5 MB of RAM (which can be expanded to 8 MB). It also comes with a CD-ROM drive, ADB ports for connecting keyboard and mouse, DIN-8 serial ports, and a DB-25 SCSI interface. The performance of the Macintosh TV reaches 7.0 MIPS SIMM, allowing for the use of either a 1 MB or 4 MB SIMM. Additionally, it features an Antenna In (F-type RF Connector), Composite Video-In, Stereo Audio Input (RCA-type), and a 3.6 V lithium PRAM battery, boasting a Gestalt ID of 88 and supporting 32-bit addressing. However, in contrast to most Macintosh models, it does not offer any expansion slots for upgrades.[11]

Upgrades

Although there was no official upgrade path provided by Apple, the Macintosh TV chassis is essentially that of the LC 520, and as such supports the same motherboard upgrades. Although the built-in tuner capabilities are lost, installing an LC 575 motherboard is a common method to step up to the significantly faster 68040 processor.[12]

Timeline

Timeline of Macintosh Centris, LC, Performa, and Quadra models, colored by CPU type
<timeline>

DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:10/01/1990 till:12/31/1997 Define $skip = at:end # Force a blank line Define $dayunknown = 15 # what day to use if it's actually not known

ImageSize= width:800 height:auto barincrement:21 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:20 bottom:75 top:5 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:1

Colors = 

    id:bg      value:white
    id:020     value:rgb(1,0.5,0.4)   legend:Motorola_68020
    id:0301    value:rgb(1,1,0)       legend:Motorola_68030
    id:0302    value:rgb(1,1,0.5)
    id:0401    value:rgb(0.8,1,0.8)   legend:Motorola_68040
    id:0402    value:rgb(0.8,1,0.95)
    id:LC0401  value:rgb(0.75,0.85,1) legend:Motorola_68LC040
    id:LC0402  value:rgb(0.8,0.9,1)
    id:ppc601  value:rgb(0.8,0.6,0.9) legend:PowerPC_601
    id:ppc603  value:rgb(1,0.85,0.85) legend:PowerPC_603
    id:ppc603e value:rgb(1,0.6,0.6)   legend:PowerPC_603e
    id:linem   value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9) 
    id:liney   value:rgb(0.5,0.5,0.5)

BackgroundColors = canvas:bg ScaleMajor = gridcolor:liney unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1991 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:linem unit:month increment:3 start:10/01/1990

BarData = 

 Barset:one
 Barset:two
 Barset:three
 Barset:four

PlotData= 

 width:15 textcolor:black

 barset:one
   shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
   color:020 from:10/15/1990 till:03/23/1992 text:"LC"
 barset:break
   color:0301 from:03/23/1992 till:03/15/1993 text:"LC II"
   color:0302 from:02/10/1993 till:02/14/1994 text:"LC III"
   color:ppc603 from:04/03/1995 till:04/13/1996 text:"Power Macintosh 5200 LC"
 barset:break
   color:lc0401 from:10/21/1993 till:07/15/1996 text:"LC 475"
   color:lc0401 from:07/18/1994 till:04/01/1995 text:"LC 630"
   color:0301 from:06/28/1993 till:02/02/1994 text:"LC 520"
 barset:break
   $skip
   color:lc0402 from:04/03/1995 till:03/02/1996 text:"LC 580"
   color:0302 from:02/02/1994 till:03/23/1995 text:"LC 550"

 barset:two
   color:0301 from:10/18/1993 till:02/14/1994 text:"LC III+"
   color:0302 from:10/25/1993 till:02/01/1994 text:"TV"
 barset:break
   color:lc0401 from:11/03/1994 till:03/02/1996 text:"LC 575"
 barset:break]]"
   $skip
   color:ppc603e from:08/28/1995 till:04/13/1996 text:"Power Macintosh 5300 LC"

 barset:three
   shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
   color:0302 from:09/14/1992 till:10/18/1993 text:"Performa 200"
   color:0302 from:09/14/1992 till:10/18/1993 text:"Performa 400"
   color:0302 from:09/14/1992 till:10/18/1993 text:"Performa 600"
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   color:0302 from:04/01/1993 till:03/01/1994 text:"Performa 250"
   color:0302 from:04/12/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 405"
   color:0301 from:04/12/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 430"
   color:0302 from:04/12/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 450"
   color:0302 from:06/28/1993 till:02/02/1994 text:"Performa 520"
   color:0301 from:10/18/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 410"
   color:0301 from:10/18/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 460"
   color:0301 from:10/18/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 466"
   color:0301 from:10/18/1993 till:11/01/1993 text:"Performa 467"
   $skip
   $skip
   color:ppc601 from:11/01/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 6110"
   color:ppc601 from:11/01/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 6112"
   color:ppc601 from:11/01/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 6115"
   color:ppc601 from:11/01/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 6117"
   color:ppc601 from:11/01/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 6118"
 barset:break
   color:0301 from:10/01/1993 till:11/01/1995 text:"Performa 275"
   color:0301 from:10/18/1993 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 550"
   color:0301 from:01/01/1994 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 560"
   color:lc0401 from:10/18/1993 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 475"
   color:lc0401 from:10/18/1993 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 476"
   color:lc0401 from:02/01/1994 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 575"
   color:lc0401 from:02/01/1994 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 577"
   color:lc0401 from:02/01/1994 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 578"
   color:lc0401 from:07/18/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 630"
   color:lc0402 from:07/18/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 631"
   color:lc0402 from:07/18/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 635"
   color:lc0402 from:07/18/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 636"
   color:lc0402 from:07/18/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 637"
   color:lc0402 from:07/18/1994 till:07/01/1995 text:"Performa 638"
   color:lc0402 from:04/01/1995 till:05/01/1996 text:"Performa 588CD"
   color:lc0402 from:05/01/1995 till:02/01/1996 text:"Performa 580CD"
   color:lc0401 from:05/14/1995 till:02/01/1996 text:"Performa 640CD"
   color:ppc603 from:05/01/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 5200"
   color:ppc603 from:05/01/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 5210"
   color:ppc603 from:07/14/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 5215"
   color:ppc603 from:07/14/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 5220"
   color:ppc601 from:07/17/1995 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 6116"
   color:ppc603 from:07/11/1995 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 6200"
   color:ppc603 from:07/11/1995 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 6216"
   color:ppc603 from:07/11/1995 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 6218"
 barset:break
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   color:ppc603e from:10/01/1995 till:05/01/1996 text:"Performa 5300"
   color:ppc603e from:11/01/1995 till:08/01/1996 text:"Performa 5320"
   color:ppc603e from:01/27/1996 till:08/01/1996 text:"Performa 6290"
   color:ppc603e from:01/27/1996 till:10/01/1996 text:"Performa 6300"
   color:ppc603e from:01/27/1996 till:10/01/1996 text:"Performa 6310"
   color:ppc603e from:04/22/1996 till:09/01/1996 text:"Performa 6320"
 barset:break
   color:ppc603e from:04/22/1996 till:02/01/1997 text:"Performa 5260"
   color:ppc603e from:04/22/1996 till:02/01/1997 text:"Performa 5270"
   color:ppc603e from:04/22/1996 till:02/01/1997 text:"Performa 5410"
   color:ppc603e from:04/22/1996 till:03/01/1997 text:"Performa 5420"
   color:ppc603e from:04/22/1996 till:02/01/1997 text:"Performa 5400"
   color:ppc603e from:06/19/1996 till:12/01/1996 text:"Performa 6260"
   color:ppc603e from:08/01/1996 till:12/01/1997 text:"Performa 5400/160"
   color:ppc603e from:08/01/1996 till:06/01/1997 text:"Performa 5400/180 (DE)"
   color:ppc603e from:08/07/1996 till:08/01/1997 text:"Performa 6400/180"
   color:ppc603e from:08/07/1996 till:08/01/1997 text:"Performa 6400/200 (VEE)"
   color:ppc603e from:10/01/1996 till:02/01/1997 text:"Performa 5260/120"
   color:ppc603e from:10/17/1996 till:10/01/1997 text:"Performa 6360/160"
   color:ppc603e from:11/12/1996 till:06/01/1997 text:"Performa 5280"
   color:ppc603e from:11/12/1996 till:12/01/1997 text:"Performa 5430" shift:(25,-5) 
   color:ppc603e from:11/12/1996 till:09/01/1997 text:"Performa 5440"
   color:ppc603e from:11/12/1996 till:10/01/1997 text:"Performa 6410/180"
   color:ppc603e from:11/12/1996 till:08/01/1997 text:"Performa 6420/200"

 barset:four
   shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
   color:0401 from:10/21/1991 till:03/15/1993 text:"Quadra 700"
   color:0401 from:10/21/1991 till:05/18/1992 text:"Quadra 900"
   color:0402 from:07/18/1994 till:10/05/1995 text:"Quadra 630"
 barset:break
   $skip
   color:0402 from:05/18/1992 till:10/14/1995 text:"Quadra 950"
   color:lc0402 from:02/10/1993 till:10/21/1993 text:"Centris 610"
   color:0401 from:02/10/1993 till:10/21/1993 text:"Centris 650"
   color:0401 from:02/10/1993 till:03/14/1994 text:"Quadra 800"
   color:0402 from:07/29/1993 till:10/21/1993 text:"Centris / Quadra 660AV"
 barset:break
   color:lc0401 from:10/21/1993 till:10/17/1994 text:"Quadra 605"
   $skip
   color:0401 from:10/21/1993 till:07/18/1994 text:"Quadra 610"
   color:0401 from:10/21/1993 till:09/12/1994 text:"Quadra 650"
   $skip
   color:0401 from:10/21/1993 till:09/12/1994              # Quadra 660AV
   color:0401 from:07/29/1993 till:07/18/1994 text:"Quadra 840AV"
 barset:break
   color:ppc603 from:07/11/1995 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 6220"
   $skip
   $skip
   color:ppc603 from:07/11/1995 till:04/01/1996 text:"Performa 6230"
   color:ppc603 from:08/28/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 6205"
   color:ppc603 from:08/28/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 6210"
   color:ppc603 from:08/28/1995 till:07/01/1996 text:"Performa 6214"

</timeline>

See also

References

  1. ↑ Macintosh TV, The Apple Museum, Interesting Facts: As I said, the Mac TV's code name was "LD50". In the medical field, this means "lethal dosage 50%", which means half the people that take it will die. Apple developers probably didn't know this, but others must've because it caused some controversy. [sic]
  2. ↑ APPLE UNVEILS MACINTOSH TV; MACINTOSH COMPUTER COMBINES TELEVISION AND STEREO CD PLAYER IN SINGLE, LOW-COST UNIT (Product Announcement) Archived June 25, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, PR Newswire > October 25, 1993 - Free Online Library
  3. ↑ Apple rolls out Macintosh TV, Oct. 25, 1993 - UPI Archives
  4. ↑ The Information Appliance, By Catherine Arnst, November 22, 1993 - Bloomberg, ...Apple has recently introduced a similar machine, the Mac TV, that looks like a television set with a keyboard attached. The Mac TV can accept CD-ROM computer disks and display captions on the TV programs....
  5. ↑ Mac TV, LEM Staff - 1993.10.25, Low End Mac, This was perhaps the oddest Macintosh ever. It was the last desktop Mac with a 68030 processor, the first with a built-in TV tuner, the first black desktop Mac, and the first Mac to ship with a remote control. It is the only model in the “500 Series” that doesn’t have an available PDS (Processor Direct Slot) – that gave way to the TV tuner. The built-in 14″ Trinitron monitor displays 16-bit TV images, but only 8-bit computer graphics. Software allows it to capture a single TV frame as a PICT file.
  6. ↑ Black Enterprise, Apr 1994, Page 41, By Carolyn M. Brown, HOT PRODUCT Mac TV What Apple got when it crossed a Macintosh with a television It's an electronics dream come true: a computer, television and stereo all in one.
  7. ↑ "Macintosh TV Specs - VAW (Vectronic's Apple World)". Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Macintosh Switcher's Guide, By Robert Standefer, Page 26, Failure #3: Mac TV - ...Only 10,000 units shipped before it was terminated...
  9. ↑ The Macintosh TV was a cul de sac off the road to converged video, by Eric Bangeman - Oct 26, 2013, Ars Technica
  10. ↑ The power to be your best, Get a computer, a television, and a CD player. All in one desktop system. $2079 ... New. Macintosh TV., Fall 1993, The Apple Catalog
  11. ↑ Macintosh TV apple-history.com
  12. ↑ "MicroMac 68040 LC575 Logic Board Trade-up". September 10, 1998.

External links

Retrieved from "https://retrowikipedia.com/index.php?title=Macintosh_TV&oldid=5373"