Apple VintageApple.org
Information from the early Apple era
Search entire site -->

Gamba's Site
A mirror of the famed information pages of Gamba from home.earthlink.net/~gamba2/


Back to Home Page    05/25/01, rev T, 12/10/02
Micron SE/30 GrayScale Adapter
Sponsored by JUNKYARD JEFFREY
Credit to D.S. Larsen's imagesMark Janello, and James E. Rooney

Link to screenshots of internal display of our Macintosh SE/30 which has our homemade clone of the Micron Technology 'Xceed Gray-Scale 30' adapter and the Micron Xceed Color 30 video card.
Link to photo of homemade GrayScale adapter.
INDEX:
COMPATIBILITY
Micron XCEED specs  
Software Downloads
Identifying XCEED cards  
Micron XCEED on eBay
User Comments (from 1992)  
User Comment (from 2002)
Links

COMPATIBILITY
!!! Requires Xceed Color 30, Color 30HR, or MacroColor 30 PDS slot video card !!!
There are some rare SE/30's that have a CRT base configuration that is incompatible with
the standard Micron GrayScale Adapter harness. See the CRT base configuration picture here.

The following is an edited version of Mark Janello's post to the CompactMacs list:

"The adapter card is called the 'Gray-Scale 30' (part no. XCD-900003) and is designed
specifically for the SE/30 in conjunction with one of these three video cards; it's explicit
that it will only work with these:

Xceed Color 30™
Color 30HR™
MacroColor 30™

Provides 1,2,4 or 8-bits per pixel gray-scale display (when no external monitor is being used)
My card seems to be a Color 30HR (XCD-900048) and has two video connectors on it, one
that attaches to the external monitor plug on the back of the computer (a 12 pin plug), and
the one for the optional greyscale card, a 10-pin socket with a plastic plug protecting 10 male
pins. The socket is quite like the one for power on an SE/30 motherboard--each pin in its own
little plastic box.

My PDS card doesn't have a part number or say 'Color 30HR' on it (I have the original
documentation and warranty card that tell me the model) so advice for would-be shoppers
is to look for the two sockets on the card. If you hold the card with the PDS connector on
the bottom then over on the left are the two sockets.

Mark"
MICRON XCEED SPECS
ITALIC entries are guesses.  n/a = not applicable.
additions & corrections welcomed, email to email.gif
MICRON
XCEED
CARD
MAC SE/30
Internal
Grayscale?
Color
Depth
Resolutions
(External Monitor)
Part
Number
FCC
ID
control
panel
version
Sense
Line
Use
SE/306-48 IIsi
SE/30
 
No
 256
 256
640 x 480
640 x 480 (VGA)
 ?? F5R0281 2.014 gnd
7,10 vga
SE/3010-78 IIsi
SE/30
 
No
 256 1024 x 768  (RGB) XCD-900011 F5R???? 2.01
4 gnd
Color 30™ IIsi
SE/30
 
Yes
 256
 256
  16
640 x 480
640 x 480 (VGA @ 31.5KHz)
640 x 870 (Apple Portrait)
P6D-900053 F5R0369 2.01
10
Color 30HR™
v2.0, 2.5, 3.0
IIsi
SE/30
 
Yes
 256
 256
 256
?
?
?
?
 512 x 384 (12"RGB)
 640 x 480
 640 x 480 (VGA)
 640 x 870 (Apple Portrait)
 800 x 600 (SVGA)
 832 x 624 (Apple 16")
1024 x 768
XCD-900048 3.0
or
3.5
?
MacroColor 30™ IIsi
SE/30
 
Yes
 16M
 16M
640 x 480
640 x 480 (VGA)
 ?? F5R???? 2.01
?
MacroColor II™ NuBus
n/a
XCD-900004 F5R????
?
MacroColor 30HR™
v2.0, 2.5, 3.0
IIsi
SE/30
 
??
16M
16M
16M
?
?
?
 640 x 480
 640 x 480 (VGA)
 640 x 870 (Apple Portrait)
 800 x 600 (SVGA)
 832 x 624 (Apple 16")
1024 x 768.
 ?? F5R???? 3.0
or
3.5
?
MacroColor IIHR™
v2.0, 2.5, 3.0
NuBus
n/a
 ?? F5R????
?
NB 8•24 NuBus
n/a
16M ??  ?? F5R????1.00
?
NB6-48 NuBus  256 640 x 480  ??F5R0306 2.01
?
NB10-78 NuBus 16M 1024 x 768  ?? F5R???? 2.01
?
NB12-108 NuBus ? 1280 x 1024  ?? F5R???? 2.01
?
NB-MR NuBus ? ??  ?? F5R???? 2.01
?
Color II NuBus  256
 256
640 x 480
640 x 480 VGA
XCD-900006 F5R???? ???
?
Color II+ NuBus  256
?
?
?
 640 x 870 (Apple Portrait)
 832 x 624 (Apple 16")
1024 x 768 (19" & 20")
1152 x 870
XCD-900007 F5R???? ???
?
Color Fusion LC
LCII
LCIII
Perf 400
Perf 405
Perf 410
Perf 430
Color Cl
16M
16M
16M
16M
16M
65K
65K
256 
 512 x 384
 640 x 480
 640 x 870
 832 x 624
 800 x 600 SVGA
1024 x 768
1152 x 870
1280 x 1024
XCD-900059 F5R???? Color
Fusion
1.6
Software
Y
MICRON
XCEED
CARD
MAC SE/30
Internal
Grayscale?
Color
Depth
Resolutions Part
Number
FCC
ID
control
panel
version
Sense
Line
Use

SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS
Micron MonitorXCEED control panel version 1.00
Micron MonitorXCEED control panel version 2.01
Micron MonitorXCEED control panel version 3.0 & Color 30HR software
Micron MonitorXCEED control panel version 3.5 & MacroColor 30HR software
Micron Color Fusion Card Installer
Apple 32-Bit QuickDraw extension (Install with System 6)
Identifying XCEED cards
Many Micron Xceed video cards don't have marking for name or part number. The card's name will appear in the Options.. dialog of the Mac OS Monitors control panel. More information can be read from the card's ROM by using TattleTech 2.17 or TattleTech 2.59. This TattleTech 2.17 screenshot shows "Part#=0281", which in this case happens to be the last four digits of the card's FCC-ID number. The full FCC-ID is F5R0281. The FCC ID number is frequently marked. It is a 7 digit number that starts with "F5R". But Micron sometimes used one FCC-ID number for more than one type of XCEED card.
Micron XCEED on eBay
SE/30 Internal Grayscale Adapters
SE/30 with Internal Grayscale
SE/30 Internal Grayscale Compatible
PDS Video Cards
Others
SE/30 Greyscale Kit Rare! Rare! (& Color 30 board)
Micron Xceed GrayScale Adapter for SE/30
XCEED GRAYSCALE Macintosh SE/30
Mac SE/30 Color Video Card w/ Gray-Scale
MICRON VIDEO CARD SE30 NR
Xceed MacroColor 30 for Mac SE/30: ultra rare
Micron Macintosh SE/30 XCeed Video Card
MICRON EXCEED COLOR 30 FOR SE/30
Micron Exceed Color Vid 4 Card Mac SE/30 RARE
Micron Xceed Color 30: 8-bit Video Mac SE/30
Micron Xceed Color 30 Video SE/30 GrayScale
SE30 Micron External Monitor Video Board
Micron Exceed Video card For Mac SE/30
NUBUS 1024 x 768 video card Mac Macintosh
Micron XCEED For Mac SE/30 RARE!!!
Micron Apple Macintosh XCEED SE/30
XCEED COLOR FUSION VIDEO CARD
Xceed ColorFusion Graphics Card
Micron Xceed NB6-48 Color Nubus card

User Comments (from 1992)
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 00:01 EST
From: ROBERT_BROCKMAN <CDBSDUC@grove.iup.edu>
Subject: Answers to "Internal grayscale on SE/30?" query

I recently posted a question to the net about the Micron card for the SE/30
that allows the internal monitor to display grayscale. I received a slew of
requests from folks wanting to hear what I learned, so what follows is the
main body text from the three messages I received.

> The condensed version is that the card is great,
> but a little tricky to install.

Personally, while I was collecting this data I decided my money was better
spent on Think Pascal 4.0 and QUED/M, so it doesn't look like I'll be buying
anything in the way of hardware any time soon, but a big THANK YOU to those
that helped me out.

Robert Brockman, CDBSDUC@IUP.BITNET or CDBSDUC@GROVE.IUP.EDU

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have the Micron system on my SE/30. 1 have had no problems at
all, although installing the thing was a little nerve racking.

I does take a little longer for startup due to the increased power
requirements .

There is a card in the slot that must be powered before the screen
can be started. It takes ~2 seconds more for the screen to appear
than for the '30 without the card. That's all.

From:  NetMail%"EDW@cup.portal.com" 26-JUL-1992 22:07:21.00
Ed Wright

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have been using a Micron Colour 30 with the GrayScale 30 internal adapter
in my SE/30 for the last 6 months. It actually works as expected.
The oonly problem i have found is the way Micron has chosen to solve a
problem with stupid programs. Some programs start by checking the screen
size and if it's 512 * 342 the program decides it must be 1 bit black/while;
the programs does not check to see if the screen is grayscale. Micron
chose set the screen size to 512 * 341 to force these programs to check the
screen more closely.

This unfortunately gives a few other problems, with some programs. I have
had programs complaining that they could not run, because the program
needed at least a 512 * 342 screen. Others decide that if the screen isn't
512 * 342 it must at least be 512 * 384 (Apple 12" colour) and start up
with a dialog, where all the buttons have been placed outside the screen;
most of these only need an OK, that can be reached by pressing the return
button, but I have seen a few where I had to press the reset button to get
my machine back.

All of these problems are results of sloppy programming of the programs, I
just wish Micron had found a way that allowed me to open a HyperCard stack
and use it directly, without first having to resize and move the stack
window.

This problem only turns up with a few badly programmed programs - most
programs use the 9" screen without problems.

If you connect an external monitor, or use Virtual Video to emulate a
bigger screen, this problem disappears.

I find the combination of the Micron video card and grayscale adapter to be
very good. The video is speeded, compared with the original video, and some
programs, including the operating system, actually sometimes think that the
machine is a Macintosh IIx. You get a lot for the price, and your machine
will suddenly be able to run a lot of programs, that it couldn't before. It
is also the most portable grayscale Macintosh.

Disclaimer: I have no connection with Micron, except for being a satisfied
customer.

From:  NetMail%"holst@diku.dk" 27-JUL-1992 03:54:40.24
Bo Holst-Christensen


     holst@diku.dk  dikubhc1@uts.uni-c.dk  FAX: +45 53 640 321

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have purchased the Micron Xceed card and grey-scale adaptor. Yes, it does
work, but it's a real bummer to fit in. I agree it's a great concept.
However, I must warn you about a few things first. Since the adaptor runs
off the Xceed card, you can only run ONE monitor in greysacle or colour at
any one time. That means you only get greyscale on the 9" inch screen when
there is no external monitor running. If you have an external monitor then
your internal screen DOES work, but only in normal (1-bit) B&W mode.

I think it's still worth buying, especially if you're tight of cash and can
onlyaHord the card for now; you still get an enhanced SE/30 while you save
up for a monitor. What's more, if you buy a decent monitor you can use it
for your next Mac (although I think the SE/30 is the best ever madefor
personal use). You still then have a better than normal SE/30 which you can
sell (yuk) or keep for the rest of your days in greyscale.

Let me tell you a bit about the Xceed card. It is FAST, especially since
it's a PDS not a NuBus. I play the game Hellcats over the Pacific a lot and
the graphics on that are unreal, especially in colour. In the lab we have
llcx's. They, of course, run at the same clock speed as the SE/30 and they
have Apple 13" RGBs. We also have a Quadra 700. I've played Hellcats on all
three types of machine and I can say that the SE/30 (with Xceed card and an
excellent Eizo T240i 14" Trinitron monitor) renders the Hellcats' graphics
at the same speed as the Quadra (with cache off).

A note of caution about the fitting of the grey scale adaptor- it's
difficult to do this yourself. You need at least one person helping if you
(like me) want to be really gentle with the motherboard. The adaptor
replaces the Apple CRT driver and connects with the motherboard, the Xceed
card and the internal video board, all using one 5 pronged
just-long-enough-if-it breathes-in cable. I was so relieved to hear that
satisfying startup tone when I'd fitted in the adaptor. Yes I got greyscale,
but no it wasn't quite right. There was a lot of ghosting of the image and
things were periodically in and out of focus. For one sleepless night I
thought I'd damaged the CRT. My mind was put at rest the next day when I
replace Apple's CRT driver- everything was okay. A (transatlantic) phonecall
to the helpfull guys at Micron (maybe only helpful because my English accent
delighted them so) revealed that there are tuning screw (s) on the adaptor
that need to be adjusted to make the card run properly. They recommend that
the adaptor is fined by an authorisd dealer, not necessarily because of
invalidating warranties, but because of the technical knowledge required to
fit the thing in. Personally I don't like the thought of twiddling with
controls with the SE/30 cover open and the machine switched on.

You'd also need a helper or a mirror at least. So at the moment I've got an
unused adaptor.

Since I've bought the Eizo monitor (much better monitor than the Apple 13")
anyway, I'm not losing the benefits of the greyscale adaptor. When I've
saved enough to pay for the labour costs of getting the card fitted I will
do so.

As I'm sure you've noticed I can strongly recommend the Eizo T240i monitor.
I'm so happy with it that I could easily tell you what's so good about it,
but I won't unless you want to hear and ask me for the info. (I'm sorry
about the length of this message as it is). To sum up- go for the Micron
products (you get 5 years' warranty and some nifty software too), but get
someone to fit the adaptor (the Xceed card is a cinch) unless you're a
technical expert. You don't get internal greyscale when thereUs another
monitor attached. The SE/30 is a great machine and you get 2 monitors to
run. Excellent with sys7- use one for the finder and the other for apps.
Also with Daystar digital's new range of SE/30 accelerators which go
straight into the motherboard, leaving the PDS free, your SE/30 is as good
as any "new" mac and will be for many years to come.

I suppose I should say that I have no connection with Apple, Micron, Eizo,
Graphic Simulations or Daystar Digital. I'm just a Molecular Biology student
who saves up most of his stipend for his Mac addiction.

Feel free to ask further questions. I hope I haven't taken up too much time
and that I have been of some help.

From: NetMail%"JM144@MOLECULAR-BlOLOGY-1.BlOLOGY.CAMBRlDGE.AC.UK"
27-JUL-1992 08:41:40.03
Joe Makkerh

User Comment (from 2002)
(01/08/02) Michael S. Macdonald, (DCCGP with bar) msm@axion.net finally.... the moment arrived... placing the hard drive into the cradle of a demolished external Hard drive case, and booting from a floppy, he selected the external drive as the startup disk and pressed the external reset button. for seconds there was nothing...then...an image floated to the front of the screen...the dreaded 'simasimac'. Even as the "arggghhh" was building in his throat, the screen suddenly cleared, things started whirring and extension icons began to appear on the screen..... YEEEEHAAAWWW! An SE/30 with 256 shades of grey running OS 8.1!!!! Proof positive that even an idiot could follow the instructions! (Actually dse cadet had cheated a wee bit by installing the software while the HD was contained in the shell of a Q605 (68040), thus saving some of the tedium of reboots. Everything went without a hitch Steve, DAMN it feels good. Well done DSE! fan for life -Costello-

LINKS
Repair Mac (SE/30)  SE/30 Minitower page
SE/30 Schematics
Common SE Screen Problems
SE/30 Monitor Options
Profile: Macintosh SE/30
Asanté MacCon Family Installation Guide (pdf)

This page copyright © 2001-2003 by Gamba. All rights reserved.