[comp.sys.amiga.advocacy] Apple CDTV-like Mac?

Rasiel <PYC118%URIACC.BITNET@brownvm.brown.edu> (06/20/91)

Not too long ago I heard about Apple working on a Macintosh-type machine that
would be hooked up with a CDROM and made to look like a regular CD-player
a la CDTV. However, I never heard any more on the subject and was wondering
if anyone else had the inside scoop. I would imagine that for this thing to
be mass marketed as a multimedia machine it would have to be at least an LC.
How the hell can this thing compete with CD-I or CDTV?


Rasiel, pyc118@uriacc
"No es lo mismo un toro aburrido que un burro atorado" -Spanish proverb(?)

rkushner@sycom.UUCP (Ronald Kushner) (06/21/91)

PYC118%URIACC.BITNET@brownvm.brown.edu (Rasiel) writes:
>Not too long ago I heard about Apple working on a Macintosh-type machine that
>would be hooked up with a CDROM and made to look like a regular CD-player
>a la CDTV. However, I never heard any more on the subject and was wondering
>if anyone else had the inside scoop. I would imagine that for this thing to
>be mass marketed as a multimedia machine it would have to be at least an LC.
>How the hell can this thing compete with CD-I or CDTV?

I heard the same thing. It probably wouldn't be aimed at the consumer
electronics marker, but higher scale business applications, if they exist...

Someone pointed out, the cheapest color Mac sells for $2200 and has a 68020,
even if they replaced the 020 with a 68000 and cut here and cut there, they
still couldn't market it saying its based on MacIntosh technoligy, because
people will look at an $500 unit, and say, "Why's the LC $2200!?!" Whats an
Apple IIgs going for these days? It could be based on something like that(6502
etc)...I imagine Commodore could have done the same with a C64 and upgraded
the graphics a bit and sold it dirt cheap...

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torrie@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) (06/21/91)

PYC118%URIACC.BITNET@brownvm.brown.edu (Rasiel) writes:

>Not too long ago I heard about Apple working on a Macintosh-type machine that
>would be hooked up with a CDROM and made to look like a regular CD-player
>a la CDTV. However, I never heard any more on the subject and was wondering
>if anyone else had the inside scoop. 

  According to yesterday's SJ Mercury, the "Fast Eddie" project
has been cancelled in the recent bout of cost-cutting.  
[apparently to the relief of Apple engineers]

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evan Torrie.  Stanford University, Class of 199?       torrie@cs.stanford.edu   
Murphy's Law of Intelism:  Just when you thought Intel had done everything
possible to pervert the course of computer architecture, they bring out the 860

kdarling@hobbes.catt.ncsu.edu (Kevin Darling) (06/21/91)

torrie@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) writes:
>PYC118%URIACC.BITNET@brownvm.brown.edu (Rasiel) writes:
>>Not too long ago I heard about Apple working on a Macintosh-type machine that
>>would be hooked up with a CDROM and made to look like a regular CD-player
>>a la CDTV. However, I never heard any more on the subject and was wondering
>>if anyone else had the inside scoop. 
>
>  According to yesterday's SJ Mercury, the "Fast Eddie" project
>has been cancelled in the recent bout of cost-cutting.  
>[apparently to the relief of Apple engineers]

Thanks for the update Evan.  About ten minutes too late getting from
Silicon Valley down heah to my business near the Research Triangle Park tho.

Guess I'd better cancel my article :-)  thx - kev <kdarling@catt.ncsu.edu>

jcav@quads.uchicago.edu (john cavallino) (06/21/91)

In article <rkushner.0403@sycom.UUCP> rkushner@sycom.UUCP (Ronald Kushner) writes:
>Someone pointed out, the cheapest color Mac sells for $2200 and has a 68020,
>even if they replaced the 020 with a 68000 and cut here and cut there, they
>still couldn't market it saying its based on MacIntosh technoligy, because
>people will look at an $500 unit, and say, "Why's the LC $2200!?!"

The Macintosh color graphics kernel can't run on a 68000/10, because it uses
the 68020/30/40 bitfield instructions.

-- 
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University of Chicago Hospitals     |    USMail: 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Box 145
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rjc@wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) (06/22/91)

In article <1991Jun21.164130.14052@midway.uchicago.edu> jcav@quads.uchicago.edu (john  cavallino) writes:
>In article <rkushner.0403@sycom.UUCP> rkushner@sycom.UUCP (Ronald Kushner) writes:
>>Someone pointed out, the cheapest color Mac sells for $2200 and has a 68020,
>>even if they replaced the 020 with a 68000 and cut here and cut there, they
>>still couldn't market it saying its based on MacIntosh technoligy, because
>>people will look at an $500 unit, and say, "Why's the LC $2200!?!"

  The LC is $2200? Is this the street price or list? The A3000 16mhz
version is only $1850. Which is the better deal?

>-- 
>John Cavallino                      |     EMail: jcav@midway.uchicago.edu
>University of Chicago Hospitals     |    USMail: 5841 S. Maryland Ave, Box 145
>Office of Facilities Management     |            Chicago, IL  60637
>B0 f++ c+ g+ k s+(+) e+ h- pv (qv)  | Telephone: 312-702-6900


--
/ INET:rjc@gnu.ai.mit.edu     *   // The opinions expressed here do not      \
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awessels@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Wessels) (06/22/91)

In article <1991Jun21.203304.5867@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> rjc@wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:

>  The LC is $2200? Is this the street price or list? The A3000 16mhz
>version is only $1850. Which is the better deal?

You can get an LC with 2 meg RAM, 40 meg HD, and VGA monitor for around 
$2100 via mail order.

torrie@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) (06/22/91)

rjc@wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:

>  The LC is $2200? Is this the street price or list? The A3000 16mhz
>version is only $1850. Which is the better deal?

  CompUSA's advertisement this morning (Yes!  They've now got Macs
in stock) has the LC 2/40 at $1680 (sans monitor).  Computer Selection
has the LC 2/40 with colour monitor at $1898.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evan Torrie.  Stanford University, Class of 199?       torrie@cs.stanford.edu   
       "Apes evolved from creationists" - seen on a bumper sticker.

don@chopin.udel.edu (Donald R Lloyd) (06/22/91)

In article <50995@ut-emx.uucp> awessels@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Wessels) writes:
>In article <1991Jun21.203304.5867@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> rjc@wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:
>
>>  The LC is $2200? Is this the street price or list? The A3000 16mhz
>>version is only $1850. Which is the better deal?
>
>You can get an LC with 2 meg RAM, 40 meg HD, and VGA monitor for around 
>$2100 via mail order.

     Ugh!  A 16 MHz '020 with 16-bit data path, 40M Non-DMA HD, 2M memory, and
one expansion slot for $2100?  Mail order?

	 Right now under Power Up (which ends on the 31st :-( ), anyone with access
to a manual cover from just about any older CBM computer can get a 16 MHz '030
machine (with full 32-bit addressing) with 50M DMA HD, 2M Ram, 5 slots, and all
the usual coprocessors, for $1849.  Add a multisync for about $550, and for only
about $300 more than the cost of the LC you've got a machine that gives several
times the performance.  This is not mail order; this is from your local dealer,
so it doesn't include all the problems associated with mail order (it includes
all the problems associated with your local dealer :-).



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