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Macintosh TV

Computer/Television designed by Apple Inc

Computer/Television designed by Apple Inc

FieldValue
nameMacintosh TV
typeAll-in-one
akaMac TV
LD50
Peter Pan
imageMacintosh TV.png
release_date
price
discontinued
successorPower Macintosh G3 All-in-One
units_shipped10,000
osSystem 7.1 - Mac OS 7.6.1
With 68040 upgrade, Mac OS 8.1, or with PowerPC upgrade, Mac OS 9.1
cpuMotorola 68030
cpu_speed32 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.
website

LD50 Peter Pan With 68040 upgrade, Mac OS 8.1, or with PowerPC upgrade, Mac OS 9.1 1.44 MB SuperDrive 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. 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.

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.

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.

Timeline

References

References

  1. [http://applemuseum.bott.org/sections/computers/mactv.html 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. [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/APPLE+UNVEILS+MACINTOSH+TV%3b+MACINTOSH+COMPUTER+COMBINES+TELEVISION...-a014264545 APPLE UNVEILS MACINTOSH TV; MACINTOSH COMPUTER COMBINES TELEVISION AND STEREO CD PLAYER IN SINGLE, LOW-COST UNIT (Product Announcement)] {{Webarchive. link. (June 25, 2016 , PR Newswire > October 25, 1993 - Free Online Library)
  3. [http://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/10/25/Apple-rolls-out-Macintosh-TV/2042751521600/ Apple rolls out Macintosh TV], Oct. 25, 1993 - UPI Archives
  4. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1993-11-21/the-information-appliance 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. [http://lowendmac.com/1993/mac-tv/ 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. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Bl0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22mac+tv%22&pg=PA41 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)".
  8. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ocfPDozIMYUC&dq=mac+tv+failure&pg=PA26 Macintosh Switcher's Guide], By Robert Standefer, Page 26, ''Failure #3: Mac TV - ...Only 10,000 units shipped before it was terminated...''
  9. [https://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/20-years-ago-today-apple-took-its-first-crack-at-tv-and-failed/ The Macintosh TV was a cul de sac off the road to converged video], by Eric Bangeman - Oct 26, 2013, Ars Technica
  10. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130203002908/http://www.vectronicsappleworld.com/profiles/articles/macintoshtv/catalog.jpg 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. [http://apple-history.com/body.php?page=gallery&model=tv&performa=off&sort=date&order=ASC Macintosh TV] apple-history.com
  12. (September 10, 1998). "MicroMac 68040 LC575 Logic Board Trade-up".
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