Stephen Schulte2

Q: Mac SE can use an external Monitor??

I want to try to use my 22 year old Mac SE "4-40" (4 mb RAM, 40 mb HD).  However the built-in monitor is dead - only a single horizontal line going thru it, rest black.

 

But can I connect the SE to an external monitor?

 

Other ideas on how to bring this back to life?

 

Thanks - with the current events I'd like to do this for sentimental reasons.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

6 Oct 2011

MacBook Pro-13, Mac OS X (10.6.8), MacOnly since 1989 (Still run my Mac SE on 6.0.4)

Posted on Oct 6, 2011 7:16 AM

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Q: Mac SE can use an external Monitor??

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  • by varjak paw,Helpful

    varjak paw varjak paw Oct 6, 2011 10:24 AM in response to Stephen Schulte2
    Level 10 (169,876 points)
    Oct 6, 2011 10:24 AM in response to Stephen Schulte2

    One way would be to find a graphics card that would work in the PDS slot. I believe I remember that there were a couple available, but I can't remember who made them.  Aura Systems made ScuzzyGraph II, a SCSI peripheral that provided color video, if you could find one of those. You might try asking in a forum such as the Vintage Macs Group:

     

    http://groups.google.com/group/vintage-macs

     

    Someone there might have a card or ScyzzyGraph, or be able to provide tips on how to repair the problem.

     

    Regards.

  • by Niteshooter,Helpful

    Niteshooter Niteshooter Oct 7, 2011 7:51 AM in response to Stephen Schulte2
    Level 2 (454 points)
    Oct 7, 2011 7:51 AM in response to Stephen Schulte2

    I think the problem is not the CRT but the motherboard so basically your SE is dead.

     

    There was a company that made a PDS slot video card that will only work with their external monitor which could be flipped from landscape to tabloid and for the life of me I can't think of the name of the company. They made a lot of peripheral bits for those old Macs back in the day.

  • by varjak paw,

    varjak paw varjak paw Oct 7, 2011 8:09 AM in response to Niteshooter
    Level 10 (169,876 points)
    Oct 7, 2011 8:09 AM in response to Niteshooter

    Perhaps you're thinking of the Radius Pivot? If memory serves, SuperMac also make cards and monitors for the SE, but I could be misremembering; it's been a long time.

     

    I think the problem is actually a failed vertical sweep circuit on the analog board. That's not an uncommon problem with those early Macs after a few years. It's usually due to cracks in the soldering of the connector on the board or a failure of the IC chip. The system may stil work with an external monitor, but finding a replacement for the analog board may be easier than finding a PDS card and compatible monitor.

     

    Regards.

  • by Niteshooter,

    Niteshooter Niteshooter Oct 7, 2011 8:29 AM in response to varjak paw
    Level 2 (454 points)
    Oct 7, 2011 8:29 AM in response to varjak paw

    Thanks for putting me out of my misery! Yup that is the one!

     

    True I remember resoldiering a lot of SE's, and Pluses back in the day. It was that white plastic connector that had the soldier joints fail on the board side. On the bad one's you could see burning and melting on the plugs.