Adjusting Monitor Geometry on 5500

There are some trimpots that present as access holes on the bezel -- their icons are intended to tell you what they do. From memeory, I am guessing horizontal position and vertical position. I do not remember whether they have one for size. You will need a small plastic [non-conducting] screwdriver to adjust them.

There are additional adjustments available in software, but the procedure requires a special cable, and dis-assembly of the Analog board. It is so daunting I have never attempted it.

I suggest you pick the least offensive of the 15" options {800 by 600; 832 by 624} and learn to love it.

If it has the TV card in the leftmost slot (from the rear) that is the common Apple Video [Input] card. You can watch Video in a little window on the screen using Apple Video Player. If you have the Tuner card also, you can watch TV in a little window.

If the Network card is indeed in your only PCI slot, it should be presenting its connector on a knockout near the center and parallel to and above the motherboard. If it is in the rightmost position, that is the Comm II slot, and your PCI slot may still be available.

Genuine Apple cards have their drivers included in the Mac OS. Third-party cards generally do not, and that is a serious problem. Many of those companies are out of business and their drivers are hard to come by.

That Mac takes two 64 MB EDO DIMMs that use 2K or 4K refresh. They are very special and you MUST deal with a knowledgeable Mac-oriented dealer to find the correct ones.

" That Mac takes two 64 MB EDO DIMMs that use 2K or 4K refresh."

Try to use DIMMs with a 2K refresh rate, because the 6360, 5400, 6400, 5500, and 6500 recognize DIMMs with a 4K refresh rate at ½ of their specified density. A 64 MB DIMM with a 4K refresh rate will appear to be a 32 MB DIMM.

" So is it the ATI card that's gone?
No overall adjusters for image size - so is the video card or chip replaceable?"

The ATI graphics chip is soldered to the motherboard and can't be upgraded. Unfortunately, a PCI graphics card wouldn't affect the built-in display.

Jeff-

You are quite right. I was working from memory, and mine must be bad.

There are software adjustments on the analog board. The adjustment process requires partial dis-assembly of the analog board, and the use of a special Apple service cable that connects the modem port to two pins on the analog board.

Then the whole thing has to be powered up and the adjustments made with the power on. Since about 40,000 Volts is flying around while this is happening, not many people do it.

The process is detailed in the 5500 service manual. There used to be some available online, but most of the sites I knew have dried up or have become unreliable.

I don't think you'll find a 5500 (or any of the All-in-One models) that fully-uses the CRT screen size. It's the same with many Apple displays, that have what many would consider a reduced screen area. Attempts to completely fill the screen by increasing the vertical/horizontal size controls will only clip the image. Because of this, I don't think a motherboard replacement will make the slightest difference. If you were to replace the board, you'd be able to use one from a 5500 or 6500. If you really wanted to invest some money in a black 5500, consider a G3 processor upgrade card for the L2 cache slot. I'd never recommend buying a new one, for a computer with so little resale value. If you plan on keeping the computer, because the black 5500 is more rare, try finding a good deal on a used processor upgrade.

rob0602
About a year ago there was a brief flurry of availability of Sonnet G3/400MHz 512kB or 1MB backside L2-slot cards on eBay, with prices ranging from USD30 to USD60 (plus postage to UK). I haven't gone searching since, but there may still be some available. If you don't already have a PAL TV tuner, that will be a much scarcer item to find. NTSC tuners are much commoner, but of little use to you. And yes, even on a good day you will not do much better than a 32-cm diagonal on the display of a 5500.

If yours is marked as a Directors Edition, complete with black mouse and black AppleDesign keyboard, you have a little treasure. I have three black keyboards, but only two black mouses, for three black 5500/400MHz Macs and a black 5400.


Apple IIe; 68K: 11DT + 4PB; PPC: 5DT + 3PB; G3: 6DT System 6.0.8 to OS 10.4.x

If it has the TV card in the leftmost slot (from the
rear) that is the common Apple Video [Input] card.
You can watch Video in a little window on the screen
using Apple Video Player. If you have the Tuner card
also, you can watch TV in a little window.

You can also watch TV using Apple Video Player full screen. I do it every night on my 5500. Picture quality is excellent.

Imac Flatpanel, Beige G3, Wallstreet Powerbook OS 10.3.9 (iMac), OS 9.2 (Wallstreet), OS 9.1 (Beige G3)