I was going to try to turn on my new Mac, but I noticed that the ground pin to the Mac power cable is missing.

There isn't anything special with these cables is there? I wanted to ask because the cable from the keyboard to the computer looks like a standard telephone cable, but it's apparently wired differently. I'm told that using a regular phone cable can ruin the keyboard. I wanted to check if there's a similar situation with the power cable as well.

Aublak wrote on 2021-10-14, 23:49:

I was going to try to turn on my new Mac, but I noticed that the ground pin to the Mac power cable is missing.

You should definitely watch out using those cable - ideally replacing it with a one which is intact - ground pin should be there for a reason. Or actually quite a few reasons - one of them being assuring a correct polarity (where it matters).

Unfortunately in my Tandy CM-11 monitor some stupid also cut the pin.

I usually like when my Guitar amps dont have a ground that way I can reverse polarity if I need to so I don't get shocked by the microphone.

My latest acquisitions this week. First is nothing spectacular, just a very clean Logitech Ps2 keyboard I found at the thrift, and I like having plenty of spares.

Got a very good condition Microsoft Sidewinder Precision 2 joystick for $25 shipped. Looking forward to some old flight sims and Battlezone!

And stacking up a couple more NOS hard drives. What's funny (and kind of not) is I didn't realize the 100 GB drive is SATA. I bought it thinking it was IDE. I literally didn't notice until I took this picture. Oh well, I guess a PCI to SATA board is in my future for one of my Windows 98 systems, or it'll find use as a secondary game drive in a XP system.

Never knew Maxtor made SATA drives back then. Finding NOS IDE drives at thrift stores is my favorite part. Got a 60GB Maxtor and an 80GB Western Digital NOS drives in my S370 PIII-S 1.4 build.

I got a free used WD Blue 500 gig sata drive at a thrift type store the other day and was pumped.

Aublak wrote on 2021-10-14, 23:49:

I was going to try to turn on my new Mac, but I noticed that the ground pin to the Mac power cable is missing.

There isn't anything special with these cables is there? I wanted to ask because the cable from the keyboard to the computer looks like a standard telephone cable, but it's apparently wired differently. I'm told that using a regular phone cable can ruin the keyboard. I wanted to check if there's a similar situation with the power cable as well.

Without ground you have half the line voltage floating on your chassis. Only some micro amps, but noticeable, at least in 230v countries. Also, your audio may have noises.

Grounding on metal cases is also a safety aspect. When there's a short to the case, it will trigger the fuse and not a heart condition. 😉

Aublak wrote on 2021-10-14, 23:49:

I was going to try to turn on my new Mac, but I noticed that the ground pin to the Mac power cable is missing.

There isn't anything special with these cables is there? I wanted to ask because the cable from the keyboard to the computer looks like a standard telephone cable, but it's apparently wired differently. I'm told that using a regular phone cable can ruin the keyboard. I wanted to check if there's a similar situation with the power cable as well.

before you turn it on I would check the analog board for cracked RIFAs... unless you really wanna deal with all the smoke and bad smell :p

I found a sealed in-box Logitech Rumblepad 2 at the Goodwill yesterday. At another thrift store, I found a CD-ROM of Navy Strike, in sealed packaging.

RetroGamer4Ever wrote on 2021-10-15, 09:43:

I found a sealed in-box Logitech Rumblepad 2 at the Goodwill yesterday. At another thrift store, I found a CD-ROM of Navy Strike, in sealed packaging.

pretty good finding new in box stuff at goodwill, makes you wonder whether these are from people who bought them the donated or old stock from closed/cleared out businesses

gerry wrote on 2021-10-15, 13:33:

RetroGamer4Ever wrote on 2021-10-15, 09:43:

I found a sealed in-box Logitech Rumblepad 2 at the Goodwill yesterday. At another thrift store, I found a CD-ROM of Navy Strike, in sealed packaging.

pretty good finding new in box stuff at goodwill, makes you wonder whether these are from people who bought them the donated or old stock from closed/cleared out businesses

Lots of older people live in the area where the stores are, so as they age and go elsewhere, so does their stuff! I've found Sidewinder gamepads and joysticks, USB media keyboards, lots of CD-ROM games, and old LCD monitors that are still usable.

So I found a replacement cable and "turned on" the Mac and there was thankfully no smoke. I got a startup beep however there was no image. Just a blank screen.

I don't have the tools to open her up now.
Adrian from ADB had a similar problem. https://youtu.be/H9dxJ7uNXOA
For him it was just some bad solder joints. Looks like I have my work cut out for me.

Bought this PC from my local scrap source. It doesn't have the front cover, power supply, HDD, FDD... But it has the most important part - motherboard with CPU and ram. I hope it works. There is also an ISA VLB VGA card and an ISA sound card. Sadly people still dump their old computers, whilst they could put them on a local ad and sell them for a reasonable amount of money. I guess it's just easier to throw them away.

Turbo -> wrote on 2021-10-15, 18:30:

Bought this PC from my local scrap source. It doesn't have the front cover, power supply, HDD, FDD... But it has the most important part - motherboard with CPU and ram. I hope it works. There is also an ISA VLB VGA card and an ISA sound card. Sadly people still dump their old computers, whilst they could put them on a local ad and sell them for a reasonable amount of money. I guess it's just easier to throw them away.

What exact VLB video card and sound card? Also, what is that strange board plugged into the edge of the motherboard? Looks like RAM.. maybe cache.

Will post better pics tomorrow cyclone3d

pola

Shagittarius wrote on 2021-10-15, 00:04:

I usually like when my Guitar amps dont have a ground that way I can reverse polarity if I need to so I don't get shocked by the microphone.

So the wiring in the buildings has reverse polarity.. or somebody replaced an outlet and reversed the polarity.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-10-15, 23:25:

pola

Shagittarius wrote on 2021-10-15, 00:04:

I usually like when my Guitar amps dont have a ground that way I can reverse polarity if I need to so I don't get shocked by the microphone.

So the wiring in the buildings has reverse polarity.. or somebody replaced an outlet and reversed the polarity.

I've always wondered why that happens but I've played many different places for rehearsal and gigs that the mic would shock you while playing the guitar if you touched it with your lips.

Bought 3 games to add to my lonely 1-cartridge Fairchild Channel F collection:

The leaflet may say the Channel F has a lot more fun in store, but I probably won't be expanding my collection much past maybe another 1 or 2 titles. A cool console to have in my collection from a historic perspective (albeit mine is the System II/Grandstand-branded version).

Shagittarius wrote on 2021-10-16, 02:51:

I've always wondered why that happens but I've played many different places for rehearsal and gigs that the mic would shock you while playing the guitar if you touched it with your lips.

Just take a voltmeter and check the voltage.
Maybe this will shock you sufficiently to no longer take this electric safety issue lightly and no longer "solve" it by un-grounding equipment 😀

An original Audigy card with daughter board arrived today. Going to put it in my upper end Win 98 system. I think this will complete that system!