Today at school I grabbed a photo of "The Board" and a photo of a quicksilver board and dropped them into Pagemaker so I could compare them. I might have gotten a flipped picture, but the board (besides the size and set back PCI slots) looks like it would work in the current case with PCI slots at the bottom. The differences seem to be ports/connectors locations. Wiring will be really interresting. But every observation in my post is baised on a picture with may/may not be flipped.
Thank god I'm not red/green colorblind otherwise I would see nothing on your picture. As it is, its tough to read.
Thanks for the comparison though!<hr></blockquote>
Yeah I noticed that too, its partly due to the jpg compression artifacts though. I tried several other colors too, they're all tough to read and yeah, I was too lazy to give the text white background boxes.
Assuming the image is not flipped, this board cannot fit into an ATX style case. The slots are at the left of the board (when looking at it as it is in the image) and the connectors are on the right. This is the opposite of the way that ATX format boards are laid out. Also the PCI slots are recessed from the back edge of the board which would not work at all in an ATX style case.
If Apple are planning to produce a mobo for servers that is totally different from the desktop one then that will be a first for Apple (apart from the abortive AUX-based servers that is), but an excellent development.
Most PC mobos that are designed for server use (with extras such as RAID support etc) still have their full complement of AGP and so on, but there's no reason of course that Apple should do so too, except for the increased cost of developing two different mainboards when one could do the job, albeit with some compromises.
<strong>Uhm...A..how can you tell its a LIF..im not saying ur wrong, but, I cannot tell a difference..and B...why would Apple want to use a LIF instead of ZIF..cuz theoretically a no force would be more safe..right?</strong><hr></blockquote>
A. I can tell by looking at it and then using my shape recognition ability. It is very similar to the LIF sockets Apple currently uses which are distinctly different than the ZIF sockets used in the Blue and Whites and like those used by AMD and Intel. ZIFs have a lever that takes all tension of the sockets.
B. Probably because the CPUs themselves are not socketed, and they still need some external L2 cache, so the whole thing is on a daughter card. Why bother then with a socket.
The letter from the seller of the red mobo sounded strange to me. How could he/she expect to have more boards to sell if Apple shut him down this quick? I would think this was a one shot deal at the best, and a hoax otherwise.
As for the PCI slots, if you look at many other PCs, the slots are set back by about an inch or so. Just look at all the new Black Dell cases. The PCI slots are not level with the onboard ports, but are set back like this.
I'd wager that the slots will remain at the bottom of the case. It only makes sense, since most things plugged into PCI cards remain plugged in, whereas USB, Firewire, etc. get regularly plugged/unplugged. Also, from a high/ventilation point of view, it would not make sense to have the power supply at the bottom. In the diagram that MisterMacMike provided, I would say that it just needs to be inverted vertically. Not so sure about stacking 4 HDs on top of each other like that. I would think that heat buildup would be too much.
This leads to two possibilities... either the photo got inverted, or the door will open on the left side of the case (or potentially a horizontally-oriented case design, which is really only feasible if it is a rackmount server board).
And here's the Beige G3 Rev. A board with comments.
By far the most similar layout at the moment.
However, note that the Beige G3 had the mainboard fixed, it opened up with just one click too, but wouldn't expose anything but the fan sockets and the drive bays.
Sorry for the bad picture quality, considering it's a PowerShot G2, but it was a really tough take with all the darkness and weight etc etc...
Oh and ignore the modifications, this machine is not standard anymore.
I don't think the photo got inverted. If you look at the type alignment right behind the ethernet. It is of left alignment. If you were to invert the photo, it would be of right alignment. I have only seen this align on the left or center.
Schools with ibooks and wireless networks whos students grab homework and assignments and reading and grades off the server during class?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Right... but that's the STUDENT'S computer that needs the AirPort card... the AirPort base station is still connected to the server via Ethernet... correct?
Folks, its a prototype. it probably just included everything there could be to see if it works. Doesn't mean it will ship that way. remember, Apple has a unified mainboard architecture, means, all the macs get the same basic stuff...not a bad idea to start with a fully featured board for testing, eh`?
I used the images posted here to put the mysterious board into a current. I flipped the picture, and I measured the board using the PCI slots.
In an earlier post I stated that this board is larger than previous boards, but after measuring everything I'd say it's about the same size.
The only thing confusing is that the IDE connectors are now on the wrong size, while the 45 degree coutout seems to fit in perfectly. I still think this board has been designed for a new case, although it could be similar to the current one.
Whether the Photo is inverted or not, and regardless of whether you put the mobo on the right or left side of the case, the supposed ide/raid connectors are STILL on the OPPOSITE end of the mobo to the pci-slots. this means the pci-slots are above the usb/fw/etc... connectors or the door opens uppwards (not likely), unless apple wants long, unnessesary cables running behind the mobo! IMHO this means this mobo is not meant to bo mounted on the door, like on the G4, but inside the case. could probably fit in a modded atx, but not in a G4-like case, no?
oops, you kinda beat me to the punchline there, haderach, regarding the ide connectors.
Am I the only one getting a tad disoriented by all this flip flopping???
I think Apple would want to keep the flip out door. It's the best feature of the case, even PC weenie publications praise the swing-out door. However, the slide out nuclear reactor fantasy guts of the cube were pretty slick too. Maybe Apple has figured a way to make a slide out drawer as easy to open as a flip down door? <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
Is anyone else a bit suspicious of this photo? There are a couple of things that are bugging me.
1) Where are all the power connectors? With all the IDE controllers, don't you need as many or more power connectors on the MOBO? If you look at the photo of the current G4, there are all those power connectors next to the IDE connector for the HD. I see no corresponding ones on this "prototype" board, or is that what the white block is perpendicular to the IDE connectors, as was labelled by mistermacmike? (If so, it's odd to not have them on the edge of the MOBO, is it not?)
2) Those "tin can capacitors" (? - not sure if that's what they are called, but the cylindrical metal things sticking up) by the PCI slots... It appears from the photo that they are too high to not obstruct most PCI cards that would be attached to PCI slots 2 and 3, once the card is fully seated. It also appears that the voltage regulator might interfere with an installed video card in the AGP slot.
Too weird! I was about to look at Nostradamus' archived Ebay file; it had just loaded and the page went to refresh-then woosh, this page is not available. Damn those Apple people are fast. What do they do, pay peopple to sit around and surf the net for Apple related stuff. And I do that for free! What a fool!
PS> Well, if you're quick and hit the stop button after tha page first loads, you can view it, although in my case the big photo didn't have time to load. But so what, we already have that here.
What is most likely? A proto of the current lineup with a lot of features that Apple wanted to keep for later (the CPUs mentioned on eBay would suggest it) or a proto for a future release. Remember: It is very unlikely that this has any connection to what will be shown at WWDC.
This boar is for a rackmount server, thus the reason for the confusing layout. It only makes sense if the board is to be used on a horizontal Mac, and we know from rumor that the only horizontal powermac in development is a server.
Finally, Apple is going to enter the server space. it's about time, since OS X is robust enough to make a killer server, Apple should do well. I hope we get to see some ads on TV for Apple's servers, I'm getting sick of the Dell ads going unanswered.
Comments
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-- T. Pratchett, Equal Rites <hr></blockquote>
Oh yeah! Great to see another TP fan!
Back on topic...
Today at school I grabbed a photo of "The Board" and a photo of a quicksilver board and dropped them into Pagemaker so I could compare them. I might have gotten a flipped picture, but the board (besides the size and set back PCI slots) looks like it would work in the current case with PCI slots at the bottom. The differences seem to be ports/connectors locations. Wiring will be really interresting. But every observation in my post is baised on a picture with may/may not be flipped.
Thank god I'm not red/green colorblind otherwise I would see nothing on your picture. As it is, its tough to read.
Thanks for the comparison though!<hr></blockquote>
Yeah I noticed that too, its partly due to the jpg compression artifacts though. I tried several other colors too, they're all tough to read
Next one will be better
G-news
If Apple are planning to produce a mobo for servers that is totally different from the desktop one then that will be a first for Apple (apart from the abortive AUX-based servers that is), but an excellent development.
Most PC mobos that are designed for server use (with extras such as RAID support etc) still have their full complement of AGP and so on, but there's no reason of course that Apple should do so too, except for the increased cost of developing two different mainboards when one could do the job, albeit with some compromises.
<strong>Also the PCI slots are recessed from the back edge of the board which would not work at all in an ATX style case.</strong><hr></blockquote>
If you compare it to G-News's G3 board picture. the slots looks to be the same distance from the edge.
Anyone have a pic of the G4 boards in the newest AGP models? I'd snap a pic of mine at home, but it'll be 4-5hrs before I could get home and post it.
<strong>Uhm...A..how can you tell its a LIF..im not saying ur wrong, but, I cannot tell a difference..and B...why would Apple want to use a LIF instead of ZIF..cuz theoretically a no force would be more safe..right?</strong><hr></blockquote>
A. I can tell by looking at it and then using my shape recognition ability. It is very similar to the LIF sockets Apple currently uses which are distinctly different than the ZIF sockets used in the Blue and Whites and like those used by AMD and Intel. ZIFs have a lever that takes all tension of the sockets.
B. Probably because the CPUs themselves are not socketed, and they still need some external L2 cache, so the whole thing is on a daughter card. Why bother then with a socket.
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: FotNS ]</p>
The letter from the seller of the red mobo sounded strange to me. How could he/she expect to have more boards to sell if Apple shut him down this quick? I would think this was a one shot deal at the best, and a hoax otherwise.
IQ78
I'd wager that the slots will remain at the bottom of the case. It only makes sense, since most things plugged into PCI cards remain plugged in, whereas USB, Firewire, etc. get regularly plugged/unplugged. Also, from a high/ventilation point of view, it would not make sense to have the power supply at the bottom. In the diagram that MisterMacMike provided, I would say that it just needs to be inverted vertically. Not so sure about stacking 4 HDs on top of each other like that. I would think that heat buildup would be too much.
This leads to two possibilities... either the photo got inverted, or the door will open on the left side of the case (or potentially a horizontally-oriented case design, which is really only feasible if it is a rackmount server board).
Cheers!
By far the most similar layout at the moment.
However, note that the Beige G3 had the mainboard fixed, it opened up with just one click too, but wouldn't expose anything but the fan sockets and the drive bays.
Sorry for the bad picture quality, considering it's a PowerShot G2, but it was a really tough take with all the darkness and weight etc etc...
Oh and ignore the modifications, this machine is not standard anymore.
G-News
I don't think the photo got inverted. If you look at the type alignment right behind the ethernet. It is of left alignment. If you were to invert the photo, it would be of right alignment. I have only seen this align on the left or center.
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: Nostradamus ]</p>
<strong>
Schools with ibooks and wireless networks whos students grab homework and assignments and reading and grades off the server during class?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Right... but that's the STUDENT'S computer that needs the AirPort card... the AirPort base station is still connected to the server via Ethernet... correct?
G-News
I used the images posted here to put the mysterious board into a current. I flipped the picture, and I measured the board using the PCI slots.
In an earlier post I stated that this board is larger than previous boards, but after measuring everything I'd say it's about the same size.
The only thing confusing is that the IDE connectors are now on the wrong size, while the 45 degree coutout seems to fit in perfectly. I still think this board has been designed for a new case, although it could be similar to the current one.
oops, you kinda beat me to the punchline there, haderach, regarding the ide connectors.
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: LowB-ing ]
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: LowB-ing ]</p>
I think Apple would want to keep the flip out door. It's the best feature of the case, even PC weenie publications praise the swing-out door. However, the slide out nuclear reactor fantasy guts of the cube were pretty slick too. Maybe Apple has figured a way to make a slide out drawer as easy to open as a flip down door? <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
1) Where are all the power connectors? With all the IDE controllers, don't you need as many or more power connectors on the MOBO? If you look at the photo of the current G4, there are all those power connectors next to the IDE connector for the HD. I see no corresponding ones on this "prototype" board, or is that what the white block is perpendicular to the IDE connectors, as was labelled by mistermacmike? (If so, it's odd to not have them on the edge of the MOBO, is it not?)
2) Those "tin can capacitors" (? - not sure if that's what they are called, but the cylindrical metal things sticking up) by the PCI slots... It appears from the photo that they are too high to not obstruct most PCI cards that would be attached to PCI slots 2 and 3, once the card is fully seated. It also appears that the voltage regulator might interfere with an installed video card in the AGP slot.
PS> Well, if you're quick and hit the stop button after tha page first loads, you can view it, although in my case the big photo didn't have time to load. But so what, we already have that here.
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: Ptrash ]</p>
What is most likely? A proto of the current lineup with a lot of features that Apple wanted to keep for later (the CPUs mentioned on eBay would suggest it) or a proto for a future release. Remember: It is very unlikely that this has any connection to what will be shown at WWDC.
Finally, Apple is going to enter the server space. it's about time, since OS X is robust enough to make a killer server, Apple should do well. I hope we get to see some ads on TV for Apple's servers, I'm getting sick of the Dell ads going unanswered.