With reference to the otherwise excellently annotated logic board, I think you'll find that the connector labelled as a CD Audio input socket is actually the connector for the front panel switches and indicators etc. It's certainly the same form factor as the socket on current generation mobos, and since the CD Audio input has been handled by DAE over the data connector for quite a while now, this function via a separate analog connector is now obsolete.
One other point is that IF this board is as stated a "Server" mainboard (obviously debatable in itself) it is possible that it is destined for a rackmount enclosure rather than a tower enclosure. If that is so it is surprising that the board so dramatically departs from the ATX standard layout. This lends some minor credence to the possibility that the image has been inverted, but this is not something that could be done accidentally as was so common in the days of physical transparencies.
More likely Apple have decided that the pseudo-ATX format of the current generation of boards is of no value and have therefore abandoned it.
My personal bet is that the new generation of boards are designed to go into either a tower or rackmount enclosure or, even more likely, one enclosure that doubles as either with a conversion kit. I'd sure like to know the answer to this one, though!!
I doubt board was destined for a rackmount. Not even Apple would put an AirPort slot on a rackmount...The whole design doesn't seem very space efficient, with the PCI slots and all...most rackmounts I've seen have onboard graphics.
I'm not only a Newbie but also an Arts person, and so I an very thankful to mistermacmike for the picture identifying the various parts on the motherboard.
One thing bugs me, however. The semi-transparency of the motherboard seems to hint that there are connectors on its flip side? Notice also the shadow of the motherboard - it clearly seems to slant, indicating that it is resting on one or more connectors positioned on the underside at the back of the board. If so, that would probably put paid to the general concensus at macrumors boards that this board is a prototype of a rackmounted Mac...
Call me naive... but if it were a server box... why would it be using AirPort...? I mean, sure... it's quite possible that they want to make a uniform board design to span both markets, but it just seems (to me) like it's not "JUST" a server board if anything.
I can't imagine a server box "needing" to be wireless. It's gotta be the "new" logic board design for the Pro line and the servers... don't ya think...?
I'm curious about those PCI slots. Are they the same as the current PCI slots? 64bit 33Mhz??? or are they 64bit 66Mhz (512MB/s) I think dorsal/M suggested that they were looking at 2 independent 64bit/66Mhz PCI channels. That way if you plugged a slower PCI card into the bus it wouldn't slow down all 4 slots, just the pair, and you would still have two full-speed slots to use on your machine.
Info I've read on the subject suggests that PCI 64b/66Mhz is a bit of a headache to work properly (the controller is pricier for some reason) and that actually full PCI-X is an easier implementation. With the LONG time Apple likes to take between MoBo revs, I'd want them to go with the faster spec as they have to use it for quite a while.
Is there anyway to tell what kinda slots those are by looking at the MoBo (besides 64 vs 32 bit)
An important observation: Apple builds lots of prototype machines. If Dorsal is to be believed they've had prototypes like this around since last May. There is no guarantee that this exact machine will ever make it to market.
This also doesn't preclude Dorsal's info about a RapidIO-based machine since it could be the generation after this one, not due until MWSF in 2003. This would jive with the PPC7500 rumour timeframe.
I don't think this is designed to be rackmountable hardware. Too much desktop stuff (AGP) and expansion ports like USB, firewire etc. would be front accessible.
What is that extra AGP power connector for? Dual ADC?
Why are the PCI and AGP slots so far in the back of the board - they usually are at the same height as the peripheral connectors.
What is that relatively large uncooled chip inbetween the Airport slot and the IDE connectors?
What is that black thingy in the lower right corner?
It would be interesting to see a picture of the current mobo next to this one.
On most system boards I've seen, the back edge (the one with the surface mounted connectors on it) is an unbroken straight edge.
But this picture would suggest that the PCI and AGP slots have been moved forward about an inch or so?
Doesn't that strike you as odd? I'm guessing that that would result in a strange enclosure design?
Also, the layout reminds me of the old HP Vectra 4 case designs, where the tower was effectively rotated through 180 degrees, with the drives placed at the bottom of the tower and the PCI slots and cards at the top.
What do you think? <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
What do the prototypes that are shipped in standard ATX cases look like?
Could this be a board that has just been taken from an ATX rather than a case that has the el-capitan layout?
Does anyone know?
And Programmer, I agree that it's existence means nothing with regard to Dorsal's previous observations (just hoping that the G5 is sooner rather than later).
Thinking about it; if it was a dud, then that might explain why it was more likely to be on eBay (slightly less security issues?).
<strong>What do the prototypes that are shipped in standard ATX cases look like?
Could this be a board that has just been taken from an ATX rather than a case that has the el-capitan layout?</strong><hr></blockquote>
The El-Capitan layout is an ATX-layout as someone stated above - you could actually put the current board into a standard ATX-case.
This board seems to feature the upcoming case-layout - the card slots are pushed too far to the back to be fitted into a standard ATX case, it would have to form a "straight edge" with the external cable connectors.
- The image is not flipped, take a look at the graphics card slot and you will see compare it with the one in your current G4.
- The board seems to be much larger than current boards (width and height). I wonder why.
- There seem to be three ATA connectors, making it possible to directly connect 6 drives. Apple puts 2 drives (optical & HD) in a PowerMac, so why adding a thrid ATA channel?
- The position of the PCI slots looks strange. If the rear panel is aligned with the connectors on the back, then the PCI cards will reside 1-2 inches inside the case.
It seems the entire board has been redesigned. This board will definately not fit into the current G4 case, so maybe we will see an all new machine at MWNY.
The board having the opposite direction of all other boards we know is no issue, it works the other way around just as well, as long as the cae is also built the other way around. This could definitely have something to do with a new revolutionary case idea, after all, why would a PC need the board to be on the right side, and not the left? In fact haveing a left and right oriented version of a board could possibly host 2 computers in the same case...Mac and PC in the same case, anyone?
Then look at my comments in the picture above?
Is the Northbridge on the other side of the board? or is there no Northbridge? (which would mean it would have to be either on the CPU module, or IN the CPU. What are all those connectors that nobody knows what they serve for?
Some things are fairly clear I think:
-this is not a hoax
-this is a pre-production model board, and may already be more than a year old
-it's not necessarily teh board we're going to see at MWNY, maybe the form factor, but not necessarily the components (note there's a lot of room left on that board aparently)
-This board requires a new custom case
-this board has been called a "server" board, maybe a non-server board wouldn't have that, arguably RAID, port.
last but not least, I'm back, had lost my account password and didn't know which e-mail address I had registered with
The thing you point to at the top right with the thick yellow line and say "and what's that?" is on current G4 mobo's. Mine has a small cable (much like a cable for earphones) with a red connector, so I would guess it's for the internal speaker. The light grey connector just below it is for the pulsating power button on the front face (that's what it's for on my G4 anyway. I know because I unplugged it so I could sleep at night but leave my computer running).
This is a Rev. A B&W G3 mainboard with quite a few similarities. I'll also make a pict of the Rev. A Beige G3, which is even more similar in layout, but I'm writing this on that machine, so I'll have to shut down first.
In response to G-news, I have to point out that the VRM (voltage regulator module) for the processor(s) would be located on the processor card itself, as is the current standard for apple. The inductor pictured must be for the ADC power connection. There is only one of these connectors despite what somebody else may have said. If your AGP graphics card does not use ADC then it will simply not have a real pins that go into that slot.
Also, I was incorrect about the CD audio connector I labeled before. It is for the front panel controls...
This board seems to feature the upcoming case-layout - the card slots are pushed too far to the back to be fitted into a standard ATX case, it would have to form a "straight edge" with the external cable connectors. <hr></blockquote>
That is what I was asking; this means that the board is not designed to fit into the current case, but is designed to fit into both the potential new case and an everyday ATX case that Apple ships for development?
'Every sheep has four legs, but not every four legged animal is a sheep.' To paraphrase.
<strong>Call me naive... but if it were a server box... why would it be using AirPort...? I mean, sure... it's quite possible that they want to make a uniform board design to span both markets, but it just seems (to me) like it's not "JUST" a server board if anything.
I can't imagine a server box "needing" to be wireless. It's gotta be the "new" logic board design for the Pro line and the servers... don't ya think...?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Schools with ibooks and wireless networks whos students grab homework and assignments and reading and grades off the server during class?
Comments
Still, it also doesn't exclude the possibility that the parallel development of the 7460 and 7500 is also real...
Hmmm...
Curiouser and curioser.
MW will be a blast!
One other point is that IF this board is as stated a "Server" mainboard (obviously debatable in itself) it is possible that it is destined for a rackmount enclosure rather than a tower enclosure. If that is so it is surprising that the board so dramatically departs from the ATX standard layout. This lends some minor credence to the possibility that the image has been inverted, but this is not something that could be done accidentally as was so common in the days of physical transparencies.
More likely Apple have decided that the pseudo-ATX format of the current generation of boards is of no value and have therefore abandoned it.
My personal bet is that the new generation of boards are designed to go into either a tower or rackmount enclosure or, even more likely, one enclosure that doubles as either with a conversion kit. I'd sure like to know the answer to this one, though!!
One thing bugs me, however. The semi-transparency of the motherboard seems to hint that there are connectors on its flip side? Notice also the shadow of the motherboard - it clearly seems to slant, indicating that it is resting on one or more connectors positioned on the underside at the back of the board. If so, that would probably put paid to the general concensus at macrumors boards that this board is a prototype of a rackmounted Mac...
I can't imagine a server box "needing" to be wireless. It's gotta be the "new" logic board design for the Pro line and the servers... don't ya think...?
Info I've read on the subject suggests that PCI 64b/66Mhz is a bit of a headache to work properly (the controller is pricier for some reason) and that actually full PCI-X is an easier implementation. With the LONG time Apple likes to take between MoBo revs, I'd want them to go with the faster spec as they have to use it for quite a while.
Is there anyway to tell what kinda slots those are by looking at the MoBo (besides 64 vs 32 bit)
This also doesn't preclude Dorsal's info about a RapidIO-based machine since it could be the generation after this one, not due until MWSF in 2003. This would jive with the PPC7500 rumour timeframe.
I don't think this is designed to be rackmountable hardware. Too much desktop stuff (AGP) and expansion ports like USB, firewire etc. would be front accessible.
What is that extra AGP power connector for? Dual ADC?
Why are the PCI and AGP slots so far in the back of the board - they usually are at the same height as the peripheral connectors.
What is that relatively large uncooled chip inbetween the Airport slot and the IDE connectors?
What is that black thingy in the lower right corner?
It would be interesting to see a picture of the current mobo next to this one.
But this picture would suggest that the PCI and AGP slots have been moved forward about an inch or so?
Doesn't that strike you as odd? I'm guessing that that would result in a strange enclosure design?
Also, the layout reminds me of the old HP Vectra 4 case designs, where the tower was effectively rotated through 180 degrees, with the drives placed at the bottom of the tower and the PCI slots and cards at the top.
What do you think? <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
Could this be a board that has just been taken from an ATX rather than a case that has the el-capitan layout?
Does anyone know?
And Programmer, I agree that it's existence means nothing with regard to Dorsal's previous observations (just hoping that the G5 is sooner rather than later).
Thinking about it; if it was a dud, then that might explain why it was more likely to be on eBay (slightly less security issues?).
<strong>What do the prototypes that are shipped in standard ATX cases look like?
Could this be a board that has just been taken from an ATX rather than a case that has the el-capitan layout?</strong><hr></blockquote>
The El-Capitan layout is an ATX-layout as someone stated above - you could actually put the current board into a standard ATX-case.
This board seems to feature the upcoming case-layout - the card slots are pushed too far to the back to be fitted into a standard ATX case, it would have to form a "straight edge" with the external cable connectors.
- The image is not flipped, take a look at the graphics card slot and you will see compare it with the one in your current G4.
- The board seems to be much larger than current boards (width and height). I wonder why.
- There seem to be three ATA connectors, making it possible to directly connect 6 drives. Apple puts 2 drives (optical & HD) in a PowerMac, so why adding a thrid ATA channel?
- The position of the PCI slots looks strange. If the rear panel is aligned with the connectors on the back, then the PCI cards will reside 1-2 inches inside the case.
It seems the entire board has been redesigned. This board will definately not fit into the current G4 case, so maybe we will see an all new machine at MWNY.
Looks very promising for me.
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: haderach ]</p>
The board having the opposite direction of all other boards we know is no issue, it works the other way around just as well, as long as the cae is also built the other way around. This could definitely have something to do with a new revolutionary case idea, after all, why would a PC need the board to be on the right side, and not the left? In fact haveing a left and right oriented version of a board could possibly host 2 computers in the same case...Mac and PC in the same case, anyone?
Then look at my comments in the picture above?
Is the Northbridge on the other side of the board? or is there no Northbridge? (which would mean it would have to be either on the CPU module, or IN the CPU. What are all those connectors that nobody knows what they serve for?
Some things are fairly clear I think:
-this is not a hoax
-this is a pre-production model board, and may already be more than a year old
-it's not necessarily teh board we're going to see at MWNY, maybe the form factor, but not necessarily the components (note there's a lot of room left on that board aparently)
-This board requires a new custom case
-this board has been called a "server" board, maybe a non-server board wouldn't have that, arguably RAID, port.
last but not least, I'm back, had lost my account password and didn't know which e-mail address I had registered with
G-News
what about the rest?
I'll post anotehr pict soon, comparison time
G-news
This is a Rev. A B&W G3 mainboard with quite a few similarities. I'll also make a pict of the Rev. A Beige G3, which is even more similar in layout, but I'm writing this on that machine, so I'll have to shut down first.
G-News
[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: G-News ]</p>
Also, I was incorrect about the CD audio connector I labeled before. It is for the front panel controls...
-Mike
Thank god I'm not red/green colorblind
Thanks for the comparison though!
Lemon Bon Bon :cool:
This board seems to feature the upcoming case-layout - the card slots are pushed too far to the back to be fitted into a standard ATX case, it would have to form a "straight edge" with the external cable connectors. <hr></blockquote>
That is what I was asking; this means that the board is not designed to fit into the current case, but is designed to fit into both the potential new case and an everyday ATX case that Apple ships for development?
'Every sheep has four legs, but not every four legged animal is a sheep.' To paraphrase.
<strong>Call me naive... but if it were a server box... why would it be using AirPort...? I mean, sure... it's quite possible that they want to make a uniform board design to span both markets, but it just seems (to me) like it's not "JUST" a server board if anything.
I can't imagine a server box "needing" to be wireless. It's gotta be the "new" logic board design for the Pro line and the servers... don't ya think...?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Schools with ibooks and wireless networks whos students grab homework and assignments and reading and grades off the server during class?