.: MacLegacy :. Color Classic Video & Mystique Upgrade

MacLegacy

This upgrade increases your Mac Color Classic monitor resolution from 512 x 342 to 640 x 480 and allows you to install a "Mystique Motherboard", which sports a 33Mhz 68040 processor and the capability of running OS 8.1. This is a risky, but a worthwhile upgrade. Responsiveness of this upgrade is noticed immediately and makes the Color Classic more usable. Please note, that once the video modification is made, the original motherboard will not work in your Color Classic any longer! Also note that errors made on your part with these modifications may render your Color Classic as a paperweight!

MacLegacy followed the instructions from Color Classic FAQ located here

Please study both (or all) installation guides. The more information obtained by you, the easier the upgrade will be!

Please also take note that there is a high voltage shock hazard when working around the monitor and its connections. Please be careful!*

You will need the following:

Mac Color Classic (of course)
Mystique Motherboard (found ours on Ebay.)
Set of Torx Screwdrivers
Can of Compressed Air - optional (our Color Classic was filthy, as you can see from the photos)
Set of Hexagonal Tools for adjusting video geometry (Allen Wrenches can be used in a pinch, but be careful of a shock hazard)
Dremel or Similar Rotary Tool with fine wheel cutter
soldering iron, solder & paste

Step 1:

Place your Color Classic on a soft cloth and remove back hatch/door by pressing down on the two plastic tabs.

Slide/pull original motherboard straight back and out of the case.

Step 2:

Place your Color Classic face down on a soft cloth. Remove the four (4) torx screws with a torx screwdriver as indicated by the arrows below. Carefully remove back of case by lifting upwards.

Step 3:

Unplug the mic cables located on side of monitor.

Step 4:

**Shock Hazard!** Unplug power cable from analog board, located near the picture tube.

Also unplug black and white cables from other side of analog board.

Remove green ground wire clipped to side of monitor.

Disengage computer chassis (which houses the motherboard, floppy, hard disk and video analog board) from the front of the case by unclipping the four (4) plastic tabs on both sides of computer. Pull upwards on plastic chassis - be careful not to pull too hard and/or damage video tube. **Note - some electrical connections are left wired to the tube - this is normal.

Step 5:

Once main chassis is separated from front of the case, separate analog circuit board from plastic chassis by pulling upwards slightly on analog board. Unplug the other mic wire that is connected between the two components.

**Shock Warning** Remove metal shield from analog board. Now is the time you may want to blow off any dust found inside your Color Classic with a can of compressed air.

Step 6:

Once analog board is exposed, locate area indicated below. Pin 7 should be marked. To the immediate left is Pin 8.

Line marked below (in black) is the area we have to cut to isolate Pin 8 from the rest of the board. Carefully cut analog board where indicated with Dremel wheel/disk cutter. Do not cut completely through the circuit board, but just slightly into the surface and through the layer of copper. Inspect closely to make sure the cut is complete and leaving NO copper in cut area.

Step7:

You can see by the photo below where the cut with the Dremel Rotary tool was made. Now solder a small wire from isolated Pin 8 to Pin 10.

Step 8:

Locate chip J78 and empty location J79 near bottom of analog board. With a soldering iron, carefully remove chip found at location J78 and also solder a small bridge (with solder) at area J79. Be careful not to drop solder on other components. Check all your modifcations/soldering/wiring are secure and correct on the analog board.

If your Color Classic does not have J78 or J79 on the board, get more info here

Reassemble your Color Classic in reverse order as above instructions but leave the back of the Color Classic case off.

Install your Mystique motherboard by sliding board into chassis (Note that we got carried away and put the back of our case back on. We had to remove it afterwards to adjust the monitor settings.)

Step 9:

** Shock Hazard ** Carefully plug in your Color Classic, keyboard & mouse. Turn on your Color Classic and pay attention to make sure your electrical modifications were successful! If you hear or see smoke/sparks, turn off! You obviously were not successful. Reinspect your wiring/soldering and try again.

Once you feel your modifications function properly, you will probably notice that your monitor screen is off center. This is normal. With your Hexagonal Tools, follow the instructions located here to adjust your monitor geometry.

After your video geometry adjustments are made, install the back of the computer case and you are complete! You may note that the rear plastic bezel that covered your motherboard no longer fits due to the alignment of the ports. You may modify it to fit. We left ours exposed for now.

Enjoy your speed boosted, video enhanced Color Classic! Kewl!!

Please note that these upgrades are provided as a courtesy by MacLegacy and are not responsible for errors or false instructions provided. MacLegacy is in no way responsible for damage to your equipment or yourself. Please be careful!

webmaster@maclegacy.com

Optimized for the Color Classic at 512 x 342