Artifact Details

Title

PowerPC Macintosh prototype “Smurf” NuBus RSC processor board

Catalog Number

102674143

Type

Physical object

Description

Object is a printed circuit card with a CPU, finned heat-sink, support chips, and a variety of connectors. Per the donor description this is an "Apple Smurf Card (cause it is blue) 1st PowerPC prototype card to test out the 68K emulator, etc."

The card is from 1992, and was designed by Ron Hochsprung as an early software development board using IBM's RSC (RIOS Single Chip) processor. It was used for 68000 simulator and runtime development before the availability of the first 601 PowerPC chips for use in the first Power Macintosh models.

A second-generation card (The "Smurf" 601) was developed by Hochsprung when PowerPC chips were available. Before the "Smurf", Hochsprung designed a Nubus 88100 card (Cub card) which was used for the earliest development of 68000 simulator code by Gary Davidian. All three cards used a debugger called KDB.

Date

1992

Manufacturer

Apple Computer, Inc.

Place Manufactured

US

Identifying Numbers

AP1834-02 Etched into solder side
FCRNEVT1-257 Bar code on gummed label

Dimensions

overall: 1 1/2 in x 12 3/4 in x 4 in

Category

Component/module

Credit

Gift of Steve Jasik

Lot Number

X2665.2004