This Python script will convert an ImageWriter II data stream/capture into a TIFF file. This was incredibly handy for running multiple tests without needing to actually print it on the printer to see the results.
We restored this Mac Classic II on one of my streams about a month ago. @AlanGrassia purchased it, and I donated that to The Trevor Project. Please go check them out. They do incredible work. (#vintageMac click bait to bring attention to a good cause) https://www.thetrevorproject.org
✍️ New post! I realised after mentioning the title case web page earlier today that I had not written about the other projects on my projects domain, 7bit.org. This post remedies that covering the following:
Dew Point Forecast — 7 day weather forecasts that include the dew point
On Saturday's noon eastern stream, we're going to finish rebuilding this once disgusting Mac Plus and see if we get its CPU running at 16MHz. And I'll announce its giveaway as a thank you for hitting 1024 subscribers.#VintageMachttps://youtube.com/live/TavSDGdhpqs?feature=share
I’ve been rebuilding a #RaspberryPi installation that supports my classic Mac habit 😄
I used to use the awesome #MacIPGW image which includes a ton of pre-configured software like #netatalk. But it hasn’t been updated in a while so I used it as excuse to start from scratch.
I used this Pi Zero W as my starting point. HDMI video stopped working on it for unknown reasons. I added an Ethernet/USB hub hat and a #TashTalk 2 hat for #LocalTalk devices.
One reason for rebuilding netatalk is I wanted to run TashRouter on the same machine. It’s doesn’t work right on the MacIPGW image because of the “split horizon” patch.
I can now freely use AppleTalk devices on EtherTalk, LocalTalk (PhoneNet!), and LToUDP (Mini VMac). This enables, for instance, printing to an ImageWriter II from my modern Mac running System 7.5 in Mini VMac! (There were lots of bugs to resolve to get the ImageWriter II working!)
One piece that's missing is AURP aka #GlobalTalk support. I'd like to avoid running a VM and have something more lightweight.
Luckily @DrJosh9000 has created jrouter which comes very close to accomplishing this! Remote zones are showing up but are all empty and not sure if my zone is visible outside. I need to play with some settings some more I think. But soooo close!
With netatalk, a TashTalk hat, TashRouter, and CUPS on the Raspberry Pi, we can do clever things like share a #ImageWriter II printer over #LocalTalk with an iPhone using AirPrint!
This screenshot was printed from my phone to the ImageWriter II.
Interestingly, this was just fixed in the latest netatalk 2.3.2!
In the interest of science, I did an ImageWriter II comparison print of CUPS vs the MacPalette driver for Classic. I think MacPalette wins here. There appears to be better color range and the text is a little sharper.
I lifted some halftone settings and stuffed them into the ImageWriter II foomatic PPD and did some test strip prints.
At both resolutions, the result seems to be the same? So maybe that’s not the setting I need. Maybe it can’t be changed? MacPalette II still wins here!
So I have a new MacOS 9.2.2 #AppleScript Folder Action attached to a network share via netatalk. It works only if these conditions are met:
The folder is open already in the Finder. If it’s closed, it never triggers.
The new item is added to the folder from the current machine. Items added remotely to the network share do not “refresh” therefore never trigger the action.
Ok, I've abandoned Folder Actions as it just doesn't seem to work. I've now gone with an always-running #AppleScript to scan the folder.
And.. it works! Almost? It seems that MacPalette II crashes (and takes Acrobat Reader with it) after it completes a print and there's a finder dialog that's proving difficult to dismiss in AppleScript.
A print is initiated from a device to the CUPS-PDF driver on my #netatalk Raspberry Pi.
The resulting PDF is placed in the AFP share of netatalk/afpd.
An emulated PPC Mac 9.2.2 running the #AppleScript below is watching for new files in that folder and will print them using Acrobat Reader to the #ImageWriterII via #LocalTalk using the MacPalette II driver.
It works, but crashes with dialog that I can't auto-dismiss.
Ok, so this centipede printer workflow isn’t really reliable so I dove into CUPS to try and see if there’s a way to alter the dithering.
I tried adding different settings to the PPD file but nothing produced any changes.
Until I added “DitherPPI” (a GS option) and it produced a result that was pretty good! I tried various values (30, 80, 120, 180) but they all looked identical. In any case, this is good enough for me!
As promised, I wrote a blog post about creating my own classic Mac support server using a Raspberry Pi Zero, a TashTalk 2 hat, netatalk, and a few other tools. It's very much like MacIPRpi with everything current.
This animation shows the simulated output of CUPS ImageWriter II DitherPPI setting approximately from 2 to 31. After that, it changes to a more posterized dither and is the same for any larger value. You can see the dithering dots start very large and shrink down with each new value.
Love or hate it, the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh is a bold computer with a fascinating story.
To celebrate my 1st birthday, I take a deeper look my 1st video subject. I wrote a love-letter to the machine I couldn't afford for 25 years, and then attempt to (mostly) restore it.
Released in 1995, the PowerBook 5300 series were the first in Apple's notebook lineup to feature PowerPC processors. Ultimately it became infamous for lackluster performance and batteries that caught fire.
This unit has a translucent case, unlike production models which were dark gray. It is unclear if this is a prototype or other special, internal edition — there are no markings on the case to help identify it.