Apple IIGS Upgrade
APPLE IIGS UPGRADE The IIGS upgraded from Apple IIe. Apple IIGS was released on 15th September 1986. GS is enhanced graphics and sound function, compared to the conventional II series. The Microprocessor is equipped with 16-bit 65C816, 1 MB of RAM as standard, enabling simultaneous generation of 15 sounds by the Ensoniq 32-oscillator digital synthesizer chip. IIGS evolves from the traditional design of Apple II, it has a square platinum body, and it is a very beautiful balance machine. | |
On the other hand, it became impossible to use GS / OS and other GS software for conventional Apple II users. For this reason Apple has prepared an upgrade kit for conventional IIe users. This upgrade kit was originally sold at US $ 600, but since GS's selling price was US $ 999, few users upgraded. The upgrade kit consists of a logic board, a back panel, and a logo sticker. My own IIe was upgraded from IIe to IIGS 7 to 8 years ago, but the upgrade kit at this time wasn’t genuine, only for the main board was genuine, but the back panel was the third party product. There was no logo kit. Although I was keeping in mind thereafter, I did not find an article for sale, so I stayed as it was. Recently I purchased the IIGS of the junk upgraded from platinum color IIe and attached it to the beige body to make it a genuine upgrade model. It is also a way to purchase mint condition things, but it is also fun to spend long time to rebuild it the genuine one. |
APPLE II GS LOGO The logo sticker on the top panel was changed a new “Apple'” logotype and the name plate of IIe was switched to GS. It is found out that the logotype of GS is designed sharper. | |
I feel rather attached to the old logo, but it is just like Apple to be ready to prepare such accessories in the upgrade kit. |
LOGIC BOARD Whether the apple designer considered the upgrade from the beginning or whether it was developed with a beige body, the details are not clear, but the size of the Logic Board and the interface with the case are the same as those of IIe. On the other hand, the keyboard of IIGS is an external ADB type and it is designed to fit with the ADB connector of the back panel, which is different point the keyboard of IIe is a built-in type. | |
For this reason, unlike ordinary IIGS logic boards, the upgrade IIGS board differs from the normal main board that has 26-pin keyboard connector and Numeric Keypad connector on the base. Print wiring is on the normal IIGS main board, but no connector is attached. |
UPGRADE IIGS BUCK PANEL In the back panel IIe and IIGS cannot be shared since the design of the back terminal is different. This back panel is a dedicated one designed to fit the case of IIe, and the back sticker is also displayed as Apple II GS Upgrade. | |
IIe has the function of enhanced IIe in later years, the design will be changed to a platinum machine equipped with a numeric keypad, but since the matching dimensions of case and back panel are the same, platinum IIe can also be upgraded to platinum IIGS. |