View Full Version : Old VERTICAL long-screen Macs? What were they?
thedustin
2004-06-03, 03:26
I remember seeing a few computers on the campus of NAU (Northern Arizona) when I was a kid around 1989-1992 that were long vertically, well tall I guess. I am almost positive they were made by Apple, because the people that were using them were and are to this day Mac fanatics. I remember my family had the Apple llc+ (1990ish) and then the LC ll (1992) around the time. I am starting to collect these old machines and would LOVE one of the old vertical screened Macs for my collection. Any input would be appreciated.
I remember seeing a few computers on the campus of NAU (Northern Arizona) when I was a kid around 1989-1992 that were long vertically, well tall I guess. I am almost positive they were made by Apple, because the people that were using them were and are to this day Mac fanatics. I remember my family had the Apple llc+ (1990ish) and then the LC ll (1992) around the time. I am starting to collect these old machines and would LOVE one of the old vertical screened Macs for my collection. Any input would be appreciated.
Apple made some A4 monitors (the Apple portrait display?) My brother used to use one as a second head in his office.
You might be interested in this site: http://www.apple-history.com
http://www.theapplemuseum.com/index.php?id=tam&page=display&subpage=misc_port&skin=dis
Is that what you remember?
you can also see one in the Billy Idol music video, Cradle of Love (I think)... or was that Aerosmith?
Hmmm...
You might be thinking of monitors made by Radius. They made displays for early macs. One of which was called Pivot, and could actually rotate from wide to tall. Also, a few companies made 'portrait' displays which were taller than they were wide.
Apple did make a portrait-aspect display. I believe it was a 14" Apple Full Page monitor (I know there was a grayscale, possibly a color version later though I'm not sure). It did a resolution of 624x832, and you could get an add-on card for some compact Macs to power it. Think of that - a Mac SE with a big tall monitor next to it! That would be cool.
thedustin
2004-06-03, 10:48
Awsome! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much guys. I looked on apple-history.com but found nothing, the applemuseum helped. Those monitors made my 10-year-old mouth drop. Almost as exciting as our 640x480 color monitor in 1992!
Awsome! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much guys. I looked on apple-history.com but found nothing, the applemuseum helped. Those monitors made my 10-year-old mouth drop. Almost as exciting as our 640x480 color monitor in 1992!
Ha! My favourite was the Classic II -- our only computer from 1991 to 1999.
It's dead now, alas.
I want a IIgs now, though. :)
doublem9876
2005-06-27, 21:21
With Tiger 10.4 now, in your system preferences under display, there is an option to rotate your screen. This doesn't work with all macs, but that has the same effect as a tall screen.
hanyou23
2005-06-27, 23:11
You might be thinking of monitors made by Radius. They made displays for early macs. One of which was called Pivot, and could actually rotate from wide to tall. Also, a few companies made 'portrait' displays which were taller than they were wide.
I remember coming across a couple of those Radius’s when I was inventorying all of the old donated computers at one of my Mom's old schools. It was a pain in the butt! I couldn't figure out why they wouldn't work... then I discovered that the old LCs that they were originally hooked up to, there was a control panel (and I think an extension) to activate them. They were still a pain in the butt because they didn't work well with the Mac's portrait-like desktop. I can see why they didn't last long :rolleyes: . They'd be good for journalists and wp, though :cool: ...
With Tiger 10.4 now, in your system preferences under display, there is an option to rotate your screen. This doesn't work with all macs, but that has the same effect as a tall screen.
Yes it does.
You might be thinking of monitors made by Radius. They made displays for early macs. One of which was called Pivot, and could actually rotate from wide to tall. Also, a few companies made 'portrait' displays which were taller than they were wide.
I had a grayscale Radus pivot hooked up to my Macintosh IIci. It was great for page layout, and I never bothered using it in landscape mode.
Actually, I see no reason for any computer screen to be Widescreen. Widescreen was meant for movies, obviously because that's how we see things, in peripheral vision.
But for looking at webpages and editing documents, portrait is what makes sense. I don't know why more computer screens weren't made that way.
But I guess now with higher resolutions it's understandable because we can have two pages side by side, but still.
Yes it does.
No, it doesn't work for everybody. The option appears for neither my Power Mac nor my PowerBook.
No, it doesn't work for everybody. The option appears for neither my Power Mac nor my PowerBook.
It didn't show up on my PowerBook or iMac G5 either.
atomicbartbeans
2005-06-30, 23:39
Speaking of old-school Macs, I was looking to start a vintage Mac collection (my only machines now being a PM 6100 and an iBook). Where do I start? I'm thinking a 512K Mac on eBay or something. Sound good?
BlueRabbit
2005-07-01, 00:35
Speaking of old-school Macs, I was looking to start a vintage Mac collection (my only machines now being a PM 6100 and an iBook). Where do I start? I'm thinking a 512K Mac on eBay or something. Sound good?
If you're going to start at the beginning, that would be it. From there, I'd get an SE (with a hard drive, not dual floppies), a Mac II-something, and a Color Classic. Those are the main vintage Macs out there.
I think I read somewhere that it was ATI video cards only, but it's late and I'm drinking, so I could be wrong.
MarsViolet
2005-07-02, 20:03
A few years back I did a project which required a software app which would only run under a true 680x0 Mac with an FPU. So I went to eBay and bought myself a Quadra 700 and an original monochrome Apple Portrait Display. The Quadra 700 cost me $25 USD. The Portrait Display cost me $50. Both were in excellent condition. I still have them, but they're currently in my closet.
If you're going to start at the beginning, that would be it. From there, I'd get an SE (with a hard drive, not dual floppies), a Mac II-something, and a Color Classic. Those are the main vintage Macs out there.
Good luck finding someone willing to part with their Color Classic. ;)
psmith2.0
2005-07-06, 16:01
MacTracker (http://www.mactracker.ca/) is the best friend a Mac user could ever have. It's FREE. Go get it, download it, use it, love it.
Not a week goes by that I don't launch it at least 1-2 times to check or confirm something Mac/Apple-related!
This very display is included in the "displays" section, and is described like so:
Macintosh Portrait Display "Tomcat" (hey, beats "Kehei"...I know what a tomcat IS) :p
- Introduced: March 1989
- Discontinued: December 1992
- Type: Shadow Mask CRT
- Tube size: 15"
- Viewable area: 13.4"
- Color: 1-bit color (up to 256 gray shades) :D
- Modes: 640x870
- DPI: 77dpi
- Integrated audio: none
- Power: 75 watts
- Weight: 35lbs.
- Dimensions: 13.1" H x 11.5" W x 14.9" D
- Family number: M0404 (Rev. A), and M1030 (Rev. B)
Wheeee!
Chris Turnbull
2005-07-06, 16:59
This very display is included in the "displays" section, and is described like so:
Macintosh Portrait Display "Tomcat" (hey, beats "Kehei"...I know what a tomcat IS) :p
- Introduced: March 1989
- Discontinued: December 1992
- Type: Shadow Mask CRT
- Tube size: 15"
- Viewable area: 13.4"
- Color: 1-bit color (up to 256 gray shades) :D
- Modes: 640x870
- DPI: 77dpi
- Integrated audio: none
- Power: 75 watts
- Weight: 35lbs.
- Dimensions: 13.1" H x 11.5" W x 14.9" D
- Family number: M0404 (Rev. A), and M1030 (Rev. B)
Wheeee!
Is this it:
http://idisk.mac.com/hbkcturnbull/Public/a4mon.jpg
click if above don't work (http://idisk.mac.com/hbkcturnbull/Public/a4mon.jpg)
(Found a pic in an old ad I had downloaded of the net).
rather strange, i had no idea that apple had mad moniters like that. oh well learn something new everyday I guess.
I wonder what the reaction to something like that being made today would be? would their be demad for it in the printing/press industries?
psmith2.0
2005-07-06, 17:37
Yep, that's it.
Actually, I see no reason for any computer screen to be Widescreen. Widescreen was meant for movies, obviously because that's how we see things, in peripheral vision.
But for looking at webpages and editing documents, portrait is what makes sense. I don't know why more computer screens weren't made that way.
But I guess now with higher resolutions it's understandable because we can have two pages side by side, but still.
And if you're editing widescreen video? Or doing audio with horizontal timelines?
No, it doesn't work for everybody. The option appears for neither my Power Mac nor my PowerBook.
Try this. Hold down option while clicking the Displays icon in System prefs. Not all graphics cards support it, but a P'Book G4 should (my 1.33ghz 17' does).
When it's rotated, you need to close system prefs and re-open it (and do the "option" thing again) to put it back.
It can be interesting, using the 'book as a book!
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