Apple IIe - The Apple IIe Card For Macintosh

The Apple IIe Card For Macintosh

In March 1991, shortly after the release of the Macintosh LC series, Apple released the PDS slot-based Apple IIe Card for the Macintosh. By plugging this card into a Macintosh LC (and later models incorporating an LC PDS slot), through hardware and (some) software emulation, the Macintosh can run most software written for the 8-bit Apple IIe computer. This miniaturized computer on a card was made possible by a chip called the Mega II, first used in the Apple IIGS computer to emulate the Apple IIe. The Mega II duplicates all the functions of a standard Apple IIe, minus RAM, ROM and CPU.

Many of the built-in Macintosh peripherals can be "borrowed" by the card when in Apple II mode (i.e. extra RAM, 31⁄₂ floppy, AppleTalk networking, clock, hard disk). It can run at an accelerated 2 MHz. As video is emulated using Macintosh QuickDraw routines, it sometimes can not keep up with the speed of a real Apple IIe in slower machines. With a specialized Y-cable, the card can use an actual Apple 5.25, Apple UniDisk 3.5 or even Apple II joystick/paddles. The Apple IIe Card is thought of as an Apple II compatibility solution or emulator rather than an extension of the Apple II line.