Macintosh Centris 660AV
 | |
| Macintosh Centris 660AV (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0) | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Apple Computer, Inc. |
| Type | Desktop personal computer |
| Released | 29 July 1993 |
| Discontinued | October 1993 (renamed Quadra 660AV) |
| Intro price | US$2,300 at introduction (Low End Mac); US$2,500 and $2,900 (EveryMac) |
| CPU | Motorola 68040 @ 25 MHz; AT&T DSP3210 @ 55 MHz |
| Memory | 8 MB standard (4 MB on the logic board plus a 4 MB SIMM); two 72-pin SIMM slots; 68 MB maximum |
| Storage | 1.4 MB SuperDrive; SCSI hard drive; optional internal CD-ROM |
| Display | External monitor via DB-15; 1 MB VRAM, not expandable |
| Sound | 16-bit stereo input and output, up to 48 kHz |
| ROM | 2 MB |
| Input | S-video and composite video in and out |
| Expansion | One slot for a PDS card, or a 7-inch NuBus card via adapter |
| Power | 100–240 V AC, 86 W |
| Dimensions | 3.4 × 16.3 × 15.6 in (8.5 × 41.5 × 39.7 cm) H × W × D |
| Weight | 6.4 kg (14.0 lb) |
| OS / Firmware | System 7.1 – Mac OS 8.1 |
| Predecessor | Macintosh Centris 610 |
| Successor | Macintosh Quadra 660AV |
| Model no. | M9040 |
The Macintosh Centris 660AV is a desktop Macintosh with a 25 MHz Motorola 68040, an AT&T DSP3210 digital signal processor, 16-bit stereo sound, video input and output, and Apple's GeoPort serial port. Apple introduced it on 29 July 1993 with the Macintosh Quadra 840AV, and in October 1993 renamed it Macintosh Quadra 660AV; the two are identical apart from the nameplate. It uses the case of the Macintosh Centris 610.[1][2]
Configurations
[edit | edit source]EveryMac lists four configurations: M1839LL/A with a 230 MB hard drive, M9043LL/A with a 230 MB drive and a CD-ROM drive, M9044LL/A with a 500 MB drive, and M1840LL/A with a 500 MB drive and a CD-ROM drive. It gives US prices of $2,500 and $2,900; Low End Mac gives $2,300 at introduction.[3][1]
Hardware
[edit | edit source]Processors
[edit | edit source]The 68040 runs at 25 MHz with its integrated FPU, PMMU and 8 KB of cache. A Peripheral Subsystem Controller (PSC) provides DMA between the 68040 buses and the peripherals.[4] The AT&T DSP3210 is a 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor with 8 KB of internal RAM, running at 55.5 MHz in the Centris 660AV (66.7 MHz in the Quadra 840AV). Apple lists its uses as speech recognition, audio compression and analog modem signal processing.[5]
Memory
[edit | edit source]The machine ships with 8 MB: 4 MB soldered to the logic board and a 4 MB SIMM. Two 72-pin SIMM slots take 70 ns or faster SIMMs of 4, 8, 16 or 32 MB, for a maximum of 68 MB.[4][2] Low End Mac notes that 64 MB SIMMs cannot be used.[1]
The ROM is 2 MB.[5][2] The Service Source specification page prints "1 MB soldered on logic board", which disagrees with both the developer note and Apple's technical specifications.[4]
Video
[edit | edit source]Video memory is 1 MB, soldered as two 512 KB banks, and cannot be expanded; the Quadra 840AV's can.[4][6]
| Resolution | Colour depth |
|---|---|
| 512 × 384 | 24-bit |
| 640 × 400 | 24-bit |
| 640 × 480 | 16-bit |
| 800 × 600 | 16-bit |
| 832 × 624 | 16-bit |
| 1024 × 768 | 8-bit |
| 1152 × 870 | 8-bit |
The rear panel has composite video in and out on RCA connectors, S-video in (DIN-7) and S-video out (DIN-4).[4] The 660AV and 840AV do not mirror video: when the output goes to a television or VCR, the computer's monitor is blank. Holding Command-Option-T-V during start-up forces the machine to use a television as its monitor.[1]
Sound
[edit | edit source]Sound input and output are 16-bit stereo on mini-jack connectors, at sample rates up to 48 kHz with 44.1 kHz as the standard rate, processed by the DSP. Stereo audio from an internal CD-ROM drive is supported.[4]
Ports and expansion
[edit | edit source]- Two ADB ports (500 mA maximum for all ADB devices)
- Two RS-232/RS-422 serial ports: a mini DIN-8 printer port and a mini DIN-9 high-performance modem port (GeoPort) for analog, PBX, ISDN, fax and data telephone lines
- DB-25 SCSI, up to six external devices; the computer is always device 7
- Ethernet, AAUI-15
- DB-15 video, composite and S-video in and out, stereo sound in and out[4]
The Service Source quotes full-duplex telephone I/O at up to 14.4 kbit/s on the GeoPort; the developer note gives 9600 bit/s.[4][6] Built-in circuitry terminates the internal and external SCSI buses automatically when no devices are connected.[6]
The single internal slot takes a processor-direct slot card, a 7-inch NuBus card or a digital audio/video (DAV) card through the appropriate adapter.[4] EveryMac gives the NuBus adapter as M9049LL/A, with support for the DAV connector.[3]
Power
[edit | edit source]Line voltage is 100–240 V AC at 50–60 Hz, and the maximum power is 86 W.[4] The supply is Apple service part 661-1688, the same part number as the Macintosh Centris 610 supply.[7] Low End Mac notes that the fan filter for this case is inside the power supply, and that clearing dust from the mesh screen near the fan can bring back a supply that appears to have failed.[1]
The clock and PRAM run from a 3.6 V lithium battery; Apple's check is to measure it on the 10 V DC range and replace it below 3.2 V.[2][8] A flat or low battery can make the built-in video disappear.[1]
Upgrades
[edit | edit source]The Service Source says the Centris 660AV and Quadra 660AV can be upgraded to a Power Macintosh 6100/60 or 6100/60AV.[9] Third-party options listed by Low End Mac include clock accelerators (to 32–34 MHz, or the MicroMac Speedy to 29 MHz), the Sonnet QuadDoubler (50 MHz 68040) and a MicroMac slot-free 128 KB level 2 cache.[1]
Known issues
[edit | edit source]Low End Mac lists these cautions for the AV Quadras:[1]
- The Startup Disk control panel in System 7.5 to 7.5.3 is incompatible with them; System 7.5.5 fixes this.
- They do not support 24-bit addressing.
- A PowerPC upgrade needs a "fat" (68K and PowerPC) system installed.
Service parts
[edit | edit source]| Part | Apple part number |
|---|---|
| Logic board | 661-1704 |
| Power supply | 661-1688 |
| PDS adapter / NuBus adapter | 661-1719 |
| Top cover | 922-0545 |
| Rear housing | 922-0864 |
| Speaker | 922-0353 |
Maintenance and repair
[edit | edit source]- Macintosh Centris 660AV General Maintenance
- Macintosh Centris 660AV Capacitor Replacement Guide
- Macintosh Centris 660AV Troubleshooting
Documentation
[edit | edit source]- Centris 660AV/Quadra 660AV Service Source: Apple's module-level service manual.
- Macintosh Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV Developer Note: Apple's design description of both AV machines, including the DSP, GeoPort and video I/O.
- Macintosh Quadra 660AV Logic Board Schematic: Apple's logic board schematic, drawing 051-0124-A (31 sheets, board 820-0453-B), and the NuBus adapter card schematic, 051-0126-A (five sheets, board 820-0454-A).[10]
Related pages
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Centris 660av (Quadra 660av), Low End Mac—link(accessed 2026-09-30) Introduced 1993.07.29 at $2,300; renamed Quadra 660av 1993.10.01; Centris 610 case; 55 MHz DSP; introduces GeoPort; cautions; accelerators; PRAM battery and video; power supply fan filter.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Macintosh Centris 660AV: Technical Specifications, Apple—link(accessed 2026-09-30)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Apple Macintosh Centris 660AV Specs, EveryMac.com—link(accessed 2026-09-30) Order numbers, prices, model M9040, 8 MB standard RAM, 1 MB non-upgradable video memory, NuBus adapter M9049LL/A with DAV connector support.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 Apple Computer, Centris 660AV/Quadra 660AV Service Source, Specifications, pp. 1-13 (PDF pp. 5-17). Hosted as File:Quadra.centris 660av.pdf; see Centris 660AV/Quadra 660AV Service Source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Apple Computer, Developer Note: Macintosh Quadra 840AV and Macintosh Centris 660AV Computers (1993), chapter 2, "Read-Only Memory", "Random-Access Memory" and "Digital Signal Processor" (PDF pp. 40-41). Hosted as File:Macintosh Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV Developer Note.pdf; see Macintosh Quadra 840AV and Centris 660AV Developer Note.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Developer Note: Macintosh Quadra 840AV and Macintosh Centris 660AV Computers, chapter 1, "Features" and "Differences Between Models", p. 6 (PDF p. 34).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Centris 660AV/Quadra 660AV Service Source, Exploded View (PDF p. 97).
- ↑ Centris 660AV/Quadra 660AV Service Source, Additional Procedures, Battery Verification, p. 2 (PDF p. 92).
- ↑ Centris 660AV/Quadra 660AV Service Source, Upgrades, Power Mac Upgrade, p. 13 (PDF p. 89).
- ↑ Apple Computer, The Tempest logic board schematic, drawing 051-0124-A, sheets 1–31 (board 820-0453-B), and The Tempest NuBus schematic, drawing 051-0126-A, sheets 1–5 (board 820-0454-A). Hosted as File:Macintosh Quadra 660AV Schematic.pdf.