How my ultimate SimCity 2000 setup helped get Apple sued

Summary

In this video, the creator reflects on their 30+ year love for *SimCity 2000*, detailing their ideal vintage setup featuring a 16-inch Apple CRT monitor and a Quadra 700 Mac from 1991. Despite facing compatibility issues with old video cards like the Radius Direct Color 824 and the Rasterops Colorboard 24 MX, the setup remains a nostalgic tribute to the early 90s. The video also explores the unique Bose Roommate speakers co-branded with Apple and the ongoing legal battles between Apple and The Beatles' Apple Corps. The experience is both a technical journey and a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker has been a fan of Sim City 2000 for over 30 years and considers it one of their favorites.
• 😀 The setup for playing Sim City 2000 on a vintage computer has been carefully curated, and the speaker already has their ideal setup.
• 😀 The monitor used is a 16-inch Apple CRT display from 1991, notable for its Trinitron tube and resolution of 832x624.
• 😀 The Apple CRT monitor has some age-related issues, including yellowing and cracks, which require careful handling.
• 😀 The Quadra 700, a 1991 Mac, is the ideal period-accurate machine to drive the setup and features a Motorola 68040 processor.
• 😀 Despite being overpowered for Sim City 2000, the Quadra 700 is enhanced with 20MB of RAM and a Blue Scuzi hard drive.
• 😀 The built-in video on the Quadra 700 only supports 256 colors, but the speaker planned to add a bus video card for better performance.
• 😀 The Direct Color 824 video card was not compatible with the setup, displaying green noise instead of working correctly.
• 😀 The speaker attempted another upgrade with a Rastrop Colorboard 24 MX, but it was not compatible with the Quadra 700, as it was designed for Mac II series computers.
• 😀 The story behind the Bose Roommate speakers involves a trademark dispute between Apple and Apple Corps, with Bose distancing itself from co-branding.
• 😀 The Apple Core lawsuit against Apple Computer in the '80s and '90s, along with the development of Apple’s System 7, is linked to the history of these speakers.
• 😀 The speaker setup, with a combination of vintage hardware and period-accurate components, enhances the Sim City 2000 experience despite being somewhat unnecessary.
• 😀 The speaker recommends a nostalgic and immersive experience by playing Sim City 2000 with this specific setup, despite it being largely for fun and not practical.

Q & A

Why has the speaker kept the Apple 16-inch CRT monitor despite space concerns?

The speaker couldn't resist the opportunity to own the 16-inch Apple CRT monitor due to its nostalgic value and decent condition, even though it occupies space. It offers a period-accurate experience for playing SimCity 2000.

What makes the Apple 16-inch CRT monitor a compelling choice despite its age?

The monitor uses a Trinitron tube, which was a high-quality display technology for its time. With a resolution of 832x624, it was a powerful option when released, though it’s considered unusual by modern standards.

Why did the speaker choose the Quadra 700 to pair with the CRT monitor?

The Quadra 700, released in late 1991, was one of the first Macs to use the Motorola 68040 processor, making it a fitting and period-accurate machine to run SimCity 2000 on the Apple CRT monitor.

What challenges did the speaker face with upgrading the video performance of the Quadra 700?

The speaker encountered compatibility issues when attempting to install a bus video card. A Direct Color 824 card failed to work properly with the monitor, showing only green noise, and another card, the Rastrop Colorboard 24 MX, was incompatible with the Quadra 700.

Why didn’t the Direct Color 824 video card work with the speaker's setup?

The Direct Color 824 video card produced green noise on the monitor, likely due to incompatibility between the card's output signal and the monitor's input capabilities.

What was the issue with the Rastrop Colorboard 24 MX video card?

The Rastrop Colorboard 24 MX video card, while capable of supporting the 832x624 resolution, was designed for use with the Mac 2 series, not the Quadra 700. As a result, the speaker experienced issues such as a distorted image with only part of the screen being displayed correctly.

How did the speaker attempt to fix the Rastrop Colorboard 24 MX card?

The speaker repaired a factory defect on the card and installed the proper drivers, but despite these efforts, the card failed to display correctly due to its incompatibility with the Quadra 700.

What makes the Bose Roommate speakers a special addition to the setup?

The Bose Roommate speakers are special due to their rarity and period-appropriate design, with a unique rainbow logo co-branded with Apple in the 1980s. They offer a nostalgic audio experience and match the vintage look of the speaker setup.

What is the story behind the rainbow logo on the Bose Roommate speakers?

The rainbow logo on the Bose Roommate speakers was a result of a legal dispute between Apple Computer and Apple Corps, the company founded by The Beatles. Bose distanced itself from the controversy by altering the logo after co-branding the speakers with Apple.

Why did the speaker choose the Bose Roommate speakers over other options?

The Bose Roommate speakers were selected because they were both period-accurate and offered the right aesthetic, with a boxy design that matched the angular shape of the Quadra 700. Additionally, their unique history as co-branded products with Apple made them a fitting choice.

How does the speaker's setup enhance the SimCity 2000 experience?

The setup enhances the SimCity 2000 experience by providing a period-accurate, immersive environment with vintage hardware and speakers. The larger monitor allows for better visibility and gameplay, while the high-quality audio from the Bose speakers contributes to the nostalgia and overall experience.