CC-MINI a Simbiotic Relationship

1. As it is.. no.. you cannot use the CRT that is in it with the current analog board.

2. No, you cannot do it in software.

3. Your best bet is an LCD conversion mod or a Pisces DM-10 conversion mod. I would recommend the LCD. The DM-10 only runs in 640x 480 mode 60Hz, 800x600 at 56Hz. Not a lot of options for you. If you did an LCD mod, you could get 1024 mode and have a place to put the power supply.

just my two cents worth. Please read the FAQs and what not relating to Color Classics before you get flamed here...

Actually, using the CC as an external monitor has been thoroughly explored, and is possible, I've done it myself. It should just be a matter of doing the VGA mod and soldering a VGA cable to the video wires.

If you're not actually putting the mini inside the CC, it's not that complicated. If you have a working CC, it's a shame to throw out what is unique about it in favor of an LCD, which would fit in any old compact mac.

There's also the option of using a small point-of-sale monitor instead of the built-in CC CRT. Using a mini, you won't have the space constraints that have inspired the use of LCDs.

The Apple 14" monitor analogue board will also work with the CC CRT, though Dead Elvis and myself have had mixed results getting the picture aligned, and you still have 640 x 480 as your max. resolution.

While this would be likely be a huge pain to set up and would likely yield unsatisfactory results, it could possibly be done through software. Google reveals the existence of a 68k VNC client. You would need to:

Set up a VNC server on the Mini.

Get an ethernet networking card for the color classic, and install the 68k VNC client.

Somehow get the two machines to talk to each other on a network. I have no idea how easy or hard it would be to get system 7.x to talk with OS X.

Given the color classic's limitations, I'm sure it would be very slow.

What I have said so much before about the Color Classic is that it's the design style that really makes the statement. Yes that Sony trinitron monitor is special, but as a practical computer ... there's no real reason to try to preserve it anymore when you could do something like this:

http://www.schaeppi.tv/macmini/e/

This gets as close to the original Mac as you can while using the latest technology -- if that's your goal. The mini is headless and what better head to put it into than the CC? In fact, you could mount the Mini in such a way to use the existing floppy slot as access to the DVD drive (I have converted just such a CC to use a slot loading CD-Rom), particularly now that there's nothing else inside the case to interfere. You can hook up a pair of stereo speakers inside the case through the vents and all you'd have coming out of the rear access door would be a power cable and a firewire & usb extension hub. Network is wireless Airport, keyboard is wireless bluetooth (and so is the mouse if you even need one with the touch screen). Cool box -- Super Computer. Lightweight, self contained w/a handle and no extra crap to clutter your desk. I suspect if you did it right, you could hinge the case and create a space inside it to easily transport or store external hard drives, peripherals, cables, power supply OR perhaps even a battery to power the whole thing: that would sure throw them for a loop at your local Starbucks! I may just go out and build one of these today!

Thank you all for your inputs. I'll try to go with your procedure, dead elvis, but it would be great if you have a step by step picture by picture... do you??