Specifications

CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Overview of Functional Capabilities 7
Floppy Disk Drive 1
The Mac OS provides support that allows the cards to access the Macintosh computer’s
3.5-inch internal floppy disk drive. The drive can read and write floppy disks that are
DOS MFM (modified frequency modulation) formatted. If you insert a disk that is not
DOS formatted when you are using the DOS side of the system, the disk will be
promptly ejected from the drive.
Note
Modified frequency modulation (MFM) is an encoding system used to
record data on magnetic surfaces such as floppy diskettes. It is used in
the PC environment. ◆
Hard Disk 1
The Mac OS also provides support that allows the cards to access the Macintosh
computer’s internal hard drive and other SCSI port(s).
Serial Ports 1
The 12" and 7" cards can access the serial ports on the Macintosh host computer, and you
can connect a PC serial device to the Macintosh serial port. To allow this, the Mustard
ASIC provides hardware support that emulates the registers of standard serial port ICs
found in most PC/AT computers. “Serial Port Support” on page 26 provides further
information on this subject.
Parallel Printer Port 1
The Mustard ASIC emulates a compatible parallel port interface and enables the driver
software to send data to a printer through the Macintosh computer. The printer may be
connected to the Macintosh, or it may be part of a network and be selected by means of
the Chooser.
Keyboard and Mouse 1
Both cards contain an 8242 keyboard/mouse controller. The PC’s keyboard and mouse
determine which interface to this controller is emulated in the Mustard ASIC, allowing
the cards to access the keyboard and mouse by means of the ADB (Apple Desktop Bus).
The cards can work with other user input devices, such as a trackball. However, such
devices must be connected to the Macintosh host computer by means of the ADB port.
You can define a key combination that allows you to switch the operation of the user
interface devices (such as a keyboard, mouse, or a shared monitor) between the 12" or
7" card and the Macintosh host computer. You will find information on setting the key
combination in the user’s guide supplied with the computer.