I have come across numerous Mac 500 & 600 PCBs in various conditions, many missing their part number sticker. So how do you tell which is which? Is there a noticeable difference? Thank you.
According to the manuals there are a lot of similarities with the hardware. It might be identical with different firmware. The primary difference seems to be how the driver chips are purposed.
The top PCB is a MAC 600, the bottom is MAC 500. Spot the difference. Is there something all 500 boards have in common and all 600s have in common? I have a box full of them in Unknownn condition. Would it matter if a 500 pcb was put into a 600 fixture to test, and vise versa? Many thanks
I agree. There isn't any specific markings. Besides the info tag by the fuses. I'm sure they have special spots on the boards that will give them a time of production and or what fixture it matches with.
it's been a long time since I had one on my bench but if memory serves
The only difference is in the firmware.
the hardware is the same. .
Don't confuse firmware with software. The software can be updated with a MUM or other dongle.
The firmware needs a special uploader
I don't think there will be a physical difference in boards. Just from knowing a bit about electronics, a company is going to re-use board layouts for as long as possible, and if they make a change, it will be more significant (that's sometimes why you see jumper [oops] wires on PCBs). The difference will be in the chips (firmware). Unfortunately, it looks like the only socketed chips are motor drivers, so interchanging them or flipping them back and forth would be very tedious.
Can you show the back side as well? You'll really need to look for drawing numbers and revisions numbers (which will be of the boards, but not the components). I see a couple of components (they appear to be voltage regulators, but hard to tell from the photo) that are a different color, but that just may mean they are from different vendors - though you would have to compare the numbers on the component to be certain.
I'm betting the firmaware on the micro controllers are all that is different.
I don't know about intel chips, but other microcontrollers can be programmed in place. And if that's the case, you'd be better off sending the board backt oMartin to have it reprogrammed.