Pioneer MPC-LX200-TV

MPC-LX200-TV
A base model MPC-LX200.
Product ID	MPC-LX200-TV
Developer	Apple Computer
Manufacturer	Pioneer Corporation
Distributor	Pioneer Corporation
Release date	1996-07-01
Discontinued	1997-10-09
CPU	100MHz PowerPC 603e
Memory	16MB DRAM (64MB maximum)
Video	1MB VRAM
Drives/media	1.2GB hard disk drive 4.4x CD-ROM (SCSI) 3.5" floppy (FDHD)
Power supply	100V 50/60Hz
Weight	15 lbs.

The Pioneer MPC-LX200-TV is the first and only Macintosh clone with built-in television capabilities.

History

Pioneer was among the few Japanese companies that had obtained a license from Apple Computer to build Macintosh-compatible computers. Their first such system was the MPC-LX100, which was based on a Quadra 630 logic board with a full 33MHz Motorola 68040 processor that contained a floating-point unit. It was shown at Macworld Expo Tokyo 1995 and was the only officially-licensed Macintosh clone not to use a PowerPC processor.

The MPC-LX200 series was released on July 1, 1996. Available options included a television tuner (MPC-LX200-TV) or 640MB magneto-optical drive (MPC-LX200-MO). Each shipped with a copy of EGWORD 6.1 and EGBRIDGE 7.1, and demos of Marathon and Racing Days.

Faster PowerPC 604-based systems were shown by Pioneer at Macworld Expo Tokyo 1996 and 1997. However, Pioneer left the Macintosh clone market in October 1997, after Apple had formally ended its licensing program with the release of Mac OS 8.

Hardware

The MPC-LX200 series is based on a Cordyceps logic board with a 100MHz PowerPC 603e processor. The layout and internal components closely correspond with the Power Macintosh 6300 series and can support an Apple TV Tuner Card, though the tuner supplied with the MPC-LX200-TV is different and is connected through the LC slot. With some electrical modification, the logic board of an MPC-LX200 can be swapped for a faster Alchemy or Gazelle logic board (from a Power Macintosh 6400 or 6500), which could then be upgraded with a PowerPC G3 processor up to 500MHz. Other upgrades include the first DVD-ROM drive for the Mac market from Pioneer.

Gallery

MPC-LX200-TV main logic board with daughter cards.

Back panel of an opened MPC-LX200-TV.

See also

• Apple Interactive Television Box (1994-1996), Apple's first effort to develop a set-top box.
• Apple TV (2007-present), Apple's current digital media player and microconsole.
• DayStar Digital, another licensee and manufacturer of Macintosh clones.
• Mac mini (2005-present), Apple's small desktop computer which added HDMI output in 2010.
• Macintosh TV (1993-1994), Apple's first attempt to integrate a computer and television.
• Pippin (1996-1998), Apple's ill-fated consumer multimedia platform.

External links

• MPC-LX200-TV at Pioneer (Japanese, archived 1997-01-29)
  • Customer Support > Software / Firmware Download at Pioneer (Japanese)
• PIONEER MPC-LX200-TV スペック at Yahoo! GeoCities (Japanese, Shift JIS, archived 2018-11-05)
• PIONEER Mac のページ at Asahi-Net (Japanese)
• Pioneer MPC, quand Pioneer vendait des Mac sous sa marque au Japon at Journal du Lapin (French)
  • Un clavier de Pioneer MPC pour Mac at Journal du Lapin (French)
• LX200-PCI G3 by Kazuya at Nifty (Japanese, archived 2004-10-12)
• Pioneer MPC-LX200-TV at the Apple Wiki