Apple IIe
I bought the first one on Yahoo Auctions and then left it in the cabinet under my bathroom sink for about 18 years. When I finally pulled it out, the power supply was dead. I swapped in a spare and it booted.
Given the large number of units produced and their widespread use in educational institutions, many people likely remember this computer from their childhood. It was a mainstream machine—arguably the dominant force—before the Macintosh took over that role. A significant number of units still exist today, and the hardware is notably more robust than that of its predecessor, the Apple II. However, the casing has become quite fragile due to hydrolysis. Since damage during shipping is common, careful coordination with the seller is advisable for any future purchases.
Recommended Hardware Mods
Check It First
On an Enhanced IIe, hold down both Apple keys while you power on. If you see "SYSTEM OK", the board is fine. Unenhanced machines don't have this test.
Recap
There are nine 10µF/16V electrolytics on the board. Use low-ESR caps, keep the iron at 310 to 350°C, and take your time so you don't lift any pads. The RCA video jack often needs replacing too.
W65C02S Pin Mod
The R65C02s on eBay are often relabeled 6502s, so I buy W65C02S chips from Mouser instead. The W65C02S needs a small mod: cut pin 1 (VPB) and bridge pin 36 (BE) to pin 8 (VDD). On my board pin 36 wasn't connected to anything, so I didn't need to cut it, but check yours. You don't need a pull-up on RDY because the IIe already has a 1K resistor array there.
A full enhancement also needs the Enhanced CD/EF ROMs and the enhanced video ROM. The CPU swap alone isn't enough.
Memory
The 64K Imp-RAM goes in the AUX slot and brings the machine to 128K. It works on Unenhanced, Enhanced and Platinum IIes, including the European version. Rev A boards need the X1 jumper at the rear cut.
If you have a spare 80-column card (820-0066-A) sitting around, the RAM Hijacker turns it into a 64K RAM card with one jumper. It's reversible, so the original card isn't harmed.
→ SMC 64K Imp-RAM Card for IIe
Storage
For SmartPort storage, Grappler Minus with SPIISD V2 is what I use. If you'd rather keep it simple, a Floppy Emu on a Disk II card in slot 6 works too.
When you plug in the ribbon cable, the red stripe goes toward the keyboard. The cable carries +5V, so plugging it in backwards will kill the Floppy Emu.
VGA
The A2 VGA MINI gives you a clean VGA picture on a modern monitor.
Joystick and Paddles
The IIe has a DB9 on the back panel, so the Idle Hands Micro Paddle plugs straight in.
→ Idle Hands Micro Paddle DIY Kit
European Platinum IIe
My European Platinum IIe showed psychedelic rainbow colors on an NTSC monitor. Changing the crystal from 14.238MHz to 14.318MHz (ECS-143-S-1X from Mouser) fixed it. It may not work perfectly unless the new crystal's ESR is close to the original. The 220/240V power supply also needs replacing if you use the machine in the US or Japan.
Rubber Feet
Gimme New Feet! for AP2 are made 1:1 to the original size.
