The emulator comes in two versions that support the Apple Lisa and Apple ///
The emulator comes in two versions that support the Apple Lisa and Apple ///

Apple Parallel Hard Drive Emulator

Emulates the Apple ProFile hard disk, so a Lisa can boot from an SD card.

Fits Apple Lisa, Apple ///

Global inventory shortages have impacted availability of the PocketBeagle, which has impacted our ability to build devices. Please email us to check availability.

Email to order
  • Ships from San Antonio, Texas
  • 30-day returns
  • 30-day warranty

Also sold on eBay, Tindie, Etsy.

Product details

The Apple Parallel Port Hard Drive Emulator faithfully emulates the Apple ProFile series of hard disk drives introduced in 1981 for the Apple /// Computer and later the Apple Lisa and Macintosh XL. With little effort, one can install Lisa Office System, MacWorks, SOS, and other operating systems for the Apple Lisa, Macintosh XL, and Apple ///.

Tom Stepleton, who designed the Cameo/Aphid cape for the PocketBeagle and the associated software, has graciously donated his efforts to the public domain - so feel free to build one yourself! Information about the Cameo, Aphid, and Selector can be found at the following links:

The emulator is a Linux-based system that works by presenting a disk image file as an Apple ProFile hard drive to the connected system. It supports 5MB and 10MB “ProFile” disk sizes, as well as arbitrary sizes for operating systems that support it (i.e. MacWorks).

Revisions

There are two variants of this product. Choose ‘Rev A’ or ‘Rev B’ at checkout.

  • Revision A: Supports Apple Lisa 2/5 and Apple ///
  • Revision B: Supports Apple Lisa 2/5, Apple Lisa 2/10, and Apple ///

Both Rev A and Rev B designs have been made available for download in EAGLE format should you choose to build one yourself.

What’s included

At this time, all Apple Parallel Port Hard Drive Emulator devices sold by ArcaneByte are sold as a completed kit that include the emulator, adapter board, SD card with pre-installed disk images (Lisa Only), and a MicroUSB power cable. For Lisa 2/10 systems, a Widget adapter is recommended (sold separately).

Global inventory shortages have impacted availability of the PocketBeagle, which has impacted our ability to build devices. Please email us to check availability.
The emulator connects straight to the DB25 parallel port on the machine. Pin 7 is removed for compatibility.
The emulator connects straight to the DB25 parallel port on the machine. Pin 7 is removed for compatibility.
Rev A supports the Apple Lisa 2/5 and Apple ///
Rev A supports the Apple Lisa 2/5 and Apple ///
Rev B supports Apple Lisa 2/5, 2/10 (w/ adapter) and Apple ///
Rev B supports Apple Lisa 2/5, 2/10 (w/ adapter) and Apple ///
The Selector OS for Lisa provides a boot menu for booting from a variety of operating systems on the included SD card
The Selector OS for Lisa provides a boot menu for booting from a variety of operating systems on the included SD card