Reproducing the Macintosh Boot Beep from JavaScript Cloud Code

Realizing that I had no recollection of this beep, I started doing some research on the history of the startup chime, and discovered Mactracker. It can reproduce all of them: Just click on the icon for the model. A really nifty free app for Mac nostalgia.

http://www.mactracker.ca/

I think I like the Quadra 660AV the best.

Really interesting about this to me was the audio sample rate of the original Mac line, and especially the unusual refresh rate — I would have expected a straight 60hz refresh due to US wall current, and 22050Hz audio. Missing from this reconstructed sound is the satisfying click of the power switch and the brief pre-sound of the circuits springing to life just before the beep (and of course, the quality of the tiny, tinny, speaker itself). Happy memories!

This article brought you by the: Department of Using the Right Tool For the Job and the letter wtf

There's a really awesome documentary about early Macs that has a whole section dedicated to the guys who built the beep. IRC it was called "Cult of Mac" or something. I will google it when I get off the shit can. TMI? Too bad.