FreeHat Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 What is keeping the Chinese from making [clone] motherboards ? I'm not talking about the actual companies [like Foxconn] that make Apple hardware, I'm talking about other electronics companies. Can you get patents on motherboard design ? If so, why would the Chinese care ? Just thinking out loud. I know many people like the hacking aspect and running OSX on non-Intel hardware but why couldn't this happen.... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWaffle Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 If this did happen, I would be rather scared about the probable quality. I realize that a lot of Apple products are made in China, but I don't really care for Chinese build quality in general. But, hey, I guess it's hard to expect good QC in a nation of slaves... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/#findComment-1305879 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeHat Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 Everything is made in China these days. Even Taiwan and Japanese companies sub-contract to China. QC is relative. Apple, Sony, Samsung, etc. all have factories in China, so let's consider it a non-issue, for the sake of argument. What keeps someone from making these boards ? For that matter, what is keeping Gigabyte, Asus, etc. from making a compatible EFI board ? Hardware is so much easier, when it comes to hackintosh's, so I'd really like to know why this has not happened.... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/#findComment-1306381 Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWaffle Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 In the past, Apple would prevent clone manufacturing by denying usage of it's code found on chips in the motherboard (like TPM). I'm not certain, but believe modern Macs still use proprietary TPMs. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/#findComment-1306409 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeHat Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 I believe you are correct but it has been proven that most all [don't quote me on that] Intel Macs do not even use the TPM. Many do not even have the TPM chip installed, including my Mac Pro. So old logic fails. Maybe the TPM has been put on certain Macs in case someone decided to make a compatible board ? Then they could issue an update to "activate" the TPM ? This doesn't make sense though, considering the fact that not all Macs, have the chips. Again, many Macs do not even have the chip, so where is the hold-up on making compatible or clone boards ? Quotes from this link: http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter10/tpm/ "Apple's TPM Keys" The media has been discussing "Apple's use of TPM" for a long time now. There have been numerous reports of system attackers bypassing "Apple's TPM protection" and finding "Apple's TPM keys." Nevertheless, it is important to note that Apple does not use the TPM. If you have a TPM-equipped Macintosh computer, you can use the TPM for its intended purpose, with no side effect on the normal working of Mac OS X." "No TPM for You! Next! At the time of this writing (October 2006), the newest Apple computer models, such as the MacPro and possibly the revised MacBook Pro and the revised iMac, do not contain an onboard Infineon TPM. Apple could bring the TPM back, perhaps, if there were enough interest (after all, it is increasingly common to find TPMs in current notebook computers), but that's another story." So, again, I must ask, where are the compatible/clone boards ? ETA : http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=65786 So, maybe the ONLY obstacle is removing the BIOS entirely and making a Mac compatible EFI motherboard. Use MacPro or iMac firmware updates on your compatible/clone board and then all is well ? Thoughts ? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/#findComment-1306452 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeHat Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 So no one has an opinion on this ? I find that hard to believe. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/#findComment-1309381 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeHat Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Bueller ? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/193181-chinese-clone-motherboards/#findComment-1313671 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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