DayStar Digital

DayStar Digital, Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Computer hardware, Electronics
Founded	1983 (1983)
Founder	Andrew Lewis
Defunct	July 1999 (1999-07)
Fate	Ceased operations
Headquarters	Georgia , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Gary Dailey, David Methven, Ted Cheney, Jerry DeAvila, Bob Hudson, Larry Knight, Irvan Krantzler, Rod Frazer, Henry Kannapell, Chris Cooksey
Products	Macintosh memory expansions, processor upgrades, Macintosh clones (Genesis MP)

DayStar Digital, Inc., established in 1983 by Andrew Lewis, initially operated as a subcontractor manufacturing electronic assemblies and circuit boards. By 1986, the company introduced memory expansion products specifically for Apple Macintosh computers, followed a year later by processor enhancements exclusively designed for Macs, beginning with the Macintosh II. From then until 1995, DayStar focused on providing upgrades across the entire Mac range, utilizing Motorola 68030, 68040, and PowerPC 601 processors. These enhancements were installed through the Processor Direct Slot or compatible adapters on models such as the Macintosh IIci. DayStar gained recognition as a premier "speed shop" for Macintosh systems, earning numerous editorial accolades and consistently ranking among the top peripheral brands. The company also established strategic collaborations with Apple, IBM, and Adobe. In 1995, DayStar was one of only three firms authorized by Apple to manufacture Macintosh clones.

FastCache

In 1989, DayStar launched the FastCache IIci concurrent with Apple's release of the Macintosh IIci. This expansion card inserted into the Processor Direct Slot and offered 64 KB of Level 2 cache—twice the capacity provided by Apple’s original. A similar FastCache model for the Macintosh IIsi was introduced in 1991.

PowerCache

The PowerCache was a processor card based on the Motorola 68030, operating at either 40 or 50 MHz, with an optional 68882 math co-processor available. It installed directly into the Processor Direct Slot on the Macintosh IIci, or through adapters compatible with the Macintosh II, IIx, IIcx, as well as the Macintosh IIsi, LC, and SE/30 models. This upgrade combined a CPU with 32 KB of Level 2 cache and an optional floating-point unit.

Turbo 040

DayStar’s Turbo 040 upgrade card featured a 68040 processor running at either 33 or 40 MHz. The 33 MHz variant offered a choice between a full 68040 or the more economical 68LC040 lacking an FPU. Both versions included 128 KB of Level 2 cache. Apart from support for the LC, this upgrade was compatible with machines supported by the PowerCache along with the addition of the IIvx and IIvi / Performa 600.

Power 601

The Power 601 upgrade card housed a PowerPC 601 processor running at either 66 or 100 MHz and incorporated a substantial 256 KB Level 2 cache. It enabled users to transition from older 68030-based Macs to PowerPC architecture through installation in the Processor Direct Slot on models like the IIci, IIvx, and IIvi / Performa 600.

High-performance Macintosh clones

In collaboration with Apple during 1995, DayStar co-developed the first dual-processor Macintosh system, which was marketed exclusively as an upgrade by DayStar. That same year, DayStar obtained an official license from Apple to manufacture licensed Macintosh clone systems and became notable for producing the only multi-processor Apple machines available at that time—most prominently, the DayStar Genesis MP dual and quad-processor systems powered by PowerPC 604 chips. The Genesis MP earned distinction as one of the most significant Macs released in 1995 and was ranked among the top 25 Macintosh models over the first quarter-century of Apple's product history. In a retrospective list published in 2020, it secured #15 among the greatest Macs ever made.

Apple’s licensing agreement for clones applied solely to Mac OS version 7; its decision not to extend this license to version 8 effectively terminated the clone initiative. DayStar Digital ceased operations in July of 1999.

Among those who played crucial roles in shaping DayStar’s marketing and engineering achievements were Gary Dailey, David Methven, Ted Cheney, Jerry DeAvila (marketing), alongside Bob Hudson, Larry Knight, Irvan Krantzler, Rod Frazer, Henry Kannapell, and Chris Cooksey (engineering).

References

• Andrew Lewis, personal recollections, 1993, 2000.