Mac oddity · The Beige Era · 1993
Macintosh TV
A rare all-black Color Classic that doubled as a cable television, but you couldn’t show TV in a window, only full-screen. Only about 10,000 were made before it was pulled.
First (and only) all-in-one Mac with a built-in TV tuner, and the first black Mac.
Macintosh TV: key facts
When was the Macintosh TV released?
The Macintosh TV arrived on October 25, 1993. Apple discontinued it in February 1994.
How much did the Macintosh TV cost?
The Macintosh TV launched at $2,099 in 1993, about $4,576 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68030 at 32 MHz, 5 MB RAM, 160 MB storage, 14" Sony Trinitron, 640×480 + TV tuner display.
Why does the Macintosh TV matter?
First (and only) all-in-one Mac with a built-in TV tuner, and the first black Mac.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68030 · 32 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 5 MB (up to 8 MB) |
| Storage | 160 MB |
| Display | 14" Sony Trinitron, 640×480 + TV tuner |
| GPU | Integrated |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, coax (cable TV) |
| Weight | 18 kg |
| Dimensions | All-in-one (black!) |
| Operating system | System 7.1 |
| Released | October 25, 1993 |
| Discontinued | February 1994 |
| Launch price | $2,099 |
How the Macintosh TV compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 3,280× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 32 MHz, the clock is roughly 100× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
All of this storage holds about 40 modern phone photos.
Launched at $2,099 in 1993, about $4,576 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
It came with a remote control and is now a prized collector’s oddity.
Related Mac oddity models
Open the Macintosh TV in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11