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Serial Port On A iMac G5

fastlanephil

fastlanephil

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 17, 2007
1,289
274
I picked up a replacement logic board for my old iMac G5 a few years ago but I haven't gotten around to attempting the installation.

I have the last version of Opcode's Studio Vision Pro which I think will run on OS 9, which is what is on the G5's hard drive but I think Vision was developed for use with a serial port and not USB to connect to an external midi device.

Is there any possibility of being able to wire in a serial port on the G5's logic board or any other hack you can think of that might work.

If not, I probably will be able to step record using the software.
 
W

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,835
3,514
reco2011 said:
I recommend looking into USB to serial port adapters.
Click to expand...

Those contain a chip that presents the serial device to the host computer as a usb device. That won't solve OP's problem where the software expects to interface with a serial connection.
 
R

reco2011

macrumors 6502a
May 25, 2014
531
0
weckart said:
Those contain a chip that presents the serial device to the host computer as a usb device. That won't solve OP's problem where the software expects to interface with a serial connection.
Click to expand...

I see nothing in the OPs post suggesting this may not be an option.
 
R

reco2011

macrumors 6502a
May 25, 2014
531
0
weckart said:
Not even this?
Click to expand...

No. To me that means it's not native USB. It does not mean a USB to serial port adapter (which mimics a serial port) would not be an option. An adapter may not work but it would at least be worth a look. Much better than to hack a serial port onto a motherboard.
 
fastlanephil

fastlanephil

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 17, 2007
1,289
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reco2011 said:
No. To me that means it's not native USB. It does not mean a USB to serial port adapter (which mimics a serial port) would not be an option. An adapter may not work but it would at least be worth a look. Much better than to hack a serial port onto a motherboard.
Click to expand...

I think the problem is that the USB to serial adaptors are for connecting serial devices to a USB computer such as a serial printer. I think Opcode's OMS(Opcode Midi System), which is what Vision needs to talk to a midi keyboard, would have to find a serial port actually on the logic board or think there was one on it. That sort of a software hack might have been or is possible but it's doubtful if it was ever attempted because applications were just updated for USB if they survived that dark period for Apple Computer.

I could take the board to a tech person and see if it would even be possible to add a serial port. It would probably either work or not work and hopefully not disable the USB port or smoke the logic board.lol
 
R

reco2011

macrumors 6502a
May 25, 2014
531
0
fastlanephil said:
I think the problem is that the USB to serial adaptors are for connecting serial devices to a USB computer such as a serial printer.
Click to expand...
Or any other device which requires a serial port.

fastlanephil said:
I think Opcode's OMS(Opcode Midi System), which is what Vision needs to talk to a midi keyboard, would have to find a serial port actually on the logic board or think there was one on it.
Click to expand...
Perhaps it might. Which is why I recommended you look into the adapter. You can pick up a cheap one for under $10.
 
C

cjmillsnun

macrumors 68020
Aug 28, 2009
2,399
48
Bear in mind any G5 will not boot OS 9 natively. You'll be running in classic mode under OS X. If it won't work with a USB to serial adaptor, and a good quality one should work with any software looking for a serial port, then you'll either need an older Mac like a Power Mac G4 to run it, or it is time to put this piece of software behind you.
 
W

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,835
3,514
fastlanephil said:
I think the problem is that the USB to serial adaptors are for connecting serial devices to a USB computer such as a serial printer. I think Opcode's OMS(Opcode Midi System), which is what Vision needs to talk to a midi keyboard, would have to find a serial port actually on the logic board or think there was one on it. That sort of a software hack might have been or is possible but it's doubtful if it was ever attempted because applications were just updated for USB if they survived that dark period for Apple Computer.

I could take the board to a tech person and see if it would even be possible to add a serial port. It would probably either work or not work and hopefully not disable the USB port or smoke the logic board.lol
Click to expand...

Messing with the logic board is not an option. Even if you could put one in, you would have to somehow update Open Firmware so that the new hardware could be addressed. That is not trivial. That is even before you deal with drivers at the OS level.
 
fastlanephil

fastlanephil

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 17, 2007
1,289
274
reco2011 said:
No. To me that means it's not native USB. It does not mean a USB to serial port adapter (which mimics a serial port) would not be an option. An adapter may not work but it would at least be worth a look. Much better than to hack a serial port onto a motherboard.
Click to expand...

The problem is that the USB to serial adaptors are for connecting serial devices to a USB computer such as a serial printer. I think Opcode's OMS(Opcode Midi System), which is what Vision needs to talk to a midi keyboard, would have to find a serial port actually on the logic board or think there was one on it. That sort of a software hack might have been or is possible but it's doubtful if it ever was attempted because applications were just updated for USB if they survived that dark period for Apple Computer.

I could take the board to a tech person and see if it would even be possible to add a serial port. It would probably either work or not work and hopefully not disable the USB port or smoke the logic board.lol
 
fastlanephil

fastlanephil

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 17, 2007
1,289
274
ClamshellOfDoom said:
Not sure how expensive these are, but the GeeThree meets your needs. It's a non-USB serial port for G4s and G5s. It has a money-back guarantee to work with any serial device.
Click to expand...

Thanks but it looks like it won’t work with an iMac G5. Anyway the product has been discontinued.

I’ll feel lucky if I can just get the software to run.

Here’s a web page dedicated to Studio Vision Pro if anyone is curious. It had some pretty advanced features for 1998 but Gibson Guitars bought Opcode and killed it.

http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=278.0
 
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