Building an iMac G4 Conversion Kit.

[SimonUK5]

Hi all,

Recently done a few 17'' iMac to monitor mods, one of them just getting a dvi plug on the end and the other actually fitting a 2008 MacMini in the bottom.

The circuit for the mod is actually really simple and you don't need expensive parts or power supply. Any power supply over 12v will do, both of these ones i used old dell power supplies and cut the ends off.

I'm toying with the idea of getting some (Maybe 10) PCB boards made that basically allow you to just add power and then plug the STOCK Display and Inverter cables in, and get a DVI out of the end. As i said the circuit is really simple, so it wouldn't be a complex board.

Is there a real interest for these, i could sell em and ship em anywhere(I'm based in the UK), and they would be around $50 i would imagine, i haven't costed it all properly yet.

Would you be interested in a 'fairly' easy kit to make your old iMac into a monitor? You would need to sort your own power supply but i can easily provide instructions for this.

Thanks

 

[minifridge1138]

I think it's really cool that you did this.

I'd be interested if I had a 19" sitting around.

 

[fhall1]

I'd be interested...$50 might be a tad high though if there's shipping to the US on top of that.

 

[gavinstubbs09]

I would love one of these. That would purposely make me go find a 17 or 20 incher G4 on ebay with a working display just for this mod.

 

[SimonUK5]

I'd be interested...$50 might be a tad high though if there's shipping to the US on top of that.

Expensive? To have a tiny number of boards (sub 20) made and Fab'd at a factory. Then make packing and print guides with them. $50 is much dude lol. I wouldn't even turn profit at $50

I'm not talking a cheap handmade board, i'm talking a board made in a factory, with SMD components, and a silkscreen layout on. This stuff takes hours to design and lay tracks and then takes a month to get made lol.

 

[lucasfer899]

Expensive? To have a tiny number of boards (sub 20) made and Fab'd at a factory. Then make packing and print guides with them. $50 is much dude lol. I wouldn't even turn profit at $50

I'm not talking a cheap handmade board, i'm talking a board made in a factory, with SMD components, and a silkscreen layout on. This stuff takes hours to design and lay tracks and then takes a month to get made lol.

To breathe new life into that unloved, albeit beautiful machine over in the corner; 30 quid is nothing.
Bring it on.

 

[bigeasy_uk]

I think $50 is a bargain, probably too cheap in my opinion. I'd be interested in at least one, a prototype board would do. Let me know if this is possible.

A 20" anglepoise screen would look awesome next to my modded G5 case and 23" cinema display.

Like Lucasfer said, It's taking something beautiful but no longer practical into something useful again.

 

[fhall1]

Expensive? To have a tiny number of boards (sub 20) made and Fab'd at a factory. Then make packing and print guides with them. $50 is much dude lol. I wouldn't even turn profit at $50

I'm not talking a cheap handmade board, i'm talking a board made in a factory, with SMD components, and a silkscreen layout on. This stuff takes hours to design and lay tracks and then takes a month to get made lol.

Sorry to get you tweaked....I was thinking the board was a bareboard "kit" the user had to buy parts for and assemble - didn't read your post well enough. For a "plug in and go" solution, it sounds reasonable.

 

[OpTic Jayex]

Do you have any pictures of them? I'd like to see something like that.

 

[pastrychef]

Just to be clear, is this the model you're speaking of? Thanks.

 

[SimonUK5]

Just to be clear, is this the model you're speaking of? Thanks.

No, thats a G5 or an Intel, the G4 looks like this.

However, i am working on making a 20'' G5 into a monitor, but lots more work yet.

Do you have any pictures of them? I'd like to see something like that.

I don't, but at the end of the week i should be able to show you a schematic and designed board off software. Plus photos of the hand point to point wired version.

Simon

 

[pastrychef]

Ah. Thanks for the clarification. Yes, I think I would be interested in one of these modules at $50. It would be great to fit a Mac Mini in to the base.

 

[madmacfan]

Hi all,

Recently done a few 17'' iMac to monitor mods, one of them just getting a dvi plug on the end and the other actually fitting a 2008 MacMini in the bottom.

The circuit for the mod is actually really simple and you don't need expensive parts or power supply. Any power supply over 12v will do, both of these ones i used old dell power supplies and cut the ends off.

I'm toying with the idea of getting some (Maybe 10) PCB boards made that basically allow you to just add power and then plug the STOCK Display and Inverter cables in, and get a DVI out of the end. As i said the circuit is really simple, so it wouldn't be a complex board.

Is there a real interest for these, i could sell em and ship em anywhere(I'm based in the UK), and they would be around $50 i would imagine, i haven't costed it all properly yet.

Would you be interested in a 'fairly' easy kit to make your old iMac into a monitor? You would need to sort your own power supply but i can easily provide instructions for this.

Thanks

I'd definitely get one, $50 works out as 30 quid a pop, so it's not bad at all.

 

[lucasfer899]

Any news?! or at least post the PCB layout as I could print one myself
Thankyou<3

 

[SimonUK5]

Any news?! or at least post the PCB layout as I could print one myself
Thankyou<3

The cheek!

Going to work on it tonight at my local hackspace actually, will post pictures

Ripped everything apart and going for a neater version as this one is hand wired

Simon

 

[pastrychef]

Cool!! Good luck!!

 

[gregounours]

I have been working on something similar

Hey there,
I have been working on something similar for a while at my local hacklab (in Belgrade). Actually the screen conversion kit would be the first step, the next one would be a NUC or raspberry pi (or any hdmi out board) adapter kit that would allow you to turn the g4 into a more modern machine a la Dremeljunkie.
I have already identified and procured the female JAE connector that matches the one coming out of the neck have been trying to locate PCB mount hdmi type A male plugs for a while but can't seem to find them.
Lwt me know if you want to join forces.

 

[gavinstubbs09]

What would be really cool is if someone converted these iMacs into complete *hackintoshes* but would run Mavericks and reroute the ports on the back to a new motherboard and stuff.

I'd totally buy one!

 

[avemestr]

Any pics or updates forthcoming?

 

[Switcher-nsk]

Any news?

Hello!

Somebody did it or no? I really want buy it!

 

[Danny Sanchez]

are you selling the modules for iMac g4

Hi there, I have an iMac g4 and I would like to buy one of the modules that you mention, please let me know how much and how long would it take you to built one, cheers, Dan

 

[Gamer9430]

In my opinion, I wish apple would bring back the design of the G4 and put the internals of a Mac Mini in it and sell it as a very cheap iMac. I honestly love the design of this computer and one day I will invest in one. But I think it would sell if they brought it back and upgraded the internals.

 

[Hrududu]

It would be cool to have Apple do that, but I would imagine the whole reason for moving away from that design was cost of manufacture. I don't think anyone would disagree that the G4 was the best designed iMac ever made, but also one that limited how large a screen could get and how much it cost to make.

 

[Gamer9430]

It would be cool to have Apple do that, but I would imagine the whole reason for moving away from that design was cost of manufacture. I don't think anyone would disagree that the G4 was the best designed iMac ever made, but also one that limited how large a screen could get and how much it cost to make.

But you have to remember that parts have dropped in price and have become lighter... If Apple took the LCD from the current non-retina iMacs, it would be light enough for the arm to support. The internals are much smaller and cost less. They could even remove the disk drive and cut the size of the base in ½... I would buy one if they did that because of how awesome it would be. I feel that apple should go back to their roots with some of their products sometimes, like a special edition of something. (30th anniversary Macintosh!!!)

 

[Hrududu]

But you have to remember that parts have dropped in price and have become lighter... If Apple took the LCD from the current non-retina iMacs, it would be light enough for the arm to support. The internals are much smaller and cost less. They could even remove the disk drive and cut the size of the base in ½... I would buy one if they did that because of how awesome it would be. I feel that apple should go back to their roots with some of their products sometimes, like a special edition of something. (30th anniversary Macintosh!!!)

Still hard to argue that assembling the base, LCD assembly, and arm is going to be more cost effective than the aluminum slab that houses the entire machine now. Cheaper than before or not, they've simplified the design so much, the the cost of machinery to build it has got to be less and the quality issues with fewer housings to worry about. I don't disagree that it would be a cool thing to own, but from a profit standpoint, it doesn't make any sense for Apple to return to that design.