eMac Running Mac OS 9

[Appleuser201]

For some reason.. I just love the look of an eMac running OS 9. I imagine it would be quite snappy with that G4 processor, and make for a very good Classic Mac gaming machine as well as nostalgia machine.
I don't own an eMac (yet) but if I did I would consider getting the original high end 800mhz and if it doesn't have it already, install OS 9 and get rid of any trace of OS X on it just for fun. What a great looking machine to play classic Mac games on.

Anyone got an old eMac running OS 9?
An added plus would be if it's strictly an OS 9 machine (No trace of OS X on the hard drive)

 

[repairedCheese]

I have an original 700mhz eMac, and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Oh, sure, it also runs 10.4, and even 10.5 with a little help, but it's kind of the best classic mac I've ever gotten my hands on.

There's just something about the crt that brings the whole experience together, and honestly, I can't think of anything that runs in OS 9 that needs more than the G4 can handle.

 

[repairedCheese]

And, might I add, what's a classic eMac without some games? I keep on finding more I want to add, and that lovely external firewire drive I got enables me far too much.

 

[cosmichobo]

It's no Mac Classic... but I guess it's the closest thing to one.

 

[Appleuser201]

View attachment 888513
And, might I add, what's a classic eMac without some games? I keep on finding more I want to add, and that lovely external firewire drive I got enables me far too much.

Not to mention how good OS 9 looks at 1280x960 (better than 720p HD) on that great CRT.
Great games, on a great OS, on a great screen.

 

[Amethyst1]

Not to mention how good OS 9 looks at 1280x960 (better than 720p HD) on that great CRT.

How can a screen that flickers horribly at 1280×960, due to only supporting 75 Hz at that resolution, be "great"?

 

[Appleuser201]

How can a screen that flickers horribly at 1280×960, due to only supporting 75 Hz at that resolution, be "great"?

I always run my iMac G3 at 1024x768 at 75hz, and never get eye strain, headache or notice any flickering.
It must be different for everyone.

 

[repairedCheese]

Well, if you need better, the crt in the eMac handles 1024x768 at 89hz. Also, 640x480 at 138hz feels unreal, but looks crystal clear. I can't believe this was supposed to be the cheap option, no lcd looks this good at lower resolutions.

 

[bunnspecial]

An eMac on OS 9 is fun(I have a 700mhz dual booting Leopard and OS 9-it was actually my first PPC Mac).

If you really want OS 9 fun on a CRT, though, get yourself a 17" ADC CRT. You get the benefit of an aperture grille CRT(the eMac and iMac are both shadow mask) and can push it to 1600x1200 although the refresh rate drops to 65hz. I typically run it a bit lower and get 75hz or 96hz.

The massive(and difficult to find-I was fortunate to one locally) 21" Studio Display can to 1600x1200 at 85hz, but mine has always looked a bit "fuzzy" to my eyes at that resolution. The 21" is a "flat" Trinitron in the sense that it's flat top to bottom, but still curved around the sides. The 17" is a true-flat Diamontron.

CRTs are(mostly) cheap enough now that it's worth keeping your eyes open for the good ones, and to me that means aperture grill(Trinitron or Diamontron). That reminds me that there's a 21" Trinitron headed for recycle at work that I need to snag...

 

[repairedCheese]

I technically still have it, but my old Apple Multiple Scan 20 Display is both suffering some kind of plastic decomposition, and seems to have blown a fuse, which is an absolute shame, because while it wasn't quite as good as that Apple Studio Display, it was still an amazing monitor, and sadly, I don't think I'll ever be able to replace it, or even find anything close.

Honestly though, the eMac may be the closest thing to the perfect mac, at least for me. It's retro in all the right ways, is actually capable of running fairly modern software, and has a gorgeous crt to boot.

 

[velocityg4]

I would like the eMac for my small collection. It's just too big. It certainly would be good for classic games. Pop a small SSD in it and have it boot at insane speeds.

An eMac on OS 9 is fun(I have a 700mhz dual booting Leopard and OS 9-it was actually my first PPC Mac).

If you really want OS 9 fun on a CRT, though, get yourself a 17" ADC CRT. You get the benefit of an aperture grille CRT(the eMac and iMac are both shadow mask) and can push it to 1600x1200 although the refresh rate drops to 65hz. I typically run it a bit lower and get 75hz or 96hz.

The massive(and difficult to find-I was fortunate to one locally) 21" Studio Display can to 1600x1200 at 85hz, but mine has always looked a bit "fuzzy" to my eyes at that resolution. The 21" is a "flat" Trinitron in the sense that it's flat top to bottom, but still curved around the sides. The 17" is a true-flat Diamontron.

CRTs are(mostly) cheap enough now that it's worth keeping your eyes open for the good ones, and to me that means aperture grill(Trinitron or Diamontron). That reminds me that there's a 21" Trinitron headed for recycle at work that I need to snag...

When flat screen meant a flat front CRT. Then the LCD hijacked the term. I still have my Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 19. I remember in OS 9 with the ATI Rage 128 on the PowerMac G4. It would allow for some crazy resolution like 2048x1536. Although it looked horrible. In later OS 9 releases and OS X. The highest option available was 1600x1200.

 

[Appleuser201]

An eMac on OS 9 is fun(I have a 700mhz dual booting Leopard and OS 9-it was actually my first PPC Mac).

If you really want OS 9 fun on a CRT, though, get yourself a 17" ADC CRT. You get the benefit of an aperture grille CRT(the eMac and iMac are both shadow mask) and can push it to 1600x1200 although the refresh rate drops to 65hz. I typically run it a bit lower and get 75hz or 96hz.

The massive(and difficult to find-I was fortunate to one locally) 21" Studio Display can to 1600x1200 at 85hz, but mine has always looked a bit "fuzzy" to my eyes at that resolution. The 21" is a "flat" Trinitron in the sense that it's flat top to bottom, but still curved around the sides. The 17" is a true-flat Diamontron.

CRTs are(mostly) cheap enough now that it's worth keeping your eyes open for the good ones, and to me that means aperture grill(Trinitron or Diamontron). That reminds me that there's a 21" Trinitron headed for recycle at work that I need to snag...

A working CRT monitor, especially a Trinitron, should never go to recycling.
How much better does a studio crt display look compared to the shadow mask CRT?
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I technically still have it, but my old Apple Multiple Scan 20 Display is both suffering some kind of plastic decomposition, and seems to have blown a fuse, which is an absolute shame, because while it wasn't quite as good as that Apple Studio Display, it was still an amazing monitor, and sadly, I don't think I'll ever be able to replace it, or even find anything close.

Honestly though, the eMac may be the closest thing to the perfect mac, at least for me. It's retro in all the right ways, is actually capable of running fairly modern software, and has a gorgeous crt to boot.

The great thing about the eMac is it has the ability to be both a classic machine for running classic software and games (without any emulators) and the ability to be a modern machine that can play youtube, have a modern browser, and be used as a modern day machine. It can even be used as both.

 

[Amethyst1]

I always run my iMac G3 at 1024x768 at 75hz, and never get eye strain, headache or notice any flickering.
It must be different for everyone.

It is, and on top of that, the flickering is less noticeable on a smaller screen. 75 Hz might be just acceptable on 15in (haven't tried yet) but is not on 17in, at least to my eyes.
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Well, if you need better, the crt in the eMac handles 1024x768 at 89hz. Also, 640x480 at 138hz feels unreal, but looks crystal clear. I can't believe this was supposed to be the cheap option, no lcd looks this good at lower resolutions.

I'd love to check if 1152×864 at 80 Hz is good enough for my eyes; 1024×768 is too grainy on 17in IMO. As to the eMac's CRT... the 17in mid-range Eizo CRT I bought in 1999 does 1280×1024 at 89 Hz, 1024×768 at 110 Hz and 640×480 at 160 Hz.

 

[bunnspecial]

How much better does a studio crt display look compared to the shadow mask CRT?

The 21" Studio uses the same tube as most any other "flat" Trinitron from that era, and they all look pretty similar. The one I mentioned at work is Dell branded, but I also have an SGI one in my office(with 13W3 in) and have seem Sony and a few other brands.

Around that time, there were a lot of inexpensive big shadow mask CRTs. Especially at higher resolutions, the difference between aperture grille(the Trinitron is one brand name of aperture grille) and shadow mask is night and day. A shadow mask will usually have visible "dots", while on an aperture grill you have to look closely. Also, everything is significantly more crisp on aperture grilles. The only sort of distracting downside to them is that there are usually a few large "wires" that support the rest of the aperture grille running down the center of the screen.

Of course, CRTs can be delicate, and after a small blow that's "just right" they may never look good again. My 21" has one corner that's "blurry". Both the 21" and the 17" ADC have built-in alignment tools, but if I get the "off" corner correct on my 21", the rest of the display looks horrible. Aside from the size, weight, and cost of shipping, I've had them arrive damaged. I have owned a few 17" ADCs, and had my first one shipped to me. It was working fine before shipping, and arrived with one corner seriously off color. I did everything I could try, and it got SORT OF correct when I stuck an HDD magnet on one side of the tube. We ended up turning that one in on a UPS insurance claim, and I have no idea what happened to it(UPS took it). That's the only CRT I've had shipped to me in recent history(i.e. one not bought new) and I won't do it again unless something like a 24" Trinitron and/or an Apple 2-page popped up for sale for a reasonable price and that was the only way to get it.

 

[serpico007]

I've always liked the CRT Mac's from Apple. I used to own the original iMac and miss it. Always wanted the Graphite DV model. The eMac was so nice as well and hope to get one soon.

I'm looking to pick one up but the model I found locally has only 10.4 installed and no OS9. I asked the buyer if they had included discs. I'm sure it runs ok on 10.4 but would be nice to have Classic running or pure OS9. Comes with the white pro keyboard and mouse, was this original for the time? I don't recall. I think it was.

 

[bunnspecial]

I've always liked the CRT Mac's from Apple. I used to own the original iMac and miss it. Always wanted the Graphite DV model. The eMac was so nice as well and hope to get one soon.

I'm looking to pick one up but the model I found locally has only 10.4 installed and no OS9. I asked the buyer if they had included discs. I'm sure it runs ok on 10.4 but would be nice to have Classic running or pure OS9. Comes with the white pro keyboard and mouse, was this original for the time? I don't recall. I think it was.

Before you buy it for OS 9, just make sure it's one of the models that can actually run it.

Assuming it is one that can, also make sure the HDD has the OS 9 drivers installed before you attempt to boot into OS 9. Otherwise, you can get stuck.

Beyond that, the OS 9 Lives universal install has a drag and drop version that's super easy to install. Just drag and drop the system folder onto your HDD, and you can use "startup disk" to boot off OS 9.

 

[serpico007]

Thanks for the tips. The one I'm looking at is the first gen model, 700MHz. I sort of remember the entire OS9 environment when OSX 10.0 came out when I used it on the iMac I had. If the buyer has no OS9 discs, what are my options beside sticking with 10.4?

 

[bunnspecial]

As I said, the OS 9 Lives universal distribution(I won't post a link because-IMO-it's a bit of a piracy/abandonware gray area, but you can find it easily by googling those terms) will work great on it.

 

[Amethyst1]

https://www.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/comments/6ei1ud
Just come across that.

 

[serpico007]

Very cool. I'm still debating picking up the eMac because it is a long drive from where I live. I even found an iBook G4 that I used to own back in the day. It's another long drive. I might plan a Sunday of driving and picking up these items.

 

[SnakeCoils]

I have just installed the distribution of the special OS 9.2.2 from OS9Lives site together with the modded ATi drivers and tbxli enabler on a USB 2.0 eMac with ATi 9200 GPU (32 Mb VRAM only) and while it was a tricky process the result is awesome, everything runs smooth and fast as a natively supported PowerMac.
I have also overclocked the machine from the default 1.25 MHz to 1.50 MHz (increasing the voltage from 1.350 Volts to 1.425 was also needed, otherwise the eMac boot was constantly stopped by kernel panics) and the only drawback is the absence of audio output from front speakers: this is not related to overclock, it is a known missing feature of this OS9 special edition.
The System Extensions overwrite (as requested when launching Classic from OSX 10.4) does not hurt the OS9 installation and can be done without worries.
At present I am thinking about all the possible upgrades for this machine and a more comfortable way to restore the OS9 partition from OSX instead of booting from special OS9Lives CD.
Also I admit to not have fully understood what is really needed for making a generic OS9 clean installation (like the OS9General.dmg from MDD FW400 machines for example) bootable on the eMac because the modded Mac ROM must be removed (together with the Multiprocessing folder) so it can't be essential for the System and also the "tbxi" enabler is not enough for having the OS9 partition visible in the Boot Menu (Alt key).
Anyway I would like to know if exist a way to archive and restore a bootable OS9 partition (on any PowerMac) from OSX just to avoid the annoying process CD reinstall. So far the last PPC Carbon Copy Cloner (running from OSX) was not able to make bootable copies of OS9.
I strongly hope the audio issue will be soon resolved because with video acceleration enabled the eMac is pure joy to run Os9!