New to Apple & OS X...Have Questions :)

[Montano]

I just bought a G4 and would like to upgrade some things. First off, I would like to upgrade the CDRW. Will any IDE CDRW work or do I need an Apple specific CDRW?? Where would I find an Apple specific CDRW?? Second, I would like to add an internal Zip 250. Again will any IDE Zip drive work?? Where could I find the bezel for a Zip drive?? Third, I want to add a DVD-ROM. Will it work with the installed ATI Radeon 8500, or will I need a decoder card?? And finally, I'd like to add a sound card. Will a SB Audigy work?? Or do I need an Apple specific sound card??

All help and info greatly appreciated. I've been building PC's for years, and thought it was time for a change.

 

[patrick0brien]

Re: New to Apple & OS X...Have Questions

-Montano

Wow. All good questions.

First off, Welcome.

Second off, with the release of OS X, a remarkable transormation occured at Apple. They went with industry standards (IDE, SMB, 802.11b, etc ) and dropped the proprietary nature of the previous years (OpenDarwin ).

Scary huh?

This may be easier than you think...

However I'm sure I'lll get something wrong (someone will fill us in), that's quite a laundry list.

I'll do my best...

Will any IDE CDRW work or do I need an Apple specific CDRW??

It should work just fine.

Second, I would like to add an internal Zip 250. Again will any IDE Zip drive work??

Yep!

Where could I find the bezel for a Zip drive??

Oo. Check an Apple Reseller, they can order you one. Mine was $30.00

Third, I want to add a DVD-ROM. Will it work with the installed ATI Radeon 8500, or will I need a decoder card??

Hmm. Good one.

<scratching goatee>

Oh! Uhh. Sorry, lost in thought.

Yeah, it, um. <hurm> Should work fine

And finally, I'd like to add a sound card. Will a SB Audigy work?? Or do I need an Apple specific sound card??

Before I answer, why do you wish this - for what purpose? I don't want you to waste effort...

 

[mnkeybsness]

Will any IDE CDRW work

almost every one will, check apple support to find out which are.

Where could I find the bezel for a Zip drive??

did you buy a quicksilver? cause i don't know about any of this for a new MDD.

I want to add a DVD-ROM. Will it work with the installed ATI Radeon 8500, or will I need a decoder card?

again, check the apple support pages for what drives are supported.

Will a SB Audigy work??

you WILL need a mac-specific sound card. sound blaster offers one or two, otherwise look in to M-Audio

EDIT: just as i posted, i noticed that patrick had just beat me to the first answers

 

[Montano]

Thanks guys !!

Bieng a PC user, the onboard sound always left much to be desired. Adding a sound card is automatic. Is Apple different?? I did buy a 'Digital Audio' G4......not sure exactly what that means however??

 

[andrewlandry]

the sound quality of the built in sound on a mac is a lot better than what comes with most PC motherboards. i didn't realize this until i recently inherited a PC and wondered why all of my MP3s suddenly sounded like crap (not to mention that I couldn't find an MP3 jukebox that came close to iTunes) - so i ended up moving all of my music back to my mac. i was just trying to be slick and use the pc for an mp3 jukebox and use my mac for serious stuff only. anyhow, you might still want to upgrade the sound card if you need surround sound or RCA/out or something like that. otherwise, you'll probably be plenty happy with the built in soundcard.

 

[patrick0brien]

Originally posted by andrewlandry
the sound quality of the built in sound on a mac is a lot better than what comes with most PC motherboards.

-Montano

andrewlandry is correct. Apple uses a very nice Audio I/O on the motherboard (read: very, why do you think the initial cost?). In fact so nice, as a composer, I use the built-in audio just fine.

However, if you wish to go to 24bit/96khz I/O, you will need a different hardware - though I recommend that be a FireWire I/O like the MOTU 828 or something like it.

Are you really inerested in something like that..?