Should I keep the PM G5? iMac G4? Both?

[davidg4781]

I have a PM G5 and iMac G4, both in my signature. I recently purchased a new mini since I'm giving up my MBP and I'm wondering if I have too many Macs.

Financially, I can afford it, I guess. It's not like I'm starving but I can sell one and get a desk or display. Since I've bought them though, they've basically just sat around in the spare bedroom, and I feel bad for them.

But when I turn them on, it's like magic, and I don't want to give them away. Is this how beginning collectors feel or am I just being wishy washy?

 

[eyoungren]

It's what owning a PowerPC Mac does to you. It has nothing to do with collecting and everything to do with the great design and appeal these Macs exhibit.

I wouldn't feel too bad about keeping them and not using them every day. They still will be used. This is one of the reasons that I parceled out different duties for each of the Macs I own, instead of using one Mac for all of them.

In any case, wondering if you have too many is really not applicable here. Most of us have more than two and some of use have far more than 50.

 

[davidg4781]

When I was looking at desks (haven't had a desktop in 9 years!) I thought I could maybe get one that's ~2ft wide for the iMac and use that to play music in the living room. The kitchen would be awesome but it's way too big. Even if I picked up one with a smaller screen the base is too clunky.

I actually ordered a wifi and bluetooth cable a few days ago and I hope to put them in. I need to make sure I don't smash these. They weren't too expensive but it's a stupid mistake to make.

 

[eyoungren]

I've got a G4 taking up about 80% of one wall in our living room. My wife just decided to surrender it to me and work everything else around it.

Of course, if I didn't have six displays attached to the Mac it would probably take up far less room.

 

[MysticCow]

Why not keep both? Use the iMac G4 and place 10.4/9.2.2 on it, so you can get the best of both worlds for things like retro games and such (even though it's through Classic). Use the G5 as a 10.5 machine for classic games that need more horsepower.

If I had to choose one to keep, though, it'd be hard. Both systems have oddities. The iMac's screen could blow or the G5's liquid cooling system can leak and destroy everything in its path. I will say that I do regret giving away my iMac G4.

 

[Dronecatcher]

But when I turn them on, it's like magic, and I don't want to give them away.

Unless they're getting in the way, keep them for that reason alone.
I've got lots of vintage gizmos and feel the same about them but I don't consider myself a collector of any sorts.
I wouldn't definitely say keep the iMac - even if it's just for show - if it goes, you'll regret it!

 

[davidg4781]

I think y'all are right. And I just got a refund in my account for the bluetooth and wifi cable I ordered. I know there are dongles and such to fix it but I was hoping for an original fix.

 

[mzs.112000]

I've got a G4 taking up about 80% of one wall in our living room. My wife just decided to surrender it to me and work everything else around it.

Of course, if I didn't have six displays attached to the Mac it would probably take up far less room.

You have a G4 with 6 displays?!?! What graphics card do you have? I don't know about any PowerPC compatible card that works with more than 2 displays, unless you have multiple GPU's and a nuclear power plant in your back yard.

 

[eyoungren]

You have a G4 with 6 displays?!?! What graphics card do you have? I don't know about any PowerPC compatible card that works with more than 2 displays, unless you have multiple GPU's and a nuclear power plant in your back yard.

1 AGP ATI Radeon 9800 Pro --> 20" Apple Cinema Display and 20" HDTV
1 PCI ATI Radeon 9200 --> 17" Apple Cinema Display and 18" Gateway LCD
1 PCI ATI Radeon 7000 --> 17" Apple Cinema Display and 18" Gateway LCD.

Click on the "6 Displays" underlined link in my signature and you will see them.

 

[mzs.112000]

1 AGP ATI Radeon 9800 Pro --> 20" Apple Cinema Display and 20" HDTV
1 PCI ATI Radeon 9200 --> 17" Apple Cinema Display and 18" Gateway LCD
1 PCI ATI Radeon 7000 --> 17" Apple Cinema Display and 18" Gateway LCD.

Click on the "6 Displays" underlined link in my signature and you will see them.

That is a lot of displays(I only have 1, a 17" HP), but where is the large power plant needed to run all those displays, and the GPU's?!?

 

[eyoungren]

That is a lot of displays(I only have 1, a 17" HP), but where is the large power plant needed to run all those displays, and the GPU's?!?

LOL. It's inside the Mac. Standard issue PSU.

The way it is now…

 

[mzs.112000]

LOL. It's inside the Mac. Standard issue PSU.

The way it is now…

View attachment 567344

NASA must have been busy setting up the new Mission Control Center!!!

 

[eyoungren]

Nah, not too bad. Although my wife refers to it as Mission Control too!

Every job I've had since 1999 has required some form of IT experience because they were/are one to two man shops. So, I've gained quite a bit of experience in troubleshooting my own problems and connecting stuff. That and I'm partial towards computers and technology anyway.

My MacPro at work has three monitors. One video card though.

 

[davidg4781]

Beautiful setup. I was looking for a QS when I stumbled across my PMG5. I went on CL last night looking for G4s.... hardly any out there, just a few laptops. Maybe I'll pick one up.

 

[eyoungren]

Beautiful setup. I was looking for a QS when I stumbled across my PMG5. I went on CL last night looking for G4s.... hardly any out there, just a few laptops. Maybe I'll pick one up.

Just keep in mind that in general the MDDs will be a better performer. Both the DAs (Digital Audio) and Quicksilvers share a 1.5GB ram limitation and the early Quicksilvers are limited to seeing only 128GB drives.

There are ways around that though. For instance, I have a $10 flashed SATA card with two 1TB SATA hard drives connected to it.

 

[Altemose]

LOL. It's inside the Mac. Standard issue PSU.

The way it is now…

View attachment 567344

At any given time, do you actually have something on all six displays?

 

[eyoungren]

At any given time, do you actually have something on all six displays?

Yes.

I use specific monitors for specific things. The two Gateway LCDs by the way are circa 2001-2002 and have issues, particularly the one on the far left. They go spastic. So, I use them mainly for open windows that I don't close very often.

The rest I have specific apps dedicated to and when I need those apps open all at once is when the screens are all occupied. That's usually when I'm designing something.

EDIT: And for those wondering about power, the bill is actually not that bad. I have far more fear of the bill I get when using the A/C all day during August in Phoenix under SRP's most expensive billing period.

 

[Altemose]

I thought that I was crazy with a 17" iMac and a 20" HP monitor attached, but then it occurred to me that eyoungren has multiple video cards and six displays.