clustering old and new macs

[obruin]

i have an old mac (a g5 power mac) and a new mac (an intel core duo imac)

i'm into audio production with logic and know that it in theory it is possible to cluster both devices for better performance.

is this possible with the difference in architecture between the processor types?

also in terms of a more general hardware question. audio eats disk space like no tomorrow. im thinking (dangerous) i could link up the base unit of the g5 (with pimped mirrored disks for backup purposes) to the imac and control both units from the imac's mouse and keyboard. how would i do this? thinking with a switch box to switch displays between imac and the g5 and a network hub for connectivity. is this possible or am i smoking crack?

 

[BlueRevolution]

I don't know about clustering, but you have a few choices for running multiple monitors:

If you want to connect the Power Mac's display directly to the iMac, you can use a KVM switch to change inputs. My monitor has DVI and VGA ports, so I have the DVI connected to my iMac and VGA to my iBook, and just use the input button on my monitor to switch between.

If you want to continue using your Power Mac but share the keyboard and mouse, you can use a program like Synergy or Teleport, which allow you to switch between computers simply by moving the mouse to the edge of the screen. Teleport is easier to configure, but I find it to be slightly laggy, which makes it harder to use for extended periods.

Alternatively, you can connect your iMac to the monitor and enable the Power Mac's built-in VNC server. When you need to fiddle with stuff on the Power Mac, you can just open a VNC session from Finder.

Finally, you could use ScreenRecycler to set up a virtual display on the other computer. Since the Power Mac doesn't have an integrated monitor, that's probably not a particularly useful option, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

 

[obruin]

vnc sounds good

thanx for the info vnc between my imac (my main device) and the g5 seems like the best option. but i will try the other utilities you mentioned to get the best fit.

i do have another display for the g5 but don't intend to use this for more than a glorified file server so will probably sell on the other mon due to lack of space.

thanks for advice. oh by the by logic node is how to cluster the servers together for audio production.

I don't know about clustering, but you have a few choices for running multiple monitors:

If you want to connect the Power Mac's display directly to the iMac, you can use a KVM switch to change inputs. My monitor has DVI and VGA ports, so I have the DVI connected to my iMac and VGA to my iBook, and just use the input button on my monitor to switch between.

If you want to continue using your Power Mac but share the keyboard and mouse, you can use a program like Synergy or Teleport, which allow you to switch between computers simply by moving the mouse to the edge of the screen. Teleport is easier to configure, but I find it to be slightly laggy, which makes it harder to use for extended periods.

Alternatively, you can connect your iMac to the monitor and enable the Power Mac's built-in VNC server. When you need to fiddle with stuff on the Power Mac, you can just open a VNC session from Finder.

Finally, you could use ScreenRecycler to set up a virtual display on the other computer. Since the Power Mac doesn't have an integrated monitor, that's probably not a particularly useful option, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Bear in mind that for VNC to be usable, you need a high-bandwidth connection. I suggest using a gigabit ethernet patch cable if you can.

 

[jonnytruant]

I run synergy between my C2D MBP, dual 1.8 G5, and dual 500 cube without any issues. there is only a small lag when moving the mouse between computer screens.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Yeah, I use it between my 2.66 GHz C2D iMac and 500 MHz iBook G3, and I don't notice any lag at all.