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G5 + 27" iMac

L

lastmile

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 10, 2008
118
7
Yesterday I posted a message asking if there were any graphics card with mini displayport for the G5. As expected the answer was no, you need to use a DVI->MDP adapter. I was thinking about using the G5 with my 27" iMac as the screen so I'd need the dual-link DVI version.

I've been reading about target screen mode and its seems the iMac is smart enough that it ignores the keyboard and mouse when its in that mode.

If the G5 has bluetooth I could use the same Apple wireless keyboard and mouse with it while the G5 was using the screen.

The problem is I think that while the iMac is smart enough to not react to the keyboard and mouse when I don't want it to, when I'm using the iMac the G5 will still receive input from them.

To be clear the idea here is to have both systems on at the same time, with the iMac on the desk and the G5 under it.

Can someone confirm that its actually possible to use a single wireless keyboard and mouse with two computers - with the problem that you'll be affecting both at the same time. I'm guessing a KVM with out the "V" would be needed but I haven't even started to look into whether they work with wireless stuff.
 
I don't think you can do that. Bluetooth could be paired with both, but I don't think you can have it automatically ignore input.
 
lastmile said:
Yesterday I posted a message asking if there were any graphics card with mini displayport for the G5. As expected the answer was no, you need to use a DVI->MDP adapter. I was thinking about using the G5 with my 27" iMac as the screen so I'd need the dual-link DVI version.

I've been reading about target screen mode and its seems the iMac is smart enough that it ignores the keyboard and mouse when its in that mode.

If the G5 has bluetooth I could use the same Apple wireless keyboard and mouse with it while the G5 was using the screen.

The problem is I think that while the iMac is smart enough to not react to the keyboard and mouse when I don't want it to, when I'm using the iMac the G5 will still receive input from them.

To be clear the idea here is to have both systems on at the same time, with the iMac on the desk and the G5 under it.

Can someone confirm that its actually possible to use a single wireless keyboard and mouse with two computers - with the problem that you'll be affecting both at the same time. I'm guessing a KVM with out the "V" would be needed but I haven't even started to look into whether they work with wireless stuff.
Click to expand...

There is a program that does allow this.. I need to look it up for you. I believe I found it...

Have you every looked into Teleport? You could control both Macs with one keyboard and mouse and avoid the dual keyboards altogether. Teleport does just that.. it allows you to control both macs and one keyboard plus mouse. Try it.. other than that, you will require a KVM switch.
 
A fix maybe

http://synergy-foss.org/ I think this might be what you are looking for, I have used it for a few years to control my winders, mac and linux boxes, though I have never delved to much into the blue tooth aspect of things. At any rate it might be a work around fix to get things done for you..

~Cheers
Drake

--
Sent from Equinox Dual G5/1.8/3gb/10.5.8
 
4JNA said:
if those won't do it, then how about a USB BT adapter.

plug it in to control the G5, unplug it when you go back to the iMac. just a thought, best of luck.
Click to expand...

This is a brilliant idea, and I can recommend this BT adapter personally. I've got it hooked up to my G5 and it works beautifully. I just wish I could say the same about my wireless Mighty Mouse. ;)

One caveat, make sure you're using a Magic Mouse and not a Magic Trackpad. The MTP doesn't get along too well with Leopard, unfortunately.
 
I now have two G5s on the way. A supposedly near-mint 1.8 DP/PCI-X with AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth, keyboard, and mouse and a 2.0 DC that looks like it has some wear on the case. I'll only be keeping one.

The G5 will be used to play Netflix DVDs since they now come with barcoded stickers on them which frequently make them unplayable in the iMac's slot-load drive. It will also be backup storage, starting with a 1 TB drive in the second bay and potentially expanding to an external eSATA array. The PCI-X version makes using some existing SCSI gear, including a external array with SATA drives, possible. PCIe SCSI cards are still high priced, so if I keep the DC I won't be using the SCSI stuff.

G5s usually seem outrageously priced but these were cheap enough that each one was only slightly more than the cost of decent external DVD and hard drives for the iMac. I get away from having junk hanging off the iMac and get to have a G5. :) I briefly owned a really nice 1.6 GHz a year or so ago that I'd got for $25 - seller kept calling it a G3 and her husband had just bought about 5 new Macs for the house and wanted it gone. I had no use for it at the time but the case was just so cool.

The Bluetooth adapter idea is great and it'd be easy to just stick it in the G5's front USB port. But I'm hoping to use my Logitech MX Revolution mouse which has its own RF receiver - though its got its own issues right now. There is a Bluetooth version of the MX but its sold with a keyboard and is supposedly not intended to be Mac-compatible and has some issues on Macs. So far I don't like the Magic Mouse so I'll prob be selling it.

Now I'm wondering if something like Apple Remote Desktop (but more basic) would work. I'd need access to the G5s drives including the optical drive and it would be nice to be able to run things from it while on the iMac since I do have some pre-OS X software that might work under Classic.

Another question - does anyone know if its possible to swap the guts of a DC 2.0 GHz into the case of a 1.8 GHz DP? I'd like to do that if I decide to keep the 2.0 so I could have the nice case and PCIe.
 
Screen Sharing is built right into Leopard as you can control the G5 while on the iMac. Just go to system preferences and then sharing, enable screen sharing, file sharing and DVD/CD sharing while your at it.

Sorry the Single/dual-processor and dual-core G5 guts are not interchangeable.
 
Yeah, I should have realized a swap wouldn't work since the ports are the back are different.
 
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