I might be converting to a PPC!

[davidg4781]

I have 2 PPCs, in my signature. I’m currently using a Mac mini and have the PPCs stored away now that I’m living back at home with mom. Hey, don’t judge me, I’m saving a LOT of money.

Anyway, I’m VERY tempted to purchase a new 13” MBP. The mini might go in the living room for who knows what, or be sold. Which leaves an empty desk.

I might like to get it out and have more room, but I think I may put the G4 or G5 to use. When I bought them, I didn’t get much use time after being transferred for work.

My big concern is power draw. There are 2 bedrooms on the same power circuit, and both have window unit A/Cs. Right now, everything functions. The G5 may pull too much power, but the G4 should hopefully be ok. I also need to figure a networking solution, maybe.

 

[eyoungren]

The G5 is easily the more power draw. I can say that my Quad and my 2.3DC left running 24/7 probably have added about $50 to my electric bill each month. A price I am willing to pay for the convenience - especially considering that A/C is our biggest vampire during spring and summer months in Phoenix.

As to a network solution - it just depends what you are intending to do and what you have to work with.

 

[davidg4781]

I’m going to do the iMac G4 first. The last time I used it it was stable. I’ll probably get a new keyboard and mouse, wireless. The BT doesn’t work so maybe Logitech. It’ll mostly be used for music, games, maybe some web browsing, so networking may not be needed.

I’d really like to find a wireless adaptor that plugs into the network jack vs USB. The G5 doesn’t have wireless so I can use it for other things.

I can set it up in the room with the router, then move it to the bedroom.

I just hate it sitting around doing nothing. It’s such a beautiful machine.

 

[z970]

Forgive me for asking, but what exactly do you want us to do? To me, these look like plans already set in motion.

The feeling is mutual on the G4. Gorgeous designs, but if they aren't powered off doing nothing, they're sitting idle doing nothing because the processors are too damn slow, especially when you have alternatives around, like a G5.

Personally, I can't find a use for mine besides using it just for the sake of it.

Very frustrating.

 

[davidg4781]

I have a couple of games that I can’t use on current Mac hardware. It may be short term, just a few months, then back into storage. If I had the room I’d leave it out long term.

The G5, I purchased it so I can convert VHS tapes to DVD, reading somewhere that an older version of iMovie worked best because of frame rates or something. That was what made me start looking for them, and I found a great deal on this one. But, it started freezing up. I bought a new HDD to start diagnosing the issue, but never got around to it. Internally, everything looks stock and beautiful, except for some added RAM.

 

[eyoungren]

Forgive me for asking, but what exactly do you want us to do? To me, these look like plans already set in motion.

The feeling is mutual on the G4. Gorgeous designs, but if they aren't powered off doing nothing, they're sitting idle doing nothing because the processors are too damn slow, especially when you have alternatives around, like a G5.

Personally, I can't find a use for mine besides using it just for the sake of it.

Very frustrating.

That argument could be made concerning my PowerMac G3. Even at 450mhz it's much slower than an iMac G4. But mine is put to good use as a server.

I have at least 2-3 Macs connecting to it each day from various places (home or work or elsewhere) that backup to it or I connect to it for filesharing.

It's got a SATA PCI card with a 2TB raid attached (WD Reds 7200rpm, less than a year old). I run it headless (no display/no video card) and connect via VNC. It also serves up my iTunes library over the internet.

That's the solution I came up with for it and it works pretty well.

 

[davidg4781]

That argument could be made concerning my PowerMac G3. Even at 450mhz it's much slower than an iMac G4. But mine is put to good use as a server.

I have at least 2-3 Macs connecting to it each day from various places (home or work or elsewhere) that backup to it or I connect to it for filesharing.

It's got a SATA PCI card with a 2TB raid attached (WD Reds 7200rpm, less than a year old). I run it headless (no display/no video card) and connect via VNC. It also serves up my iTunes library over the internet.

That's the solution I came up with for it and it works pretty well.

Just curious, would a mini G4 or Intel provide you with lower power consumption?

I was planning to maybe keep my mini for a home server (if I found a need for that) or DVR for home security. I don’t have the home security, yet, but would rather do my own than have AT&T or Spectrum.

 

[eyoungren]

Just curious, would a mini G4 or Intel provide you with lower power consumption?

I was planning to maybe keep my mini for a home server (if I found a need for that) or DVR for home security. I don’t have the home security, yet, but would rather do my own than have AT&T or Spectrum.

Yes, the mini would consume much less power.

Minis are actually used by a lot of server farms that sell access to them as an alternative to business. It's an inexpensive way to actually have a server for your business but not on-site. The server farms take care of the maintenance and power consumption (which you pay partly for monthly) - but you can actually buy a Mini from them if you want as part of your off-site server plans.

But the G3 is checking the box on one of my lists, whereby my plan was always to have a G3 doing server duties. I like the G3s (just the B/W PowerMacs) and have always wanted one but they are completely insufficient to meet my daily needs/requirements unless upgraded. And if I am dropping a G4 processor into my G3 I might as well just use a real G4. One of the reasons I have resisted any G4 upgrades.

 

[davidg4781]

Yes, the mini would consume much less power.

Minis are actually used by a lot of server farms that sell access to them as an alternative to business. It's an inexpensive way to actually have a server for your business but not on-site. The server farms take care of the maintenance and power consumption (which you pay partly for monthly) - but you can actually buy a Mini from them if you want as part of your off-site server plans.

But the G3 is checking the box on one of my lists, whereby my plan was always to have a G3 doing server duties. I like the G3s (just the B/W PowerMacs) and have always wanted one but they are completely insufficient to meet my daily needs/requirements unless upgraded. And if I am dropping a G4 processor into my G3 I might as well just use a real G4. One of the reasons I have resisted any G4 upgrades.

I completely understand. That’s why I have these 2. I wasn’t really aware of Apple until 2006.

But, I can’t find any accessories to these Macs! Power cables. Keyboards. I have a Cinema Display (I think that’s what it’s called?!) for the G5.

 

[eyoungren]

I completely understand. That’s why I have these 2. I wasn’t really aware of Apple until 2006.

But, I can’t find any accessories to these Macs! Power cables. Keyboards. I have a Cinema Display (I think that’s what it’s called?!) for the G5.

eBay is a great resource. People on this forum are also a great help.

If your Cinema Display is acrylic, you have the earlier version and you'll need an adapter (A1006). If it's metal and you're missing the power box then those are fairly easy to find on eBay.

Most PowerMacs of the era, except for the Dual Core Models and the Quads accept the standard PC power cable. Any newer wired Apple keyboard will work (USB) but you may not get the full features of the newer stuff.

Both the G4 and the G5 can use the wireless Magic Mouse. I have one at home and I've used it on my G4 and now on my Quad. My 2.3DC has a wireless Mighty Mouse.

There is a Bluetooth 2.0 USB adapter made by Belkin that will give any PM G3/G4/G5 that does not already have Bluetooth, BT 2.0 capability. Again, I have used it on my G3/G4 and it functions better on my Quad than the native BT so I use it there too,

Belkin F8T001 range of adapters.

 

[davidg4781]

I’ll check those out.

The display should be complete, in box. The power cables to the Macs, along with an original keyboard and mouse that came with the G4 should be in a bag somewhere. Hopefully not in the garage... it gets hot out there! I also should have 2 sets of speakers for the iMac G4, one complete in box, one loose.

I’d like to get original wifi and BT for the G5, for completeness. But I don’t mind getting a 2.0 adaptor to stay updated. The G4 has broken WiFi and BT cables inside, the deep inside ones. A few years ago I bought a replacement WiFi one, and pinched it again when I put it back together (I didn’t know, the original wasn’t set right). I can’t find a BT one, and that really bothers me.

 

[eyoungren]

I’ll check those out.

The display should be complete, in box. The power cables to the Macs, along with an original keyboard and mouse that came with the G4 should be in a bag somewhere. Hopefully not in the garage... it gets hot out there! I also should have 2 sets of speakers for the iMac G4, one complete in box, one loose.

I’d like to get original wifi and BT for the G5, for completeness. But I don’t mind getting a 2.0 adaptor to stay updated. The G4 has broken WiFi and BT cables inside, the deep inside ones. A few years ago I bought a replacement WiFi one, and pinched it again when I put it back together (I didn’t know, the original wasn’t set right). I can’t find a BT one, and that really bothers me.

The Belkin adapters I mentioned…the beauty of these things is that the Mac sees Bluetooth as native. I.e., as if you actually had a bona fide BT card installed. You get the BT icon in the menubar and everything. No drivers. Just plug it in and go.

 

[bunnspecial]

That argument could be made concerning my PowerMac G3. Even at 450mhz it's much slower than an iMac G4. But mine is put to good use as a server.

G4 towers(and G3s to a less extent) still kick butt if you're using peripherals that require interface cards.

SCSI, for example, SOO much easier on a G4 than on a G5...in fact just this past weekend I moved my dual 2.7 out of fairly active use in favor of a Mac Pro 5,1. I stuck my trust dual 1.0ghz Quicksilver running Tiger back under my desk, though, and have it set up ready to use. I still need SCSI peripherals, and they "just work" on G4s in Tiger using the right card with something like an Adaptec 2930CU(available from the factory with G3 and G4 towers).

I've never actually managed to get SCSI working on a G5. I had one promising card, but it had an impossible to find external connector. Everything else that will physically fit is dead in Leopard and KPs Tiger. Meanwhile, the cheap and plentiful 2930CU keeps chugging away just fine in Tiger on G4 towers.

 

[davidg4781]

I'm so disappointed. I decided to do a quick check to see if the BT cable was available online, time 922-5808. It was! So I ordered that, and a wifi cable... only to have my order canceled within minutes.

 

[davidg4781]

What better way to spend my day off??