New PowerBook G4

[iceman45575]

Hi everybody!
This is my first time on this forum and I have a quick question to ask. I bought this PowerBook G4 on eBay. Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131875666420?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT. It has 2 GB of ram and 1.25 GHz. My question is what to do when I first get it to maximize it's speed and get it to be the best it can be. It is running Leopard. Also any suggestions for specific programs?
Thanks!

 

[pochopsp]

If you want to maximize its speed i could suggest to disable some graphical effect if you have not a powerful video card, you can do it by using the stock settings apps but also via apps such as onyx, tinkertool... they allow you also to do other things and customize your osx settings.

For general web browsing the best app is Tenfourfox, and if you look on the top of powerpc section you can find the sticked thread with the tweaks to optimize this browser. For light web browsing in my opinion the best is safari/webkit.

To watch videos the best apps are Coreplayer and vlc, the former is to watch HD videos smoothly (you can find it on this forum), and the latter recognize every video format.

To watch youtube videos the best app is PPC media center, it will allow you even to download them.

Other useful apps are Dropbox (a patched version you can find on this forum), Monolingual that allows you to delete useless files such as intel code, other languages... Spotify to listen to music in streaming, Transmission to download from torrents, Skype (patched app for powerpc you can find on the web), Flux to adjust your screen brightness automatically as time passes by... On the web you can find also the powerpc version of Openoffice.

 

[bobesch]

Yeah, pochopsp told you about the most important secrets to boost up performance ...

1) Software:
- Reduce graphical effects with Onyx and Tinkertool (plus maybe switch-off spotlight)
- "webkit for Leopard" as an alternative browser to TFF (/w "ClickToPlugin" to reduce YT video to 380p HTML5 and allow video-download in 380p)
- CorePlayer for the above 380p video-downloads (sorry, no streaming with via CorePlayer ...)
- Office2004 is faster than Office2008, but requires a free converter for docx/xlsx/pptx files.
- Tiger is faster than Leopard, and will run Office2001 and Photoshop7 lightning fast in Classic-mode (and you may find a precious of MacOS9-soft/abandon-ware at macintosh-garden.org. But: there's no boot up to native MacOS9 only with Classic-emulator)
About connectivity: webDAV (forever!), Dropbox (currently with forked client - otherwise with browser or with filesharing of another intel-mac); (S)FTP/FileSharing with Macs/PC/NAS, ScreenSharing/MS-RDP-Client/VNC/TeamViewer to connect to and steer more powerful hardware; native email-Client for IMAP, SOHO-Organizer to get in sync with iCloud iCal/Contacts.

Hardware:
- your RAM seems to be maxed out.
- mSATA with mSATA-IDE-converter (you might need "G4FanControl" to lift the temp-threshold for the mSATA up to 60°C since they produce more heat than spinning-HDD)
About mSATA: Go big or go home... 256GB allow Partitions for Leopard, Tiger/Classic and a spare partition for data.

Thats what I've learned from this fellow PPC-community at MacRumors...
Have fun!

 

[Dronecatcher]

You may or may not want to do a fresh install of Leopard (disk images available at macintoshgarden.org) - as you never know what garbage the existing install is holding - plus you can be selective about what not to install ie languages, printers drivers etc.
Onyx is an essential tool for speeding up the GUI and doing system deep maintenance - also, the app ShadowKiller in removing the drop shadows from windows speeds the interface up.

TenFourFox is the most compatible browser but it's also incredibly slow - if you use it note it cannot use Flash but on the plus side you can install add ons.
Leopard Webkit is an updated version of Safari - it has it's faults but it's much faster than TFF and can still use Flash (search this forum for the Flash hack).
Bear in mind, most websites use masses of Javascript now and this really slows down a PowerPC Mac - you can ease this to some extent with the NoScript add on in TFF - on a site by site basis you can decide which scripts to block or run.
On Webkit/Leopard from the Develop menu you can turn Javascript on/off - you will quickly see which sites can work without it.

Go to http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm and learn how to change your hosts file - this will stop many advertising pop-ups, ads, banners etc from appearing in your browser.

The quickest way to play Youtube (playing as Flash or HTML5 is incredibly slow/jerky) is with the ClickToPlugin extension in Leopard Webkit - it will open the video in Quicktime or allow you to download it in various resolutions and formats.
If using TFF, there are various Youtube downloader add ons - I use Greasymonkey combined with Viewtube. Some favour the Quicktime Enabler add on - I've found that only works for 1 in 20 videos.

PPC Media centre is essential to download and play videos from lots of alternative streaming sites.

Coreplayer is the most efficient video player for PowerPC - it will comfortably play 720P on your Powerbook and some 1080P with tweaking.
VLC is the most versatile and will play 720P with tweaking.
Avoid Quicktime for video - it's a CPU hog.

I would advise you to decide what you want to do with your Powerbook then search this forum for advice or ask directly - you will always get help.

 

[gavinstubbs09]

http://ppcarchive.dyniform.net/essentials.html

 

[hellothere231]

I've got another recommendation for a video player: XBMC (v11 Eden, last version that will run on PPC). On my 1.5ghz PowerBook, it is the only player I have that plays 720p video without stuttering, and, with subtitles (I would use CorePlayer if I could get the darn subtitles to work ).

Here's the download link: http://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/osx/ppc/

 

[Dronecatcher]

I've got another recommendation for a video player: XBMC (v11 Eden, last version that will run on PPC). On my 1.5ghz PowerBook, it is the only player I have that plays 720p video without stuttering, and, with subtitles (I would use CorePlayer if I could get the darn subtitles to work ).

Here's the download link: http://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/osx/ppc/

I agree, it's the most effective software behind Coreplayer - I've found it's choosey over hardware though, I had most success with it on my 1.33 Powerbook, it even played 1080P on that machine.

 

[iceman45575]

Thanks everyone for the replies

 

[RamCpu]

Hi everybody!
This is my first time on this forum and I have a quick question to ask. I bought this PowerBook G4 on eBay. Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131875666420?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT. It has 2 GB of ram and 1.25 GHz. My question is what to do when I first get it to maximize it's speed and get it to be the best it can be. It is running Leopard. Also any suggestions for specific programs?
Thanks!

http://powerpcaccess.blogspot.com/

installing / following everything under "start here" on the left side really helps

 

[WalnutSpice]

Hi everybody!
This is my first time on this forum and I have a quick question to ask. I bought this PowerBook G4 on eBay. Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131875666420?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT. It has 2 GB of ram and 1.25 GHz. My question is what to do when I first get it to maximize it's speed and get it to be the best it can be. It is running Leopard. Also any suggestions for specific programs?
Thanks!

This PowerBook was literally 15 minutes away from me, GG though you got it for a great price.
You can also find some nice (legit) PowerPC software here: http://www.powerpcsoftware.com