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TantalizedMind

Suspended
Original poster
Feb 5, 2007
889
520
When will there be a NEW start-up chime for Macs? The one we have now has been around since '95. I know it's not a BIG deal... but changing it would be a little... REFRESHING!

:apple:
 
No one knows but I would guess that it's not very high on Apple's priorities to get changed, maybe they will change it with OS XI.
 
No one knows but I would guess that it's not very high on Apple's priorities to get changed, maybe they will change it with OS XI.

The startup sound you hear has nothing to do with the OS -- it's in the hardware (boot ROM). Apple could have easily changed it when they moved from OpenFirmware to EFI, but who cares? How often do you reboot your Mac anyway?
 
I don't really like the chime either, but I don't want my computer to play a whole jingle when I turn it on. I seldom turn off my desktop, so I don't mind much about that. I wish the laptops had no startup chime though... It's horrible when you're in quiet, public place and your MacBook makes a loud chime.
 
I don't really like the chime either, but I don't want my computer to play a whole jingle when I turn it on. I seldom turn off my desktop, so I don't mind much about that. I wish the laptops had no startup chime though... It's horrible when you're in quiet, public place and your MacBook makes a loud chime.

With pre-Intel laptops, you could press the F3 button to mute it on startup, or put headphones in. Now, neither of those things work! It's annoying. I have to mute it before restarting/shutting down now.
 
I turn on my Mac 2x a day. I wake up, turn it on. Turn it off before I leave for work. Come home, turn it on. Shut it off, go to sleep. Repeat.

I suggest using sleep a lot more often... it is better for the computer.

But I agree a new chime would be nice. I don't really care that much though.
 
Hey, has anybody heard the Car Crash easter egg on anything newer than a Quadra 950? It wasn't something you wanted to hear, but that said, it made hardware failure fun!
 
I turn on my Mac 2x a day. I wake up, turn it on. Turn it off before I leave for work. Come home, turn it on. Shut it off, go to sleep. Repeat.

Aha, that explains why you think it's getting old. For me, it's been almost 10 days since I've restarted (probably not so long compared to some other people on this forum). I see no reason to restart, really, I just have it go to sleep.
 
Hey, has anybody heard the Car Crash easter egg on anything newer than a Quadra 950? It wasn't something you wanted to hear, but that said, it made hardware failure fun!

Last Mac (that I can see "MacTracker") to have a death chime was the PowerMac G3 (All-In-One). April 98 - January 99.
 
Is it really better for the computer? It'd be on sleep for 8+ hours while I'm at work.
Yes, it is much easier on the hardware to just put the computer to sleep. The manual suggests only shutting the computer down if you don't plan on using the computer for several days: anything less, just put it to sleep.

Plus, you'll find that putting the computer to sleep uses about the same power as completely powering it off (it's a difference of about 5 watts).
 
I love the "Macintosh Chime" as I call it. My iMac makes a much better startup sound than any PC.

By the way, I think they did change it because my teacher has a PowerMac 5300 (she's 1,000, by the way, and so are her lesson plans) and whenever she starts it up, the chord sounds more like a minor chord than a major chord.

Oh, and does anyone know what chord the "Mac Chime" really is? I really want to play it on a piano!
 
Yes, it is much easier on the hardware to just put the computer to sleep. The manual suggests only shutting the computer down if you don't plan on using the computer for several days: anything less, just put it to sleep.

Plus, you'll find that putting the computer to sleep uses about the same power as completely powering it off (it's a difference of about 5 watts).

I shut mine down every night..... but it won't go to sleep.

I figure OFF is better than sitting there waiting for someone to log in with the fan running all night behind the wall my head is on. :D

The "funny" part is that since the Tornados and it was off for a few days - it nows goes to sleep while idle during the day. But last night - nope, would not go to sleep when i was going to bed.

(G4 eMac btw)
 
They've definitely refined it over the years. My iMac DV had a different tone than my Performa 630, and both my PowerBook and iMac add a richer timbre to it.

BTW I believe the chord is a simple C major, played over two octaves.
 
I love the "Macintosh Chime" as I call it. My iMac makes a much better startup sound than any PC.

By the way, I think they did change it because my teacher has a PowerMac 5300 (she's 1,000, by the way, and so are her lesson plans) and whenever she starts it up, the chord sounds more like a minor chord than a major chord.

Oh, and does anyone know what chord the "Mac Chime" really is? I really want to play it on a piano!


http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2005/05/tiny-music-makers-pt-4-mac-startup.html
 
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