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setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
I have a Dual 2Ghz Power PC G5 running OS 10.4.11

I am having problems getting either Spotify or YouTube to work.

I installed a Spotify version for older Macs (0.6.6.10gbd39032a) but when it loads it only opens in Offline mode, saying that "Connection lost/Not available in offline mode"

Also, when I load You Tube clip pages, the image of the clip appears but it doesnt show any PLAY button to play a clip.

Does this mean my G5 wont work with these because they are unsupported by Spotify/You Tube?

Thanks for any help on this, I am keen to use these apps (especially Spotify) and hope I dont have to replace my trusty old G5!!
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,610
28,372
Spotify stopped working with PowerPC Macs no less than 5 or 6 years ago if not more. If you've been using it during this time, you've been extremely fortunate.

You don't mention how you're viewing YouTube, but I do not recall there ever being a YT app so I have to assume that you're trying to view YT using Safari, or some other browser.

So, let me first state that your G5 is roughly 14 to 15 years old. As far as Apple is concerned that's pre-historic. Tiger was released in 2005, so it and all it's stock apps are 15 years out of date.

There are solutions and workarounds, but it just depends on how far you're willing to go and how much work you want to do. But I have to state up front that even then it's not going to be as good as what you'd get using a reasonably new Intel Mac or PC and the effort to get there may not be worth the result to you.
 

setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
Ah, thanks for confirming my fears/expectations! Sounds like it might be time for the G5 to go...I was only using it to stream online music to my hifi setup but while it does that job well it's age is now preventing some of the newer options like Spotify.
Yes I was trying to access Youtube via Safari/Chrome but even that is giving me grief.
I am not really tech savvy so easiest option sounds like an upgrade, which is a pity!
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,610
28,372
Ah, thanks for confirming my fears/expectations! Sounds like it might be time for the G5 to go...I was only using it to stream online music to my hifi setup but while it does that job well it's age is now preventing some of the newer options like Spotify.
Yes I was trying to access Youtube via Safari/Chrome but even that is giving me grief.
I am not really tech savvy so easiest option sounds like an upgrade, which is a pity!
I have to state that if you were using Chrome on your Mac then you do NOT have a G5. There has never been a version of Chrome that runs on PowerPC Mac, even the very early versions. So if you were running Chrome then you most likely have a MacPro.

A very easy way to tell is if your Mac has two optical drive doors in front. If it does, you have a Mac Pro (and not a G5). If that is the case, then upgrading the OS would be a start.
 

setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
Doh! My bad - I dont have Google Chrome, what I should have said was the Google search engine bar that appears in Safari!
My Safari version is 4.1.3
I am guessing it's not possible to upgrade the Safari version on my G5? Or maybe the Safari version is limited by my OS version of 10.4.11?
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,610
28,372
Doh! My bad - I dont have Google Chrome, what I should have said was the Google search engine bar that appears in Safari!
My Safari version is 4.1.3
I am guessing it's not possible to upgrade the Safari version on my G5? Or maybe the Safari version is limited by my OS version of 10.4.11?
In the case of Safari, there is Leopard Webkit, which was a project to modernize the components of Safari and Webkit. The idea was to allow for better browsing and online compatibility of stock apps that used webkit (such as Safari).

The project hasn't been updated in quite some time and the main thing here is Leopard Webkit. It means, you'd have to update to Leopard to use it.

There is a modern Mozilla based browser called TenFourFox that runs on Tiger and Leopard. It's the equivalent of the latest version of Firefox. You can find it here: http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/

Keep in mind however, that while it works, the modern web is a complicated place and a lot of sites are likely to load slowly. T4Fx is capable of showing YT video, but with a stock install of the app you're likely to see that video very slowly (if at all).

Again, there are ways around that. At the top of the forum here are two stickied threads about TenFourFox. But they require getting involved. Those work arounds I mentioned in my first post.

There are other methods to get YT working as well but they generally require a different specific app or using T4Fx in a certain manner you probably aren't going to be familiar with.

I do not mean to discourage you. This is a forum community that loves to make this stuff work and we are all here to help if we can, so if you're willing to go down the rabbit hole then you'll have us right there beside you to help you along.
 

alex_free

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2020
1,093
2,335
I have a Dual 2Ghz Power PC G5 running OS 10.4.11

I am having problems getting either Spotify or YouTube to work.

I installed a Spotify version for older Macs (0.6.6.10gbd39032a) but when it loads it only opens in Offline mode, saying that "Connection lost/Not available in offline mode"

Also, when I load You Tube clip pages, the image of the clip appears but it doesnt show any PLAY button to play a clip.

Does this mean my G5 wont work with these because they are unsupported by Spotify/You Tube?

Thanks for any help on this, I am keen to use these apps (especially Spotify) and hope I dont have to replace my trusty old G5!!

Can’t help with Spotify, but for YouTube forget about using a browser, use this app:

 
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eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,610
28,372
Can’t help with Spotify, but for YouTube forget about using a browser, use this app:

OP made this statement: "I am not really tech savvy…"

As I know nothing about the app you just mentioned, is this going to be the kind of thing OP is going to be able to use without a lot of knowledge about it?
 

wicknix

macrumors 68030
Jun 4, 2017
2,622
5,307
Wisconsin, USA
Or TenFiveTube-v2. Open app, click video, watch. :)
Still works on Tiger with a higher spec'd machine. His dual 2ghz will have no issue.
Cheers
 

z970

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2017
3,589
4,541
At the top of the forum here are two stickied threads about TenFourFox. But they require getting involved.

foxPEP does not require the user to get involved at all. Installation is a matter of clicking a button and copying a file, then enjoying Core Duo-level response on a G4 while at the same time using a bloated, purely software-rendered browser.

So as is what seems to be a trend now, I'll just leave this here...

 

setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
Thanks for the help guys...am I understanding correctly that this is a possible path to take:

1. Download TenFourFox to my G5, and then
2. Download foxPEP

I only have Safari and IE Explorer browsers, so I gather I cant go straight to FoxPEP? ie. I must download the Foxfire browser (TenFourFox) before FoxPEP?
 

Dronecatcher

macrumors 603
Jun 17, 2014
5,247
7,884
Lincolnshire, UK
Thanks for the help guys...am I understanding correctly that this is a possible path to take:

1. Download TenFourFox to my G5, and then
2. Download foxPEP

I only have Safari and IE Explorer browsers, so I gather I cant go straight to FoxPEP? ie. I must download the Foxfire browser (TenFourFox) before FoxPEP?

As @wicknix said above, if you just want to just open an app and watch Youtube with no setup, his solution is the most straightforward:


Moving forward, it would be prudent to install TenFourFox too as this is a maintained, current browser - it too will play Youtube (after you set an option in preferences which is easy - Preferences/TenFourFox/MediaSource - tick box)

Regarding Spotify that stopped working on these systems in 2018 - we were lucky to have it that long!

EDIT: Don't be under the impression your G5 is not up to the task - it is still a relatively powerful machine, it's just hobbled online due to the whole software world moving on and becoming incompatible.
There's lots it can do but alas, it does require a little research or following someone's instructions - you will find help and assistance here :)
 
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1042686

Cancelled
Sep 3, 2016
1,575
2,326
o
Thanks for the help guys...am I understanding correctly that this is a possible path to take:

1. Download TenFourFox to my G5, and then
2. Download foxPEP

I only have Safari and IE Explorer browsers, so I gather I cant go straight to FoxPEP? ie. I must download the Foxfire browser (TenFourFox) before FoxPEP?

Yes. These two steps will give you relative access to the modern web on your G5 thanks to Cameron Kaiser who maintains TenFourFox - a fantastic app and one you should install regardless. TFF will connect you to YT but the viewing experience while not bad, is not the best it can be. Using Tenfivetube Wicknix linked to should provide fluid YT playback in that app. Lots of folks around here use this.
 
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1042686

Cancelled
Sep 3, 2016
1,575
2,326
Ruh roh :D I can't confirm until I'm done cloning some hard drives on my QS - my only powermac with it installed ATM.
 

iluvmacs99

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2019
920
673
I am using a PowerMac G5 with Tiger 10.4.11 and I can say that TenFiveTube V2 works somewhat on some sites, but won't on "LIVE" sites and some music sites that has video. However, it does play music through Youtube on sites that only play music which is great at least for me. I am using it now both on my G5, but mainly on the G4 PowerBook as it got some decent stereo speakers.
 
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setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
No luck downloading TenFourFox...this "cant establish a secure connection" message happens quite often unfortunately:

1585530421916.png
 

setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
Unfortunately I cant access this forum on the G5 either (to load the TTF downloader)!
I am posting to this forum on my Windows PC, so I cant just copy the TTF downloader link and paste into the G5 (via VNC remote access)...I seem to be stuck on this "cant establish a secure connection" issue!

1585532521449.png
 

Macbookprodude

Suspended
Jan 1, 2018
3,306
898
Sorry to add to the thread, realistically how much longer will a G5 quad be useful given its over 16 years old ? Or any PowerPC Mac ?
 

wicknix

macrumors 68030
Jun 4, 2017
2,622
5,307
Wisconsin, USA
Depends on your uses or needs. If you like music production or editing videos/home movies these machines on OSX still have some of the best software available. Now, for every day use... if you aren't afraid of linux you can get many more years out of them with current security updates, up to date web browsers, newer software, etc. I still use 3 ppc macs daily (all on linux) with the dual 2ghz G5 doing most all my heavy lifting, but the G4's are great for casual browsing/couch surfing, irc chat, streaming music, etc.

Cheers
 

setfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2020
17
3
Got a spare usb stick? Download from another machine, copy to usb stick, put usb stick in the powerpc machine. ;)


Ah, of course...thanks! Great, I can now successfully access YouTube via TenFourFox! However I also downloaded and tried TenFiveTube which can play a small number of videos ok but most just show a black YouTube video screen with no play button or picture in the screen.
Is this because the TenFiveTube is no longer working properly on old Macs (mine is G5 with Tiger 10.4.11) or is there a setting change possible in TenFiveTube to lower the video display setting to 760 or lower (as I needed to do on TenFourFox to get You Tube to work)?
 
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