Post Your PowerPC Setup

[uhmyearightok]

First three pics are of my main dual-screen Mac Pro (2010) setup;






PowerMac G3 B&W running Mac OS 9.2.2J;


2006 C2D MacBook;


2010 17" MacBook Pro


My previous main setup 2003 MDD G4 running Tiger and Mac OS 9 (now used as a secondary media center setup) which was replaced by an first-gen 20" Intel iMac (now replaced by the Mac Pro);


My old Mac mini G4 1.33GHz running Leopard (currently only used to power remote speakers via AirFoil);


For some reason that Mac mini is painfully slow at everything (much, much slower than my 1GHz DP PowerMac G4) so I can't do much with it, although I'd love to find a better use for it. I tried upping the ram from the stock 512MB to 1GB but that didn't help

I also had a PowerBook G4 17" 1GHz and iBook G3 14" 900GHz that both died (logic board failure). I still have the iBook but I scrapped the PowerBook for parts. My fist Mac notebook was a TiBook 667MHz which I disassembled and stuck the innards into a picture frame! As far as desktops go I have an iMac G4 17" 1Ghz lying around that still boots but has a dead screen (sexiest iMac IMO) and a iMac G3 running 10.4 and 9.2 that used to run a ventrilo server, among other things, that died recently during a power surge. In addition to the MDD G4 I used to own two other G4 towers (QuickSilver and the one before that, AGP Graphics?) which I gave away years ago to some friends.

Although I use Intel Macs mainly for work and school but I love my PowerPC Macs! Like some have said on this forum, they have character. There's just something about them.

Lately I've had a renewed interest in keeping my PPC Macs alive, and I ordered an eMac 1GHz (ATI Graphics) (there were newer, faster models available for sale for only $50-$80 more but I wanted a Mac OS 9.2-capable machine to replace my iMac G3). I can't wait for it to arrive! I've never owned a G5 machine so I'm contemplating on purchasing either an PowerMac G5 or iMac G5 (I welcome suggestions). I'm thinking the PMG5 would be fun to buy bare-bones and work on to get it up to desirable specs.

Thanks to this forum I found Classilla to run on my PowerMac G3 (Internet Explorer 5 for Mac hasn't rendered most web pages correctly in years) and I hope to continue to learn (and hopefully contribute) new things about PowerPC Macs going forward.

Wow, until I started typing this post I never realized how many Macs I've had in my home over the past 13 years! Which makes it even funnier that I've never had the pleasure of owning a G5-based machine. I guess it's because my last main Mac desktop (the MDD G4) was so fast and reliable that there was no need for me to replace it until the Intel-based Macs started coming out.

 

[Intell]

Alas, it slows my network down so much, the whole 802.11a stuff, it sits in my cupboard . (Spec in sig)

Most modern networks are not slowed down by b devices. If your wireless router has two or more physical antennas, then the network does not get slowed down to B speeds. And G3 iMacs have WiFi b, not a.

large bunch of text

What size is that ADC screen? 20" or 23"?

 

[uhmyearightok]

What size is that ADC screen? 20" or 23"?

It's a 23" Apple Cinema Display that I got with my MDD G4 in 2002 or 2003. Used to have two of those beauties but one cracked in an accident, and this one has served me well for all these years (was a secondary display to my 20" iMac (Intel) before the graphics card started to glitch out two years ago and was replaced with a Mac Pro).

On the left is a 24" Apple LED Display (Mini DisplayPort).

 

[jbarley]

After viewing some of these systems and seeing the various degrees of desktop clutter, (multiple keyboards mice etc) I feel compelled to comment of this software I ran across some time ago.
It is called TelePort, and what it does is let you use one keyboard and one mouse, or trackpad etc on multiple computers, no switches involved, just move the mouse cursor to the screen edge and it shifts to the next computer and brings the keyboard along with it.
Works like a charm, and it sure liberated my desktop space.

 

[uhmyearightok]

After viewing some of these systems and seeing the various degrees of desktop clutter, (multiple keyboards mice etc) I feel compelled to comment of this software I ran across some time ago.
It is called TelePort, and what it does is let you use one keyboard and one mouse, or trackpad etc on multiple computers, no switches involved, just move the mouse cursor to the screen edge and it shifts to the next computer and brings the keyboard along with it.
Works like a charm, and it sure liberated my desktop space.

Wow that's pretty cool! I'll def. have to try that out. Downloading it right now...

I wonder how it works... Does it use the network to communicate?

 

[Intell]

It's a 23" Apple Cinema Display that I got with my MDD G4 in 2002 or 2003. Used to have two of those beauties but one cracked in an accident, and this one has served me well for all these years (was a secondary display to my 20" iMac (Intel) before the graphics card started to glitch out two years ago and was replaced with a Mac Pro).

On the left is a 24" Apple LED Display (Mini DisplayPort).

Those 23" ACD's are amazing. Love mine. I've often thought that the LCD panel in it is of higher quality than the ones in the aluminum screens that replaced them.

 

[uhmyearightok]

Those 23" ACD's are amazing. Love mine. I've often thought that the LCD panel in it is of higher quality than the ones in the aluminum screens that replaced them.

Yeah I love that display it's never failed me and the humongous $100 ADC to DVI adapter I bought to keep it in service was well worth the money.

I've never owned/used the aluminum displays that replaced the Cinema Displays in 2004 so I don't know first hand, but I'm sure you're right because my 24" Mini DisplayPort LED Cinema Display is completely unreliable!

It goes black or flickers and the image becomes momentarily distorted CONSTANTLY! Sometimes it'll work no problem for a while but then when it starts it's every few minutes/seconds. It's very irritating. I wonder if there's a way to fix it? Anyway a $900 display in 2010 should not be doing that. Even my $80 20" Acer DVI LED display doesn't do that!

 

[Starfighter]

Sorry guys, I just have to introduce you... Here's "Mr. Whaaaaa?"

 

[KingKen1986]

Sorry guys, I just have to introduce you... Here's "Mr. Whaaaaa?"

LOL!!! That is awesome!

"Mr. Whaaaaa?" meet "Charlie"

 

[jsgoulding]

Most modern networks are not slowed down by b devices. If your wireless router has two or more physical antennas, then the network does not get slowed down to B speeds. And G3 iMacs have WiFi b, not a

Router only has one antenna and its noticeably slower on newer devices when the iMac g3 is online so it must be that!! Thanks for the a/b correction.

 

[micrors4racer]

Couple of my G5s

iSight

 

[jodelli]

... I understand most people are much "cleaner" than I am. I've never been one to really care if my cords were showing or how they looked.

Funny that you say that, I have a major issue with other people's cabling myself. I'm so OCD that once I have my cables exactly as I want them I zip-tie, and then use twist-ties on any dangling cables. I'm crazy. Haha.

I use self wrapping Velcro. I even wrap the heck outta my windows PCs innards.

I've always moved stuff around too often to secure cables for very long, and am not big on appearances in any event.

Just this evening my sister called up to see if I had either a spare S-Video cable or a spare monitor I could lend her.
Disconnecting an HP 19" something or other involved cutting a zip-tie, and nearly my finger. Too lazy to look for another cable in one of the parts bins.

The Velcro wrap is a great idea which I put off only because I have a bagful of zips.

BTW, this is my last remaining PPC Mac, a 1.67 Ghz G4 PowerBook. The built in monitor is getting dark in spots so I use it as I would a headless Mac Mini.

It can stay put and do the chores (printing, iPod charging, etc) plus still run a couple of legacy apps.

 

[MacPig]

My Setup

http://i.imgur.com/blXJN.jpg

(Just FYI: I'm using teleport now so I can control both Macs with just one keyboard and mouse!)

Powermac G4 Quicksilver: 733Mhz, 1.25GB RAM, 64MB Graphics card, 120GB from 3 HDDs. (looking for Dual CPU 1ghz board atm :S)
eMac Rev. 2: 1Ghz, 512MB RAM, 32MB Graphics card, 40GB HDD.

I love it, it all works so well and I only paid £8.75 for the powermac and monitor

 

[jbarley]

interesting setup, although maybe a smaller picture would be better.

 

[orestes1984]

My G5 Xserve sitting on my workbench

 

[jodelli]

In post #87 just above I posted what I said was my last PPC, a 1.67 G4 PB, using it mostly as a surrogate Mac Mini since its internal screen is getting a little tired looking.

Well this last evening our local MUG got hold of dozens of off lease and new items and we had a members only garage sale of sorts.

I picked up a wired keyboard and mouse, a wireless mouse, and for ten dollars a completely functional 1.42 G4 Mac Mini, for what purpose I don't yet know.

So here it is, together with the previously posted items.

 

[InuNacho]

My G5 Xserve sitting on my workbench

Is that not where a Xserve should be?

 

[orestes1984]

Is that not where a Xserve should be?

It's actually there at the moment until I get all the services on it to run up my media server, then I'm going to find a closet to put it in and forget about the noise it makes.

 

[Davy.Shalom]

This is my main setup. I use the crappy Planar monitor as a desktop extension when I work on lots of projects.

G5 2.3 dual processor, 14 GB RAM, 1.5 TB hard drive space. iSight, logitech x140 speakers, logitech MX 1000 laser mouse.

PowerBook G4 12" is my school companion.

 

[Davy.Shalom]

And here is the Apple History Museum... i.e. the storage room....

iMac G4
PowerBook Titanium
iBook G4
iMac G3 snow
PowerBook 170 (Lolololol)
An amalgamation of keyboards

 

[Davy.Shalom]

The eMac and then the G4 cube.

 

[nemo1617]

love my old macs

 

[SkyBell]

The eMac and then the G4 cube.

love my old macs

I'm enjoying the eMac love!

 

[AQUADock]

love my old macs

Meanwhile in Australia....

 

[orestes1984]

Meanwhile in Australia....

A wild Australian appears...