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diddy
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Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Minnesota
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 Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: Power Mac G4 |
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Okay, I just got transferred and I inhereited the old PowerMac G4 (773 mhz g4 procesor).
Since I now work in shipping, I have been given permission to do a bit of upgrading to the machine, the main theing I need is to upgrade the CD drive to a DVD burner. I want a really good one, My question is what will it cost me (range) and where could I get it.
Second, I also want to know the limits on upgrading other components (ie ram - it only has 300 or so megs of ram). If anyone knows of a sitre that can tell me this it would be greatly appreaciated. Im trying to get it ordered asap though (I'm getting a LCD screen too  )
Any help is appreciated. |
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247 Photography
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Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 875
Location: Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:26 pm Post subject: Re: Power Mac G4 |
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| diddy wrote: | | ... a DVD burner. I want a really good one, My question is what will it cost me (range) and where could I get it. |
I would get an external from mcetech. If the drive in it still works, there's no reason to remove it.
http://www.mcetech.com/ |
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diddy
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Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Power Mac G4 |
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| 247 Photography wrote: | | diddy wrote: | | ... a DVD burner. I want a really good one, My question is what will it cost me (range) and where could I get it. |
I would get an external from mcetech. If the drive in it still works, there's no reason to remove it.
http://www.mcetech.com/ |
I took a look at some good deal at OWC. Im kinda tempted though i don't know how much I can upgrade this thing. I doubt I will get a bigger hard drive. A processor upgrade is probably not going to happen. I bet I can convince him of a ram upgrade (about 1 gig) and a Burner upgrade (I need internal sadly, I think the internal one is shot).
I am defiantly getting a LCD monitor (17 inch) |
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247 Photography
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Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 875
Location: Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: Power Mac G4 |
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| diddy wrote: | | ... and a Burner upgrade (I need internal sadly, I think the internal one is shot). |
mcetech is still a good place to look, for quality and guaranteed compatibility. |
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boxcar182
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Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 100
Location: NOMA, Ca
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| Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: Power Mac G4 |
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| diddy wrote: | | Second, I also want to know the limits on upgrading other components (ie ram - it only has 300 or so megs of ram). |
You can get up to 2 Gb's of RAM in a powermac G4 if it is the graphite one, or 1.5 if it is a Quicksilver, correct me if I'm wrong here anybody.
Go to http://otherworldcomputing.com/
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Cory Cooper
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Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 765
Location: Salem, NH
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:37 am Post subject: |
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The Power Macs that came with a 733MHz G4 are:
Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) - 1.5GB RAM max
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver) - 1.5GB RAM max
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2002 EDU) - 1.5GB RAM max
Three RAM slots which take PC133 3.3v, unbuffered, 8-byte, non-parity, 168-pin SDRAM
C
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VT N0362 2x2 G5; 4GB
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QS 2002 2x1 G4; 1.5GB
128K 8 68000
8 other Macs and an Apple //e |
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diddy
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Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:46 am Post subject: |
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Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) - 1.5GB RAM max
Thats the model I have(Im about 99% sure). But its not my call oin what I can upgrade as I would prefer a new computer, but I doubt thats going to happen.
Just for your gu's info it used to be our first computer at the company.
Im definatly looking at OWC unless someone can find something that works on NewEgg since Im going to order my LCD from them. |
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CubeParts
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Joined: 26 May 2006
Posts: 143
Location: New Port Richey, Florida
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| Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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| diddy wrote: | | Im definitely looking at OWC unless someone can find something that works on NewEgg since Im going to order my LCD from them. |
I find that OWC is a great site for identifying what upgrades might be available for different systems. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to buy your upgrade from them. But, at least you can use it to find out what is out there. Having said that, I have bought several things from OWC and have always been very happy with them.
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Bobaloo
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Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 1591
Location: Huntington, New York
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| Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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You can find a superdrive for the G4. Replacing the existing optical drive takes a few minutes, remove screws, disconnect cables, slide old drive out, new drive in. I pulled out the DVD drive in my Sawtooth G4 and replaced it with a superdrive. I also added a 2nd HD and a 1.42 processor to replace the 400mhz that was in it. Also have an 867mhz Quicksilver G4 w/ superdrive that is looking for a home.
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hackersmovie
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Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 3080
Location: Maryland, U.S.A
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| Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Bobaloo wrote: | | You can find a superdrive for the G4. Replacing the existing optical drive takes a few minutes, remove screws, disconnect cables, slide old drive out, new drive in. I pulled out the DVD drive in my Sawtooth G4 and replaced it with a superdrive. I also added a 2nd HD and a 1.42 processor to replace the 400mhz that was in it. Also have an 867mhz Quicksilver G4 w/ superdrive that is looking for a home. |
Thanks Bobaloo for the Quicksilver!! You indeed get high marks in my book! 
On another but similar topic:
I have now a G4 Quicksilver that I want to use as a HTPC. I have run some preliminary tests and find that it drops fps badly when trying to view even 720p content. I was running a system status while playing the file, it showed 99% processor load and only about 100Mb of ram in use, these (QT and iStat) were the only apps. running.
My question is:
According to Apple you need at least a dual 2.0Ghz G5 to play 1080p content......is it possible to "beef" up my newly aquired G4 to play HD content? It will be the only purpose for this machine.
I have checked OWC for upgrades, they have tons, just don't know what to do first......Processor.......RAM........HD Controller.........SATA Drives.......Optical Drive (need 16x for rips)..........Video card.........?????
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Current specs:
640Mb RAM
2X Super Drive
60Gb Hard Drive
32Mb Video RAM (AGP Card)
867Mhz G4 Processor
3 open PCI slots
Thanks in advance.......
-Hackersmovie
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hackersmovie
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hwojtek
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 252
Location: a small rural village in western Poland
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:02 am Post subject: |
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| Cory Cooper wrote: | Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) - 1.5GB RAM max
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver) - 1.5GB RAM max
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2002 EDU) - 1.5GB RAM max |
All these take 2GB max. In fact, even a 450MHz G4 can take this much. I got 2GBytes of RAM in my G4s. OS X sees all of this memory, it's OS9 which doesn't work with more than 1.5GB of RAM.
| hackersmovie wrote: | | I have now a G4 Quicksilver that I want to use as a HTPC. I have run some preliminary tests and find that it drops fps badly when trying to view even 720p content. |
Get an GeForce FX5200 or an ATI9800 from a PC, flash it to Mac version and enjoy much higher framerates.
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Pleiades
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Joined: 14 Oct 2006
Posts: 3237
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| hwojtek wrote: | | Cory Cooper wrote: | Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) - 1.5GB RAM max
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver) - 1.5GB RAM max
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2002 EDU) - 1.5GB RAM max |
All these take 2GB max. In fact, even a 450MHz G4 can take this much. I got 2GBytes of RAM in my G4s. OS X sees all of this memory, it's OS9 which doesn't work with more than 1.5GB of RAM. |
While these machines will address more than 1.5GB of RAM when running OS X, these three in particular only have 3 RAM slots, which can only access 512MB DIMMs. 3 x 512MB = 1.5GB.
It's a general rule of thumb for G4 towers that each slot can take 512MB max, multiplied by how many RAM slots that machine has. The only exception is the G4 PCI (Yikes) model, which was basically a G3 Blue & White (Yosemite) with a G4 processor, which can only access 256MB per slot.
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hwojtek
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Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 252
Location: a small rural village in western Poland
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:22 am Post subject: |
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My bad.
Thanks for explaining this. I never got around a QS, not to mention its DIMM slots... I only got a G4 450 DP... 
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Cory Cooper
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Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 765
Location: Salem, NH
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| Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:53 am Post subject: |
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| hwojtek wrote: | My bad.
Thanks for explaining this. I never got around a QS, not to mention its DIMM slots... I only got a G4 450 DP... |
Then you shouldn't try to correct people that are in the know about a certain Mac and actually own one...especially by quoting their post. I understand the Power Mac G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) Dual 450 you own has four slots and can take 2GB RAM, but that was the last PM G4 until the MDD models that had four slots.
I only report the official Apple specs...from 25+ years of Apple experience.
But, no offense taken nor given...
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128K 8 68000
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