Thread
Barebones Digital Audio
It seems to be getting harder to find the 512KB SIMMs. Someone want to run some off using these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271605768758?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
TC524258?
These are the chips the original VRAM are built with, but in a SIP package instead of SOJ. I'm not sure one could get the SIPs to sit flat enough, but that's a good price on the memory.
Alternatively, I think one could use these (KM4216C256) to build a VRAM SIMM. These are the chips that were used on the PCI PowerMacs 1MB VRAM SIMMs, but they seem to have the same functionality, just 4 times wider, as the original chips on the 512KB VRAM:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131219842210?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271605768758?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
TC524258?
These are the chips the original VRAM are built with, but in a SIP package instead of SOJ. I'm not sure one could get the SIPs to sit flat enough, but that's a good price on the memory.
Alternatively, I think one could use these (KM4216C256) to build a VRAM SIMM. These are the chips that were used on the PCI PowerMacs 1MB VRAM SIMMs, but they seem to have the same functionality, just 4 times wider, as the original chips on the 512KB VRAM:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131219842210?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Just scored a bewdy
Picking it up tomorrow. Next up, ATX power supply hack, then an AGP video card, then transfer all my RAM and drives over from my beige and install 10.3.
I've never had a 10.3 machine before. Sweet. Or a New World ROM machine either.
I am after suggestions as to what comes after that. I want a faster CPU for starters, and I've read up on the hacks for adding CPU modules from MDD and QS machines. A dual would be nice.
Suggestions on a suitable, reasonably priced used AGP card also welcome - a dual head would be great, TV I/O capabilities too, but for now price is the winner.
Then I'd probably like to add a RAID card.
Picking it up tomorrow. Next up, ATX power supply hack, then an AGP video card, then transfer all my RAM and drives over from my beige and install 10.3.
I've never had a 10.3 machine before. Sweet. Or a New World ROM machine either.
I am after suggestions as to what comes after that. I want a faster CPU for starters, and I've read up on the hacks for adding CPU modules from MDD and QS machines. A dual would be nice.
Suggestions on a suitable, reasonably priced used AGP card also welcome - a dual head would be great, TV I/O capabilities too, but for now price is the winner.
Then I'd probably like to add a RAID card.
Nice! That looks a lot like my starter G4...
You'll need PC133 RAM for it, so unless your beige has that, you won't be able to move it into your DA G4.
QuickSilver CPUs can be installed in the DA G4, but you have to add 12 V to the 4th mounting "leg" on the module or it won't boot. Beware of the 733 MHz QS module as it doesn't have any cache. Also, some 800 MHz and 867 MHz modules in the educational models also don't have cache. I made that (expensive) mistake twice before picking up a 933 MHz module and a dual 1 GHz module.
I highly reommend dual CPUs. Go after the dual 800 or 1000 MHz modules if you can. They'll be cheaper than 3rd party upgrades, and they are plug & play (after the 12 V hack).
MDD CPUs will not work in a the DA G4.
Another way to get a cheap but capable video upgrade is to buy the supposed 8x AGP OEM video card castoffs from Power Mac G5s. I've got an Nvidia FX5200 Ultra (or whatever) and a Radeon 9600 Pro (both originally from G5s) that I modified to work in the 4x AGP slot. They work great! And both were under $50 US.
I don't know about RAID, but I think that a SATA card would be your best bet these days. Plus, OS X can do software RAIDs which are also bootable in OS X (but not recognized in OS 9).
Peace,
Drew
_________________
Power to the PowerPC!
You'll need PC133 RAM for it, so unless your beige has that, you won't be able to move it into your DA G4.
QuickSilver CPUs can be installed in the DA G4, but you have to add 12 V to the 4th mounting "leg" on the module or it won't boot. Beware of the 733 MHz QS module as it doesn't have any cache. Also, some 800 MHz and 867 MHz modules in the educational models also don't have cache. I made that (expensive) mistake twice before picking up a 933 MHz module and a dual 1 GHz module.
I highly reommend dual CPUs. Go after the dual 800 or 1000 MHz modules if you can. They'll be cheaper than 3rd party upgrades, and they are plug & play (after the 12 V hack).
MDD CPUs will not work in a the DA G4.
Another way to get a cheap but capable video upgrade is to buy the supposed 8x AGP OEM video card castoffs from Power Mac G5s. I've got an Nvidia FX5200 Ultra (or whatever) and a Radeon 9600 Pro (both originally from G5s) that I modified to work in the 4x AGP slot. They work great! And both were under $50 US.
I don't know about RAID, but I think that a SATA card would be your best bet these days. Plus, OS X can do software RAIDs which are also bootable in OS X (but not recognized in OS 9).
Peace,
Drew
_________________
Power to the PowerPC!
On many Macs I've seen that supported 512k VRAM SIMM, it's almost always a single VRAM slot and next to a RAM slot. It seems if you design the board with through hole and mount the ZIP style RAM chips on the "back" side of the board instead of the typical front, it'd avoid clearance issue with existing RAM SIMMs?
Alternately make the VRAM SIMM board taller so the chips would be more than an inch higher than usual to clear most of the typical RAM SIMMs. It might be a problem in LC style box and other low profile housing. I haven't looked inside an all-in-one LC like 550 for many years, I can't remember what the clearance are like there.
Or are there Macintosh that can use 2x 512k? Could there be a 90-degree angled connector that would allow the ZIP style package to lie flat on the PCB and still keep the overall thickness from interferring with other components?
Alternately make the VRAM SIMM board taller so the chips would be more than an inch higher than usual to clear most of the typical RAM SIMMs. It might be a problem in LC style box and other low profile housing. I haven't looked inside an all-in-one LC like 550 for many years, I can't remember what the clearance are like there.
Or are there Macintosh that can use 2x 512k? Could there be a 90-degree angled connector that would allow the ZIP style package to lie flat on the PCB and still keep the overall thickness from interferring with other components?
The 256k VRAM SIMM from my 475 is .75" tall and there's another .15" to bring it up to the level of the top of the PSU. Is there any tighter fit than in an LC case? If not, we've got .9" of PCB to work with for this. If we can't scrunch it down low enough to fit into the LC Case, what might be the next threshold for Max Headroom? ;D
I pulled the TrueVision NuVista*** out of the Magic Plastic Shoe Box of NuBus Goodness™ in order to give the ZIP28-P-400 Package a good look. These are TC524256AZ-10, But they're from Toshiba, so they're close enough for govt. work.
@trag: is there any particular reason why the ICs are flip-flopped on the 256k SIMM?
How many layers make up the VRAM SIMM PCB?
*** Thought I'd share this VideoCap/Editing Card Roundup article.
.
I pulled the TrueVision NuVista*** out of the Magic Plastic Shoe Box of NuBus Goodness™ in order to give the ZIP28-P-400 Package a good look. These are TC524256AZ-10, But they're from Toshiba, so they're close enough for govt. work.
@trag: is there any particular reason why the ICs are flip-flopped on the 256k SIMM?
How many layers make up the VRAM SIMM PCB?
*** Thought I'd share this VideoCap/Editing Card Roundup article.
.
I haven't looked at one in a while, but usually, the orientation of the chips is chosen to get the pins into convenient locations for board routing. So it might make corresponding address pins line up with each other nicely, or get all the data pins in the right place or something like that.
Both cards are dual head capable (indeed, the Radeons are even dual link DVI!).
Check it out here: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/Graphics/FX5200_Mods_for_G4/FX5200_G4mods.html
The mod is pretty radical, and in some cases may require the use of a Dremel or hack saw. I got the 9600 to fit without hacking any bits off, but the FX5200 I tried first did need to have some surgery. This is because the location of the ADC power connector on the G5 is different than on the G4...
Peace,
Drew
_________________
Power to the PowerPC!
Check it out here: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/Graphics/FX5200_Mods_for_G4/FX5200_G4mods.html
The mod is pretty radical, and in some cases may require the use of a Dremel or hack saw. I got the 9600 to fit without hacking any bits off, but the FX5200 I tried first did need to have some surgery. This is because the location of the ADC power connector on the G5 is different than on the G4...
Peace,
Drew
_________________
Power to the PowerPC!
