G5 With Ibm Chips Options

[rickenbacker]

From what you say, Petra, I think you need at least a 1GHz dual G4 PowerMac. That will be able to handle all the audio you mentioned, plus plug-ins etc. If you buy that, then maybe get a cheaper monitor (an AOC LM720A 17" LCD only costs something like £350 and is pretty decent, according to reviews I've seen), max out the RAM, add another HD (SCSI or IDE internal or FireWire external, 7,200rpm spindle speed, 60 or 80Gb is plenty - any larger and it gets more unstable) and the interface of your choice, that's everything you'll need for several years. Something in the region of £2,500.

Sadly, you can't do what you want any cheaper!

However, if you're prepared to be more creative (necessity, the mother of invention), you can do OK with a less powerful machine. Bounce tracks, forgo the idea of using hundreds of plug-ins, use more Midi, mix as you go, etc. I do all my music on an iBook (G3 600MHz, OS 10.2.3) and I've learnt how far I can push my processor. I've not been too disappointed/frustrated... yet!

This post has been edited by rickenbacker: Wed 5 Feb 2003, 12:16

[petra]

Thanks everyone. Now I have to go to the cave and digest all the information.

BTW, do you know a good place (on the internet (in the USA, but doesn't have to be)) to find second hand macs?

[lepetitmartien]

I can't give you the good second hand places but but be careful in the US with brokers who sell new macs for dirt cheap. Either it's grey market and no warranty, or it's a mirage waiting your check…

But if you know someone who is student or professor…

[Howard Davis]

A company called Small Dog in Vermont (I think) has a good reputation for selling refurbished Macs. I think they are at: www.smalldog.com

best wishes, Howard Davis

[jmax]

Just a little comment to add - I'm using one of the original G4's, an AGP Graphics model with a 350mhz processor and 320mg of memory, Delta 66 card and an Omni i/o interface and I can still get things done. I just installed Cubase SX last night, and was happy to see that it doesn't seem to use any more of the processor than VST/32 under OS 9. The good news too, is that I can upgrade it to 1.2 ghz with a new processor from Sonnet if I ever scrape together the cash.

Sure, I can't run a huge number of processor-intensive effects all at once, but I can still work. Remember also, when you are doing things in real-time, you're just auditioning the recording, with a close approximation of what the effects, etc. will sound like. The real work isn't done until you generate the mix. That means I can actually use lots of processing, it will just take me longer to generate the final results. So, I just have to go read a magazine instead of only having a cup of coffee.

[tremelo68]

Petra, I have a souped up beige G3 for sale if you are interested. 350MHz with lots of RAM, DVD Drive, Wired4DVD PCI card, 6MB onboard VRAM, USB/Firewire Combo Card, and an AV Personality Card (Apple's own AV input/ouput card w/s-video, audio rca, audio eighth inch stereo, and composite video). Write me if you want more info. $500. I also have other extras for it if wanted, like a Voodoo3 card, 10/100 Ethernet card, Ultra-SCSI card.

I have run Cubase VST, Logic 5, Reason, OMS, and many other audio programs on it without problems.

Scott
in Boston

[petra]

LPM, I do know 1 professor, very well, and I my self work for a university. What do you suggest? Academic discount?

The prof is without a mac, though.

[Presto]

If you work for a university, you should be eligible for Education prices for Macs. Have a look on the Apple site under Education.

[petra]

Thank you Presto. I know I can get an academic discount - it's pitifull $50, but I think that for now I'll look into buying a used mac.

Can a 400 or 500MHz dual Power Mac G4 be upgraded to let's say 1 GHz?

[Presto]

This isn't really for a Getting Started topic but it gives you an idea of what a G4 400 does.

benji479 on the French side has tested a session on a G4 400MHz PCI (I think its a mono) with a digi 001.

Created on a beta version of PT6 on OSX 10.2.3:
- 24 audio tracks (2 mins of empty audio) with 3 Eq 4 band and 1 Eq 1 band on each (total 72 4band and 24 1band)
- buffer size max and CPU use at 80%
Result: CPU at maximum but no overload

Then same session (it works) opened on PT 5.1.1 and OS 9.2.2 with same buffer size and CPU allocation
Result: even without trying play, CPU well in the red
So: had to reduce Eqs to just 2 4band and no 1band per track

Conclusion: OSX and/or PT6 more efficient
Comment from Mr T: Digidesign could have reduced the quality of digital processing (for the plugs and Direct to Disc) to improve performance - to be checked!

benji479 says: "could somebody do other tests on the beta (or even the official version). He would have tried better tests himself, but he now gets "program error occured -1119" when he tries to startup his beta PT6.

(Perhaps a monitor might like to put this elsewhere)