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TIL on Apple G3/G4 RAM and Powered USB Devices Issue: Apple has posted a TIL with details a memory issue that may occur on Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White) and Power Mac G4 computers when a self-powered USB device is attached.
= 4:00 PM Update Follows =
iMac/Maxtor Sales: While out shopping today I noticed a few sale items of interest:
- The local Sam's Club has grape iMac 333's for $699.91 now, down almost $200
from a week or so ago. They were no bargains at $899, as $100 more bought an iMac 350 with
faster CPU, 32MB more RAM, much faster/better Video chip (Rage128VR vs RagePro) and easier RAM upgrades. (I reviewed the more expensive iMac DV SE in detail last fall if you missed it.)
- The local Staples had a clearance sale on Maxtor 17.2GB IDE drives for under $113, but they
were sold out. Not sure if this was a local sale or nationwide.
More on iMac DV/CGVS Issues: Here's more info on the reader reported issue noted earlier today:
"What the user is experiencing is a known issue which arose between CVGS
and the iMac DV series. Apple has switched the means of outputting audio
from CD (and DVD) players to a purely digital format (everything is now
on board, without jumping from an separate audio cable from the player to
the motherboard) which contradicts some assumptions CVGS makes about the
hardware it is being run on. However, this problem only arises with
1) Some PlayStation titles, which
2) have RedBook audio tracks as part of the gameplay.
The good news: Apple and Connectix have been in contact regarding the
issue. Resolution may be reached in due time in the form of new firmware
update.
[Name withheld by request]
"
And another reader's comments on the problem:
"I already figured out what the problem is and talked to Connectix. Basically
any game that uses audio tracks for sound/music will crash the iMac when
the audio track tries to play. Right after the intro movie in Tetris, an audio
track begins to play which is why it crashes. Sometimes a note or two will
play before the computer dies. You can workaround this problem by using
Apple CD/DVD Driver 1.01 instead of the installed version. However, audio
CD’s wont play AT ALL even with the Audio CD player and the audio still wont
work in games. The games will not crash though. The CD’s do mount as two
separate volumes as the person mentioned.
I e-mailed Connectix about this problem and they informed me that it is a
DVD firmware problem and Apple is aware. It is possible Connectix could
create a workaround in a patch if they ever release an update. I am running
System 8.6 with all the latest updates on an iMac DV SE. I tried everything I
could, different extensions, disabling extensions, reinstalling, different
games, but the problem still persists.
-TheTroc
"
= 10:00AM Update Follows =
iMac DV/CVGS Problems: A reader reports he bought the outpost iMac DV/CVGS bundle but is having problems getting playstation games to run. From the replies in his mail Connectix believes this is an issue with the DVD drive.
"Here are emails I exchanged with Connectix technical support about the
impossibility to play Connectix Virtual Station games on the new DV
iMac. I'm aware of all the recent DVD problems to play movies on iMac
DV, and I am not happy to have to add a new problem but since I've been unable to find any report of this problem (even thought I don't think
I'm the only guy who bought the DV iMac /CVGS bundle from Outpost.com),
I thought this problem should be reported to few Mac Web sites.
Unable to run Tetris Plus, i can run CVGS, i put the Tetris disc then
i can see the introduction movie but after
all i get is a black screen and the iMac hangs up for ever.(impossible to
force-quit)
Here is all i've tried with no success (each item has been tried with
or without virtual memory, with or without auto-CD play, with or without CVGS automount extension,with or without movie option in CVGS pref and with or without OpenGL extensions):
1- OS 8.6, CVGS 1.0
2- OS 8.6, CVGS 1.2
3- OS 9, CVGS 1.2
4- OS 9, all extensions off except ATI,quickdraw and CD driver
(the minimal requirement indicated on [Connectix's] web site)
5- OS 9 + iMac DVD-ROM Update 1.0
6- same as 6 + Mac OS 9 Audio Update 1.1.
7- same as 6 + reinstall ATI driver from CVGS disk
I know CVGS and the game are OK since they worked fine on a G3/400
yosemite (I had to upgrade to CVGS 1.2). Note also that the CVGS extension doesn't work with this game on the iMac, if the extension is active (whatever OS,
ATI, CVGS Versions) the game CD just mount on the desktop (as 2 separate
disks: one called game, the other called audio) and that's it, CVGS doesn't start automatically."
I've asked him to check Apple System Profiler for the brand of his DVD drive. If any iMac DV owners are running CVGS, please contact me with your system specifics.
Turbomax/OS 9/Maxtor 27GB: After a reader commented that Apple Drive Setup didn't support a 13GB Maxtor drive attached to his Turbomax card, I ran a quick test with my 9600/350 running OS 9 and one of the under $200 27.2GB Maxtor drives from the recent Staples sale.
With the 9600/350 running the PF G4/350 card from the recent review, I put the Turbomax card in PCI slot 5 and Apple DS formatted the drive fine. I then copied the entire Cheetah Ultra2 SCSI boot disk (OS 9) and apps over to the Maxtor drive. It booted fine but when I ran a test of OpenGL games the same problem I saw with G4 upgrades and the PCI SCSI card appeared (lockups in OpenGL games if the controller was in one of the lower 3 PCI slots). It seems with a G4 upgrade in this system, HD controllers must be in the upper PCI slots to prevent hangs in OpenGL games and Soundjam MP.
More OWC/Beige G3/450 Reports: The latest updates to the Rate Your CPU upgrade database included two more Other World Computing copper G3/450 entries from beige G3 owners. It's baffling why some beige owners of the copper G3/450s reported problems (some had problems only with specific programs). Two of the latest entries reported a copper G3/450 running fine at 500MHz. OWC currently has only the Motorola (aluminum) G3/450s however, but the price is even lower at $239. I encourage owners of the Motorola G3/450 to post their results in the database, especially any owners that had problems with the copper CPUs.
There's now more than 3,100 total reports in the searchable database that covers literally every upgradeable Mac model and upgrade brand.
BF Arsenal Mod Download File Fixed: The Rainbow Six Column Issue #4 (review of Mods) has been updated to link to a replaced version of the BF Arsenal mod that fixes the unstuffing problem. Issue #5 will be posted later today.
Grim Fandango on VPC: Speaking of game news, I forgot to mention there was an interesting post in the game news page yesterday from a Game Reviews database entry of PC adventure game Grim Fandango running under Virtual PC. The game was given rave reviews on the PC and a reader noted it ran acceptably under VPC. (Note - demanding 3D/first person games do not run acceptably under VPC or RealPC even with a fast G3 and Voodoo2 card.)
Raves for Lightwave 3D v6 (Beta): Here are some comments from the latest LW 3D v6 Beta list:
"The first button I pushed is worth $495" - Paul Davies
"It's [6] hundred times easier to use." - Patrik Beck
"It's really amazing! After using [6], it feels weird to go back to
5.6. This thing is truly SWEET!" - Harlan Hill
"I’d like to report the biggest bug in LightWave [6]. I can’t turn it
off." - Tony Gilchrist
For more info on Lightwave 3D v6, visit Newtek's web site.
Software Updates:
- G4 strip v1.1.2 (no info on what's changed/fixed)
- Epson Printer Drivers in many cases have been updated for OS 9 (1/25/2000).
For instance the i740 has an update. Select your printer at Epson's Support page to see if an updated driver exists for your model.
-
VSE Update Finder 2.0
is a new version of the freeware that finds updates for any Mac program. V2.0 now supports all volumes, which are mounted in the Finder, fixes the problem that prevented building the application list on some Macs and adds AppleUpdate.com to the list of
searchable databases.
- VSE Web Site Turbo 3.0.2 fixes several minor bugs and a conflict with the Palm Desktop Extension that could lead to a crash. It also offers a new preferences option hat allows the user to filter special files.
- Mike's Phader is a shareware utility for users of AOL's Instant Messenger that changes the plain text you type into rich colorful text using HTML tags with styling options to enhance your outputted text, such as wavy, spacey, and even backwards or "pig latinized" text. (BTW: there was a story of IM being hacked in yesterday's news).
Although it's not computer related, I know many readers are digital camera buffs so I thought I'd mention an article on Canon's new 3.3 mega-pixel camera, the PowerShot S20.
= 1:45 AM Update Follows =
Since at least one reader missed the G4 updated Peak version noted in yesterday's news, the Peak 2.10 update page has a separate link to a special G4 Optimized version. Darren Shroeger later wrote that he was getting much higher transfer rates via ftp://www.bias-inc.com/pub/ than the web site.
Voodoo2 Beta5 Drivers: Almost missed the Voodoo2 B5 update.
What’s new in 1.0b5 Beta5 (OpenGL 1.0b11)
- Fixed problem with double-buffering on Rainbow Six.
- Fixed problems with darkness on Quake3 related to gamma settings.
Voodooo3 Beta 11 Drivers: 3dfx has released Voodoo3 B11 drivers.
What’s new in 1.0b11 (Beta 11)
- Star Wars: Episode One Pod Racer now runs on 3dfx OpenGL Beta 11 (please see notes in driver kit for more information).
- Added multi-monitor support (please see notes in driver kit for more information)
Beta 11 also adds support for Fog according to the docs in the download.
For a blast from the past see what was on the front page news here one year ago.
Tuesday's News Summary
- Audio Update 1.2 Pulled
- Powerforce card substitutions/reasons for low speeds
- PF G4/350 review updated to note Unreal test res.
- BitBoys 3D News
- Another Slower Win OS?
- Maxtor 40GB IDE Drive Feedback
- Latest ACard ATA/66 News
- TurboMax Support Feedback
- iMac DV Questions - see the review
- More B&W G3 Rev 1 Slave Drive Feedback
- $139 Sony 4X SCSI CDR
- Bias Peak Software Update Adds Altivec Support
- CarrierZIF 1.0 and G4 Upgrades
- Notes on OWC G3/450s
- Ratings Databases Updated
- Rate Your CPU Upgrade, Mac Game Reviews, and Mac Game/Video Card Performance searchable databases updated
- Misc Net news
- Forum Topics in G4 Forum and 3Dfx Forums.
Monday's News Summary
Saturday's News Summary
Friday's News Summary
- Bottom Line's latest weekly specials
- CDW's sale on B&W G3/450 systems/Apple LCD bundle
- Last Word on VPC USB Printing
- Rage128 Pro Cooling Fan Comments
- Rumors of nVidia Mac GeForce Drivers
- Orange Micro Firewire/USB Card Tip
- More Sound Manager Update Game Problems
- iMac DV/OS 9 Audio Update 1.2 Feedback
- VPC 3.0/OS 8.6 USB Printing
- Newer Tech GaugePro Released
- Orb Tools 1.3
- Rate Your CPU Upgrade, Mac Game Reviews, and Mac Game/Video Card Performance searchable databases updated
- Forum Topics in G4 Forum and 3Dfx Forums.
For links to older news pages see the Archives page. The recent features page has a lists reviews/articles you may have missed.
For a guide to finding answers to questions - see my Site Guide page.
Considering a CPU Upgrade? Check the CPU Upgrade Owner's Survey results and search for owner reports by Mac model and/or card brand. Readers post new entries daily and the database is updated several times a week. The current database has more than 2,800 reports and growing.
Note: Before sending tech support related questions please check the Answers to Common Questions, Troubleshooting page, Site Contents, CPU Card reviews/articles, SCSI reviews articles, Graphics card reviews, Tips/Misc, Message Boards and Help pages - in many cases the answers to your questions are there and they have far more detail than I can list in an email. For Apple G3 system info - see the G3-ZONE.
Please try the Men in Mac Help page as an alternative on requests for tech support to help me be able to spend more time on reviews and getting caught up in mail. Thanks.
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Answers!