Several readers had asked I repeat my SoundJam MP 1.1 Altivec tests without converting from the 24X Apple CDROM drive (covert the file to an AIFF on the hard drive and then run the MP3 encoding tests with the source file on the hard drive). However I get an "Unknown (-223) error" when attempting to convert the audio track to AIFF. I tried increasing RAM allocated to SoundJam but it did not help. I'm running out of time as I have to return the G4 CPU upgrade to XLR8 today.

PhotoShop G4 Plugins: A post in my new G4 Forum has a comment from a reader that I hope is not true:

" I spoke with someone at Adobe yesterday about this. The G4 (i.e., AltiVec) is supported by two plug-ins to Photoshop 5.5. These are currently available only to customers who purchase G4s from Apple; they come bundled with the machine. Adobe has no current plan to make them available for download from its Web site.
Henry B. "

I find it hard to believe that Adobe would not provide these plugins for download to existing owners of PS 5.5. Note they did post a Photoshop 5 update for the PC with Pentium III SSE support so I'd expect they would do the same for the Mac and the G4. I know there are some readers that work for Adobe and welcome their comments. I'm also trying to get verification from Adobe personally.

B&W G3 ROM Flashing: I tried to reflash a 1.0x version of the B&W G3 ROM without success. Using the DropFlash utility (part of OS 8.5.x a reader said) reports that the Grackle flash protection bit is set. Putting the 'G3 Firmware' file in the root of the boot drive and trying the OpenFirmware trick (programmer switch held in, power up, then entering 'Boot HD:G3%20Firmware') results in an error that the file has the wrong client format. Since as noted previously, some reports say that OS 9 won't install without the firmware update anyway we may have to wait for a) XLR8's G4 fix/upgrade or b) the chance that Apple may release another firmware update that does work (not likely I suspect).

Speaking of the B&W G3 ROM update, Brett Harris says he has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission over the ROM update. Note that previous links here to Apple Forum messages have been deleted readers say but the gist of the support forum response was that the B&W G3s were never marketed as G4 CPU upgradeable. As noted here previously, XLR8 is said to be working on a solution to allow G4 upgrades in these models.

OWC ZIFs: Although I've not run a full series of tests I thought I'd mention that I have run Other World's 350 and 400MHz ZIF modules in the B&W G3s here without problems. I'll pop them into a CarrierZIF card as well for tests in older Macs. These are jumperless ZIFs so you have to change the motherboard jumpers on the Beige and B&W G3s for the ZIFs to run at their rated speeds. The G3-ZONE and Links page have links to articles on motherboard jumper settings (note - by lifting the tape on the jumper block you void the apple warranty). Output Enablers used to sell preconfigured jumper blocks already set for specific CPU speeds. Like any OEM/Apple ZIF, the OWC models can also be used in the CarrierZIF card from XLR8, which has a switch to set bus speeds and bus/cpu ratios on the card (see my CarrierZIF Setup Guide). The Rate Your G3 Upgrade database has reader reports on these modules as well (select 'Other World' as the card brand to see Beige/B&W G3 reports, select 'XLR8 CarrierZIF' as the card brand to see reports using a CarrierZIF card).

G3 Logic Board Upgrades: Chuck Parker sent a note that Nextro (Japanese company) lists a PowerMac G3 Upgrade Service:

"Upgrade your old Mac with the latest Apple PowerMac G3 logic board and PowerPC 750(G3) CPU. Now available for IIcx, IIci, Quadra 700, IIvx, IIvi, Centris 650, Quadra 650. Please contact us for other Mac's. "

No price is mentioned and with Apple's lowering of new G4 systems it may make more sense to just get a new system. I have no info on this company or feedback from anyone that has dealt with them.

ZIF Heatsink Clip Reminder: Several readers have reported temperature problems from having the heatsink retaining clip reversed (this is possible in Beige, B&W and CarrierZIFs). My Setup Guide to the CarrierZIF has pictures and more on this issue and it is also mentioned in the FAQ Cooling section. If the clip is reversed, the pressure point on the clip is not over the CPU part of the ZIF and temperatures will rise.

Mac Voodoo1 Drivers: A reader reported problems downloading the Power3D (Mac Voodoo1 card) drivers. I could access the Techworks page (from my links page) but trying to get the file listed there failed. It may be their FTP site is busy or temporarily down. Some mac game CDs may have the driver (Quake1 for instance) if you select to install the 3Dfx version of Quake (custom install).

Apple's Stock Hits Record High: News.com reported Friday that Apple's stock hit $73.5/share, an alltime high. Last year at this time the stock was as low as 28.5. News.com also reported a company has filed a lawsuit over the OS 9 name.

Weekend's News

SoundJam MP 1.1 G4 Tests: I downloaded the Altivec enabled SoundJam v1.1 demo and ran tests converting a CD audio file (Scorpions "Winds of Change" song) with the Genesis system and the XLR8 400MHz G3 and G4 ZIF CPU modules in a CarrierZIF card. Both cards were set to the same CPU/Cache/Bus speed (400/200/50) so the difference in times were a direct result of the Altivec instructions. The Genesis has an Apple 24X CDROM drive and the song was 5 min. 13 seconds in duration. The results are below:

A better/faster CDROM drive may have improved times, but personally I was impressed with the gain provided on this early (May 1999) stepping G4 CPU. As I mentioned previously, sources tell me early G4 CPUs have errata (term for bugs in the chip design) that probably doesn't exist in the current G4s which may offer even better performance. I've added these results as well as more G4 Specs to my G4 CPU Upgrade article.

Harold Ravlin wrote with more info on the G4 in response to my G4 vs G3 tests:

"While reading your tests on the new G4 accelerator card, I decided to check out Motorola's PowerPC web pages:

"[The 7400 is] capable of issuing three instructions per clock cycle (two instructions + branch) into seven independent execution units."

The technical summary (in PDF format) linked to from the 750's [G3] page says about the same except there are only six execution units (no AltiVec). It also states that "most integer instructions execute in one clock cycle."

These statements suggest that the chips would operate similarly at the same clock rates. Comparing the given SPECint ratings suggests the same. Since RISC chip performance is very dependent on how well compilers schedule instructions, a compiler explicitly generating code for a G4 might help. However, in retrospect, we should not be surprised by your benchmark tests.

Besides the AltiVec unit, advantages of the G4 would appear to include support for multiprocessing, larger L2 caches and a faster CPU bus bandwidth. [So far only PowerLogix has said they will ship 2MB Cache G4s, but that remains to be seen-Mike] We'll just have to wait to see if Apple will take full advantage of the new chip.

As the sage has said, "[do] not buy a rev 1". It is hard to not yearn for a G4, though. [I agree and that was my own advice-Mike]

G3 CPU Info
7400/G4 CPU Info
(Includes a JPEG image of the die).

Thanks for the site,
Harold Ravlin "

XLR8 has an update to their Cache Control:

"XLR8 has released a new version of its MACh Speed G3 Control with PowerPack software version 1.4. The latest version may be downloaded at: http://www.xlr8.com/updates/index1.html

Key benefits of this new release include:
- Improved backside cache testing and profiling
- Improved cache performance for all systems
- Motherboard cache switch
- Full support for G3 PowerBooks and upgrades
- AltiVec compatibility
- Interface Optimization.... and much more.

This download is also free to XLR8 Customers.

This software package is available for $29 to non-XLR Mac/Upgrade Users at: http://store.star-teck.com/ "

More information is available at: http://www.xlr8.com

More on Sawtooth CPU Modules: More insider reports on the AGP/G4 model CPU modules:

" The ROM is definitely on the motherboard. I got a look at a Sawtooth and the only chips on the CPU daughtercard are the PPC CPU and two cache SRAM chips. I was also able to locate the flash ROM on the motherboard.

The CPU card is no longer a ZIF. It's some new kind of connector, looks very weird. The card is quite a bit bigger and there's a lot of wasted space, which may be an indication that this new format was designed to support future cards with multiple G4 CPUs. (The ZIF was really designed as a standard for low to midrange single-CPU 603e or 750 systems, so it's not all that suitable for multiprocessor use.)"

This contradicts previous reports about the ROM location, but agrees in the fact it won't be a standard ZIF form factor. When the final systems ship we'll all know more details but according to an Appleinsider picture of the Sawtooth motherboard it is clear it won't have a standard ZIF socket. As long as the ROMs are not on the module, the possibility of 3rd party updates in the future is good.

B&W G3 ROM Clarification: Jim Downs sent a link to a MacWeek article that mentions my post here on verifying G4 CPU upgrades won't boot in a B&W G3. The author didn't read my post fully apparently as I did note the ROM versions and misinterpreted my comment on a non-updated ROM B&W G3. The G4 Upgrades work in the original ROM version shipped with the B&W G3 according to XLR8. My post actually said that in a Rev 2 B&W G3 that I had not updated (but as noted, shipped with a v1.1 ROM) also failed to boot. Here's a repeat of the post from Thursday's News:

G4 CPU Upgrade tests in B&W G3: Initial tests in my rev 1 and rev 2 with the XLR8 G4 CPU ZIF module both fail to boot. 5 tones are heard at boot only, no video or startup. I thought I had only applied the first ROM update to the rev 1 (early January build) but a check with Apple System Profiler shows the following Boot ROM versions:
• Rev 1 B&W G3 (ROM update applied): v1.1f4
• Rev 2 B&W G3 (ROM not updated): v1.1f1
  (Rev 2 has all the new features)

When I said 'ROM not updated' on the Rev 2, I meant that the ROM is the same as the one shipped in the machine, I did not apply any updates. It shipped with a v1.1 ROM not the original version from the early build. What was proven was that even the first firmware update (strangely called 1.02 even though the firmware file was v1.1 ) had the G4 CPU check intact.

I've downloaded the SoundJam MP 1.1 demo and will try to have the G4 First Look article to show results of these tests later this weekend. The Altivec support is said to dramatically improve performance.

Jim Downs sent a not regarding an Applelinks article concerning a Market Consultant comments on Mac buyers being less sophisticated. Over the years I've been constantly baffled at the opinions of Mac owners from those that use primarily PCs. I've supported, built and used PCs since the first IBM model and still prefer the Mac. Why these 'experts' seem to feel like they have to pigeon-hole Mac users into some category is beyond me...we are far too diverse to classify that easily.

Jim also sent a link to HP Lab's interesting series on Nano Technology. HP scientist Stan Williams is "working within another universe altogether, one made of molecular-sized wires and switches too tiny to see."

Muri Arnason sent a URL to Microsoft's reply to the NSA back door in Windows I noted in yesterday's news. MS says the Crypto expert's comments on both MS and NSA having a key were 'inaccurate and unfounded'.

The Game News page has a small update with links to a new Unreal map that looks like Kingpin, Unreal Tournament preview and a MacGaming article on Directplay and the MacOS.

It's the holiday weekend so news is a little light. I've got reviews of the Proformance III and OWC 350/400 ZIFs in the works (I've not forgotten, just been swamped).

If you don't check every day's daily news (updated several times a day normally) you might miss something valuable. Check the summary list below for highlights of the last few day's news and the archives page for older new page links. For a blast from the past, read what was on the news page here exactly a year ago.

Friday's News Summary

• Crypto expert says MS Windows 9x-2000 has backdoor/MS denies.
• Problem DIMMs: reader report
• PB G3 data corruption TIL
• Altivec Apps: several new programs support G4
• Soundjam MP 1.1 features Altivec support/improvements
• OS 9 & BW G3 ROMs: anon. report says ROM update reqd to install
• nVidia: No Mac Cards Planned (no TNT2/NV10, etc.)
• First Look and tests of the XLR8 G4 upgrade
• Mac Game FPS database updated
• Rate Your Mac Games database updated
• Rate Your G3 Upgrade database updated
• Other Net News

Thursday's News Summary

• Adobe to bundle PShop 5.5 Altivec plugins with Apple G4s
• Arizona Central article on Seybold Keynote
• B&W G3 ROM updater won't flash back older version
• G4 CPU Upgrade tests in B&W G3
• B&W G3 ROM revisions 1.1f1 and 1.1f4 both fail with G4 upgrade
• G4 System Memory Bandwidth details
• G4 FPU performance comments
• G4 vs PIII Poll

Wednesday's News Summary

• CDW site specials (Voodoo3, Turbomax, TrueX cdrom drives)
• Apple support person's reply to B&Wamp;W G3 ROM check comments their forums
• My initial G4 impressions in the Genesis
• G4 Systems: CPU Upgradeability
• PowerLogix announces G4 Upgrades
• Quicktime movie of the Seybold Keynote
• More reader comments on the new displays at Seybold
• Game News page updated
• XLR8 comments on G4 vs G3 performance (non-altivec apps)
• Sawtooth RAM is still PC100 (100MHz)
• G4 Performance vs G3
• More on ADB Dongles/USB adapters (new G4s don't have ADB)
• G4 Discussion forum debuts
• Seybold gallery of pictures
• No ADB on new G4s
• Mac Game Framerates database updated
• Rate Your G3 Upgrade database updated
• Rate Your Mac Games database

For other recent site news/features links, see the Sidebar to the right and the Recent Site Features page.

If you own a G3/300 or faster Mac, you might want to get our PPC Checker utility that will report if your CPU is copper or aluminum based.

Considering a G3 Upgrade? Check the CPU Upgrade Owner's Survey results and search for owner reports by Mac model and/or card brand. The database is being updated daily for new reports. Also make sure you ask your dealer about any issues with your particular mac model as I have gotten several reports of issues with certain G3 upgrades in some Mac models (Mach 5, PowerBase, 7300). I urge any owners that have had problems to report this via the Survey Form. Always give the most weight to recent owner reports (dated in the listing).

-Freq Asked Questions