Hello everyone ,

why am I thinking so much about NOT leaving my old G4 PCI 400 in the corner and buying some fancy G5 Dual whatever to make production music ? It must be love...

To get to the point: ... for now, I´m planning to upgrade the G4 to 1GHZ (Sonnet Encore) and 1,25 GB RAM , run OS 10.4.x (probably 10.4.9) and install LOGIC 8 Express.

Question: do you think - or know - if that´s gonna work?
I heard about a possible incompatibility of the computer and the software - too much differences in technology / software reading? Would Logic 7 work ?

What worked before was running Logic Pro 6.4 (still under the emagic flag) under OS 9.2 on the G4 400Mhz PCI with 512 RAM - except that plug-ins like Space Designer could not display correctly: still they worked.
Well, I would be really glad if someone could help me with the decision...!

Many thanks ,

Milosz

I would check system requirements at the Logic website, but I understand that you can run a DAW just fine with what you propose to do.

www.myspace.com/mortal_engines

Hi there Milosz,

All I'd say is that I've often thrown countless funds at old machines over the years - I just hate to see them become dormant. I've fought with beige cases that tried to resist upgrading and used up many days worth of time. Many of these beasts now live in my attic.
I pretty much exclusively use a fairly new MacBook which runs Logic Studio (Logic 8) very nicely along with just about everything else I use these days. A huge external FW hard drive costs so little these days so it's a bit of a no brainer really.
My big G4 733 MHz machine does my disc burning duties and is handy if I need to retrieve anything from earlier systems but to be honest, it's hardly ever on.
I'd say, spend the money on either a new iMac or Macbook if portability might be an issue. The built in iSight camera for instance is one small addition that has changed the way I work as well.
But do hang onto the old beast and as my pal says, never break up a working system.

Good luck,

midiwife.

thanks for your replies, midiwife & mortalengines,
i ´ll most probably stick to the old mac and try out whats best (and whats working) . Since I plan to use quite a lot of external audio devices (grovebox, synths and guitars) I think the CPU will do. I forgot to mention that I work with a external FW400 LaCie Disk as well.

I will be able to try to install Logic 8 express on it i a few days, keep you informed...!

"midiwife".... Now that is a clever/funny name... Bravo!

Why thank you

With that 1ghz upgrade you will have to freeze tracks with virtual instruments and effects.

Money is better spent on a new Mac Mini, vs the upgrade. The new minis are more powerful than the last of Dual G5 Powermacs Apple released.

In my opinion staying with PowerPC will lock you out of future OS updates. Leopard drops support for G3 machines, loss of G4 support can't be to away.

Not an x-spurt... And I'm not aware of the specifics of the G4 "PCI" model. but I will tell you this, the G4 Sonnet CPU 1.8GHz in my G4 AGP flies. It'll handle anything. Your PCI model should handle a max of 2GB of RAM?

I'd go for it? The CPU upgrades have dropped in price by 40% in the last 2 years, and well worth it to keep the "tank" running...

The only thing that'll be holding you back is that 100MHz bus.

If you're set on keeping your G4 Tank,... I think it'll serve you well with a 1.8GHz The smaller CPU upgrades, well maybe not? That vs of Logic Express REALLY needs a 1.25 GHz CPU?

And then RAM is the other issue. MAX it.

Bottom line, do the research online, add up the expense.... and YES, a new Mac Mini may be the best solution.

I don't need one yet though...

G4, stubborn!

AZKID

hi again,

i tried it out: installing Logic 8 Express on an (still) 450 Mhz PCI Mac with OS 10.4.11 and 1,25GB RAM does work, but ... the prog won't work. in fact, a message says: minimum CPU required is 500MHz, minimum RAM 1GB . hey , i was close !
anyway, thats the reason i would continue on that good ole' G4 with an CPU upgrade (1GHZ).

azkid, the MAC "PCI graphics" is a pre-AGP G4 model so it's only upgradeable to 1GHz (with Sonnet)
and what about this 100Mhz bus? could anyone explain why the Sonnet upgrade works only with a 66Mhz efficiency? does that reduce the actual 1Ghz CPU in any way?

thanks .!
milosz