Building the BEST setup for my equipment

[Protools5LEGuy]

Nice!!

Check The Machine (A little dust cleaning needed)

http://www.ebay.es/itm/222372425043

I am happy!

2 shitty 120 Gig 5400 rpm drives, unknow capture card, 1.75 Gigs of Ram and the Dual 1.8 CPU + Monitor.

A fully working g4 mac power mac. complete with wireless keyboard and mouse has Word 2008 loaded, plus tec-tools 4 , and other assorted 10.3 software discs

[MacOS Plus]

I've got that same upgrade CPU in my Quicksilver Rev.1.

[devils_advisor]

"these are pictures of the auction on eBay I won. I wonder what video-edition card is the one with the RCA jacks."

Possibly one of the aurora pipe cards

http://w01-0670.web.dircon.net/products/appleprovideo/aurora.html

[Protools5LEGuy]

I've got that same upgrade CPU in my Quicksilver Rev.1.

How do you deal with the 7447a on Mac OS 9?

Possibly one of the aurora pipe cards

http://w01-0670.web.dircon.net/products/appleprovideo/aurora.html

It seems like a old TV capture card with a tuner... At least it have antenna IN and OUT.

[MacOS Plus]

I've got that same upgrade CPU in my Quicksilver Rev.1.

How do you deal with the 7447a on Mac OS 9?

  I don't think I ever ran Mac OS 9 on it, only 10.4 and 10.5.  I'm going to see soon if it can be done though because it was always inexplicably slow in OS X, and I have better alternative machines running now for that.  The GeForce 7800 GS card will need to be swapped out for something 9-capable though.

[devils_advisor]

I've got that same upgrade CPU in my Quicksilver Rev.1.

How do you deal with the 7447a on Mac OS 9?

Possibly one of the aurora pipe cards

http://w01-0670.web.dircon.net/products/appleprovideo/aurora.html

It seems like a old TV capture card with a tuner... At least it have antenna IN and OUT.

damn that machine collected some dust. Needs a heavy cleaning.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Possibly one of the aurora pipe cards

http://w01-0670.web.dircon.net/products/appleprovideo/aurora.html

It seems like a old TV capture card with a tuner... At least it have antenna IN and OUT.

It is a Philips LifeView with SAA7135 chip http://www.lifeview.com.tw/html/products/internal_tv/flytv_platinum.htm with no modulator. It should have a Mac driver

    Windows driver is fully BDA compliant.
    Windows 2000/XP compatible drivers.
    Linux driver is available for OEM request.
    Mac driver is available for OEM request.

FM in, TV in (old school analog ), Video In (Composite), S-Video In, Audio In, Audio Out and Remote.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1580478

The dual cpu has 2 Fans with Sonnet brand. I had to take off the Multiprocessor Apple CPU Extension and it is seen as a single 1.8 G4 by now.

The Graphics Card is a Rage 128 AGP with DVI and VGA. 

Included a original Panther install CD Set, Microsoft Wireless Keyboard and Mouse set and a 17" LCD VGA

[Protools5LEGuy]

Help me sorting my stuff   

G4s

G4 Sawtooth(?) 1.8 Dual (7447 Probably) 1.75 G. Ram  3 PCI Slots, 1 less than the rest. ATI Rage 128

G4 DA GHz Dual (7455) 1 G. Ram Geforce4MX

G4 MDD 867 Dual 2 G. Ram Geforce4MX

G4 MDD 867 Dual 1 G. Ram Asus Geforce2

G4 QS 733 0.5 G Ram ATI 7500

G3 B&W rev.1 @450 0.25 G. Ram 2 ATI Rage 128




Toys to spare on them.

2 Digi 001 (9-Panther)

1 Audiomedia (9-Panther)

1 Audiophile 24/96 (9-Leo)

1 M-Box (9-Leo)

1 StudIO (9 only)

1 XsKey (Logic Platinum 4 to 7)

1 UAD-1 pci with no extra plugs.

1 Berhinger BCF2000 (Panther-Leo)


Storage Cards


Seritek 2se4 (Tiger-Leo)

Sonnet Tempo 66



I shouldn`t have more than 3 G4s aside my hackintosh. But I am open to use 4-5.

The Idea is have maximum polyphony spreading V.I. across them.

Only Logic or Protools as DAW.

VI will be EXS24, Kontakt, Sampletank and Reason mainly.

[Protools5LEGuy]

I have decided to build and use only 3, the most powerful ones.

The Dual 1.8 is equiped now with a GeForce 4 MX, the UAD PCI, Digi 001 and M-Audio 24/96, but it refusses to boot now to Mac OS9, probably too much for the 100 MHz bus, so I will try to find why now it doesn't. With the ATI Rage 128 AGP (DVI+VGA) and no PCI cards it booted. Now it hangs when stuffit finish loading the Instant DAW.

The DA will go to garage spares. The Dual GHz CPU is now mounted on a Quicksilver with 1.5 Gigs of RAM. And One Digi 001. And a M-Box for Leopard/Logic. It keeps a GeForce 4MX.

My Dual 867MDD will have the AudioMedia III. 2Gigs of RAM and the Asus GeForce 2 MX 64 Mg. It will have the Edirol UM-1 also for USBtoMIDI.

Little time to test the Seritek 2SE4. It needs the drives to be "repowered". I mean, turned off and on to be recognized (?) And It only works Tiger/Leo, so I will try it later. Also the StudIO will be stored for later.

The 2 Digi 001 will feed the Focusrite LS56 ADAT and the AM-III the SPDIF.

The MDD onboard sound (Usefull for Leopard) will be analog wired to some INS, still to be decided.

I have to decide still if the Sawtooth is clogged by all the cards. Maybe the UAD will go on the QS or the Sawtooth. Also the 24/96. Going to try if it the sawtooth boot to 9 with the ATI 7500 or the Rage 128. Mac OS X will suffer in performance, but I really want to use the Dual 1.8 in Mac OS 9, even as a 1.8 solo.

[Protools5LEGuy]

Possibly one of the aurora pipe cards

http://w01-0670.web.dircon.net/products/appleprovideo/aurora.html

It seems like a old TV capture card with a tuner... At least it have antenna IN and OUT.

It is a Philips LifeView with SAA7135 chip http://www.lifeview.com.tw/html/products/internal_tv/flytv_platinum.htm with no modulator. It should have a Mac driver

    Windows driver is fully BDA compliant.
    Windows 2000/XP compatible drivers.
    Linux driver is available for OEM request.
    Mac driver is available for OEM request.

FM in, TV in (old school analog ), Video In (Composite), S-Video In, Audio In, Audio Out and Remote.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1580478

The card is also called AlchemyTV DVR
https://eshop.macsales.com/Descriptions/alchemytvdvr_faq.html

Q: Will AlchemyTV DVR work with a US Cable TV box?
A: The NTSC version is fully compatible with cable boxes that have an analogue output. If you have a digital cable box, you will have to connect it to the AlchemyTV via the S-VHS input and change programme using the cable box.

Q: Will AlchemyTV DVR wake up my PowerMac to start recording?
A: This feature is not yet implemented. We plan to add this to the DVR software in the future if it is technically possible.

Q: What QuickTime codec's are supported by the Alchemy software?
A: All QuickTime codec's are selectable, however due to processing power constraints on some Macs, MJPEG and MPEG-4 will probably give the best results. Capturing straight to DV-25 or higher is not recommended.

Q: Does AlchemyTV DVR support the French TV signals (Secam)?
A: Yes, the European version of the AlchemyTV DVR supports Secam.

Q: Is AlchemyTV DVR compatible with Mac OS 9.x?
A: No, the software is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2 and higher only.

Q: What is the maximum viewing size?
A: The full viewing size of AlchemyTV for PAL footage is 752*576 and 640*480 for NTSC. A G4/400 processor is usually sufficiently powerful to watch TV in full screen mode.

Q: What is the size of captured videos
A: Capturing videos to your hard drive requires significantly more processing power than just viewing them. Slower PowerMacs should use the M-JPEG codec for best results. Faster PowerMacs can use the MPEG-4 codec. A PowerMac G4 Dual 800 MHz can capture a M-JPEG movie in 752*576 at 25 fps.

Q: Can I capture straight into iMovie?
A: No, iMovie requires a DV source like a digital camcorder or a Director's Cut 'Take 2' . AlchemyTV can create some types of editable files (M-JPEG for example) that can be opened in Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere for limited editing. It is also possible to import M-JPEG files into iMovie, however this process can be rather long and slow and not ideal in terms of quality. For serious video editing a Director's Cut 'Take 2' is a far better choice.

[truitecuite]

Haven't followed all the conversation, but...

To record audio, any G4 will do. Digi001 is an excellent, very stable daw. Plus, it has low latency while recording, which is very important. The preamps and the converters of digidesigns hardware are shitty. And, for speed, a mac G4 MDD 1.25 Ghz is the best, but noisy. A pro setup has to have good preamps and good converters. As most of us will record on Shure sm57, sm7b, sm58 (great mics with a good preamp) the best choice for a pre is API A2D. Great match between mics and pre's. In fact, that's all you need. There will alway's be limitations with old G4's and mac OS9, but it allow you to put the money where it counts. A digi001 card is very cheap, as are the MDD's.

My 2 cents on the subject.

Happy recording!

[mrhappy]

"Mac driver is available for OEM request."

So are you going to 'request' a Mac driver so you can watch some Bay Watch re-runs on that thing!?? 

[Protools5LEGuy]

Shit, I am a year older and my studio isn't finished yet.

One of my MDD is unreliable. I will send to the garage for spare handles/PSU. One out. 

One digi 001 lost sync. I consider it almost dead.  A shame, because it has aftermarket mods on the clock (not the clasical ecliptek , but a SARONIX for 22k I mean 44.1k))

The Sawtooth dual 1.8 is 7447 1.75G RAM and i have no clue how to deal with PCI+OS9. It boots 9 with the cpu-multi extension out. It sports a Seritek 2se4. Will be a Logic 8-9 EXS24 MIDI-networked using the Audiophile24/96 analog out to the Focusrite analog ins. I think it is my best G4 machine and gave a Nvidia 4MX. I had also made a drive with Panther+Protools6LE for the case I need a 16 tracks (pull out the AP24/96 for the 001) to be recorded outside for a gig. It is my "lighter" G4.

The Digital Audio 1.5G RAM has recieved back the GHz dual CPU card and a nVidia 4MX. It has the Digi 001 and will have a Tiger-Leo boot for my new M-Box mainly for its (Protools8) VI. It also has the DieHard Instant DAW+PT5Le for OS9. I find Panther as a good OS for Digi 001+Protools6. The 001 is ADAT wired to the Focusrite (To allow the LS56 clock to rule them all).

The Digidesign M-Box will send SPDIF to the Audiomedia III and will have various USB cables from different machines....

The MDD Dual 867 with 2GRAM Asus GeForce2MX400 64Mb has the Audiomedia III and that sends SPDIF to the Focusrite.It has DieHard Instant DAW.

Intel side

Main DAW Asus P5KPL/EPU Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400S 2.67 OC 3.0 4 Gigs RAM nvidia 9400 With MacOS 10.6.8 and Protools 10.3.10 HD with the Focusrite LS56.


2nd DAW Abit IP35Pro Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 OC 3.0 4Gigs RAM nVidia 210GT iAtkos S3 (10.6. and Protools 10.It also has a Win 7 32 boot for Wavelab for mastering.

I have the Focusrite between the Intels in Firewire and they both share it. But the one that uses it, keeps it.

I am open to Mac OS X or macOS suggestions for this machine. I think I will prepare a Leopard-PT8LE install for the M-Box this time on Intel + Quad.

As I have limited space in my room and I want a silent mix-recording room only the G4 DA is on the room. The Intels, the Sawtooh and the MDD are in the living room behind a sofa corner.

Every time the MDD hangs I have to open the door, walk a L-shaped corridor, open the living room door and walk all that room  to get to the machine and keep pressed power to shut-down. And walk all that back again. Every hang make me loose patience and is making me away from unstable beta VST instruments and OS9. I find Panther less inspiring but more stable for running RTAS VI.

To communicate with the main DAW I have only a Edirol UM-1EX as a USB to plug anywhere for midi...

There is where Tiger+Leopard really help multiDAW setups, on the networked midi. The 001 has its own MIDI as the AP24/96, but the AMIII and the M-Box don't.

By now I have only 4 ethernet ports available for all this farm.

[devils_advisor]

Shit, I am a year older and my studio isn't finished yet.

One of my MDD is unreliable. I will send to the garage for spare handles/PSU. One out. 

One digi 001 lost sync. I consider it almost dead.  A shame, because it has aftermarket mods on the clock (not the clasical ecliptek , but a SARONIX for 22k I mean 44.1k))

The Sawtooth dual 1.8 is 7447 1.75G RAM and i have no clue how to deal with PCI+OS9. It boots 9 with the cpu-multi extension out. It sports a Seritek 2se4. Will be a Logic 8-9 EXS24 MIDI-networked using the Audiophile24/96 analog out to the Focusrite analog ins. I think it is my best G4 machine and gave a Nvidia 4MX. I had also made a drive with Panther+Protools6LE for the case I need a 16 tracks (pull out the AP24/96 for the 001) to be recorded outside for a gig. It is my "lighter" G4.

The Digital Audio 1.5G RAM has recieved back the GHz dual CPU card and a nVidia 4MX. It has the Digi 001 and will have a Tiger-Leo boot for my new M-Box mainly for its (Protools8) VI. It also has the DieHard Instant DAW+PT5Le for OS9. I find Panther as a good OS for Digi 001+Protools6. The 001 is ADAT wired to the Focusrite (To allow the LS56 clock to rule them all).

The Digidesign M-Box will send SPDIF to the Audiomedia III and will have various USB cables from different machines....

The MDD Dual 867 with 2GRAM Asus GeForce2MX400 64Mb has the Audiomedia III and that sends SPDIF to the Focusrite.It has DieHard Instant DAW.

Intel side

Main DAW Asus P5KPL/EPU Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400S 2.67 OC 3.0 4 Gigs RAM nvidia 9400 With MacOS 10.6.8 and Protools 10.3.10 HD with the Focusrite LS56.


2nd DAW Abit IP35Pro Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 OC 3.0 4Gigs RAM nVidia 210GT iAtkos S3 (10.6. and Protools 10.It also has a Win 7 32 boot for Wavelab for mastering.

I have the Focusrite between the Intels in Firewire and they both share it. But the one that uses it, keeps it.

I am open to Mac OS X or macOS suggestions for this machine. I think I will prepare a Leopard-PT8LE install for the M-Box this time on Intel + Quad.

As I have limited space in my room and I want a silent mix-recording room only the G4 DA is on the room. The Intels, the Sawtooh and the MDD are in the living room behind a sofa corner.

Every time the MDD hangs I have to open the door, walk a L-shaped corridor, open the living room door and walk all that room  to get to the machine and keep pressed power to shut-down. And walk all that back again. Every hang make me loose patience and is making me away from unstable beta VST instruments and OS9. I find Panther less inspiring but more stable for running RTAS VI.

To communicate with the main DAW I have only a Edirol UM-1EX as a USB to plug anywhere for midi...

There is where Tiger+Leopard really help multiDAW setups, on the networked midi. The 001 has its own MIDI as the AP24/96, but the AMIII and the M-Box don't.

By now I have only 4 ethernet ports available for all this farm.

could be worse believe me. im old too i think the majority here is out of their diapers

[Protools5LEGuy]

I have a iMac G3 Indigo (silent) on the room to be the VNC viewer of all networked machines. I recieves wifi on Tiger via an old Android phone with EasyTether App. But also boots on 9 and uses the M-Box to visualize PAZ-Analizer audio from the main DAW

I am thinking on getting a gigabit switch soon.

I seriously think I can't manage/use more than 3 machines at a time. And only have 2 19" monitors (with DVI and VGA) to see them. So the main Intel machine is dual head (DVI+VGA), but I can directly see 2 G4s, one via DVI (The DA GHz dual) and one VGA (the MDD) and planning to prepare the sawtooth headless VNC networked.

And in all this wishes    ALL my G4s are refusing to install anything more modern than Panther.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/my-g4s-dont-want-modern-oses.2100409/

Most probably because most of the drives are survivors from that age or my PSU are all walking dead.

I bought to a friend a passive PSU and I have at least 2 more good ATX PSU, but to adapt them is tedious. I am thinking on DIY a adapter cable to keep the PSU outside the tower (at least the passive one)

[Protools5LEGuy]

could be worse believe me. im old too i think the majority here is out of their diapers

I will not mention all the stuff I don't have energy to fight with. Sonorus Studi/o, Guillemot MaxiSound ISIS, Sonnet Tempo cards, building RAIDs, checking what RTAS demos can be reset on Panther, Firewire video output from Premiere/FinalCut, trying to use a MacOS> SL, and the list goes on and on.

[Philgood]

Can you connect the digi 001 to the focusrite via wordclock sync ? Would be worth a try.

[Protools5LEGuy]

ADAT out@ focusrite LS56 to Adat in In Digi 001

Digi clock set to ADAT external on Protools LE

Adat out @001 to Adat in @LS56

Midi Out LS56 to Midi IN 001

[Protools5LEGuy]

Digi 001 has no wordclock, but can run internal, ADAT in or S/PDIF external

[mrhappy]

could be worse believe me. im old too i think the majority here is out of their diapers

Hahaha! Yes I think you're right devils_advisor!!!