Remoting Technology Between Mac OS 9 and Mac OS 10.

[ohmelas]

CHALLENGE: Two or Three Computer Set up Technology in an Abandonware World

DISCUSSION: When Apple migrated into the OS X Server, it built a Remote Desktop product that allowed the Mac community to remote desktop into another computer. It's now a very mature software product that definitely stopped supporting the OS 9 world a long time ago. Prior to this Apple had an AppleShare IP product that functioned around version 6 before going all OS X too. There are several other products on the market that use VNC technologies.

Given the significant experience of this room, what was the remote desktop technology that worked on OS 9 and is that a viable option for workflow?

I realize there are other ways to solve some of these issues. I have a KVM switch. My son has suggested that I just keep the adjacent OS 9 Machine running separately and go "trader desk" with 4 monitors (I'm more averse to this than KVM or VNC options). I have the computers networked and I believe I can set up some shared drives to move files between two computers (Mac Pro + Power Mac on Gigabit Switch). The only other items on this intranet are my Behringer X32 and Muse Receptors (BTW, I can log into my receptors remotely with its tech).

Long term, maybe thinking about saying f'it and just putting it all on a Dante. This is an expensive proposition currently. The OS 9 PPC might have to have a 24-channel light pipe to DANTE stand-alone to do it but that won't solve the 'at the desktop' requirements, despite being able to put it on the network. 

Notably, filesharing isn't my only need for moving files around. I'd like to run effects on the system and be able to use some of my older gear (I have a Tascam DM-24 that needs a repair and some PT 24 Mix cards). Maybe use that box with TDM and a few I/O with 24 channels of ADAT I/O like an external effects processor. One simple file sharing thing I was thinking about too, a while back my friend had a firewire thumb drive that can move projects around between. Maybe those things aren't a thing at all... dunno.

Lastly, TDM External Effects Box...maybe a pipe dream but my friend had so much on his ol' PT system where he had so much pre-ILOK stuff that was purely awesome and useful. That stuff is still gotta be round.

QUESTION: What does the wisdom of the forum suggest? Is anyone remote desk-topper, top top topping it? What was that 3rd Party Software called that was available in the Mac OS PPC (7.5 to 9.2.2) universe that was remote friendly?

Does anyone have an OS 9 box with lots of I/O that employs it as an external effects processor in their workflow where remoting in to change a pre-set wouldn't require massive overhead?

[devils_advisor]

I don't think you should use any kind of network while using these apps  that could be a disaster. Last time I checked tapping a os9 machine via network I had quite a impact on the machine.

[mrhappy]

Lastly, TDM External Effects Box...maybe a pipe dream but my friend had so much on his ol' PT system where he had so much pre-ILOK stuff that was purely awesome and useful. That stuff is still gotta be round.

I'm currently trying to set up something like this with a G4 MDD/ Magma expansion chassis through some Digidesign ADAT bridge units. Hoping to incorporate a bunch of 'Lexiverbs'... 'Echo Farm'... other processor heavy type plugs into my OS9 PT 5.1.3 rig.

[refinery]

my monitors have multiple inputs so i just switch inputs between my OSX and OS9 machine when i need to. i just keep a wireless keyboard and mouse off on the side for when i want to use the os9 machine. i found remoting into OS9 to be too much of a performance drain. I have a Korg OASYS card with ADAT which i use for audio transfer, and midi is handled by two networked MOTU midi time pieces with the osx and os9 machine at each end.

[Astroman]

just for completeness: my best pre-OSX remote desktop experience was Timbuktu.
I still remember controlling a friend's Mac Plus over telephone line with a modem at 19kbit or so and it really worked well. A stunning experience back in the days.
(the trick was that the software didn't transmit screen bits, but just the respective toolbox trap codes to redraw the screen... smart)

As already mentioned: I wouldn't network a machine with active music applications at all.
It steals too much from PCI bus as from CPU.

The TDM Adat Bridge is a very good solution to built a communication bus between 2 machines.
It doesn't change audio by multiple conversions and saves a lot of cables
But it can also be done the analog way - those old Digidesign 88x boxes come cheapo today.
(myself using a 882/20 to exchange data with an iPad - works great)
The supposed quality loss by extra conversion steps is barely existing, if at all (imh ears).