PowerMac G4

[TheNewMacGuy]

I just got a new barely used mint condition powermac G4 for cheap. Im running tiger 10.4.11 but I wanted to know why youtube, or other web related videos will not play properly, I have the latest flash installed and the latest Java. I restarted my mac after all installations, but still will not play properly. And I am a youtube, web video guy. And it disappoints me that I can not play them. Any help?

 

[chas_m]

You didn't say anything about how much RAM you have, but I'd start by asking about that. On such an old machine as the one in your avatar, I'd strongly suggest maxing out the RAM (and its cheap to do so).

Another tip that will help with YouTube specifically is to sign up for the HTML5 beta (this will cause YouTube to play the videos in HTML5 rather than Flash). This seems to make a big difference on older machines.

http://www.youtube.com/html5

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: Powermac G4

I have 320MB SDRAM. I am thinking of buying a Stick of 512MB from OWC. They have it for 30 bucks, but do I have to be signed in for the HTML5 to work?And plus I wanted other websites with videos to work also. And it says I have the latest flash player and Java.

 

[chas_m]

320MB???!!!

(insert hair-standing-on-end-cartoonish-shocked-face here)

Oh yeah, I think we found the problem.

Don't stop with the one 512MB stick, get at least three more of those. If you want this machine to work like some semblance of a modern computer, you're going to need at least 2GB of RAM. That will really help with ALL videos (you will also need Flip4Mac WMV Player and Perian too, but they are both free). The HTML5 thing with YouTube will just make your machine work less hard to play the videos than Flash does.

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: Powermac G4

My powermac G4 only holds one gig. And money is so tight for me right now. And I don't have the money anyway. So I am stuck in a rut. I'm downloading the programs you listed in the above post. And are they web players? Or only for downloaded videos? I wish I could get the memory. But I just cant.

 

[pigoo3]

I have 320MB SDRAM. I am thinking of buying a Stick of 512MB from OWC. They have it for 30 bucks, but do I have to be signed in for the HTML5 to work?And plus I wanted other websites with videos to work also. And it says I have the latest flash player and Java.

You didn't mention what the processor speed is of your Powermac G4...but even with a ram upgrade You-Tube and other videos still aren't going to play very smoothly if your processor speed isn't in the neighborhood of 1ghz or more. And even with a 1ghz+ CPU...You-Tube video will still be choppy.

Both the processor speed & the video hardware on many Powermac G4's just aren't good enough for a lot of internet video these days. If your Powermac G4 is only around 500mhz...forget about it. It will never run internet videos smoothly. The Powermac G4 is still good for many tasks...but not internet video.

- Nick

 

[Kevriano]

My Powerbook is fine with Youtube stuff, never choppy, but it's high specced (see my profile tag), so that's probably about where you need to be sadly.

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: PowerMac

Yeah, that's probably the problem. It's so hard to get an updated mac these days. This powermac is the closest I have had to atleast a "decent" mac. If anyone has anything better than mine, and want to trade, then please let me know for I am a student in school and need something good enough and quick. I prefer the iBook, or powerbook. But it doesn't really matter. Thanks for everyones help. I appreciate it!

 

[dtravis7]

Can you click on the Apple in the Top Left Corner and then on About this Mac and post the CPU speed?

 

[harryb2448]

And even the earliest PowerMac G4 will handle up to 2GB of PC100 memory in 4x512MB modules. The second released models, Digital Audio through Quicksilver have 3 slots to take up to 1.5GB of PC133 memory , and the Mirror Disk Doors went back to the four slots for 2GB.

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: Powermac G4

It is 400Mhz for the CPU speed. And yeah its either 2gig or 1 gig it can handle not too sure.

 

[harryb2448]

2GB in the 4 memory slots.

 

[dtravis7]

Harry, not sure if you know this. There is a for sure PowerMac G4 that will not handle 512Meg Modules. The Yikes. Same board as the G3 Blue & White with G4 350-400. 1GB Max. Put in any PC100 512Meg module and nothing. Very strange machine. You can put in a G3. Did it here to find the G4 had a bad Cache module.

The Sawtooth with an AGP slot and a G4 350 Mhz-500 Mhz and will take 512Meg PC100 modules. After the Gigabit though they went to the DA with PC133 RAM and 3 slots each taking a PC133 512 Med Dimm for 1.5GB RAM. I own all the machines BTW. That Yikes is a strange duck.

 

[harryb2448]

Yes the Yikes will only handle 1GB of PC100 but they are so, so scarce hardly ever see them. But OP that is correct if it is a PCI Yikes model my bad!

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: Powermac G4

Im not too sure which one I have 100% sure. But I need like an iBook type. I want one, i used to have one, but it died out. So if anyone has one and wants to trade me to help me out, that would be terrific!!

 

[harryb2448]

Im not too sure which one I have 100% sure. But I need like an iBook type. I want one, i used to have one, but it died out. So if anyone has one and wants to trade me to help me out, that would be terrific!![/QUOTE

Keep your eye on the buy, sell and swap trading forum.

 

[dtravis7]

My powermac G4 only holds one gig. And money is so tight for me right now. And I don't have the money anyway. So I am stuck in a rut. I'm downloading the programs you listed in the above post. And are they web players? Or only for downloaded videos? I wish I could get the memory. But I just cant.

This is a Gray tower correct? Does it have the audio jacks in back one on top of the other (Vertical) or side by side (Horizontal)?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3082

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: Powermac G4

Yes, dTravis. You are correct, that is the exact tower I have.

 

[harryb2448]

No you were asked which format you have ~ Audio jacks one on top of the other or side by side determines exactly which model G4 you have. It cannot be both.

 

[TheNewMacGuy]

RE: Powermac G4

The audio jacks are on top of each other, not side by side.