Old Power Mac g4 as a DAW

[d6ynast9y]

My HP pavillion dv6000 laptop which I use as my DAW isn't really helping me out that much.  Lots of drop outs and crackling with some firewire audio interfaces, and etc.  I really want to updgrade, to a mac specifically, but I really don't have the money to.  I was wondering if an old power mac g4 with around 500Mhz processing speeds work better as a DAW? I don't have any experience with Macs, but I've just heard a whole lot of better info about it.  I keep reading around that a Mac with lower specs works way better and more efficient than a high powered PC.  Is it worth it to buy a second hand power mac g4?
Thanks

[MYN11]

I don't know if this will make sense to you, but I still have my Powerbook G4 1.67 Ghz (which I guess is the laptop version of Power Mac G4) running Pro Tools LE 7.4. Got this one in 2003 and it still works great. I used to pair it with Digi 002. Had hooked it with 003 and still works like magic. I upgraded it though (I maxed out the memory to 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM).

But still, sulit na sulit na ako dito sa machine na ito. My wife recently bought a 2009 Sony Vaio laptop at nauna pang nagluko kesa sa Powerbook G4 ko 

Nga lang yung mga bagong softwares baka di na compatible. Til PTLE 7.4 lang ako dahil 10.4.11 lang OS ko. I dont know with Logic or any other apps.

[d6ynast9y]

I don't know if this will make sense to you, but I still have my Powerbook G4 1.67 Ghz (which I guess is the laptop version of Power Mac G4) running Pro Tools LE 7.4. Got this one in 2003 and it still works great. I used to pair it with Digi 002. Had hooked it with 003 and still works like magic. I upgraded it though (I maxed out the memory to 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM).

But still, sulit na sulit na ako dito sa machine na ito. My wife recently bought a 2009 Sony Vaio laptop at nauna pang nagluko kesa sa Powerbook G4 ko  

Nga lang yung mga bagong softwares baka di na compatible. Til PTLE 7.4 lang ako dahil 10.4.11 lang OS ko. I dont know with Logic or any other apps.

I really have no doubt about the powerbook g4 at 1 + Ghz, its the power mac g4 im worried about since its only around 500Mhz, big difference i guess.

[BAMF]

Stuff have been done on even less dude. I have a feeling your powermac will do fine.

I had this chat with another studio owner who uses macs. The operating system daw is so stable (based on some Unix or something), and very fast compared to a similar machine running on WinXP. Langit at lupa daw ang kaibahan.

He was even urging me to try Hackintosh, which practically allows PC machines to run Leopard. I'll get to that project too as soon as the "home" PC's get fixed so I can get my other athlon64 machine.

Maybe just a little mo' memory and larger hard disks and you'll do great. Yeah why don't you try it agad with garageband ? I'm reading these old EQ and recording magazines. They're gushing at their new 400Mhz PC-based DAW's. YAY.

[d6ynast9y]

Stuff have been done on even less dude. I have a feeling your powermac will do fine.

I had this chat with another studio owner who uses macs. The operating system daw is so stable (based on some Unix or something), and very fast compared to a similar machine running on WinXP. Langit at lupa daw ang kaibahan.

He was even urging me to try Hackintosh, which practically allows PC machines to run Leopard. I'll get to that project too as soon as the "home" PC's get fixed so I can get my other athlon64 machine.

Maybe just a little mo' memory and larger hard disks and you'll do great. Yeah why don't you try it agad with garageband ? I'm reading these old EQ and recording magazines. They're gushing at their new 400Mhz PC-based DAW's. YAY.

ive read about hackintoshes, but i heard that not all mobos or hardware are compatible.  but, i think i will buy that powermac, and max out its memory and add an extra harddrive. mahirap talaga gumamit ng laptop + expresscard for a firewire audio interface.

[x_taxi]

I really have no doubt about the powerbook g4 at 1 + Ghz, its the power mac g4 im worried about since its only around 500Mhz, big difference i guess.

just bounce/freeze your tracks like crazy.  it's possible naman.

[zep]

My HP pavillion dv6000 laptop which I use as my DAW isn't really helping me out that much.  Lots of drop outs and crackling with some firewire audio interfaces, and etc.  I really want to updgrade, to a mac specifically, but I really don't have the money to.  I was wondering if an old power mac g4 with around 500Mhz processing speeds work better as a DAW? I don't have any experience with Macs, but I've just heard a whole lot of better info about it.  I keep reading around that a Mac with lower specs works way better and more efficient than a high powered PC.  Is it worth it to buy a second hand power mac g4?
Thanks

Look along the 'Ghz' line. A 500mhz mac can only get you as far. Before the upgrade, my studio was based around a 700 mhz g4/pro tools set up for 5 yrs. For awhile it was enough. But a long the way, you'll feel that the machine is just getting tired.  Instead of getting things done, you'll see more of the dreaded color wheel. Another issue is if you are working with a lot of virtual instruments. Or if you're recording 15+ tracks.Kakayanin nya, pero you sacrifice on time and sanity. Especially if you're working with a deadline.

Ofcourse, maraming work-around dyan. But the last thing you want is an inspiration killer as you wait for a bounce to finish.

[d6ynast9y]

Look along the 'Ghz' line. A 500mhz mac can only get you as far. Before the upgrade, my studio was based around a 700 mhz g4/pro tools set up for 5 yrs. For awhile it was enough. But a long the way, you'll feel that the machine is just getting tired.  Instead of getting things done, you'll see more of the dreaded color wheel. Another issue is if you are working with a lot of virtual instruments. Or if you're recording 15+ tracks.Kakayanin nya, pero you sacrifice on time and sanity. Especially if you're working with a deadline.

Ofcourse, maraming work-around dyan. But the last thing you want is an inspiration killer as you wait for a bounce to finish.

Thanks for the reply.  Ya it was in my mind not to buy anything below 1Ghz.  But, im still not sure if im gona push through with buying an old mac.  This past week ive been trying hackintosh my laptop to no success YET.  If i get this to work and all my hardware to work then ill stick to my Pc-Mac laptop. 

[zep]

ok sir, goodluck