If I upgrade to something modern can I keep using my old monitor?

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Level 1

13 points

If I upgrade to something modern can I keep using my old monitor?

Hello. Believe it or not I still use a beige G3 for all the DTP etc work I do - it still works, having been bought refurbished in 2001. However I might just want to make a managed upgrade rather than have it not turn on one day. I have attached to it a very fine Formac 19" monitor, its actually a PC monitor and has the necessary adaptor.

Will it be possible to use this monitor with a G5 or Intel desktop machine please?

Powerbook G4-OTHER, iOS 4.1

Posted on Sep 9, 2012 8:16 AM

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Answer 1

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D.I. Johnson

Level 7

22,337 points

Sep 9, 2012 9:11 AM in response to Bousque

Hi.

Yes, it will be possible to continue to use your monitor with just about any G5 or Intel desktop Mac, excluding most iMacs (obviously they have their own built-in monitors).

It may require an adapter of one type or another however (generally very readily available) - you didn't say what connector type the monitor requires.

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Answer 2

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 9, 2012 10:36 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

That would be very good, news, the more I think about it the more I think a desktop machine would be better than an iMac.

To be honest I don't know what kind of connector/adaptor it is beyond it being a basic, as I would think, PC connection from the late 90s. The assembly has been together for over 10 years and I'm reluctant to take it apart after all this time, unless there's a very good reason...

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Answer 3

Sep 9, 2012 3:52 PM in response to Bousque

That G3 Power Mac had a DB-15 video out port, and your Formac monitor was likely a VGA display that used a DB-15/VGA adapter to connect to the Mac.

As for the choice of desktop (Mac Pro) vs. iMac... I think if you've been comfortable using that old G3 for all these years, then you probably don't really need the performance and advanced expandability features the Mac Pro, especially when considering the cost of the Mac Pro.

The current iMac models are so far advanced from your G3... I think you'd be amazed by the performance improvement you would see with that line.

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Answer 4

Sep 9, 2012 8:39 PM in response to Bousque

A Mac Mini is also definitely worth considering. It will be a huge improvement in performance for you, and for very little money.

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Answer 5

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 10, 2012 2:10 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Thanks, and to Ramon also. Part of the thing here is to take some of the load from my other Mac, a Powerbook G4 used for Logic and nowadays, browsing. I'd like to be able to dedicate the PB more to audio, not least because its now too old to do some things like watch TV programmes (I have no TV) and the reason I've been leaning towards a bigger machine is because of the connectivity, eg more Firewire ports, and because, if its possible to use it, I like the idea of keeping using the Formac monitor, because as you can guess I like keeping using things if they still work.

I do also still have a laptop from 1998 that still works, I don't do much with it but as long as it works I keep a database in Excel in it. Perhaps one day a museum will want it.

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Answer 6

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 10, 2012 2:27 AM in response to Bousque

And there's a further complication, which is that somehow or other I need a way to use a Classic application, I doubt it will be possible to boot into Classic but at the very least I need to be able to run Classic, if necessary by booting from a different drive with an older version of OSX on it, but I'm out of the loop as to which versions of what would cope with that...

PS the reason for even thinking of booting into Classic is that its a notation programme and I understand can only use MIDI input that way.

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Answer 7

Sep 10, 2012 8:07 AM in response to Bousque

Bousque wrote:

And there's a further complication, which is that somehow or other I need a way to use a Classic application, I doubt it will be possible to boot into Classic but at the very least I need to be able to run Classic, if necessary by booting from a different drive with an older version of OSX on it, but I'm out of the loop as to which versions of what would cope with that...

The most current version of Mac OS X that supports the Classic environment is 10.4.11 Tiger. Classic support was dropped in OS X 10.5 Leopard. Keep that in mind when you look for a replacement machine.

And Ramón G Castañedahas a good point when he posted above about the Mac Mini being a good option for little $.

Good luck your quest.

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Answer 8

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 12, 2012 2:25 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

The most current version of Mac OS X that supports the Classic environment is 10.4.11 Tiger. Classic support was dropped in OS X 10.5 Leopard. Keep that in mind when you look for a replacement machine.

And Ramón G Castañedahas a good point when he posted above about the Mac Mini being a good option for little $.

Good luck your quest.

Many thanks again and before I go committing myself, is it possible to install different versions of OSX on different drives, so as for instance to boot into 10.4.11 when I need Classic?

Am very seriously considering the Mini, though as observed, connectivity, eg lots of Firewire, is important...

Stephen

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Answer 9

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,606 points

Sep 12, 2012 9:11 AM in response to Bousque

is it possible to install different versions of OSX on different drives, so as for instance to boot into 10.4.11 when I need Classic?

Historically, you cannot install and OS version older than that shipped with the computer. To run 10.4, you have to find a used computer that shipped with at least that OS verion.

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Answer 10

Sep 12, 2012 9:22 AM in response to Bousque

Yes, it is possible to install different versions of OS X on different boot drives.

But it isn't necessary to use different drives... you could use a single physical drive set up with multiple partitions. Each partition could be loaded with a different version of OS X. One partition would be your normal startup OS... the other partition would have 10.4.11 installed. You would startup with that partition for those times when you need to use Classic.

One drive, internal or otherwise. No muss. No fuss. No unsightly cables. 😉

And regarding the need for lots of connectivity... the mini has four (some older ones have 5) USB ports and one FireWire port. In comparison, even the newest iMacs have 4 USB and only a single FireWire port. Being that FireWire can be easily daisy-chained, the Mac mini is more than capable of doing what you need.

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Answer 11

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 12, 2012 9:28 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Ah thanks, but just so I'm really clear, are you agreeing with Allan Jones that the machine itself has to be contemporary with 10.4, even if it also runs later OS as well as you describe?

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Answer 12

Sep 12, 2012 10:09 AM in response to Bousque

Yes, Allan Jones is correct.

You will be looking for a Mac mini that is the mid-2007 model or older if you wish to boot and run 10.4.11 and Classic.

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Answer 13

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 12, 2012 12:47 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

Thanks and lastly lastly (hopefully) can we confirm that when we say 'boot and run 10.4.11 and Classic' we are saying you can't run Classic *at all*, not that we can't boot into Classic. I'd be happy enough to run Classic without having to boot natively into, if that's the expression, if it meant a wider choice of hardware.

Otherwise, for as long as I'm attached to this irreplaceable Classic software I'll be chasing an ever dwindling supply of old computers. I think I must have been lucky to keep running this G3 for so long without trouble, and wouldn't like to rely on the newer machines to last as long...

Stephen

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Answer 14

Sep 12, 2012 1:06 PM in response to Bousque

The mid-2007 Mac mini (and earlier) can boot (startup) with Mac OS 10.4.xx. Once booted with Tiger, you can still use the Classic environment to run your classic applications.

There is no support from Apple for using classic applications in any Mac OS X starting with 10.5.

AFAIK... none of the Mac mini models can startup in Mac OS 9. (But, again, you can use your OS 9 apps inside the Classic environment of OS X 10.4.xx.)

Yep, as long as you continue to cling to the classic applications, you will be chasing a dwindling supply of old computers. 😟

If I understand you correctly, however, you wish to continue using a MIDI notation software, yes. Consider that there are certainly newer apps available that allow for notation...

• MOTU Digital Performer

• Apple Logic (Express and Pro, I believe)

• MakeMusic's Finale!... and others.

And I know there are others, though names escape me. You should look into it.

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Answer 15

Bousque Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 12, 2012 2:08 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

Perfect, thanks for your generous detail and explanations 😊

My old software obsession relates to Graphire Music Press http://www.graphire.com/ - I can't believe somebody has been paying to keep that website up for 12 years. Developed in the 90s as a Mac only*, very purist tool that produced output so good, so darned elegant, you couldn't tell it was done with a computer. Too purist, its absence of bells'n'whistles gave the field to Finale, Sibelius and others, but to this day, the output from GMP is better, eg more like the classic notation done by hand in Vienna in the mid 20th centurey, than any system up to and including today.

I've found a Mini refurbed, with 10.4.11 installed, I think its got my name on it.

Thanks again! 😎

S

*Their final, more or less, act was to release a Windoze version. Didn't help.

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