Just got an Imac G3 - Now what to do with it?

[amigadave]

Oh Happy Day! I just picked up an Imac G3 - I thought that it might not work correctly, but it seems to work fine.

This is the first Apple computer that I've used since 1984. It's my understanding that Morphos won't work on this, so now what can I do with it?

Regards,
AmigaEd

I have a 333MHz model of the Tangerine iMac and have found that it is a perfect match to install my Efika inside of.  I will provide snapshots of how it all goes together once I figure out a few more details.  My Radeon 9250 video card has both DVI & an additional VGA port that connects to the card via a pin header on the card and ribbon cable to the standard 15pin VGA connector port.  The iMac has an internal video ribbon cable that fits the pin header of the Radeon 9250 video card, but I have not tested it yet, as I have not been able to confirm the pinout of the card matches the pinout of the iMac ribbon cable and pcb which converts and connects to the two row 15pin monitor cable for the iMac's crt display.  I have also found that I can gut the USB CD/DVD external drive and connect it to the iMac's internal CD drive.  I just wish the Efika had an internal USB header, instead of having to route a short USB cable from the Efika's external USB port back into the iMac case to connect to the USB to IDE adapter.  Other than that one cable and the difference in the port placements, it will be very difficult to see that this iMac is not stock.  The only other work I need to complete is opening the case further to tap into the iMac's PSU and adapt a plug to it that will connect to the Efika's electrical input connector.

I think it will make a great looking bottom of the line MorphOS computer and hope to have it completed in time for the AmiWest 2010 Show, sitting side by side with the G4 eMac, G4 MacMini, and Dual G4 PowerMac, on the MorphOS display table.

The Efika running at 400MHz probably runs MorphOS2.5 much faster and better than the iMac's G3 running at 333MHz runs any version of MacOSX.  I think it is a great match and should be more fun with the Efika inside than the original iMac mobo.

Edit: Does your iMac have a CD/DVD drive door, or is it the "Slot Loading" type of optical drive?  I believe the Slot Loading type started with the 400MHz models that came out right after the 333MHz model that I have.

[amigadave]

Isn't that an awful lot of work to go through to upgrade a 333 Mhz PPC to a 400 Mhz PPC, guys?
Better video, but lower max. memory.
Except for the fact that the G3 can't run MorphOS (just as the Efika can't run MacOS), I don't really see the point of this one.

The point is that this is an Amiga forum and an Efika running MorphOS2.6 can run many Amiga applications and games, as well as MorphOS native software.  Efika motherboards can still be purchased new for $99, and although limited to only 128mb RAM, are still usable and probably more enjoyable to Amiga users than any version of MacOS being run on a 333 to 400MHz G3 iMac.

I don't recommend the purchase of an Efika mobo when used 1.25GHz G4 eMac's, and G4 PowerMac towers of almost any speed above 400MHz can be found for the same or less money and will provide much better performance and in the case of the G4 PowerMac towers, better expandability too, but for anyone that already has an Efika, or anyone that can get one for very little money, putting it into a G3 iMac case can be an interesting project.

I did not finish my conversion before the AmiWest show and was actually seen during the show completely tearing my G3 iMac apart in an attempt to get it to turn the CRT on, without the Mac mobo being installed (unsuccessfully).  I did find out that the design of the slot loading 400MHz G3 iMac is completely different than my model and much easier to take apart, and might be a better candidate for such a project.  I am still going to complete my Efika>iMac conversion and will provide pictures of it as soon as it is completed.

P.S. Starting with version 2.5, MorphOS has included some improvements to memory management in low memory situations when a video card with at least 128mb of VRAM is detected.  This helps the Efika's performance and helps avoid running out of memory in some situations.