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Operating System Specific Discussions => MorphOS => MorphOS -- Hardware requirements and availability discussion => Topic started by: dfreniche on October 17, 2010, 07:18:36 PM
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Hi all!
Just needed to share my excitment and joy using my new AmigaLike machine: a Mac Mini I've just bought second hand.
Specs:
- Mac Mini G4 1.25 Ghz
- 1 GB*RAM
- 32 MB VRAM
- 40 GB*HD
And, off course, my own copy of MorphOS registered! Support the developers! Go for the G5 version :-)
This tiny machine sits under my MacbookPro (it's on a Griffin Stand), near my iMac 27" Core i7 and connected to a 20" LCD*TV/monitor. And MorphOS rocks!
Been using it for one day, I completely love it!
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I'd second that sentiment. I just got my Quicksilver Powermac running version 2.6.
My processor is slower than yours and I have half your memory and this system still flies. I have 128Mb Radeon 9200 and 3d video seems more than fast enough.
Original Amiga owners may try to use their machines excliusively, but I could actually see using my MorphOS system to the exclusion of all others (in fact I may have to as my X86 PC get failed).
Anyone who doubts PPC systems as a viable upgrade path for Amigans ought to spend some time with on of these.
It's more stable (and faster) than OS4. There's a lot of good software available and each version gets just a little better.
Truely, MorphOS IS Amiga done right!
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I'd second that sentiment. I just got my Quicksilver Powermac running version 2.6.
My processor is slower than yours and I have half your memory and this system still flies. I have 128Mb Radeon 9200 and 3d video seems more than fast enough.
I haven´t seen more than 10% of 1GB used :-) So I think 512MB it's not too bad at all
Mine flyes too. But yours have 4 times more VRAM, which I think it's very important to achieve a good performance.
Original Amiga owners may try to use their machines excliusively, but I could actually see using my MorphOS system to the exclusion of all others (in fact I may have to as my X86 PC get failed).
Anyone who doubts PPC systems as a viable upgrade path for Amigans ought to spend some time with on of these.
It's more stable (and faster) than OS4. There's a lot of good software available and each version gets just a little better.
Truely, MorphOS IS Amiga done right!
Haven't used OS4. I had to choose, and this path, using old Mac hardware just fits me. I love Macs and have one PowerMac G5 waiting for MorphOS :-)
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Is MorphOS even planned for the G5?
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Is MorphOS even planned for the G5?
Depends on how you define "planned".
Bigfoot did a basic port to G5-PowerMac earlier this year, and its probraly a safe bet that he hasn't moothballed it.
On the other side you have the team-statements that make it clear that they can't say anything about it and that there is not even a hint of an release date (just like with the the PowerBook-port).
So buying a G5 for MorphOS is stupid as it will take 2-200 years till it's gonna be released and you'll be able to get much better deal at that time...
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Got it, thanks for all the tips as well.
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yes the mac mini are neat arent they such small machine they dont use much power
either l went to mac repair place and mentioned mac mini and guy said we use one as server and pointed and was oh yeah tucked away out sight . amazing design .
yes boots fast doesint it am still learning about morphos though.
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The MorphOS flies on my little Efika, I can't imagine the performance I'd see if I bothered to put it on any of my compatible G4 machines.
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The only things that bother me about the G4 mac mini are the slow stock HDD and the lack of sufficient USB ports.
I traded mine to a friend for a mountain bike shortly before MorphOS support was announced. As if that's not bad enough, the bike got stolen shortly thereafter.
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That's what they call adding insult to injury.. or injury to insult.. or something.
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Of course my Powermac is equip with only two stock USB ports. But for only $5 I was able to add five move USB 2.o ports (one intrtnal, four external). And I don't see slow HD response. Sure the controllers only ATA66 on my Powermac, but tied to an ATA100 drive I don't find it any slower than my PC.
I'm just really enjoying how well this works. I'm seriously considering making this my primary computer.
Say, does anyone know of any good word processors (Amiga or MorphOS) that I could run?
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The only things that bother me about the G4 mac mini are the slow stock HDD and the lack of sufficient USB ports.
The HDD interface is ATA100, which is plenty fast for whatever you can do with MorphOS anyways, and for USB... ever heard of USB hubs? :hammer:
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Say, does anyone know of any good word processors (Amiga or MorphOS) that I could run?
I'm still pussled, what is it people need office apps for all the time?
Btw, appearantly google docs work fine in OWB... I think.
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The HDD interface is ATA100, which is plenty fast for whatever you can do with MorphOS anyways, and for USB... ever heard of USB hubs? :hammer:
The bus is fine, it's the 4800RPM drive that makes it slow. Of course, MorphOS isn't constantly hammering away at the hard drive like Darwin, so I'm sure it's not a problem.
USB hubs are just a nuisance, since they're either not powered and semi-useless, or they are powered and require another power source to be plugged in. I don't need the clutter. Having powered hubs inside of other devices is great though. I wish it were more common.
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I'm still pussled, what is it people need office apps for all the time?
Btw, appearantly google docs work fine in OWB... I think.
Why office apps? Sometimes you have to write what is called letters. They are printed on something called paper.:rtfm: And sometimes you have to do write some "documents" for your employer and you just need bold text different fonts and funny colors and can´t get your collegues to go to AMIGA.orc to read your marvellous creations.
I prefer running old Amiga-wordprocessors to using Google-docs. I have bought Amiga Writer from Haage & Partner for that matter, but I am using AmigaOS 4 so I am not shure if it is the best choice for an old Mac.
Isn´t MorphOS capable of running even Final Copy, etc.?
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so I am not shure if
And sometimes I just need a spellchecker ;)
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Spellchecker - every level 5 wizzard should have one!
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The bus is fine, it's the 4800RPM drive that makes it slow.
You are aware that you can replace it? Funny thing is, i replaced the drive in mine just yesterday. :)
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You are aware that you can replace it? Funny thing is, i replaced the drive in mine just yesterday. :)
You're still limited to PATA though, so only laptop drives fit, and they're almost always 5400rpm at best, so the HD interface will always be slow.
I wanted to put an SSD in mine, but it's impossible as (usable) SSDs are all SATA, and there's no space for an adaptor.
I may actually put MorphOS on mine one day, but not while I can't afford the licesnse.
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You can easily get 72,000 rpm laptop drives. They are just a bit more expenisve.
And with regads to office apps. i beleive that plenty of old Amiga WP and Calc progrs work under morphos.
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You're still limited to PATA though, so only laptop drives fit, and they're almost always 5400rpm at best, so the HD interface will always be slow.
A current 5400rpm drive is significantly faster than the drives shipped with the minis.
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A current 5400rpm drive is significantly faster than the drives shipped with the minis.
I should be getting my Mac Mini this week, are you able to report if any of the following programs can run or not:
Amos Pro
Deluxe Paint V
Vista Pro
Octamed
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I should be getting my Mac Mini this week, are you able to report if any of the following programs can run or not:
Amos Pro
Deluxe Paint V
Vista Pro
Octamed
I would not expect any of them to run, MorphOS 68k compatibility is best with programs that work with RTG/AHI on classics. So AMOS is definitely out, DPaint V will probably launch (but there are issues with it IIRC), not sure if Vista Pro can be coaxed to work and Octamed will be trying to hit a Paula that isn't there.
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Regarding OctaMED SS, what about using The Maestrix?
Works fine on OS4 with that, with or without a real Paula present.
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I would not expect any of them to run, MorphOS 68k compatibility is best with programs that work with RTG/AHI on classics. So AMOS is definitely out, DPaint V will probably launch (but there are issues with it IIRC), not sure if Vista Pro can be coaxed to work and Octamed will be trying to hit a Paula that isn't there.
I read that at least one person had gotten Vista Pro to promote and work on MorphOS2.x, but don't remember which mode promotion tool he was using or how he got it working. I will have to research it some time soon and get it installed on one or more of my MorphOS capable computers.
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I have bought Amiga Writer from Haage & Partner for that matter, but I am using AmigaOS 4 so I am not shure if it is the best choice for an old Mac.
Isn´t MorphOS capable of running even Final Copy, etc.?
AmigaWriter works pretty well onMorphOS. And while that program has some nice ideas I prefer google docs now. The convenience is interoperability. I canimport and export word docs and work ona particular document no matter which computer and OS I use. But AmigaWriter is also okay (and incontrast to running it ona real 68k setup with 3.x it runs stable on MorphOS).
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USB hubs are just a nuisance, since they're either not powered and semi-useless, or they are powered and require another power source to be plugged in. I don't need the clutter. Having powered hubs inside of other devices is great though. I wish it were more common.
Many monitors coem with nice powered hubs. I use a Dell monitor that has a 4 port inbuild hub. So if you'r looking for a new monitor, consider one with inbuild hub.
The fancy Apple keybords also come with 2 port hubs, but those aren't powered.
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I read that at least one person had gotten Vista Pro to promote and work on MorphOS2.x, but don't remember which mode promotion tool he was using or how he got it working. I will have to research it some time soon and get it installed on one or more of my MorphOS capable computers.
Mhh.. I only remember people talking about getting it to work with OS4 fakenative modes.
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@dfreniche
congratulations!
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Congrats! The minis are nice little machines.
Regarding PATA SSDs, Google is your friend:
http://www.memoryc.com/products/description/32GB_KingSpec_2_5-PATA_IDE_SSD_Solid_State_Disk-MLC_/index.html
7200 RPM drives are only a little faster than 5400 RPM unless you're doing tons of little I/O operations in which case the reduced rotational latency helps. Any modern 5400 RPM laptop drive will be much faster than an older 7200 or 10000 RPM drive because the data density is so much higher that the amount of data that goes under the head on the newer drive in any given time interval easily exceeds that of the older drive.
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I'm very happy. Will ask cuaz lots of questions :-)