OT: PPC Mac

[Cyberus]

Sorry to post this here, but I picked up a PowerPC (604 @ 132MHz) Mac on the cheap the other day, and its sitting in the corner of the room (base unit only).
When it comes to hardware I know nothing about systems other than the Amiga, so how do I get started? Do I need a standard PC mouse and k'board? What are Mac displays?
Anyone out there have any experience with Macs?
Thx ;-)

[sdesros]

Is there a model number on the front?
This place would be your first place to go to get a rough idea on what you've got:
http://www.info.apple.com/support/applespec.legacy/powermacintosh.html

I'm no expert, but I'm guessing that your system most likely uses the ADB mouse and keyboard and probably the older mac monitor connections (AFAIK it looks a bit like the AmigaRGB ports.)

In most cases you can possibly find old Mac mice and keyboards at used shops, as well as converters to use regular SVGA monitors.  (But first we'll need the model number. )

I picked up an older PowerMac 8500 from http://www.themacgroup.on.ca/ a couple of years ago.  They had plenty of ADB mice/keyboards and had an adapter so I can plug it into a normal SVGA monitor.

[Cyberus]

Sorry, I probably was none too helpful with my first description. It's actually a Mac CLONE - a PowerComputing Powerwave
 604/132.

[sdesros]

Ah... That changes things.

Okay, checking out www.lowendmac.com and I came up with this page: http://www.lowendmac.com/power/wave.html .

Some highlights:
-RAM: 16 MB, expandable to 512 MB using 168-pin 70ns or faster Fast Page Mode DIMMs (interleaved) in 8 DIMM slots
- ADB port for keyboard and mouse
- DB-25 SCSI-1 connector on back of computer
- internal Fast SCSI bus
- AAUI and 10Base-T ethernet connectors on back of computer
- PCI slots: 3, one occupied by ATI Xclaim GA video card

So it seems like you'll need to find yourself an ADB Mouse and Keyboard.  

I've looked into the ATI Xclaim GA video card on ATI's site:
http://www.ati.com/support/products/mac/mach64/xclaimgaspecs.html

Under connectors it states an Apple DB15 and a IBM VGA connector.  I'm not sure if it has both, or there are two versions of the card.  You'll have to inspect your graphics card and see if it's a 15 pin connector or a VGA connector.  Now that is if the computer didn't get a different card.

[Cyberus]

That's a great help, thanks!
Now I just need to find a cheap source for an ADB mouse and keyboard....

[strobe]

You can usually get some good ADB stuff on eBay for cheap, like a Turbo Mouse 5 (my personal favorite). Word of warning: a lot of 3rd party ADB keyboards are crap.

[cdog]

Wow, catch the Wave! I'm typing this on the
exact model you have. It's been very reliable
(much like most Amigas) and can be upgraded
with G4 daughter cards from Sonnets & Power-
logix (700-800 Mhz range with Sonnets). I
am running an old G4 400 from Newertech, and
this thing hardly crashes with Mac OS 8.6. It
is even possible to run OS X on these things
(though it is unsupported by Apple). There is
at least one web site totally devoted to these
Power Computing clones (with extensive forums)
at www.powerwatch.com. My only recomendation
would be to get rid of the 3rd party HD drivers
& 3rd. party CD-ROM drive/drivers and find an
Apple rommed SCSI CD-ROM drive somplace. You
will have much better luck doing OS upgrades
to this beast if you despense with FWB drivers
& just use the drivers that Apple provides. The
drive set-up utilities that come with any ver.
after Mac OS 8.5 seem to work okay with most
drives. ADB mice & keyboards are pretty easy to
find here in the USA (at second hand computer
shops), but eBay would probably be a good place
as well. Good luck!

[cdog]

Wow, no more posts. The bit about the 3rd party
drivers on the Mac clone was some advice I wish
someone offered me back in the early days (hope
the original poster was able to read it :-)

[Cyberus]

Yep. Like, woah :-)