In theory you wouldn't have to flash/replace the roms on the videocards at all. All that would be needed is a x86 BIOS running (under emulation, in the background) during bootup, to use PC GFX cards. Oh and drivers would propably be nice too.
The BIOS is one thing; the fact that the GPU would expect and return all data and all commands in little-endian would be a killer. Something in between would have to be constantly flipping the data ordering around both ways.
Drivers are a separate issue, complicated by the fact that Apple ships its own OpenGL implementation, and doubly complicated by the fact that Apple uses a unique (and very cool) object-oriented driver model.
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That and the fact that RAM trouble would mean that you'd have no GFX output on bootup, since the emulator would need that to run.
You could just keep the BIOS in firmware. But why? In the end it's all more trouble than it's worth.
The BIOS is one thing; the fact that the GPU would expect and return all data and all commands in little-endian would be a killer. Something in between would have to be constantly flipping the data ordering around both ways.
If modern Amigas can do it with zero speed penalty I'm more then shure that Mac's could too...
If there's no point in dedicating the hardware to do so, which there isn't, then they won't.
I can't remember saying that they should and I do wonder what you mean by saying dedicating the hardware? But nevermind, it just water under the bridge and there's no sense in derailing the thread further over a technicality that'll never happen.
Many of the same rumors we saw this past year OLED iPod (Sony has an OLED Clie available in Japan) Windows on Mac courtesy of XBox 2 dev kit XBox 2 emulator for Mac Big Company X is planning to buy Apple Apple clothing line - can Apple do with kilts what they did with MP3 players? Apple is going out of business!
good ones!
since M$ owns VPC now, perhaps they'll kick it up a knotch and release it with the PPC version of windows that will be on the x-box.
maybe they'll make it so it runs on HFS+ so we can boot off it !
Actually I really would like to see what my G5 could do on a micro-kernel. The benchmarks would be extremely interesting.
At MWSF Apple will announce "what were we thinking?" while introducing a whole new line of Power Macs which are one third smaller, have four hard drive bays, two optical drive bays, better graphics cards, and more memory, at lower prices. All other specs will remain the same as current models. Oh, whoops, just daydreaming.
Indeed, as we all know they're going to reduce it to 1 hard drive and get rid of the optical drive--that'll be 802.11g unencrypted and you can't boot off it. Instead of fixing the 6800 dual-slot problem, they'll reduce the pci slots down to two
You're right about one thing though, speeds will remain the same when they do this
Hrrrrrm. I don't think we'll be seeing new G5s at MWSF, unfortunately. I'd love to be proven wrong. I've been saving my pennies. I figure I can wait till April at the latest.
Also, here's what I would like to see in new high-end PMs:
- More than one channel of FW800 built-in.
- Ethernet w/ support for jumbo packets.
- A third sata drive slot, preferably w/ 2 & 3 on independent channels for RAID.
Existing hardware due for updates are the Power Books and eMacs, obviously. I'll baselessly speculate we'll see a PB with G5 "announced" (shipping late Feb.-- slipping to early April). eMac will get slight spec increases, but no G5.
PB will be the big "one more thing."
Other surprises might include an alliance with IBM to license OS X Server on IBM's big iron.
New digital device? I'm gonna gamble a "no" on that.
We'll probably see some new/updated software-- Garage Band 2 is my prediction, there.
Xserve update and Xsan might come out at the show as well. I'm 50/50 here.
That's it-- just throwing in my baseless speculation so that I can check back next month to see how wrong I got it.
Your right that the PowerBook is overdue for an update more than anything, but if the PowerBook does not go G5 this round Apple sales will slip on the PowerBook, and I'm not positive there will be a G5 ready. People know there is one coming, and will probably choose to wait for the G5.
There is an alternative that would put a PowerBook in my lap.
I think what they should do is give a slight G4 speed bump, and slash the prices on it to keep sales figures up, and save the announcement of a G5 PowerBook for WWDC when it more feasible, and closer at hand. I think they could still sell a G4 PowerBook in higher quantities if they cut the prices while they have the opportunity to do so.
That would be my PowerBook suggestion at an Apple board meting. That being that I have no idea what processors are available at the moment, but I still think keeping sales up, and increasing sales for that matter is still highly feasible with the G4.
Comments
Originally posted by Eric_Z
In theory you wouldn't have to flash/replace the roms on the videocards at all. All that would be needed is a x86 BIOS running (under emulation, in the background) during bootup, to use PC GFX cards. Oh and drivers would propably be nice too.
The BIOS is one thing; the fact that the GPU would expect and return all data and all commands in little-endian would be a killer. Something in between would have to be constantly flipping the data ordering around both ways.
Drivers are a separate issue, complicated by the fact that Apple ships its own OpenGL implementation, and doubly complicated by the fact that Apple uses a unique (and very cool) object-oriented driver model.
That and the fact that RAM trouble would mean that you'd have no GFX output on bootup, since the emulator would need that to run.
You could just keep the BIOS in firmware. But why? In the end it's all more trouble than it's worth.
Originally posted by Amorph
The BIOS is one thing; the fact that the GPU would expect and return all data and all commands in little-endian would be a killer. Something in between would have to be constantly flipping the data ordering around both ways.
If modern Amigas can do it with zero speed penalty I'm more then shure that Mac's could too...
Originally posted by Eric_Z
If modern Amigas can do it with zero speed penalty I'm more then shure that Mac's could too...
If there's no point in dedicating the hardware to do so, which there isn't, then they won't.
Originally posted by Amorph
If there's no point in dedicating the hardware to do so, which there isn't, then they won't.
I can't remember saying that they should and I do wonder what you mean by saying dedicating the hardware? But nevermind, it just water under the bridge and there's no sense in derailing the thread further over a technicality that'll never happen.
Q1 next year, we will see new powermacs, with the new ATI R500 as BTO.
just my thought.
Originally posted by onlooker
What kind of rumors will we see this year?
Originally posted by jasenj1
Many of the same rumors we saw this past year
OLED iPod (Sony has an OLED Clie available in Japan)
Windows on Mac courtesy of XBox 2 dev kit
XBox 2 emulator for Mac
Big Company X is planning to buy Apple
Apple clothing line - can Apple do with kilts what they did with MP3 players?
Apple is going out of business!
good ones!
since M$ owns VPC now, perhaps they'll kick it up a knotch and release it with the PPC version of windows that will be on the x-box.
maybe they'll make it so it runs on HFS+ so we can boot off it !
Actually I really would like to see what my G5 could do on a micro-kernel. The benchmarks would be extremely interesting.
bump.
Originally posted by iDave
Oh, whoops, just daydreaming.
Indeed, as we all know they're going to reduce it to 1 hard drive and get rid of the optical drive--that'll be 802.11g unencrypted and you can't boot off it. Instead of fixing the 6800 dual-slot problem, they'll reduce the pci slots down to two
You're right about one thing though, speeds will remain the same when they do this
Big Company X is planning to buy Apple
Yeah, that rumor usually appears 3-4 times a year.
And you forgot the iTablet and Apple PDA on your list.
G5 1.8 GHz single processor mini towers starting at $599.00
G5 3.0 GHz QuadraMac starting at $1999.00 <"><">
Full value trade-up policy for your old gear
23" HDTV cinema display $999.00
PS3/XBox game compatibility
Dual 16X SuperDrive
ATI X850 single slot 256MB GPU
M-Audio 8 I/O interface card
3 year Standard Warranty
Tiger OS
Bluetooth modules mouse and keyboard
Leather recliner
Peace of mind
Originally posted by FallenFromTheTree
Really just day dreaming........
23" HDTV cinema display $999.00
Peace of "hittin the crack pipe again" mind
Now that is an unrealistic dream If I've ever seen one, but I too would love to see it.
Originally posted by onlooker
Now that is an unrealistic dream If I've ever seen one, but I too would love to see it.
Dad's are allowed to have a Christmas wish list too!
In reality, I'll end up with some Kona coffee, a bag of pistachios, a few
chocolate kisses and maybe some socks.
Also, here's what I would like to see in new high-end PMs:
- More than one channel of FW800 built-in.
- Ethernet w/ support for jumbo packets.
- A third sata drive slot, preferably w/ 2 & 3 on independent channels for RAID.
- PCI-Express.
- Faster CPUs.
- Better GPU options.
I mean.. two firewire 800 slots? ridiculous!
PB will be the big "one more thing."
Other surprises might include an alliance with IBM to license OS X Server on IBM's big iron.
New digital device? I'm gonna gamble a "no" on that.
We'll probably see some new/updated software-- Garage Band 2 is my prediction, there.
Xserve update and Xsan might come out at the show as well. I'm 50/50 here.
That's it-- just throwing in my baseless speculation so that I can check back next month to see how wrong I got it.
There is an alternative that would put a PowerBook in my lap.
I think what they should do is give a slight G4 speed bump, and slash the prices on it to keep sales figures up, and save the announcement of a G5 PowerBook for WWDC when it more feasible, and closer at hand. I think they could still sell a G4 PowerBook in higher quantities if they cut the prices while they have the opportunity to do so.
That would be my PowerBook suggestion at an Apple board meting. That being that I have no idea what processors are available at the moment, but I still think keeping sales up, and increasing sales for that matter is still highly feasible with the G4.