Great, that is exactly what I was referring to. And it seems that it is not part of OS X. Can anyone explain us what is it exactly, how it interacts with the OS and if could it be used in redirecting sound processing to sound cards?
I wonder if the next Power Mac will be a new breed, different from the other Power Macs. What if it's basically a scaled down PM, a headless iMac or a new HyperCube? There's certainly room for it and it'd be highly desirable with these features:
1.6, 1.8 GHz single 970FX G5
1 PCI-X slot, 100 MHz
1 8x AGP slot with Radeon 9600 64MB card but has BTO options
2 DVI ports, DVI/VGA adapter
256MB, 512MB (2 slots, 2GB max)
160GB, 250GB option
8x DVD-R SuperDrive, Combo option
10" square base, 12" high
Internal power supply
Aluminum enclosure, brushed anodized or satin, maybe even colors
Two models:
1.6 GHz, 256MB, 160GB, Combo drive: $1199
1.8 GHz, 512MB, 250GB, SuperDrive: $1499
This is just my WAG but I'd sure like to see Apple make something like this. What do you think? Maybe you can give Apple some free marketing advice.
I think you mean iMac. These specs are not typical of a power mac, and they were jsut updated, so those specs will be increasingly lousy as time goes on towards the next pmac update. I can see the iMac being something like this, but definitely NOT a Power Mac.
I think you mean iMac. These specs are not typical of a power mac, and they were jsut updated, so those specs will be increasingly lousy as time goes on towards the next pmac update. I can see the iMac being something like this, but definitely NOT a Power Mac.
The idea is something between the iMac and Power Mac like my idea for a mini-PM or PM Cube. It's simply a scaled down, single processor, lower cost minitower that can be used with any monitor. Apple needs something like this. It'd be perfect for prosumers, enterprise and SOHO. The iMac doesn't fit the bill because it's too fancy and too expensive with too few options. Sales of iMacs have been on the decline for a while. This might do something to improve desktop sales.
Its a nice pipe-dream, this idea of yours. I would love a new Cube. But what I have been doing with Apple for a while is this: Whatever I would absolutely love for them to do hardware-wise, never happens. Instead they boil it down to reality.
The mockup isn't Apple's style at all, especially if it isn't a Power Mac. What killed the Cube was pricing, and not being completely upgradable. Oh my little Cube has an AGP slot, but it can only fit <20% of the cards out there. No PCI, so I can't add a sound card to take processing off the USB audio.
If Apple was going to pull another Cube they need to do it right this time:
Larger then the original
Which was small by current SFF PC standards
More upgradable
A USABLE AGP slot, a PCI slot wouldn't hurt either. Those asking for PCIe or PCI-X, no way. We would be blessed by Apple if the New cube had PCI at all.
Retain features of the former Cube
Keep the machine as quiet as possible. Upgrades need to be simple using the former Cubes "detachable Core" setup.
Keep the price down
It doesn't matter if it has a G5 in it. Don't treat a 1-AGP slot, 1-PCI slot (MAYBE), 1-Hard drive slot, tiny little Cube as a Power Mac or expect to fail. The prices you mentioned Rolo are great, perfect even.
Now remember what I said earlier about Apple boiling down hardware. Here are some points on what might happen:
- Everything stays the same, as Rolo mentioned, except the thing has a G4 in it.
- No PCI slot, unusable AGP slot or none at all.
- Removing the Hard drive requires a 20 step dissection.
- They go form over function and use another shape (no detachable core = good luck upgrading)
- The machine is loud (if a G5 in installed)
- They attach a screen and all the above occur
There you have it. But here is hoping Apple DOES release a Cube and they don't butcher it. \
That would be great, but no models in this price range have 4 slots. Sure if you want to buy 2GB modules, but I doubt Apple would allow that to be installed (firmware restriction to 1GB per).
My Cube has 3, but that is before requiring pairs if a G5 is to be used. Two slot setup would be more realistic.
If Apple was going to pull another Cube they need to do it right this time:
Larger then the original
Which was small by current SFF PC standards
More upgradable
A USABLE AGP slot, a PCI slot wouldn't hurt either. Those asking for PCIe or PCI-X, no way. We would be blessed by Apple if the New cube had PCI at all.
Not larger than the original! The size was perfect, except for the crippled graphics-card, so maybe change it to 9 inches instead of 8!
But do NOT make it more upgradeable! No use for it! Buy a powermac if you want to expand!
Apple dont include audio processors for several good reasons:
a) it costs more
b) people doing audio could get by with a cheaper machine + audio card
c) low end audio ( system beeps ) doesnt need a coprocessor
d) high end audio is beyond the capabilities of cheap sound cards
The only people who need sound cards in PC land are game players, because games only push a few channels, and the special effects used on those channels are game specific. 3d audio, environmental audio, are hard coded into the sound processor to lower price.
So sound processors really dont buy casual users anything ( they dont play games ), or high end users anything ( they need more ).
Im pretty sure that you could do accelerated audio on a mac, but no one cares, because the market is too small.
Apple dont include audio processors for several good reasons:
a) it costs more
b) people doing audio could get by with a cheaper machine + audio card
c) low end audio ( system beeps ) doesnt need a coprocessor
d) high end audio is beyond the capabilities of cheap sound cards
The only people who need sound cards in PC land are game players, because games only push a few channels, and the special effects used on those channels are game specific. 3d audio, environmental audio, are hard coded into the sound processor to lower price.
So sound processors really dont buy casual users anything ( they dont play games ), or high end users anything ( they need more ).
Im pretty sure that you could do accelerated audio on a mac, but no one cares, because the market is too small.
[EDIT]
Fixed typo.
You can get audio PCI cards for the mac, but Im 99% sure that Apple did include audio hardware in the mac a long time ago, and as I said earlier, The Beatles lawyers took them to court and won, because they had a prior agreement that Apple Computers could only keep the name IF they made no attempt to enter the music biz. Hence exactly the same reason they are now taking Apple comp to court over iTunes music store and iPods.
Comments
Originally posted by Rolo
My G5 Cube idea in anodized aluminum colors:
Sorry, but *Yuck*...
Originally posted by Stoo
There is indeed an Open Audio Language; http://www.openal.org.
Which is already supported in UT 2K3 & UT 2K4. Can this be shifted over to a sound-specialised cheap processor?
Originally posted by Stoo
There is indeed an Open Audio Language; http://www.openal.org.
Great, that is exactly what I was referring to. And it seems that it is not part of OS X. Can anyone explain us what is it exactly, how it interacts with the OS and if could it be used in redirecting sound processing to sound cards?
Originally posted by Rolo
I wonder if the next Power Mac will be a new breed, different from the other Power Macs. What if it's basically a scaled down PM, a headless iMac or a new HyperCube? There's certainly room for it and it'd be highly desirable with these features:
1.6, 1.8 GHz single 970FX G5
1 PCI-X slot, 100 MHz
1 8x AGP slot with Radeon 9600 64MB card but has BTO options
2 DVI ports, DVI/VGA adapter
256MB, 512MB (2 slots, 2GB max)
160GB, 250GB option
8x DVD-R SuperDrive, Combo option
10" square base, 12" high
Internal power supply
Aluminum enclosure, brushed anodized or satin, maybe even colors
Two models:
1.6 GHz, 256MB, 160GB, Combo drive: $1199
1.8 GHz, 512MB, 250GB, SuperDrive: $1499
This is just my WAG but I'd sure like to see Apple make something like this. What do you think? Maybe you can give Apple some free marketing advice.
I think you mean iMac. These specs are not typical of a power mac, and they were jsut updated, so those specs will be increasingly lousy as time goes on towards the next pmac update. I can see the iMac being something like this, but definitely NOT a Power Mac.
Originally posted by ipodandimac
I think you mean iMac. These specs are not typical of a power mac, and they were jsut updated, so those specs will be increasingly lousy as time goes on towards the next pmac update. I can see the iMac being something like this, but definitely NOT a Power Mac.
The idea is something between the iMac and Power Mac like my idea for a mini-PM or PM Cube. It's simply a scaled down, single processor, lower cost minitower that can be used with any monitor. Apple needs something like this. It'd be perfect for prosumers, enterprise and SOHO. The iMac doesn't fit the bill because it's too fancy and too expensive with too few options. Sales of iMacs have been on the decline for a while. This might do something to improve desktop sales.
The mockup isn't Apple's style at all, especially if it isn't a Power Mac. What killed the Cube was pricing, and not being completely upgradable. Oh my little Cube has an AGP slot, but it can only fit <20% of the cards out there. No PCI, so I can't add a sound card to take processing off the USB audio.
If Apple was going to pull another Cube they need to do it right this time:
Larger then the original
Which was small by current SFF PC standards
More upgradable
A USABLE AGP slot, a PCI slot wouldn't hurt either. Those asking for PCIe or PCI-X, no way. We would be blessed by Apple if the New cube had PCI at all.
Retain features of the former Cube
Keep the machine as quiet as possible. Upgrades need to be simple using the former Cubes "detachable Core" setup.
Keep the price down
It doesn't matter if it has a G5 in it. Don't treat a 1-AGP slot, 1-PCI slot (MAYBE), 1-Hard drive slot, tiny little Cube as a Power Mac or expect to fail. The prices you mentioned Rolo are great, perfect even.
Now remember what I said earlier about Apple boiling down hardware. Here are some points on what might happen:
- Everything stays the same, as Rolo mentioned, except the thing has a G4 in it.
- No PCI slot, unusable AGP slot or none at all.
- Removing the Hard drive requires a 20 step dissection.
- They go form over function and use another shape (no detachable core = good luck upgrading)
- The machine is loud (if a G5 in installed)
- They attach a screen and all the above occur
There you have it. But here is hoping Apple DOES release a Cube and they don't butcher it.
Originally posted by Nano
I say 4gb ram max.
That would be great, but no models in this price range have 4 slots. Sure if you want to buy 2GB modules, but I doubt Apple would allow that to be installed (firmware restriction to 1GB per).
My Cube has 3, but that is before requiring pairs if a G5 is to be used. Two slot setup would be more realistic.
Originally posted by IonYz
If Apple was going to pull another Cube they need to do it right this time:
Larger then the original
Which was small by current SFF PC standards
More upgradable
A USABLE AGP slot, a PCI slot wouldn't hurt either. Those asking for PCIe or PCI-X, no way. We would be blessed by Apple if the New cube had PCI at all.
Not larger than the original! The size was perfect, except for the crippled graphics-card, so maybe change it to 9 inches instead of 8!
But do NOT make it more upgradeable! No use for it! Buy a powermac if you want to expand!
a) it costs more
b) people doing audio could get by with a cheaper machine + audio card
c) low end audio ( system beeps ) doesnt need a coprocessor
d) high end audio is beyond the capabilities of cheap sound cards
The only people who need sound cards in PC land are game players, because games only push a few channels, and the special effects used on those channels are game specific. 3d audio, environmental audio, are hard coded into the sound processor to lower price.
So sound processors really dont buy casual users anything ( they dont play games ), or high end users anything ( they need more ).
Im pretty sure that you could do accelerated audio on a mac, but no one cares, because the market is too small.
[EDIT]
Fixed typo.
Originally posted by mmmpie
Apple dont include audio processors for several good reasons:
a) it costs more
b) people doing audio could get by with a cheaper machine + audio card
c) low end audio ( system beeps ) doesnt need a coprocessor
d) high end audio is beyond the capabilities of cheap sound cards
The only people who need sound cards in PC land are game players, because games only push a few channels, and the special effects used on those channels are game specific. 3d audio, environmental audio, are hard coded into the sound processor to lower price.
So sound processors really dont buy casual users anything ( they dont play games ), or high end users anything ( they need more ).
Im pretty sure that you could do accelerated audio on a mac, but no one cares, because the market is too small.
[EDIT]
Fixed typo.
You can get audio PCI cards for the mac, but Im 99% sure that Apple did include audio hardware in the mac a long time ago, and as I said earlier, The Beatles lawyers took them to court and won, because they had a prior agreement that Apple Computers could only keep the name IF they made no attempt to enter the music biz. Hence exactly the same reason they are now taking Apple comp to court over iTunes music store and iPods.