Anyone here know what the best PPC hardware is that can run MorphOS?

> Anyone here know what the best PPC hardware is that can run MorphOS?

In case "best" means "most performant":

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/specs/powermac_g5_quad_2.5.html with a supported graphics card

Depends on your needs:

- PowerMac G5, if power is nedeed (1.6GHz up to 2.3GHz aircooled, up to 2.7GHz liquid cooled) = quickest machines for MOS and in my opinion the best choice (but it's stationary)
- PowerBook G4 1.67GHz if mobility is needed
- Mini G4 (silent upgrade 1.5GHz, 64MB VRam), if there is not enough space on the desk.....

On this Macs OSX, MOS and Linux can be used

- PegasosII, If MOS, Linux, OSX (MOLK) and AmigaOS4 is needed on one machine

MOS and AOS4 (and Linux) can also be done by SAM (ACUBE) and X5000 (AEON) machines, but both leak ALTIVEC, which gives in some applications lower performance (eg. Video, Browser).


[ Editiert durch Amigaharry2 11.06.2021 - 20:51 ]

> MOS […] can also be done by SAM (ACUBE)

Just to note that it must be a Sam460. Sam440 is not supported.

My first post here - maybe I should finally stop lurking

I've been using an iMac iSight G5 20" for the last few months for MorphOS. I think it's a good balance between computing power and electrical power consumption. Works really well (WiFi fine, dual monitor works once firmware mod has been applied, most web pages reasonably quick via Wayfarer with Youtube etc. playback pretty fluid), the only issue with this model seems to be a tendency to overheat (I have to run the fans at maximum or a the hard drive controller locks up forcing a shutdown and some cooling off time).

Cheers,
Nigel.

[ Edited by ntromans 11.06.2021 - 20:32 ]

Hello,

For me, i think the best hardware for MorphOS is a Powerbook G4 1.67GHz 15" or 17" with SSD and with external video.

I have realised a prototype with a Powerbook, i have removed the screen because it was broken and redirect video to external screen via DVI port.

There is speed, graphic card 128Mb, big screen in 1980x1024 with no problems..., no temperature to down and a silent hardware

I will do picture soon.

[ Edité par Papiosaur 12.06.2021 - 07:39 ]

> screen in 1980x1024

Non-standard resolution?

ooops, 1920x1080 pixels

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I'm pretty sure that "mod" only sets a variable in OF that is ignored by anything but OSX so no need if your going MorphOS only.

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Did you ever clean out the dust and/or replace the HD with an SSD?

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The 1,6 GHz model doesn't make sense IMO, and the 1,8 GHz model has hardly any speed advantage over 1,67 GHz PowerBook.

Yeah, 1.6GHz ist the lowest entry to G5 and a G5 >2GHz is the better choice. But even a 1.6GHz makes sense (in case you can get a cheap one), if you need to use additional cards, like SCSI or more USB-ports.....
I've G5 with 1.8/2.0/2.3GHz and for most applications can't see any remarkable difference in speed during everdays work. Only when useing Wayfarer or OWB (Youtube) or coding videos, I notice a real difference.

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I have one of each of the above, all running MorphOS and love them all for different reasons.

The PowerMac G5 for its power, meaning with Wayfarer I can do day to day web browsing and watch Youtube at 720p easily.

The PowerBook G4, so I don't need to be sat at my desk to play around with MorphOS.

The Mini G4 Silent Upgrade, because it is so easy to set up MorphOS for and it can handle most stuff you chuck at it, even 720p YouTube until the fan kicks and you can't hear anything!

For all three machines, the MorphOS licences cost me more than they each cost me and the G5 was even free (although I had to buy a ATI graphics card, network card and I also gave it a SSD upgrade).

MorphOS is running beautifully on my 20" iMac G5. ( Upgraded SSD with 2.5GB memory )

I'm very happy with the performance with the added bonus of the screen built in, and everything just works ( barring the boot screen and the webcam ).

I don't get the runaway fan problem and my fans ramp up when the machine gets too warm on it's own and then settles again.

With my machine I can comfortable watch Youtube videos spoofing as an iPad at 720p with Wayfarer.

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Can you please tell me more about this firmware mod for dual monitors and how it works?

Any links?

Thanks!

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The OP will need to confirm this but I think it is this
http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/ibook_e.html

ScreenSpanning software on OS X but it will basically do a OpenFirmware patch which enables extended displays, more resolution choices and if wanted clamshell mode on laptops.

The interesting bit with iBooks is that they initially did support dual output, but Apple has disabled that in an OpenFirmware patch later on. I remember being surprised that the dual display feature has disappeared after I've installed the update. Luckily it is indeed possible to reverse this, even without installing any apps on OSX. There was a series of commands to be typed into the OF prompt to restore the correct nvram contents... You'd have to Google for that.

Well, I've googled for you:

http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/ibook_e.html

See the very bottom section of this page (aka 'The Patch'). Make sure to read all of the comments on the page before you proceed - if only to make sure your hw is compatible. I think only R200 based ones will be OK with this.

> I've googled for you:
> http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/ibook_e.html

Looks the same as that in comment #15, just that you put it as a real link ;-)

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Hi MoerBoer,
Yes, it's the ScreenSpanning software as linked to above. You just run it and the firmware is updated, but the downside is to run it you need to boot into MacOS.

Cheers,
Nigel.

Just to be clear, dual monitor in MorphOS does not work with iBooks patch or no patch.

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I tried after doing the firmware update on an iBook G4 1.0Ghz using the VGA_ENABLE=YES setting under Devs/Monitors/Radeon as mentioned here

iBook VGA but indeed no luck.

Altough the post references and iBook 12" G4 1.33Ghz which has a Radeon 9550 instead of mine having an Radeon 9200.

Curious how that user might have gotten it to work.

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Dual-Head support indeed only works on selected PowerBooks and G5 PowerMacs. This is unrelated to any firmware update and is actually down to some technical details inside the MorphOS Radeon driver. We could probably expand it to support iBooks but due to the limited video memory avaiable in most iBooks and the external output being analog VGA out only, we didn't really put our focus on it so far.

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I'm pretty sure all supported iBooks have 32 MB of VRAM. Even 'the latest and greatest' A1133 has got only 32...