Just starting out

[musiciseverything]

Thanks to everyone for helping me to understand the equipment issues with music servers. I have learned a lot just from reading all the information here. I am just beginning and have purchased a new laptop for my college-bound son. I now have his old Apple, handed down from my oldest son. This is the unit: 1.33 GHz Powerbook G4, 256 MB memory (lower), 512 L2 Cache, 120 G hard drive capacity. I will be using only external storage and backup. OS is 10.4.11. I don't speak Apple since I have only used PCs. My questions:

1. Should I upgrade to Leopard or Snow Leopard?

2. Is there a better way to stream digital data from the laptop than the USB. I believe it has one slot on the left side. Lynx? I don't know the USB version, 1.1 or 2.0?

3. Would adding memory improve the sound?

4. It has firewire but my PS Audio Digital Link 3 doesn't have firewire. It does have optical but I don't see an optical output on the laptop.

5. With this setup will it matter which format I rip in? If this laptop craps out, which it will, the music will be on the external discs so in the future which format will I want when I get a new Apple computer (distant future, I hope!).

 

Thanks again to all and I'm sorry if these questions were answered elsewhere. I couldn't find them in my search.

 

[BobH]

butsexisbetter!

 

Here's a few answers to your questions whilst you're waiting for someone sensible to show up!

 

1. I'd go straight for Top Cat - "Let's live live live"!

2. You should find a small nozzle on the left hand side, attach the steam pipe to this.

3. You can't have any more memory - you get only that with which you were born - sorry!

4. Perhaps you need better optical outputs - have you tried reading glasses?

5. I generally rip in human format but I've heard that Duck-Billed Platypus yields good results.

 

By the way, you wouldn't be able to find your questions in a search because you hadn't posted them yet!

 

I hope I have, in some small way, brightened your day! - because I don't think I've been much help!

 

 

 

[souptin]

Lol @ BobH

 

1. Snow Leopard's a no-go for that laptop, Leopard would work, but it's not necessary. Stick with Tiger.

 

2. You have usb 2. Most usb capable dacs will work with either usb 1 or 2, so it wouldn't really matter. Makes a big difference with usb external hard disks though, they will all work with usb 1, but they will be a lot faster with usb 2. Firewire is (arguably) better than usb for audio. I've had good results with both but I'm a mid-fi person not a high end hi-fi person.

 

3. Yes, you need more memory. You're college bound son is no fool! He took the new mac and left you the old one with good reason. Try to get 1GB, but even 512 will be a big imrovement on 256. No it won't transform the sound quality, but trust me, it will be a huge change in general performance.

 

4. I don't think there is an optical output on your mac. Check the Apple Menu/About This Mac/More Info to confirm. Under Audio (built in), if the entry for headphone says "combo" then you have a combination minijack/optical mini toslink, but most likely you don't. There are usb to optical converters, and firewire to optical converters which you can get to link your lappy to your PS Audio. I'm not familiar with the PS Audio gear, so hopefully someone else can give recommendations.

 

5. Yes, rip to a lossless format like alac or aiff unless you're really short on disk space. It's actually more processor intensive to use a lossy format, so you win both ways on this - better sound and longer life for the computer.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

[cfmsp]

 

I agree with Souptin's comments, only I'd recommend maxing out the RAM. That would cost about $90 I think. If you don't mind mismatched RAM Pairs you could put 1 GB into the (presumably) empty slot along with your 256 MG for half that amount.

 

Here's a link to the specs for your computer. Should be quite useful info.

 

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/stats/powerbook_g4_1.33_15.html

 

You might want to try an inexpensive USB to S/PDIF converter like the HagUSB.

 

The Bel Canto USB Link is nicer, but probably not necessary for your DAC (unless you have the Cullen mods).

 

enjoy,

clay

 

 

[musiciseverything]

Thanks to everyone for your guidance in my quest for hard disc based music. Yes, my sons ended up with all the good stuff, I have what I call "hand-me-ups". Ultimately I want to have all my shiny discs on a hard drive and then upload music from webservers, preferably in high-resolution and avoid CDs all together.. To do this I will need a different computer. This one will die before too long, so I am getting my feet wet and learning on this one. All my other computers are PCs, but I will replace this one with an Apple of some sort and configure a system which will play from that server to the other systems in my home via Apple TV. Based on the advice here I will upgrade the RAM, keep the Tiger OS, make sure I disable all the software such as equilizer, and use the USB out to the PS DLIII. Thanks again for all the advice (and humor!), and I look forward to someday being able to contribute what I have learned to others on this website.