Mac mini suited for recording?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nightfire
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Nightfire

Nightfire

Aspiring Idiot
Hello everyone,
I recently adquired a used Mac mini because it was cheap and an impulse buy.
Now that I want to move my recording setup to a desktop rather than laptop I was wondering wether the Mac mini will handle my recording needs?
Its a 40 gig model, but I have an external 500gig hardrive. Other than that, to be honest, I dont know the specs. I am not familiar with Macs at all, this is my first one. If anyone knows what specs the minis had, I believe this might be a G4. Probably 512MB Im assuming.
I want to run a Firepod on it, and a USB control surface at the same time.
I know this is very little info Im providing you here, but maybe someone has used a similar setup?


Mike
 
I don't believe the Minis came out until after the switch to Intel.

I would upgrade the RAM to 2GB and you should be good to go :)
 
Guitarer said:
I don't believe the Minis came out until after the switch to Intel.
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naw, there are G4 Mini's. But like he said... fill up the RAM and start recording :) It shouldn't have a problem with tracking. If you find you run out of juice on the plugins during mixing, you get pick up one of those UAD Xpander units :D
 
Ok, so I emailed the friend who sold it to me and said he had upgraded the RAM to 1024.
Do I really need 2000 to track? I wont be using plug-ins while tracking, only in mixdown.
On a sidenote, do you know what chipset the firewireports on these puppies have? (I heard the Firepod only jams with Texas Instruments chipsets).
And last question, is there a Reaper version for Macs?

Thanks,
Mike
 
The G4 Mini's were real dogs when it came to processing power - they only became viable as DAWs once the CoreDuo Mini's were released.

Don't expect too much from it unless you're running OS X 10.4 (Tiger) and are using an older version of Garage Band, Logic or Cubase.
 
there's a testing build of reaper for mac if you go to the reaper forums.
the g4's/g5's go up to 1gb ram max. the internal hard drive is a touch slow (5400 rpms) for tracking, but it will probably be okay if you stick to 24 bit 44.1 khz. since you own it you might as well give it a shot!
 
kojdogg said:
there's a testing build of reaper for mac if you go to the reaper forums.
the g4's/g5's go up to 1gb ram max. the internal hard drive is a touch slow (5400 rpms) for tracking, but it will probably be okay if you stick to 24 bit 44.1 khz. since you own it you might as well give it a shot!
Click to expand...

The G4 mini did max out at 1GB. However (and I know this is off topic), G5 towers definitely did not. I have 2.5 GB in mine, and except for the first generation or so, they go up to 8 GB (officially, and 16 GB unofficially, IIRC).
 
Once I can find a power cable for this puppy I will fire it up and let you guys know how it went recording 8 simultaneous channels.

Thanks,
Mike
 
dgatwood said:
The G4 mini did max out at 1GB. However (and I know this is off topic), G5 towers definitely did not. I have 2.5 GB in mine, and except for the first generation or so, they go up to 8 GB (officially, and 16 GB unofficially, IIRC).
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Yep. The Intel dual core Mac Minis officially go up to 2 GB, and unofficially go up to 4 GB-- I have 3 GB in mine :).
 
Nightfire said:
Once I can find a power cable for this puppy I will fire it up and let you guys know how it went recording 8 simultaneous channels.

Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...

If it's the same as the later Mac Minis, "power cable" is a bit of a misnomer-- it's more like a power brick. It's almost as big as the computer itself! :)
 
kojdogg said:
Yep. The Intel dual core Mac Minis officially go up to 2 GB, and unofficially go up to 4 GB-- I have 3 GB in mine :).
Click to expand...

Actually, even if you put in 4, the chipset only supports a little over 3.
 
kojdogg said:
If it's the same as the later Mac Minis, "power cable" is a bit of a misnomer-- it's more like a power brick. It's almost as big as the computer itself! :)
Click to expand...

Yup. That said, IIRC the G4 models came with a much lower wattage power supply, so while a current Mini PSU will work with the G4s (IIRC), the reverse is not true. :D
 
I have the "brick" power suppy, i just need the cable that goes from the outlet plug to the brick (mickey mouse connection). Unfortunately, I havent found anyone yet that carries it.


Mike
 
Nightfire said:
I have the "brick" power suppy, i just need the cable that goes from the outlet plug to the brick (mickey mouse connection). Unfortunately, I havent found anyone yet that carries it.
Click to expand...

Isn't it just a standard two-prong cable like you'd have on a cheap cassette player? Or is it the three-prong version with a third circle out the back? Either way, try the rat shack.
 
Its that Mickey Mouse looking connection. Three circles/holes.
Tried the rat shack. Tried Futureshop. Tried Best Buy.


Mike
 
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