Upgraded G4 Cube powerful enough for full band recording?

  • Thread starter Thread starter barrist
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barrist

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Hey in putting together my newbie recording rig, i'm thinking of getting this upgraded G4 Cube as my main machine.

It's specs are as follows

- Powerlogix Dual 1.3Ghz CPU w/ 2MB L3 Cache per processor.
- 1.03GB PC-133 RAM (2x 512MB, 1 x 32MB)
- Flashed Radeon 9200 128MB video card w/ VGA/DVI
- 160GB HDD, 128GB available (can access all 160GB with Intech Hi-Capacity Driver)
- Pioneer DVR-K05 DVD-RW DL +/- Superdrive
- Running OSX 10.4.8


-
Going to be using it with the Presonus Firepod as the interface and Cubase as the software.

What do you guys think?
 
person is asking $600CDN

gonna try to talk him down to around $550
 
IDK, I personally like mac's, but PC133? This would be mixed, I would say that the computer should be decent enough to run what your doing. But Another part of me is saying just spend $600 on a even faster PC system.
 
Yeah i was afraid the ram might be a bit too dated for today's use

I also came across this shuttle system for $600CDN

What do you think?

Shuttle SN25P Case/Motherboard
AMD X64 S939 3000 @ 1.8ghz
Corsair VS 1GB DC RAM
ATI X800XL PCIe video card
Seagate 80GB SATA Harddrive
NEC 3520A DVD/CD RW Drive

pers-2.jpg
 
Do you know how to build one? If so,

Seagate 250gb HD 16mb cache SATAII 3.0Gb/s $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148144

Or get a cheaper drive...

Seagate 250gb HD 8mb cache SATAII $69.99

Intel Core 2 Duo 6400 (2.13ghz) $222
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115004

Or slower 6300 $184
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819115005

MSI motherboard $72.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130060

Asus geforce 7300 pcie $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121009

Plain case with 450w power supply $29.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811117080

Kingston 1GB 667mhz DDR2 5300 $64.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820134216

Lite-on 18x DVD burner $28.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106042

That amounts to $548.95
Brand new, more powerful. That's with the faster processor, and better hard drive. For the OS, (i'm assuming your searching on EBAY by the picture?) I doubt you'll get a copy of it buying a used one from someone... If you have your own great, if not, than throw in $89.99 for xp home. It'll still be some change over $600, but it'll be faster, if $$ really an issue, you could get slower processors & smaller drives.

Or, if you can't build, and need an all in one...

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2727005&Sku=G153-GT5098E

$549 pretty decent system.
AMD 3800+ Dual core
1GB DDR
250gb HD
DVDRW
And the shitty os, media center...
 
those are both us sites, not sure if i can find the same kind of deals in Canada.

As well, i'd like to keep it as compact as possible; that's why im looking at the mATX stuff now

here's one i found

# Black UltraFly HTPC Case + 400W PSU
# Intel 945GTP mATX Motherboard
# Intel Pentium D 2.8Ghz (Dual Core)
# ThermalTake Copper heatsink
# Onboard Audio + 128MB Onboard Video (Smoothly runs Windows Aero!)
# 2GB Corsair DDR2 Ram!
# 250GB HDD SATA
# 16X Lite-ON DVD Burner


will cost around $650CDN

will probably pick up a cheapo PCI-E videocard so that the onboard video doesn't eat any processor.

mATXPC0011170458151.jpg
 
barrist said:
will probably pick up a cheapo PCI-E videocard so that the onboard video doesn't eat any processor.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure (not 100%, more like 80%) that the video would be completely handled by your chipset, not stressing on the processor unless you plan to use any type of hardware accelerated graphics
 
barrist said:
person is asking $600CDN

gonna try to talk him down to around $550
Click to expand...

Another $79CDN will get you a brand new Mac Mini that would eat it for breakfast, complete with warranty, and that's buying straight from Apple. You can probably find local resellers that will throw in some free crap for about the same price.

That said, you might want to add an external FireWire hard drive to the Mini for recording purposes, since it uses a laptop drive.
 
thanks for the replies!

anyway i think i may just end up putting together a system myself... so far ive got something lookin like this:

Asus M2NPV-VM mATX board - $104CDN
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10530BD8502

Antec NSK2400 Desktop Case - $114CDN
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10370AC6854

WD 250 GIG SATA2 HD - $79 CDN
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15080DR2889

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ EE - $134 CDN
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10360BD3363

(2) x 1 Gig Corsair Value Select PC-5300 DDR2 RAM - $154CDN
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=11180BD8250

=
Sub: $587.50
Taxes: $35
Shipping: FREEE
Shipping Insurance: $8.81

TOTAL: $632.09

I've already got a Pioneer 111D DVD+RW DL drive in a firewire enclosure that i can put in the case. And if OhSH!rt is correct, then I won't need to pick up another videocard (unless i want to go dual monitor??). Although I was under the impression that alot of audiorecording software do utilize hardware accelerated video within the user interface? I guess not, ah well!
 
dgatwood said:
Another $79CDN will get you a brand new Mac Mini that would eat it for breakfast, complete with warranty, and that's buying straight from Apple. You can probably find local resellers that will throw in some free crap for about the same price.

That said, you might want to add an external FireWire hard drive to the Mini for recording purposes, since it uses a laptop drive.
Click to expand...

I second this post.
 
Decided to pick up the system I outlined, except for a different mobo. Can't wait to put it together.

thanks again guys.
 
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