Recommendations for G4 eMac?

[System6+Vista]

Hello folks, I used to only collect Compact Macs / 68ks and was a Windows user in the G4 era so I really have next to 0 experience with this era of Macs. I aquired it because I could for free, it's blemish-free, not altogether a bad looking Mac, figured I'd stick it in a closet for many years and down the road would be valuable to me or someone, complete with the original keyboard & mouse (ugh ADB keyboards are so expensive, even G3 iMac keyboards!). Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations to protect this 'investment' as when I started collecting vintage Macs in college I was too ignorant to know about re-capping & replacing PRAM batteries.

Also, I do music recording & production, but I serously doubt this eMac would be a particularlly good machine for any of that. Unfortunatley, all the AIO models which I prefer aesthetically, are usually the low-performance variants of their time. I would like to get a G4 tower to run the Universal Audio PCI card from the era, but of course eMac = no PCI. I adore the Sunflower G4 iMac design (who doesn't like the look of the Cube, but that one is notoriously under-powered for its cost).

 

[alectrona2988]

There are 4 different models of eMacs, the 2002, the ATI, the USB2, and the 2005. The first 3 make great OS 9 systems (USB2 needs a bit of work) and the 2005 model can overclock to 1.92GHz making it a discount sonnet ST/1.8 killer.

 

[Cory5412]

Are you looking for anything in particular in terms of use cases?

Any of the ones that run Mac OS 9 (which may only be the ATi 700/800MHz models, if I remember right) "officially" will do so great. All eMacs are above the threshhold at which all Mac OS 9 installs, to me at least, feel identical in performance.

OS X likes as much resources as you can get so get the newest model with the fastest CPU you can get if you want OS X primarily, but the other models should be "basically good enough" at 10.3/10.4.

 

[System6+Vista]

Thanks for these responses. I'll have to take a look, I wasn't aware of the four generations of eMacs. I haven't even tried to boot it up yet. I assume all models would have the same set of ports (have to use model# or startup to determine which type it is, can't identify like a G3 iMac based on external features).

I didn't realize that any of them would be able to run OS 9, which I think I would prefer because of course it'll run so much better. Right now no particular use case in mind, but if I could run some of the early Digital Audio Workstation programs to run software synthesizers and, if I can find compatible MIDI interfaces, that too (well the midiman / M-Audio Uno USB-based stuff should work just fine).

 

[alectrona2988]

Some eMacs usually manage to outperform some single CPU G4 towers, except for graphics. However, the USB 2.0 eMac has a Radeon 9200 and can run OS 9 with some patches, making it the best OS 9 machine, bar none, in my opinion.
I'm curious to what revision yours is? You can even overclock the processor if you feel confident enough to bridge tiny pads and remove tiny resistors for a pretty good speed boost. I know these machines like the back of my hand... except the 2002 model. I don't have that one, unfortunately.

 

[Skate323k137]

Some eMacs usually manage to outperform some single CPU G4 towers, except for graphics. However, the USB 2.0 eMac has a Radeon 9200 and can run OS 9 with some patches, making it the best OS 9 machine, bar none, in my opinion.
I'm curious to what revision yours is? You can even overclock the processor if you feel confident enough to bridge tiny pads and remove tiny resistors for a pretty good speed boost. I know these machines like the back of my hand... except the 2002 model. I don't have that one, unfortunately.

I have a white G4 CRT eMac stashed, I think it has MorphOS on it at the moment lol. I had no idea that it might be able to boot OS9 natively. Do you have info on that patch or is it easy enough to Google? I'll have to check specs on mine but they should be printed in the CD flip down cover.

 

[alectrona2988]

There should be a post on MacOS9Lives about running 9.2.2 on a USB 2.0 eMac.

 

[Skate323k137]

Sweet, I'll have to give that a look. That would be awesome.

 

[Skate323k137]

Looks like mine is the 2005 model, but that's OK, I have a fair number of classic options.

 

[alectrona2988]

Looks like mine is the 2005 model, but that's OK, I have a fair number of classic options.

OC! OC! OC! OC!
I love my 2005 eMac to pieces. It's a great "little" machine.

 

[System6+Vista]

In a day or two I'll get a chance to get over to my parents' house (where the eMac lives) ! I aquired it the same week I had to help my parents move from a house they'd lived at for 44 years, to a new place, so I didn't as much as get a chance to turn it on!

 

[alectrona2988]

Ah, neat! Let us know how it goes, I'll be glad to help