G4 Cube Processor Upgrade & GPU upgrade (Display Results)

[Akanthos]

Hello,

i have a Power Mac G4 Cube, upgraded to G4 1,2 GHz, 1,5 GB RAM and to GeForce 6200 graphics card. The results from the GPU upgrade are not so noticeable. It shows enough speed increase in OS X Leopard (desktop window opening, web browser etc), but not at all in video media playing. I wonder if this happens because of the G4 speed.
Would it be a significant change in display results, if i install another CPU accelerator? For example, a G4 1,6 or 1,8 GHz?
There is an accelerator G4 card for sale, but i want to be sure if this could make a difference combined with the GeForce 6200 or it would be a waste of money.
To be more specific, i'd like it to display videos in about 900 x 700 or maybe more resolution and in a format other than mkv.

If some of you made a similar upgrade to your G4 Cube and see results in video media displaying, your answers would help me a lot!

Thank you in advance!

 

[0248294]

Video decoding, especially h.264 stuff, is all done on the CPU. PowerPC Mac OS X never had GPU acceleration for that, as that was brought in with Snow Leopard. The faster CPU cards might improve it, but as I have no experience with Cubes, I can't say that with 100% certainty. Someone else should chime in that could give more certainty of it working or not.

 

[Akanthos]

Thank you for the answer, Daniel,

this information about CPU handling all video decoding, is something I didn't know! As long as you are sure about this, the conclusion I make, is that this is the reason for no difference in video decoding, between GeForce 6200 and GeForce MX2 which is the GPU that was installed from Apple.

Am I right?

 

[flyrod]

To be more specific, i'd like it to display videos in about 900 x 700 or maybe more resolution and in a format other than mkv.

DivX is probably the best for playback on a G4. My cube will play 1920×1080 DivX fine.
[doublepost=1457535564][/doublepost]From the faq:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/video-on-powerpc-part-1-playback-on-g4-g5.1296071/

 

[Akanthos]

DivX is probably the best for playback on a G4. My cube will play 1920×1080 DivX fine.
[doublepost=1457535564][/doublepost]From the faq:

Hi flyrod,

thank you for this information. I 'll keep that in mind! Please tell me about the technical specifications of your G4 Cube.

 

[MacCubed]

Hi flyrod,

thank you for this information. I 'll keep that in mind! Please tell me about the technical specifications of your G4 Cube.

His is a Dual 1.8GHz G4, which is the best upgrade one can get for a Cube

 

[Akanthos]

Thank you for your answers so far,

this information is useful. I 'm waiting for more answers from other people.

I know now, that a CPU upgrade will make a difference. But what about the Graphics Card GeForce 6200? Should I keep using it? If I downgrade to the one that Apple used to install in G4 Cubes would it be O.K. ?

I 'm asking because I 'm interested about video media playing, not anything else.



Thanks to all.

 

[MacCubed]

Just leave it be, the 6200 is one of the best cards you can put in a Cube. The Rage128 isn't supported under DVD Player and front row in Leopard. I would also reccomend bumping the RAM to 1.5GB to achieve optimal performance. In the end, the best configuration you can get to is, a Dual 1.8GHz G4 (You will need a base fan, along with a High-Power VRM board from Japan), 1.5GB RAM, an SSD, a SuperDrive (requires a special vertical mounting bracket), and a GeForce 6200. If you are using ANY CPU upgrade with a high energy draw, the High-Power VRM is required. In ALL CPU upgrades, the base fan is required.

With all these upgrades, you could have the fastest cube money can buy! Remember that the CPU upgrades are extremely expensive, and are usually really REALLY hard to find.

 

[Mnowell69]

I find I want to change the graphic card in mine (a 6200) because it takes a year to start up in leopard, but seconds to start up in tiger.

 

[Akanthos]

Thank you all, for your replies,

I have found a CPU upgrade from Giga Designs (single G4 7447 1,8 GHz) which is unused, in it's original package. The person who wants to sell it, sent me a scanned copy of the installation manual along with photos from all included things. I did read the manual and it is obvious that everything required is into that package.

So I think I can buy it. However, if you think there is anything more I should know, you can write it.


Thanks again!!
[doublepost=1457703779][/doublepost]

I find I want to change the graphic card in mine (a 6200) because it takes a year to start up in leopard, but seconds to start up in tiger.

This happens in Leopard, because it doesn't support temperature sensors in G4. So, you have to remove a specific file from the OS and the start up time will be reduced.
Read this for details: http://www.lowendmac.com/video/agp/geforce-6200.html