Forums | MacLife

NightCougar_37 · 2004-12-05 8:01 pm

Alright, as a couple have found out recently, I just got me a Cube off ebay. Pretty much mint condition too. Probably overpaid but oh well, not gonna sit around biddin for it tongue .

Anyways, now comes the fun stuff which you all can help give input on. Upgrading and tweaking the heck outta this!!!

Current Specs:

G4 450Mhz/1GB RAM/ATI Rage Pro 16MB/smurf DVD SR-8186

I know I need a fan upgrade but does anyone know what CFM the GigaDesigns blue led fan pushes? Would like to really max out the cooling as much as I can. I've spliced together my own power cables with cooling fans before soo i'm not too worried about what type of connector a fan has.

Now in graphics (critical area, Rage 128 sucks!!), i'm itchin for a Shader 2.0 card which means i'm going to have to flash unless ATI pulls their heads from their butts. So looking at FX5200s or R9600-R9800s for a flash. I've read up on these a lil bit at Cube owner but I know not everyone may check there so I figure to get some input on here. I'd really like to flash a R9600 due to the power requirements inside the Cube. I would go R9000 128 if I really had to, but i'd rather exhaust the more extreme options first.

Processor I want to totally max out. Looking at the Giga 1.5Ghz 7457. Now I can last on the 450 for a bit so those that know the processors, do you see anything faster than 1.5Ghz being possible for the Cube? Also, any issues with those Giga 1.5s that I should know about. I won't have the funds for a bit to get the CPU so i'm flexible on what i'm interested in here. But due to power and heat constraints, i'd like to keep things at a 7457 or better.

Pixel Shader · 2004-12-05 8:13 pm

Wow, a cube, nice score dude, a 1.5GHz 7457 would be a nice upgrade for it, making it last longer.

Noticed guest posting yet?

ironhawk · 2004-12-05 8:18 pm

Powelogix has some nice aluminum chasis upgrades for the cube, too
I love the cube.

NightCougar_37 · 2004-12-05 11:53 pm

Wasn't that great of a score compared to other models for sale at the time which had more upgrades. Machine was pretty basic. It came with about 449MB RAM. But I had a 512MB and 256MB PC133 RAM sticks from a PC that I put into it. It also has its original 20GB HD. Once I get some tools to work on it (I need a Torx-10 thing I guess) im gonna swap in my 60GB HD. Then it had an original Airport card, but I got no base station for that.

Nice selling point was it came with a 15inch studio LCD which was in mint condition too. No dead pixels or problems at all. Looks like the previous user didn't do many heavy tasks with it. Mostly typing and net stuff, he needed to sell it so he could buy a 17inch Powerbook for College.

bob the gnap · 2004-12-06 10:12 am

I put the case fan from my Performa 475 in the bottom of my Cube. It's held in with a bent paperclip.

Alien · 2004-12-06 10:47 am

Powelogix has some nice aluminum chasis upgrades for the cube, too

I suppose you can't really go wrong with that enclosure. I'd stay the hell away from their CPU upgrades, though. Google around a bit if you really want to read some horror stories.

I love the cube.

Good man.

,xtG
.tsooJ

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-06 10:48 am

Haha, holy crap, we're on the same road with the same plans, including that GigaDesigns CPU.

I just scored a Cube setup from eBay last night as well. big_smile

Schwing!

We can mod them together!

ironhawk · 2004-12-06 12:19 pm

Powelogix has some nice aluminum chasis upgrades for the cube, too
I suppose you can't really go wrong with that enclosure. I'd stay the hell away from their CPU upgrades, though. Google around a bit if you really want to read some horror stories.
I love the cube.
Good man.

,xtG
.tsooJ

No need, I have my own Powerlogix CPU horror story.
I won, at the end. Nevertheless, I wouldn't want to do it again roll

Alien · 2004-12-06 12:46 pm

Nice setup. Still got you guys beat with my Cube, though I'm sure when y'all are done upgrading and hacking, you'll surpass this setup:

Cube MPC7400/450
1.5 GB RAM
120 GB WD SE
GeForce3
17" Studio LCD

I'm seriously considering getting a GigaDesigns MPC7457/1500 for it, since I'm really starting to feel the difference between the Cube and my iBook (PPC750FX/900). And maybe hack in a faster GPU if I feel like messing with VRM relocation, but I do fear that by the time I'll want to do that, it'll be time to upgrade to a newer machine.

,xtG
.tsooJ

bob the gnap · 2004-12-06 1:36 pm

P.S. I use my Cube as a tivo with the EyeTV thingamabobber.

NightCougar_37 · 2004-12-06 3:29 pm

Haha, holy crap, we're on the same road with the same plans, including that GigaDesigns CPU.

I just scored a Cube setup from eBay last night as well.

Schwing!

We can mod them together!

Got pretty much the same deal I did, cept I paid a lil more on a buy it now option. Oh well.

Lets certainly team up and get down with some Cube moddin!

I'm still considering the PL enclosure on my front. I really like the stock enclosure, but I know i'm going to have to relocate the VRM anyways so, kinda thinkin about it still.

Alien, just add a 7457 CPU upgrade to that with a fan and you'll have a new machine. Your Geforce 3 is still decent enough. The only things more powerful are flashed cards. As of right now the R9800 flash that can fit in the Cube is a rare card by Sapphire. R9600 flashes are just now being really attempted.

Due to the power requirements and heat levels, if a 9600 can be flashed, it will be the best way to go.

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-06 10:20 pm

My plans are, for now:

*The 1.5GHz 7457 GigaDesigns.

*Three identical 512MB sticks of Crucial, which are currently in my Digital Audio.

*Radeon 9000 128MB. Reason for this is that I want to keep the Studio Display and not pay $100 for an ADC-DVI converter. Plus, I really don't feel like flashing and I want the full 128MBs.

*120GB Seagate or Hitachi, undecided. Seagate for silence and warranty. Hitachi for speed and 'l33tness'.

I already have a Belkin USB Bluteooth dongle with my Digital Audio, paired with an Apple Wireless Keyboard. Figure I'll pick up a Logitech Bluetooth mouse, and combined with the AirPort card my system will consist of two cables. One for the monitor to the Cube, the other from the power supply.

Oh, and he already shipped my setup this morning. Due to arrive Wednesday. big_smile

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-06 10:28 pm

Holy smurfing smurf!

Sonnet just announced 1.7GHz G4 upgrades for all the G4s including the Cube!!!

Link!

Amazing.

Pixel Shader · 2004-12-06 10:43 pm

Holy smurfing smurf!

Sonnet just announced 1.7GHz G4 upgrades for all the G4s including the Cube!!!

Link!

Amazing.

holy smurf thats good!

NightCougar_37 · 2004-12-07 12:19 am

Will bring the other upgrade prices down for sure. But since it won't be clockable, i'll wait for Giga and PL to see what they come out with.

Tho this news is awesome to hear. Think i'll make another thread when I get money for a CPU titled: 2Ghz or Bust in a CUBE!!!

Time will tell how clockable those Freescale 74xx CPUs are.

Well if you go R9000 your getting one really old GPU. No Core Image support and no neat effects for modern games. Course those are mostly my concerns since I plan to use this machine to surpass my Beige Tower as the main Mac here. Why i'm looking to the flashing potential of the R9600s. But, I don't think i'm going to flash unless I have to, just depends how I feel when I have to means to do it. I'll probably try to buy from one of those Cube Owner users which sell their flashes on ebay shrug .

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-07 12:24 am

I'm not much of a gamer. I put in maybe 2-3 hours a month between WarCraft III, Unreal 2004 and CoD. StarCraft still holds most of my gaming attention though.

ironhawk · 2004-12-07 1:00 am

Nuclear Launch Detected twisted

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-07 1:56 am

cheers

It'll never get better than StarCraft.

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-07 11:13 am

This just keeps getting better for all the G4s: Now there is heavy rumoring of single and dual upgrades with 4MBs of L3 per chip very soon.

NightCougar_37 · 2004-12-07 4:58 pm

Its a sweet time for upgrading indeed. I'm really thinking about going that G4 1Ghz in my Beige. Maybe its the increased amount of apps takin advantage of Altivec, but my 450 Cube runs a lot smoother than my Beige 917 on some apps. I've had DVD, Firefox, iChat, and mail running at the same time and the DVD video doesnt even skip a frame. On my Beige it usually would, specially when opening an app. First I was thinkin cause the Cube has a faster DVD, but then I tried DVD player in OS9. Its really skippy in 9.

Man those 750FX CPUs suck lol .

ironhawk · 2004-12-07 9:20 pm

This just keeps getting better for all the G4s: Now there is heavy rumoring of single and dual upgrades with 4MBs of L3 per chip very soon.

4mb of DDR L3?
That would SCREAM eek

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-07 10:03 pm

Oh how I love competition...

GigaDesigns just announed Dual 1.73/1.70GHz upgrades for all the G4 towers.

Sorry fellas, but I think my Cube upgrade plans just went down the drain. I don't think I can resist 3.46GHz of combined power for my Digital Audio.

NightCougar_37 · 2004-12-08 1:15 am

Nah, it still be more fun stuffing 1.7Ghz into a Cube then seeing if it could do 1.8+Ghz. Just hope they don't stay at $500 for long. That much for a 7447 with no L3, meh, I can wait a bit.

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-09 12:37 pm

Ah... Crap.

The Cube just got here. Looking at it is making me all mushy... love

I'll have to think a bit more about which machine to upgrade and which to let go to cover the cost of upgrading the the other.

PowerMacMan · 2004-12-09 1:32 pm

Ugh... I cleared my entire Digital Audio/CRT/5.1-speaker setup out of the room entirely and set up the Cube, LCD and Pro Speakers. I wanted to get the full 'experience', which is why I cleared out the Digital Audio stuff.

I'm feeling so mushy right now... love

Which machine to upgrade? cry

DAMN YOU INDECISIVENESS! BE GONE! mad

Forums | MacLife

#1 2004-12-05 8:01 pm

Say Cube is beautiful!

#2 2004-12-05 8:13 pm

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#3 2004-12-05 8:18 pm

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#4 2004-12-05 11:53 pm

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#5 2004-12-06 10:12 am

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#6 2004-12-06 10:47 am

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#7 2004-12-06 10:48 am

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#9 2004-12-06 12:46 pm

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

#10 2004-12-06 1:36 pm

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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#25 2004-12-09 1:32 pm

Re: Say Cube is beautiful!

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