Feedback: Mac Daniel #20

Beyond the Limits of Mac TV

The following were written in response to The Limits of Mac TV.

DD writes: After reading your discussion on the Mac TV, I just wanted to let you know that I have one, my brother has one, and my best friend has one! Currently, all three are being used as, well, TVs.

But, unlike normal TVs, you can still do screen captures, play CDs, and Myst runs very well on them!

LKO'D writes: Should you or your readers retain a hankering for watching TV on their Macs, the 5000 desktop series (Performa 5200 CD to Power Mac 5500/250) is real great. I have a Performa 5200 and a PowerMac 5500/225. The former has an Apple TV/Video Card, the latter an Apple TV/FM Radio Card, and both work great as TVs.

I also really like the look of these Macs -- even more than the iMac, they represent the traditional Macintosh design and look that sets them apart from all other desktop PCs.

Their only big flaws (since I am a big gamer) are their inability to accomdate 3dfx Voodoo cards or upgrades to G3. Or am I wrong about that?

Mac Daniel responds: The 5500 does have a single PCI slot. If yours is free, you may could put in a VooDoo card -- although I'm not sure if or how you'd connect it to the internal monitor.

MC writes: For the person with the Mac TV, a good choice would be to dump it for a first generation Power Mac AV and a VCR with S-video output.

When I had my 6100AV, I fed the VCR output into it and could use its tuner to watch my favorite programs while I worked. It even had an option for transparent video, where the Video Player window would show through any windows on top of it.

My current StarMax 3000/200 doesn't have that capability, unless I add a TV Tuner card.

JS writes: I read your article concerning the MacTV, and I have to disagree with the following: "If you want to work on the internet, want a modern browser, and want decent performance, the least Mac you want is something with a 68040. The 68030 just doesn't cut it."

Hey, I'm writing this on a PowerBook 180 (33Mhz 68030) and I have no problems using it on the internet. I'm running sytem 7.1 with 14MB of RAM, using a GV28.8 external modem and Netscape Navigator 4.05. It's quite speedy, and unless i am viewing a graphics-intensive site there seems to be little difference between the PowerBook and my iMac.

Mac Daniel responds: That's just the opposite of my experience using a Mac IIfx (40 MHz 68030, 32 MB RAM). Connected to the same 56k shared line as my 7600 at work, it absolutely crawled on the web, even when running the same browser on both machines. (I tested with Netscape 2 and 3, plus Internet Explorer 3 and 4. Netscape 4 wouldn't install without Mac OS 7.6.1, which I didn't have on the IIfx. I have heard Netscape 4 is faster than 3 on a 68k machine.)

Recent Mac Daniel & Friends columns

Online with a PowerBook Duo, Julie Fugett, Mac Daniel, 11/17/1999
Time to buy an iMac?, Dan Knight, 11/15/1999
Surfing With Low RAM Macs, Manuel Mejia, 11/9/1999
6100 value, Voodoo3, Charlie Ruggiero, 11/4/1999
Getting an old Mac running, Julie Fugett, 10/26/1999
What can I do with a Mac Plus, SE, or Classic?, Manuel Mejia, 10/22/1999
Mac On? Mac Off?, Charlie Ruggiero, 10/20/1999
Mac Connectivity, Julie Fugett, 10/14/1999
Improving the LC 475, Dan Knight, 6/28/1999
Used 7500 or G3?, Dan Knight, 6/21/1999
more on the Mac Daniel index

Not sure if you should upgrade your old Mac or replace it? Check the index to see if we've already addressed your problem recently -- and look in the archive if it's not in the recent columns. If not, visit our staff page for the names of several people who may be able to help you.

Dan Knight, webmaster, Low End Mac

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Beyond the Limits of Mac TV

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