Question Old Apple Mac Mini prices, who is dreaming, me or them?

[mikeford]

I was a mac only guy for a LONG time, last one I had was a PowerPC by Motorola. Lately I've been interested in SFF, with a couple old Dells, and that has me thinking about doing the same with some of the older Mac Mini systems, but yipes, somebody is dreaming about prices, me or them?

Some things I have in mind to play around with;

Firewire, I've got a few devices with firewire including a big high end AV receiver.
OS9, as an OLD user I've got some OLD software I might like to run.
Linux, I know why not just use a PC, but part of it is the firewire and maybe a music server like Plex.

Obviously one needs to be OLD to fully support OS9, and I think one needs to be at least i5, but could be a core duo might work. Am I going to need to do a lot of hunting to find stuff in the play with it toy cheap range of $50 to $150?

 

[ultimatebob]

If you really want it to support Mac OS 9, you'll have to pick up something with a Power PC processor. They never offered Intel support for that OS.

The only Power PC Mac Mini's were the oldest ones with a Motorola PowerPC G4 processor.

 

[VirtualLarry]

OS-9 was by Microware, and ran on 6809 and 68000-family microprocessors.

I think that you meant MacOS 9?

 

[mikeford]

Stilling dipping my toe in the Mac Mini madness, could be the $300 to $500 pricing on up to 8 year old systems is limited to Craigslist and ebay, but for my purposes which are centered around firewire, I don't think it will apply to me that much. I've been looking at specs on Everymac.com and that is making the selection much easier.

 

[ultimatebob]

I'm curious... what are you trying to do here, exactly? I'm curious what this Mac OS 9 (and, yes, they had a space between Mac and OS back then ) program is that needs Firewire support. There must be a modern day equivalent to it somewhere.

 

[mikeford]

Modern day firewire support seems abysmal, with very limited functionality vs 20 years ago. Mac OS 9 is the point where I shifted to almost exclusively PC from my Starmax / PowerPC environment, all of my old files and programs are Mac OS 9 and older. I still have most of my old computers, PowerPC, IIfx, IIx, IIci, back to Apple II. Thinning that herd will save some space, but I have my own software projects on many of them.

Firewire centers around my AV system, I have an old top of the line Sony 7100ES AVR, and its right at the split of HDMI and firewire as the media for its DRM. So far I have hunted down a Denon DVD SACD player with firewire that in theory will connect in a full fidelity digital connection for SACD playback, not possible other ways.

G4 mac mini is cheap, and small, not as cheap, but just as small are the i5 models, where I could do some stuff like running PLEX. If I find a cheap enough i5 I might even get a couple of them.

 

[Harry_Wild]

You be an idiot to buy the intel MacBooks now at any price! M1 is a big jump in CPU performance and technology! Just have to wait till software catches up with the M1.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Firewire centers around my AV system, I have an old top of the line Sony 7100ES AVR, and its right at the split of HDMI and firewire as the media for its DRM. So far I have hunted down a Denon DVD SACD player with firewire that in theory will connect in a full fidelity digital connection for SACD playback, not possible other ways.

I still have the Sony 7100ES that I pay $2,200 for! It is stored in the garage. I going recycle in the Spring. I only used it a couple of times too. The new modern soundbars systems are just so good now a days, It like being at the concert 1st row! SACD? Sony stand? Now it is bluetooth music streaming that is at leadt 3X better then SACD standard. The 7100 was an impulsive buy and weigh like 40-50 lbs too! Any how, I ask online at an audiophile forum a while back and was told it is worthless. That is electronics, every year keeps getting that much better.

Good luck with your hobby!

 

[ultimatebob]

You be an idiot to buy the intel MacBooks now at any price! M1 is a big jump in CPU performance and technology! Just have to wait till software catches up with the M1.

Huh? He's not looking for a Macbook, Intel or otherwise. He's looking for a really old G4 Mac Mini, which I'm sure he can find on eBay he really needs full Mac OS 9 capability.

That said, there are a few edge cases where an Intel based Mac Mini will outperform an M1 based Mac Mini. Network transfer speeds are one of them, as they do not offer 10Gb Ethernet on the M1 based Mac Mini yet. The M1 Mac Mini probably would work better for most basic computer use, though.

 

[mikeford]

I still have the Sony 7100ES that I pay $2,200 for! It is stored in the garage. I going recycle in the Spring. I only used it a couple of times too. The new modern soundbars systems are just so good now a days, It like being at the concert 1st row! SACD? Sony stand? Now it is bluetooth music streaming that is at leadt 3X better then SACD standard. The 7100 was an impulsive buy and weigh like 40-50 lbs too! Any how, I ask online at an audiophile forum a while back and was told it is worthless. That is electronics, every year keeps getting that much better.

Good luck with your hobby!

Are you making a joke, just being silly, or I am so very sorry for you if actually that misinformed. Nothing you have claimed is correct.

I want an older mac mini to play around with the music playback via firewire, I have plenty of newer computers for other uses.

 

[Jimminy]

Years ago, I worked with a guy who was a fervent evangelist for the Apple II. I think it had a SCSI port. And came with a genuine apple mouse. He said microsoft stole all the ideas for mouse and windows.

Those old apples probably command a very high price these days. Like a pristine model T Ford.

 

[ultimatebob]

Are you making a joke, just being silly, or I am so very sorry for you if actually that misinformed. Nothing you have claimed is correct.

I want an older mac mini to play around with the music playback via firewire, I have plenty of newer computers for other uses.

Yeah... Bluetooth music streaming still sounds pretty weak compared to a good CD player connected to a high-end receiver. I do appreciate the simplicity of a soundbar, though, as one remote control can control everything without wrestling with input switching.

 

[mikeford]

There may be some decent bluetooth, but all of our phones and cars the bluetooth is one step away from sucks, and clearly inferior to an Aux plug.

Sound bar works for many, but I've got maybe $15k in high end speakers, with giant top of the line Klipsch speakers for the main system, its not something you can go back to midfi and be happy with.

Mac had SCSI and mice, A2 were bare bones and I don't recall they ever got a mouse, just game paddles and a joystick.

 

[nitsuj3580]

I PM'd you about an old mac mini I have that I'd let go for cheap.