|
|
|
|
| Welcome, Guest | Home | Search | Login | Register | |
| Author | USB for 7.6 (Read 27676 times) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
JoAT
32 MB  Posts: 58  
|
on: July 13, 2006, 20:44
Well, I've been curious about this for a while now, but don't currently have the resources to put into this (mostly the valuable resource of time.) But seeing as there are huge similarities and a lot of shared code between System 7.6.1 an 8.1, and USB was introduced in 8.1, we may have something. I have been gathering (potentially rudimentary) information for a litte while now, so if anyone has a Mac running 7.6.1 with an available PCI slot, an extra USB card, and (most importantly) some free time for testing, post here. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
RacerX
|
32 MB Posts: 36
Reply #1 on: July 13, 2006, 21:42
|
The only version of Mac OS 8.1 that supported USB was the version that shipped on the original iMacs. The standard version of 8.1 will not run on the original iMacs because it didn't support USB. If you have an original iMac and have lost your original installation media, the lowest version of the generic Mac OS that can be used is 8.5. As to weather or not elements from 8.5 (or the iMac version of 8.1) could be transplanted into a system running 7.6 to enable support for a third party USB card... my guess would be that it wouldn't work. The USB components of the OS back then were specific to integrated hardware. Apple later released updates to it's USB support drivers to allow for third party USB cards (the latest version of which requires 8.6 as I recall).
|
dpaanlka
|
1024 MB Posts: 1646
Reply #2 on: July 13, 2006, 22:01
|
Quote from: "RacerX" As to weather or not elements from 8.5 (or the iMac version of 8.1) could be transplanted into a system running 7.6 to enable support for a third party USB card... my guess would be that it wouldn't work. I agree completely. Not only that, even if USB somehow were to work, it would be limited to keyboards and mice, as USB drives and printing would be two more hurdles to cross, which I personally don't see as worth the effort. I think my time would be more useful getting DVD and G4 Altivec to work, rather than USB. It is a similar story with FireWire.
|
RacerX
|
32 MB Posts: 36
Reply #3 on: July 14, 2006, 03:13
|
And another thing to keep in mind is that these early Macs not being USB compatible is not necessarily a bad thing. One of the things that came from Apple's serial/SCSI to USB/Firewire transition was that a lot of great equipment was made prematurely obsolete. I can (and did) go down to a local used hardware store and picked up an Apple LaserWriter and scanner for $35. The LaserWriter is serial and the scanner is SCSI, which means they work great with my older systems. I can grab a SCSI scanner that is completely compatible with my 8600 (running Rhapsody) on ebay for about $15 (with shipping). So yeah, my general advice would be to embrace the uniqueness of running older hardware and software. It definitely has it's advantages (specially to those of us with limited budgets  ).
|
sierraredd
|
128 MB Posts: 212
Reply #4 on: July 14, 2006, 17:40
|
The nice thing aboot serial, adb, scsi on a mac is simple, it works, it still works. Most of my usb stuff has been replaced twice because of the poor quality of most disposible computer parts. My printer i use for classic macs is over 10 years old and still prints good as the day I bought it. I'm on my 3rd usb printer, one every 18 months. Ah the good old days.
|
JoAT
|
32 MB Posts: 58
Reply #5 on: July 17, 2006, 21:19
|
While I also still utilize older intefaces for some printers, scanners, and a zip drive (even on my B&W G3 under Jaguar), there are still instances where USB ports can be exceptionally useful, especially on a OS 7 machine. Storage being the largest one that comes to mind. If your using any machine outside of the 5400/5500/6400/6500 family, you only have SCSI ports with which to add additional hard drives, and large & cheap SCSI drives just aren't that easy to come by. Being able to transfer files with pen drives would also be a boon for people that need to transfer files without using a floppy. This site is about being able to run System 7 in today's world, and sometimes today's world needs a working USB port! 
|
dpaanlka
|
1024 MB Posts: 1646
Reply #6 on: July 17, 2006, 21:30
|
Well, for storage purposes, I would focuse on FireWire before USB. However neither seem to work, and SCSI is a good solution imho. You can get a ZIP drive too. CD-RW drives also work using Toast 3.5 (which I use) but possibly also Toast 4.
|
JoAT
|
32 MB Posts: 58
Reply #7 on: October 05, 2007, 20:00
|
Saw the recent success Dan had with getting FireWire going under 7.6.1, so I thought I'd dig up this thread again. I took some preliminary steps in getting into this, but I lost my will when USPS lost the original Rev. A iMac install/restore discs that I had won on e-bay...
|
wall
|
256 MB Posts: 343
Reply #8 on: October 05, 2007, 22:50
|
Quote from: "JoAT" ... USB ports can be exceptionally useful, especially on a OS 7 machine. Storage being the largest one that comes to mind. When my SCSI HD's are not large enough for something, I use a 250GB USB HD via ethernet, connected to a B&W running 9.1.
|
wall
|
256 MB Posts: 343
Reply #9 on: October 05, 2007, 22:58
|
Quote from: "dpaanlka" ... You can get a ZIP drive too.... . These are great! I bought 50 zips, 2 scsi drives and 1 usb drive for pennies. I use zips mainly when a "new" mac is not connected to ethernet yet, to get all necessary apps, drivers etc installed.
|
dpaanlka
|
1024 MB Posts: 1646
Reply #10 on: October 06, 2007, 00:22
|
FireWire and USB are very very different. I always had a feeling in the back of my mind that FireWire would likely work, since it is hardware controlled and was developed by Apple during the System 7 era. And now I've been proven half correct (I'll be fully correct if I can get mass storage to work). USB is software controlled, and likely isn't going to work. FireWire is Apple's baby. USB is strange and foreign (look how long it took for USB 2 to show up in Macs). I firmly believe that USB will not work, so much so that I don't want to waste time trying it. If you'd like to work at it by all means go ahead, and good luck to you. USB sucks at mass storage anyway.
|
_dave
|
32 MB Posts: 60
Reply #11 on: October 08, 2007, 05:56
|
so, usb and it's inherent latency is one of modern professional music's biggest gripes. 0.75 msec (average) of bus latency is more than noticeable to the trained ear even with Protools (in midi operation). more than most scsi drives and bussing (especially under System 7.x.x) are still faster than usb. when was the last time any computer munufacturer revised their machines and then was forced to issue disclaimer that the "newer" drives,bussing and software could not operate the most modern drives; in this case cd burners, to their full capabilities?! shame on em all! in the studio, there's an old saying, "time is money." 0.75 msec is an unbilled account. then, there's the fact that usb drives are only formatted HFS+ which System 7.x.x can not address in the known world?! even apple gave up on that. mind you, i'm not saying there's not a knife at large that can't do it. but mathematical doubt$ abound. who would write the drivers for all the devices out there? cold lowenbraus all around/ and since we had no hurricanes this year - shrimp on the grill...
|
|
Pages: [1]
|
| ||||||||||||
|
© 2021 System7Today.com. |
