Sonnet has big plans for us!: Here is a news flash I just received tonight. Sounds very encouraging!

[News Flash!

SONNET HAS BIG PLANS FOR OS X

As the Macintosh industry is well aware, Apple will release OS X this Saturday, March 24, 2001. Sonnet remains committed to providing broad support for this final release, and wants you to have the latest information on our plans for this exciting new arrival. While Apple has officially dropped support for pre-G3 systems, Sonnet is preparing to deliver the future to many of these loyal users.

In the coming weeks, Sonnet will provide an OS X upgrade path for users of popular PCI platforms like the Power Mac 7500, 8600 and the 9600. We also have plans to expand this reach to other PowerMac and Performa users. Only Sonnet has made this commitment and invested the engineering resources to make it possible.

For Sonnet's latest OS X compatibility statement, and a Mac OS compatibility matrix, please visit: http://www.sonnettech.com/news/macosx_update.html.]

Notice the Performa users note :) I'm getting giddy!

OSX info from MacFixIt: Click here to visit MacFixIt's OSX info page. A good place to start reading up on Apples latest greatest OS :)

VPC for OSX: Here is a post I found on www.MacWindows.com. It says that Connectix is working on a version of VPC for OSX. I guess the rumor of Connectix making an OSX emulator for classic Mac OS was too good to be true :( But this is great news in itself!

[Connectix announces Virtual PC for Mac OS X for summer ship. March 23, 2001 -- Connectix announced that it would ship Virtual PC for Mac OS X this summer. In a press statement, Connectix Vice President of Marketing Mitchell Cipriano said "We believe Mac OS X is the ideal platform on which to build a better Virtual PC."]

This could open the door for VPC on Linux as well since both OSX and Linux are based on UNIX. Hmmmm?

Update on USB Device Extension causing the floppy drive to not work: I have been able to repeat this issue by removing and replacing the USB Device Extension over and over. Thomas sent word that USB 1.4.6 drivers fixed the problem for him. I tried them (they are bundled with OS 9.1) but they didn't fix it for me? I also tried Apples USB DDK 1.5f3 extensions and they didn't work either :( Thomas then told me he also had OS 9.1 installed. I just dragged the USB extensions from my B&W G3 that had OS 9.1 installed on it over to the 6400. Maybe its a combination of newer OS and newer USB drivers that fixes it? Right now my only 6400 running is my server and the server software I am running is not OS 9.1 compatible :( My other 6400 is resting while my wife tries using our PB exclusively. So I cannot test OS 9.1 on a 6400 at the moment. As soon as I can I will! If you have the floppy issue and upgrading to OS 9.1 fixes it for you, please email me. Thanks. Below is Thomas's letters.

[I have a 6400/G3(300) with a Tango USB/FireWire PCI card. I was having the problems with the floppy drive, but USB v1.4.6 seems to have solved it. I do however still have sound issues related to the USB Support extension. With it enabled it causes my sound out to be delayed and it stutters. If anyone has messed around with the SDK for USB and found a way to solve this I would really appreciate it. It is getting to be real inconvenient to have to restart every time I want to play a game or listen to some music, especially since I have a HP 970Cse printer. Thanks for all of your helpful information that I have found on your site.
Thomas]

Sound issues with caused by USB support extension?: If you read Thomas's letter above, he says that the USB Support Extension caused sound that seem very similar to the sound stuttering issues with ATI Rage128 cards and Sonnet G3 upgrades installed? He said that just removing the USB Support Extension fixes it but then your USB devices no longer work :( I don't know if I have this problem or not as I don't play any intense games on the 6400 anymore and I have no other sound issues that I am aware of? If you are having sound issues and removing the USB Support Extensions fixes it, please email me the info. Thanks.

[Unfortunately the Support extension is required to run both my printer and SanDisk imagemate. I forgot to mention the I was running 9.1. Although, I have always had sound issues related to USB. I have found that if I hold down the mouse button while I am listening to an mp3 or streaming audio, the problem goes away. My thinking is that it has to do with a some kind of interrupt request between the USB devices and ADB devices. Am I the only one reporting this as an issue? I have not checked to see if the same problems arise with my L2/G3 removed. I will let you know if that is some how causing it. Thanks for your time.
Thomas]

More info on Sonnet and OSX support: Tim sent me a letter he received from Sonnet on a request for info on OSX support for L2 G3 upgrades. Thanks Tim.

[Tim,
We're working on that compatibility. I imagine on the day OS X is actually released, we'll update our website with a proposed timeline as to when and what products will support OS X.

Personally, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting because the L2 upgrades will be the toughest to provide compatibility for but we'll certainly try our best. This is just my opinion and doesn't reflect that of Sonnet.
--
Neal
Sonnet Customer Service
support@sonnettech.com]

ATI's Radeon and the 6500, may work together after all: Chris has a 6500 and says it works fine with his Radeon card. He did have to install it in the 1st slot (closest to the mother board) in order for it to work though. The other 6500 owner may have had it in the 2nd slot which is why it did not work for him? Click here for more ATI Radeon info and the 6400/6500.

[I was able to get ATI's Radeon 32MB PCI card to work in my PM6500/Sonnet G3/400. I also had a problem installing it in the 2nd PCI slot (Sonnet Tango card was in the first PCI slot). However, after switching the cards and placing the Radeon card in the 1st slot and the Tango card in the second slot, both worked like a charm. I started the system with extensions turned off, used the Radeon installer, and was able to reboot and have everything work ok without disabling any other extensions.
Chris

PM 6500/250
Sonnet G3/400mhz/1MB backside cache
96 MB RAM
ATI Radeon 32MB PCI
Sonnet Tango USB/Firewire PCI
Built-in Ethernet
Apple 17" Monitor
20GB Maxtor Hard Drive]

Review: ACARD ARS-2000UB Ultra SCSI to IDE External Cabinet for IDE Drives, for PC and Mac: I found this on Accelerate Your Macs web site the other day. It is a review on the ACARD Ultra SCSI to IDE external drive enclosure. It allows faster IDE drives to reach more of their full potential when being attached to a SCSI bus.

Pidrus Online: Here is another Mac reseller that has lots of older hard to find parts for Macs like the 6400/6500. Including the Proline upper bay bezel kit! I will be placing this on my Magazines page also.

[Hi,
Would you please include our web site URL on your web pages.

Pidrus Online, http://www.pidrus.com

We carry a mix of hard to find Macintosh service & upgrade parts such as Pram batteries, drive mounting sleds, bezels, SCSI cables/terminators/adapters, FireWire cables and static straps. We also have a variety of kids educational software. I believe your readers might find our products useful.

For the 6400/6500 specifically and items you talk about on your "Take Apart Manual" pages, we have the replacement PRAM battery, drive mounting sleds and the Proline Jaz/Zip Bezel installation kit.

We also carry Klear Screen cleaning products. Their "iKlear Apple Polish" is an excellent all around cleaner for Macintosh screens/cases and PowerBooks.

We have recently been running a special for PBZone.com readers. If your readers click on the "PBZone Readers" link, http://www.pidrus.com/pbzone.html in the Specials area on our main page they will get $1 off all Klear Screen products we carry. Also listed on this page is a special for a combo of iKlear Apple Polish and Klear Kloths.

We accept payment with PayPal and the four major credit cards.

Thanks for your time,
Phyllis Lindeman
Pidrus Online
www.pidrus.com]

Update on USB and Floppy drive issue: Charlie wrote to let me know that he is not having any trouble with his floppy drive and the exact same USB card that I have. Thanks Charlie. So maybe its a combination of USB and OS9?

[Tom.
Just to let you know: I have the same USB card as you (ADS) on my 6400 w/400mhz Sonnet card and I do not have problems reading floppy discs or formatting them in any format (Mac or MS DOS). I am running OS 8.6.
Charlie]

Rumor that Sonnet may discontinue the L2 G3 upgrades are false: I have read a few posts on my forums stating that Sonnet may be discontinuing their L2 G3 upgrades. I email Sonnet and they confirmed that they are NOT discontinuing them! Good :)

[No, you have been misinformed. We are and will still continue to support the 6400/6500 with the BG3 line of upgrades.

On Thursday, March 22, 2001 12:05 PM, Thomas Koons wrote:
Sonnet L2 G3's all being discontinued or upgraded?Hello Joy. I was told by a reader of my web site that you guys are discontinuing all L2 G3 upgrades for the 6400/6500? Is this true or are they being revised with newer CPU's?
Any info will be helpfull. Thanks]

XLR8 lists 6400/6500 series Macs on there web site but have no products for them yet?: I just noticed that on XLR8's product web site, they have a drop down menu for selecting which Mac you wish to upgrade, and they list a bunch of L2 G3 systems like the 6400/6500? If you click on one though it says they have no upgrades for them at this time. I wonder if they are working on it though? Interesting.

Apple TIL on high sound volumes causing skipping?: Below is a TIL that basically says that in OS 8.1, if you have the volume on your Mac set to full or near full that sounds may skip. Also it states that having the input source set to nothing may induce the same issue? Updating to OS 8.5 is supposed to stop that. I wonder if it doesn't fix it for everyone? Could this be the solution for some of us with sound issues on our 6400/6500's? Please email me if lowering your sound volume or changing the input source fixes your problems. Thanks.

http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n22164

Why should schools use Macs instead of PC's?: Found this site on the web the other day and it has some really good arguments on why Macs are better then PC's. Yeah we all know why but now you can show others why :)

Sonnet Tango info from Sonnet: Below is part of a press release that Sonnet sent out this week. It states why Sonnet thinks their firewire/USB combo card is the better choice on the market. For one it works on the 6400/6500 :) I thought you guys might be interested?

[Sonnet Tango - The Best FireWire/USB Combo Card to Buy
There are many design features that set Tango apart from the competition; the best ones are not readily obvious. One is Tango's use of a Lucent single-chip FireWire solution that utilizes four distinct data buffers. Many other cards use a two-chip solution which requires additional parts to manage each chips distinct operation, a design that could negatively impact board reliability. Through its use of four data buffers (two buffers each for transmitting and receiving), Tango has a distinct advantage over other cards when comparing speed and bandwidth across the FireWire bus. Many cards use half as many buffers while some use only one, which must be software configured during use. Another feature that makes Tango a standout product is its "live" FireWire bus. Devices connected to Tango bus can continue to operate and communicate with each other, even when the computer is off. Bus power and data transfer are uninterrupted so other connected computers or smart devices can continue interacting. Other FireWire cards break the chain unless their computer is on. Combined with a three-year limited warranty, all of this makes Tango the card to buy.]

Apple TIL on getting the fastest modem connection: Here is a link to an Apple TIL that tries to help you gain the fastest modem connection you can, or at least understand why your not!

Link to Apples web site for downloading Avid Cinema: The following link was posed in my forums the other day. It links to Apples software download server that hosts Avid Cinema 1.1.3 and 1.1.5! The readme states that 5500/6500 owners need to install the original Avid software that came with their Macs in order to run this update? I think the original installer must have some drivers for the Avid hardware that comes with some 5500/6500 Macs? I'm not sure if it works without that? I did try to run the application but it requested I turn off Virtual Memory before it would run and I have not tried that yet.

http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates/English-

International/Macintosh/Display_and_Peripheral/Avid_Cinema/

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