Just Updated 6/7/2002

New zone6400.com domain name!: I finally bought my own domain name :) Now you can access this site from:

www.zone6400.com

Isn't it about time! Plus I was able to make 3 more useful links:

forums.zone6400.com to link to the forums site

forsale.zone6400.com to link to the Mac Equipment for Sale site

search.zone6400.com to link to the search engine.

I hope you will all enjoy using my new URL's :) Have fun!

iTools web site bandwidth, an answer from Apple: Here is the official response from Apple on the bandwidth limitations they imposed on their user web sites such as mine.

[Tom and others,

Apple has recently implemented bandwidth limitations on iTools HomePages. If an iTools user’s website receives more than 500 hits in a six-hour period, the user is limited to roughly two times their iDisk capacity of data throughput in that six-hour period.

iTools users who have upgraded their iDisk capacity will have additional bandwidth. If an upgraded user’s website receives FEWER than 500 hits in a six-hour period, the user is limited to roughly 14 times their iDisk capacity in that six-hour period. If an upgraded user’s website receives MORE than 500 hits in a six-hour period, the user is limited to 2.5 times their iDisk capacity in that 6 hour period.

When these limitations are exceeded, that iTools user’s websites will be disabled for a period of up to, but not greater than, 12 hours. The limits stated here are subject to change without notice.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

Adam
Apple Support Discussions ]

Well that's it. I know why I was shut down. From reading the site statistics that Don has given me, I am surprised they did not shut me down before :) But for the other users that are completely within normal usage guidelines to also be shut down seems very unreasonable! I think their limits are way to strict and Apple should rethink the limitations. I won't be going back but I would hate to see a mass exodus just because of to strict bandwidth limitations :(

USB driver issues confirmed, cause problems with Sonnets Tango cards and 5500's: Kostia sent me a reply from Sonnet that was not to encouraging about this issue? Thanks Kostia.

[I have exactly the same issue with my PM 5500 and I did try new tango patch but without any changes, USB extensions still causing freezing. I sent email to Sonnet and after long time I got this response from them:

We've had a scattered few reports of this odd behavior (less than 10 reports in a year) and we can't duplicate it here in the labs at Sonnet so there is no way to tell if we're causing the problem or it's something unique about the person's computer.

So unfortunately I don't have any solution to your problem. The workaround
seems to be the one you discovered and that's turning off the USB extensions. I'd use Extensions Manager or Conflict Catcher to create a set of extensions for this purpose.
--
Neal
Sonnet Customer Service
support@sonnettech.com

If you (or any body else) will get any solution I will be glade to hear it.
Best,]

Some 6500 owners have also reported having spontaneous freezes for no reason. I haven't heard from other combo card owners yet so it may be limited to just the Tango card? If you own a combo card and have random freezes, try removing the USB drivers and if it helps, write me. Thanks.

Final info on the 6400's VRAM, hopefully: Daniel sent me an Apple spec PDF document that clearly states the 6400 has 1MB of VRAM soldered on the mother board. I am not sure if Daniel other statement about Apple not using main memory for VRAM on any Mac is true or not as I noticed the 6100 does not show any VRAM soldered on the mother board? But its more food for thought and unless more evidence showing that this is false can be shown, I'll have to say the 6400 does indeed have 1MB of VRAM soldered on the mother board :) Thanks Daniel

[Hi Thomas!

The 6400 has 1MB of VRAM soldered on the motherboard. The 6400 doesn't use
some part of the 8MB RAM on the motherboard to stock video data. I think
that Apple never used this poor technique in the past on any model.

Please check the attachment file of this message. It includes all memory
configuration for the Mac for models up to 06/1999. Under the Performa
section you will see "soldered VRAM = 1MB" for the 6400. It's an Apple
official guide and I don't think that it's restricted. You can post it on
your web site. Others could have a more recent version of this file.

Have a good wee-end!

Daniel]

The entire PDF is to large to post but below is a picture of the 6400 page. Note the area I highlighted about the VRAM.

Here is a link to Apples site where you can download the entire PDF document. Now remember, Apple could have made a typo. But for now, this stands.

Audio recording apps: Lennie sent me some info on using a free version of ProTools on his non-G3 upgraded 6400. Thanks Lennie.

[Hey There - I just wanted to thank you for such a great site, the resources here have been a big help in learning my way around this machine - I got my 6400/200 for 30 bucks at a thrift store and it rocks - literally, which is why I am emailing. For anyone who's interested I am using free Pro Tools for recording 16 bit audio at home and having great success with a non upgraded machine. The Digidesign website says that you need at least g3 to use free PT, but I gave it a try anyway and it's awesome. I thought there might be a few people out there who'd be interested in knowing that it works well on my machine w/o out an upgrade. You do need an outboard mixer of some type to regulate the line levels coming in and I maxed the CPU dedication in the PT program to get it rolling. You also have to pull the levels of both your previously recorded and incoming tracks way down when monitoring tracking to over come the latency issues, but other than that I'm getting great results and having a blast. I'm a bit of a novice at digital recording, so I hope this all makes sense - I just wanted to share this with anyone out there who might be interested in doing home recording without throwing down the cash for the g4 or g4! Thanks again, Lennie

Thanks again Tom - here's the link to the download - http://www.digidesign.com/ptfree/ - I think that the manuals also are on that site, though it might be a separate download. They're pretty extensive, but you kind of need them to get going unless you know someone to help you get started. Let me know if I can be of any other assistance - take care, Lennie]

Broken SubWoofer knob adhesive: Tom sent me some info on gluing your subwoofer knob back on if it has broken off. Thanks Tom. Click here for more info on fixing the subwoofer volume knob.

[I was cleaning my 6400 and broke off the sub woofer knob while removing the back cover. My experience is that super glue or epoxy glue crack too easily to be used on something that has stress put on it.

I found a new shock resistant adhesive that I fixed my knob with and it has held up with no problems. (I turn my volume down almost every morning so I don't awake the wife when I boot-up my 6400) Its called "Power Poxy Stix-On Contact" and was under $2 a tube at Wal-Mart. Might be the fix for other users with the same problem.
Tom]

Update on S-Video / Composite out card: Alec had sent me some info on this card awhile back and he finally got one. He says it works great except you must run in 640x480 at 60Hz or you won't get any display on the TV. Click here to read more about this card. 640x480 at 60Hz is the standard used for displaying a computer video signal on a TV. Todays technology in newer Macs allow for higher resolutions but you still must set the refresh to 60Hz or it will not display on the TV.

Click here to view his previous info.

Radeon 7000 in a 6400: Tom posted in the forums that he installed the ATI Radeon 7000 video card in his 6400 and it works fine. Thanks Tom. I asked if he could try running dual monitors on the card since that is one of its selling points. I'll let you know if it works when I know :)

[Just completed installation of a ATI Radeon Mac Edition in my G3 upgraded 6400. The installation went very smoothly and everything looks ok. The video difference is really amazing. Purchased the card from
Buy.com for $107.00. I am running OS 9.1 and to achieve full 3D graphics you need OpenGL 1.2.2 from OS 9.2.1.]

Another CD Audio cable hack: Tom sent me some nice instructions and pictures showing his hack to make a CDROM that does not fit the 6400's special audio adaptor, work. Thanks Tom and sorry it took so long for me to post this :(

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