This Rare Accelerator Only Works on This Mac

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  • Опубліковано 19 тра 2023
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    Today we're building a super-rare Sonnet HARMONi upgraded Bondi Blue iMac G3!
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    🍎 Fixing the iMac's Display: • This iMac G3 Has a Ter...
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    #iMac #PowerPC #Sonnet
  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 250

  • @charlesswansonii9319
    @charlesswansonii9319 Рік тому +151

    I'd just leave it running Mac OS 9 to be honest. That's a perfect machine to be running the Marathon Trilogy on now.

    • @Adams-78
      @Adams-78 Рік тому +4

      And emac still exist ;) for newer os on crt allinone

    • @iiiiiifggffggffgfgfg
      @iiiiiifggffggffgfgfg Рік тому +2

      And all the other OS9 gaming.

    • @jlj945
      @jlj945 Рік тому +5

      That’s not exactly the point of the channel, though. Also, it’s perfectly capable of having both installed.

    • @commentarysheep
      @commentarysheep Рік тому

      Why not dual-boot? I agree with the guy before me; this channel is all about retro computer tinkering.

    • @nickwallette6201
      @nickwallette6201 Рік тому +1

      I tried OS X 10.0 on my Bondi. It was... not pleasant. These things run OS 9 very well. OS X was too much for them.

  • @zerofox3d
    @zerofox3d Рік тому +33

    The level of engineering that went into lots of the Sonnet upgrades was insane.

  • @akatsukilevi
    @akatsukilevi Рік тому +33

    The 'denied' screen usually means that some compatibility check failed, got used to it during my hackintoshing time
    Usually setting the '-no-compat-check' flag on nvram does the trick(on hackintosh, using clover you can simply pass the flags, unsure how you could set it on the iMac G3)

    • @bobpegram8042
      @bobpegram8042 10 місяців тому +1

      How do you do that? What should be typed in CLI? I ran into it with the video card on my H3 Blue & White when trying to install Adelie. Thanks.

    • @akatsukilevi
      @akatsukilevi 10 місяців тому

      @@bobpegram8042 It's a boot flag argument, you can set it by using:
      $ sudo nvram boot-args="-v -no-compat-check"
      Basically, it just needs to be written into the NVRAM of the device into the 'boot-args' key
      If you're using Clover/OpenCore, or even one of the older Darwin bootloaders, you might have a option to pass arguments before booting

  • @florider_hd
    @florider_hd Рік тому +83

    Hey i just wanted to tell you that your videos are cheering me up in a bad phase of my life. This came just the right time. Thanks Action Retro

    • @zatomlzxzanamolzy1253
      @zatomlzxzanamolzy1253 Рік тому +10

      It's a good sign to recognise it as a "phase." I'll apologise in advance just in case. Sorry if this comes off as condescending, that's not what I intend. Don't let over thinkinking your feelings and situation hold you back, and just remember that everyone has bad times and regrets and mistakes that we all make more if an issue outbif than they're worth. Everything's going to be fine and you'll have a good life from now on. Good luck is coming your way, don't worry about it.

    • @florider_hd
      @florider_hd Рік тому +1

      Thanks for your kind words! I hope you’re well and stay well!

    • @organiccold
      @organiccold Рік тому +1

      Be strong 💪

    • @kazeko0
      @kazeko0 Рік тому +2

      Hope things get better for you bro

    • @kryskarr23
      @kryskarr23 Рік тому +1

      Same here. I’m pulling for you. Hope things are better soon.

  • @halfsourlizard9319
    @halfsourlizard9319 Рік тому +5

    Few things are more satisfying than tech shenanigans to work around 'intellectual property' restrictions. Love seeing engineering that side-steps Apple's paternalistic b.s.

  • @krishnapriyaka3261
    @krishnapriyaka3261 11 місяців тому +3

    watching these retro Mac videos is making me feel relaxed.. maybe because those 90s graphic design aesthetics of Mac OS reminds me of a much simpler time in my life

  • @MarkyShaw
    @MarkyShaw Рік тому +23

    There are so many crazy Mac upgrades I never knew existed! This is awesome. Those beeps sounded like the thing was on life support. Glad it pulled through like a champ!

  • @GendoPrime
    @GendoPrime Рік тому +5

    Next you need to "borrow" Steve's Voodoo 2 for the mezzanine slot.

  • @JustFixIt99
    @JustFixIt99 Рік тому +38

    Would love to see you send the original CPU board to DosDude and have him shoehorn a G4 Sonnet upgrade card onto it. Would be an awesome colab if the two of you could make it work.

    • @DatBlueHusky
      @DatBlueHusky Рік тому

      problem is the firmware might not work and brick it

    • @eDoc2020
      @eDoc2020 Рік тому +3

      @@DatBlueHusky If it bricks, just unbrick it. It's not hard when you have the proper tools.

    • @eDoc2020
      @eDoc2020 10 місяців тому

      @@PyrrhianScavenger An EEPROM programmer is what you need to unbrick something. Just burn the original firmware back. Obviously it's best to make a backup first, otherwise you'll need to try to find a copy online and hope there weren't any unique IDs stored there. If the firmware chip is socketed you just unplug it and pop it in the programmer. Otherwise you hope there's a connector for easy in-circuit programming, or a special clip might work. Worst case you need to desolder the chip.

  • @JohnSmith-xq1pz
    @JohnSmith-xq1pz Рік тому +11

    The fact all these aftermart upgrades exist is telling of the diffrence between what Apple wanted and what the users wanted

    • @halfsourlizard9319
      @halfsourlizard9319 Рік тому +4

      It's almost like Apple actually doesn't know what people want ...

  • @larrydanna
    @larrydanna Рік тому +1

    “I guess I’ll read the instructions. Uh, not something I normally do.” At 6:01. Oh how I laughed, and laughed!! Priceless.

  • @nucflashevent
    @nucflashevent Місяць тому

    11:40 -- It was very smart of Sonnet to keep the little cover at the bottom of the side panel so if you happened to be one of the few with a Rev A-B with a Mezzanine card it would still accommodate it.

  • @Kyle-xv5kv
    @Kyle-xv5kv Рік тому +12

    I'm sure there is a voodoo card you can get which adds into the mez slot on the underside of the logic board. Combine that with this monster CPU upgrade you've got a brutally powerful retro gaming iMac!

    • @that_colin_guy
      @that_colin_guy Рік тому +5

      Was about to comment this. That old mezzanine voodoo card is a rare bird.

    • @AmstradExin
      @AmstradExin Рік тому +1

      You wouldn't believe how much of an upgrade a Voodoo is over a Ati Rage 2. With the Rage, Klingon Honor guard is barely playable and with a Voodoo 2 the framerate is maxed out.

  • @slowednation999
    @slowednation999 Рік тому +4

    very cool video Sean ! i myself just scored the deal of a lifetime in my eyes. i went to a retro games store close to my town a few days ago, and in that store was sitting a basically pristine blueberry iMac G3. the 98 model with the tray loader. it didn’t have a price tag on it so i approached the store worker and asked how much they want for it cause it also came with its original accessories. they only wanted $100. as soon as he said that, i was sold and now it’s mine. i plan to do so much with it i have always wanted my own G3 ever since they came out and i was a little kid with no chance of ever getting that kind of money 😂 i’ve already successfully put Mac OS 9.2.2 on it. just thought i’d share.

    • @beenine5557
      @beenine5557 7 місяців тому +1

      I love how our childhood dreams can come true!

  • @alwinter
    @alwinter Рік тому +2

    Whoa. That's a huge improvement! I didn't know this was possible.

  • @AlexKiraly
    @AlexKiraly Рік тому

    I just love the enthusiasm on this channel.

  • @MSmith-Photography
    @MSmith-Photography Рік тому

    The upgrade shenanigans are a success!

  • @MikeFromDownUnder
    @MikeFromDownUnder Рік тому

    Thanks for sharing this.

  • @NightimeDemon
    @NightimeDemon Рік тому

    It's really cool to see what is possible on these old macs. I never used one growing up until middle school and high school, when macs were using x86-based processors. I've learned a lot from you about the history of these computers and see their appeal. Keep up the great work!

  • @stevemcknelly5036
    @stevemcknelly5036 Рік тому

    One of your better videos. I truly enjoyed it!

  • @JayJay-88
    @JayJay-88 Рік тому

    Yay, new Action Retro video 🥰

  • @StarFireG3
    @StarFireG3 Рік тому +2

    Glad to see people are still modding old Apple hardware. Too bad I sold my early Bondi Blue. But I still have an »Sonnet Encore G4 500« card for my G4 400 laying around. Someday I will install it.

  • @CralexKokiri
    @CralexKokiri Рік тому +2

    Awesome that you were able to get a brand new card and document the process for future enjoyment.

  • @wagnerpanther
    @wagnerpanther Рік тому +1

    Great video! For whatever it's worth, I have a Harmoni G3 600 upgrade that I found preinstalled on a Rev B Bondi Blue and I haven't been able to run any Mac OS X versions from an SSD after weeks of tinkering (and I have tried about 4 different adaptors, half a dozen SSD's of different sizes, IDE SSD's, M2 to IDE, etc.). I could get some SSD's to work on Mac OS 8.1/8.6/9.22 triple boot but I often ended up having disc problems on the 9.22 partition. I'm happy with the speed I get with a 120GB 7200rpm IDE HDD that I borrowed from a Sawtooth G4. It feels really cool to have such power on a classic Blue.

  • @notation254
    @notation254 Рік тому +1

    Yo man, your channel is awesome. I just want to tell you that you're doing great work, and I look forward to your videos. Keep doing what you're doing.

  • @DavidStahlOLDHAPPyMACs
    @DavidStahlOLDHAPPyMACs Рік тому +1

    Sean That is the slickest Upgrade by sonnet I have ever seen To bad that got rid of the Mezzanine slot on the later G3 iMacs

  • @performa9523
    @performa9523 Рік тому +1

    Oh man that is wild! I didn't even know that they had upgrade cards for the original iMac- that's amazing!

  • @theharbingerofconflation
    @theharbingerofconflation Рік тому

    I hunted this thing all over ebay for 3 years, quite the accomplishment that you found and won one!

  • @paulwalker427
    @paulwalker427 Рік тому

    Splendid episode

  • @MrGencyExit64
    @MrGencyExit64 Рік тому

    Through the magic of editing, the optical drive magically reappears :)

  • @8ullfrog
    @8ullfrog Рік тому +4

    The firewire daughterboard was so elegantly designed, and then the parasite cord... wasn't.

    • @halfsourlizard9319
      @halfsourlizard9319 Рік тому +1

      Oh, shit, we need to get power to it! Eh, just use a bodge wire.

    • @nickwallette6201
      @nickwallette6201 Рік тому +1

      What else can you do? If there's no 12v on the CPU daughtercard socket, you can't just elegant your way into having it. :-) Not sure siphoning power from the logic (3.3v? 5v?) rails and using a boost converter would be wise, since you're passing that power on to an external device that consumes ??? amps, and is ... _hopefully_ ... well-behaved.

  • @benotsilent6703
    @benotsilent6703 Рік тому

    0:55 - this is exactly why I subscribed to your channel.

  • @CasioMaker
    @CasioMaker Рік тому +2

    Time for a spot of breakfast and the newest Action Retro video to keep me company

    • @ManleyEvangelista
      @ManleyEvangelista Рік тому +2

      Watching this, while eating dinner for me!
      It's always a good Saturday night, whenever an ActionRetro video drops!

  • @jdmcs
    @jdmcs Рік тому

    Nice upgrade!

  • @organiccold
    @organiccold Рік тому

    Now, that was actually really cool :)

  • @KennedoMaker
    @KennedoMaker Рік тому

    Oo, I've been waiting for this upload since the little teaser in the G3 video haha

  • @BladeOlson
    @BladeOlson Рік тому

    I absolutely owned this and it was super easy to install.

  • @anumeon
    @anumeon Рік тому +2

    Well it sure is a Solid A55 State storage media.

  • @gaeljehnno
    @gaeljehnno Рік тому

    I used the same model back in school. Whe used the ir port with a cellular phone for connecting to the internet back in the day.

  • @nitrax8629
    @nitrax8629 Рік тому

    Nice upgrade, though that Mezzanine slot is practically begging for a Voodoo 2 upgrade!

  • @MoominBoomin
    @MoominBoomin Рік тому

    Why haven’t you showed up in my feed ever? Love this kind of content, happy to sub

  • @The-i-Shakk
    @The-i-Shakk Рік тому

    Sweet video, I have a Rev A with all originals. Just replaced the PRAM Battery on it.

  • @waydegutman7339
    @waydegutman7339 Рік тому +3

    That was an interesting upgrade to watch. Cannot help but wonder what other upgrades that can be done to it. 🎉

    • @chrism869
      @chrism869 Рік тому

      i wish i can take a break and get of, but i cant

  • @liaminwales
    @liaminwales Рік тому

    I loved my Imac G3, relay cool computer.
    The speakers where amazing, made almost all PC's sound so bad by contrast.

  • @kbhasi
    @kbhasi Рік тому

    (13:06) The low pitched beeps it made while flashing the card ROMs reminded me of BBC News countdowns.

  • @GraemeWoller
    @GraemeWoller Рік тому

    Rocking that NIN T-shirt, bro!!

  • @95Comics
    @95Comics Рік тому

    sonnet cards! my favorite! ive never had this one. or even seen it before only read about it. so awesome!

  • @RiggityWRECKED
    @RiggityWRECKED Місяць тому

    Sonnet is frickin awesome. Just recently picked up a McFiver for my 2012 Mac Pro 5,1

  • @wifinesesi
    @wifinesesi 11 місяців тому

    Enjoy it

  • @wilsondavenport6939
    @wilsondavenport6939 Рік тому +1

    ok i would love to see this mac running minecraft!

  • @sjgrall
    @sjgrall Рік тому +1

    Maybe if I had gotten one of these plus a RAM upgrade, I'd have kept my then brand new 1999 Rev D (Lime) longer than just a few years.

  • @georgesenda1952
    @georgesenda1952 Рік тому +1

    I loved my G3 and iMac DV but hated that the cd drives would stop working and the same goes for my beloved clamshell I book.
    I hated the slot loading ones.
    I hope to get another G3 or G4 this year so I can play my older games with an external Apple CD drive.
    I still have all my Apple 2 computers, all 6 of them.
    I love older games.

    • @Scott__C
      @Scott__C Рік тому +1

      I never had a problem with a slot loader myself.

  • @dropes
    @dropes Рік тому

    I haven't watched it yet (stopped literally at 1:02), but I just wanted to say that I love the onomatopoeias in your videos.

  • @AnthonyChopra
    @AnthonyChopra Рік тому

    3:01 "And we can test that later" *While u show Sorrow for the G3imac that you will put it in pain again of opening it*

  • @Philfluffer
    @Philfluffer 11 місяців тому

    Daisy chaining adapters (more like conversion tech) usually is a recipe for a headache if not a complete failure.

  • @ericwood3709
    @ericwood3709 Рік тому +2

    Fix your CD-ROM, damn it. You failed to reattach the spring mechanism that keeps it pushed up toward the front. I learned that the hard way years ago.

  • @ellenorbjornsdottir1166
    @ellenorbjornsdottir1166 Рік тому

    Afaik, Sonnet is still around. They now make Thunderbolt peripherals, primarily for Macintoshes.

  • @Neumaticgrunt
    @Neumaticgrunt Місяць тому

    Just put a G4 into my G3 slot loader, quite exciting when it just worked.

  • @felixg3
    @felixg3 Рік тому +1

    Hope to see you mod an eMac G4 sometime!

  • @alextirrellRI
    @alextirrellRI Рік тому

    I love that this adds FireWire but also keeps the mezzanine slot.

  • @emantv5268
    @emantv5268 Рік тому

    This upgrade card finally enables a first gen iMac to talk and sync to a first gen iPod! And DV video capture for iMovie!!

  • @MattJones210585
    @MattJones210585 Рік тому +1

    Absolutely brilliant video. Same as all your content. As a fellow retro modder I salute you! Keep it up dude!

  • @asystole_
    @asystole_ Місяць тому

    Love the NIN t-shirt!

  • @stpworld
    @stpworld Рік тому

    i have a dv imac and the schooo left all there stuff and made a cool start up screen to

  • @therobb5738
    @therobb5738 Рік тому +1

    Love the Nine Inch Nails shirt

  • @wojiaobill
    @wojiaobill Рік тому

    what a sweet-A55 drive

  • @bluesjmoon
    @bluesjmoon 6 місяців тому

    what a great video

  • @keancv
    @keancv Рік тому

    love the video. The sweaty palms is what makes everything worthwile. Rather than do the screen repair, F-B transformer, what about a mod to use a modern LCD?

  • @mel816
    @mel816 9 місяців тому

    The tones during the ROM flashing remind me of those heart/patient monitors at hospitals😄 I wonder if it gives a "flatline" (long continuous tone) if there was an error in the flashing and fails to boot😛

  • @joepena5771
    @joepena5771 Рік тому

    Now you have to upgrade the video too! The iMac Game Wizard Voodoo2 card.

  • @drewbeattie6346
    @drewbeattie6346 Рік тому +6

    Pretty cool upgrade. Have to ask, what is that SSD to firewire adapter you got there?

    • @DatBlueHusky
      @DatBlueHusky Рік тому

      its just a generic firewire external drive to a ssd. I have one thats 2.5 sata and i just stick a 120gb ssd in it

  • @1eyedwilli3
    @1eyedwilli3 Рік тому

    I just bought an eMac 1.25 G4. IT WORKS perfect, but man that display is fuzzy.

  • @andyttm14
    @andyttm14 Рік тому

    It sounds like a heart monitor is bleeping and it makes me think your computer is about to flatline or something😂 13:19

  • @tappdarden
    @tappdarden Рік тому

    I had a rev D new. And I wanted this accelerator so much. Would be great to have FireWire !

  • @SullySadface
    @SullySadface Рік тому

    That's actually pretty neat. I'd love an old Jolly Rancher g3 just to chew on it
    yes, literally.

  • @suddenlyvlogs
    @suddenlyvlogs Рік тому +2

    Make sure you set up TimeMachine. Yknow, to back that A55 up.

  • @stevencarlson5422
    @stevencarlson5422 Рік тому

    where in the world do you find this awesome stuff

  • @bltvd
    @bltvd 2 місяці тому

    “When you take a sip you buzz like a hornet / Billy Shakespeare wrote a whole bunch of sonnets”

  • @helloimacat000
    @helloimacat000 Рік тому +36

    Who want a iMac G3 With most overlocked maxed power and mods?

    • @em5345-
      @em5345- Рік тому +10

      Me.

    • @joseph58tech
      @joseph58tech Рік тому +6

      Who doesn't?

    • @JohnSmith-xq1pz
      @JohnSmith-xq1pz Рік тому +4

      @@joseph58tech Me lol. Life long windows user who's never owned a Apple product, strangely I still really ejoy this channel...
      I think it's the shenanigans

    • @gamingmark54
      @gamingmark54 Рік тому +1

      ​@@joseph58tech me 😢

    • @pje_
      @pje_ Рік тому +1

      yeah
      10 GHz with 128 cores
      ... on an iMac G3 😂

  • @jessestrobel2
    @jessestrobel2 Рік тому

    Based T-shirt. I'm sure you know about TurboSynth!

  • @zaxchannel2834
    @zaxchannel2834 Рік тому

    I recall being sad I wasn't able to do a CPU upgrade in the 600MHz Snow iMac G3 I used to have :P

  • @weok-doing-things
    @weok-doing-things Рік тому

    those beepings sounds like lifesupport lol

  • @TUUK2006
    @TUUK2006 Рік тому +1

    This over-animated, try-hard presentation style is bloody exhausting.

  • @okkrom
    @okkrom Рік тому +2

    Can I call myself a shenaniganner?

  • @brentconley8902
    @brentconley8902 8 місяців тому

    Man, I was excited to see you try to play on it. Never happened lol

  • @MagnumForce51
    @MagnumForce51 Рік тому +1

    How you got it to boot off USB early in the vid? I thought these Rev A to Ds couldn't do it and only the slot loaders that came after supported booting from Fireware only.... :P

  • @mahdihassan523
    @mahdihassan523 Рік тому

    Nice

  • @wskinnyodden
    @wskinnyodden Рік тому +3

    Who knows why Firewire become named Firewire, I do :P
    Burning cables due to low quality thinner than it should be copper was the nick name and final name root cause in that order :P

  • @brucesyvertsen2147
    @brucesyvertsen2147 Рік тому

    Great timing. I just purchased one of these G3's. Now to start looking for the upgrade card :-) Also what brand is the smaller electric screwdriver you're using? Looks like something I need too! Very informative post.

    • @GrimeyJr
      @GrimeyJr Рік тому +1

      Looks like a wow stick or similar.

    • @brucesyvertsen2147
      @brucesyvertsen2147 Рік тому

      @@GrimeyJr thanks so much for that! Found and ordering.

  • @bmichel5581
    @bmichel5581 Рік тому +3

    I'm curious how this would stack up against Dosdude1's 400Mhz G4 / 1MB L2 upgrade he did to his slot loader

  • @mdkoehn
    @mdkoehn Рік тому +1

    I wonder if it would be possible to erase or replace the ROM on the upgrade card to restore it to "new" state.

  • @fenixlolnope361
    @fenixlolnope361 Рік тому

    Ugh I wanted this thing SO BAD as a kid. Literally turns any iMac into a modern PC.

  • @rickkarrer8370
    @rickkarrer8370 Рік тому

    I wanted one of those so badly back when they were new, but couldn't justify the price. Ended up getting an eMac later instead lol.

  • @tenminutetokyo2643
    @tenminutetokyo2643 Рік тому

    Be sure to jam in new power caps.

  • @dwarf365
    @dwarf365 Рік тому

    called it! have a great day all!

  • @2dfx
    @2dfx Рік тому +2

    I'm pretty sure the Sonnet ROM code modification breaks XPostFacto...could be mistaken though.

  • @DatBlueHusky
    @DatBlueHusky Рік тому

    I had one of these cards that i also bought but it was used, after finding out about the firmware i just decided to trade it away for other another older accelerator card lol

  • @DavideNastri
    @DavideNastri Рік тому

    Damn where do you find those amazing cards?! I WANT ONEEEEEEE

  • @moeskido
    @moeskido 5 місяців тому

    Can you provide some information on that Firewire SSD? I could make some good use of one of those!

  • @PhirePhlame
    @PhirePhlame Рік тому +1

    Huh, judging by the beeps and the fact that it works while there's no ROM present on the system, there must be some kind of built-in service feature that the software uses to flash the ROM?