My Reply follows quote. On 12/12/2003 22:03 [EMAIL PROTECTED] said: > I'm looking for information on a PowerMac 5200/75 LC. I've read around on >various sites about this machine, and it seems that the sites conflict with >each other. LEM claims it's a crippled machine (like most machines with the >"LC" label), designating it a Road Apple, while other sites claim it has the >full 64-bit bus. I even seen a place that has a G3 upgrade for it, with the >screen shot even showing it with a PCI riser card. Surely that's not >correct!? > >What's the real deal on this? > >Also, what would be the best performing OS to install on one of these? Say, >choosing between 8.1 and 8.6? ----------------- Well, first of all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Fortunately, or a lot of might never find mates! I think this also hold true of computers, and a lot of the old Macs in particular.
The 5200 does have its limitations. The video system is particularly slow and makes web pages load like watching grass grow. Still, it has a nice small footprint and as long as the video display power supply holds out, I find it useful. I have two of them running all the time. One, in my bedroom, has the TV tuner card installed and is set to come on just as I am heading to bed so that I can finish watching the late news as I perform my evening ablutions. Handy. It also has an ethernet card in its comm slot so it could do emergency surfing if my other 7 machines all crap out at the same time. Maybe not likely, but... The other 5200 sits on the corner of my computer desk and has been "upgraded" by sticking a 6300 logic board into it. It serves as an answering/fax machine using its Glogal Village Teleport Platinum 33.3k modem, MegaPhone and Global Fax software. Starts up by itself, shuts down by itself. Requires almost no attention and screens out those annoying telemarketers. That itself is worth the wattage it consumes. If you have seen a 5200 with a PCI slot, someone has pulled the original logic board and stuck in one from a 6360 (or modified one from a 6400/6500). This is a good modification, greatly improving the video rendering speed. I have a 6360 as my "main" computer with a NewerTech 400mhz G3. It makes a nice speedy machine. Haven't tried to put the NewerTech 400mhz G3 into a 5200. It may fit, but I had to do a small bit of sheet metal work to get it into the 6360. There are many "Cache Slot" G3 cards and others may fit the 5200 with no problem. I suspect you can find one for a reasonable price on eBay or the LEM Swap list. If you have a 5200 and want to make it useful, this is the way to go. On my 5200/TV machine, I installed 8.6. Seems stable and works flawlessly for my needs. The 5200/6300 has 9.1 because that is what was on the hard drive I installed. Also works well. The 6360/G3 also has 9.1. Good compatibility with all applications. The G3 makes it a speedy machine, though still limited a bit in video display. If you are a gamer, probably a limitation. If you want to use your computer to do email, run AppleWorks or even Office 2001, it is more than adequate. In short, road apples, maybe, but still useful machines. Ken Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. -- 1st-PowerMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Sonnet & PowerLogix Upgrades - start at $169 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> 1st PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/1st-powermacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List archive: <http://mail.maclaunch.com/lists/1st-powermacs/> --------------------------------------------------------------- >The Think Different Store http://www.ThinkDifferentStore.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
