> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [PCI] Which PCI Mac is BEST ?
> But what I'm looking for is a neat PCI toy to play with. I'm not looking for > computing power. We already have ... Yes, I understand! But there are trade-offs even for this aim (nothing to do with having a "really useful and practical computer"). The 7600 is very nice. It has the video circuitry so you can watch TV, VCR and capture in a toylike way. It is toylike because the images are small but clear and fun to see via the freely supplied Apple Video Player. You can play further by picking up some cheap PCI capture card to get this stuff bigger and better (it needs to be cheap or it won't be fun but start to be serious and really useful. If you get a 9600 you will not have *this* fun at all). The 9600 is bigger and so has more room for lots of gizmos, fans, HDs CDs, burners, maybe DVDs. I can understand wanting one of these and fair enough. Remember that a 7600 with scsi and other external chains can use just as many gizmos, whole areas to explore! True the 12 memory slots are more but the advantage of such for fun would be to be able to fill them up with all sorts of things lying about or easily acquired and from what I read, they are a bit finicky with memory. The 7600 is fairly easy going and will take a GB if you fill all 8 slots. (I think you got a fabulous deal on the RAM you mention - if it is all good). True, the 7600 has 3 PCI slots but the on-board video that goes to 4MB VRAM is great and might count as a fourth slot when compared to the 9600 which has 5 slots because one of the 6 *has to have* a display card. So the great advantage of slots is not *so* great, just one little 'ol slot. Plus, these days there are many combo cards and plus from what I see over time, folk have all sorts of trouble with the 9600 slots. OK, I am being a bit horrible because I have always been a bit jealous of the 9600 owners. But these are the thoughts I have consoled myself with. And I have had a lot of fun with my 7300 and 7600 ... (but geez, they have been great workhorses too) David Elmo PS. I know the info about which 9600 you should get if you get one I have not answered. Others with relevant experience of them should answer but it is a tough task because it all depends on what your sense of fun is, how much dough you have to support such pleasure and so on... -- PCI-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> PCI-PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/pci-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]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/pci-powermacs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
