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awcopus · Aug 30, 2006, 10:37 AM

The question is: do I invest $1500 in a PowerMac to bring it back to life as a fully functional production machine for FCP/DVDSP work -OR- do I invest in a MacPro system?

My dual 2.5GHz G5 recently suffered major damage, most likely, I am told by Apple, due to the interal Power Supply failing and basically frying my whole system. Covered by Apple Care, my machine has already had its Power Supply, Logic Board, and Processors replaced. A new hard drive is also coming my way. Basically, it's like getting a brand new version of this machine.

I will probably be able to get Crucial to replace my 6GB of RAM, but there's little chance of success with the other peripherals, which add up to close to $1500.00. According to Apple, my ATI X800 card is ruined, my Sonnet external SATA hosting card is no good, and my ATTO UL4SI SCSI card is kaput as well.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Neo.cmg · Aug 30, 2006, 11:18 AM

Well, that's not so good news. The base price for a new MacPro is about $2200. If you didn't mind the hassle of having your current PowerMac repaired and as many of the components replaced as possible, then I would try selling the system. With the money from the sale, I would go ahead and put towards the purchase of a new MacPro with the goal to try and keep your out-of-pocket expenses below $1500 in this initial investment.

OreoCookie · Aug 30, 2006, 11:42 AM

Since you are using application that are already available as Universal Binary, I would purchase a MacPro. The model in the middle usually has a very good value …�

Also, you can now add 3 harddrives in the enclosure which might be good news for someone working on movie projects

seanc · Aug 30, 2006, 12:03 PM

Interesting that your PowerMac went from crashing to frying itself. I'd invest in a Mac Pro though, would Apple give you one of these for free or discounted? You could get your PowerMac repaired and then sell it to buy a Mac Pro.

mac128k-1984 · Aug 30, 2006, 12:09 PM

Well how much are you willing to spend on a mac pro. Clearly the base mac pro is not going to suit your needs so what configurations have you considered.

After increasing the memory, hard drive upgrading the video card the price is going to be in the 3k range. Is that something you can live with?

Looking at it 1500 vs. 2200 (base price) it appear that the macpro would be the right move but 1500 vs. 3000+ I'm not so sure

awcopus · Aug 30, 2006, 03:55 PM

Well... just got a phonecall from Apple...

"Who told you all that? No, no we didn't replace anything. After extensive stress-testing, the only problem we discovered was with your ATI X800XT and one bad HD. Your RAM is fine. So are the other cards."

"Really? How come the computer was freezing up when I installed the original graphics card and had uninstalled everything else, reset the PMU, reset the PRAM?"

"Sir, we can't duplicate your experience at home. But we can tell you the computer is running great now. Sorry that somebody here miscommunicated with you. Probably read the list of parts that *might* have been necessary as actually used. Anyway, it's ready for you to pick it up."

"I'm in shock. This machine was failing with the configuration that you're saying works. And the repairs I was told had been made apparently weren't made."

"Sorry, sir."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Two weeks later this is the unsettling result.

I'll see how it works for a while before deciding to replace it. But right now, I'm nervous about the machine and feeling eager to replace it.

seanc · Aug 30, 2006, 04:38 PM

How mysterious. Good luck.

OreoCookie · Aug 30, 2006, 05:03 PM

Eeeeh, wait, I don't know about the US, but in Germany, you have warranty on the repair (six months, EU regulations). So if a short time after Apple has taken a look at your computer, your system fries itself, you should be able to have Apple pay for the other repairs.

SierraDragon · Aug 30, 2006, 10:25 PM

Fix the G5 and then sell it early next year to get a quad core Mac Pro.

-Allen Wicks

awcopus · Aug 30, 2006, 10:55 PM

seanc, no kidding. I'm still trying to swallow what I'm being told.

Thanks OreoCookie. I'm covered by Apple Care until the end of next year, thank heavens.

Meanwhile, I think, SierraDragon, that I'm leaning in that direction. The idea of upgrading to a Mac Pro once they ship with dual quad-core processors, Leopard preinstalled, and CS3 on the market was my master plan before the current snafu. Maybe I'll be able to stick to it. If not, at least the preliminary reports on the Mac Pro are positive.

Cadaver · Aug 30, 2006, 11:02 PM

I'd say this is pretty good news that the bulk of your hardware still works.

You might be able to get the X800XT and the hard drive covered under your homeowner's or renter's insurance. Its worth a try. X800XTs can be had for a reasonable (by Apple standards) price, and the HD should be cheaper now than it was when you bought it.

Keep the G5 (and the additional $2000) and wait for the first Mac Pro speed bump. The quad-core Xeons coming in Q4 this year are supposed to be drop-in, pin-compatible with the dual-core Xeons in the Mac Pros currently. Imagine an eight-core Mac Pro... MacOS X might actually be Snappy™ with one of those.

awcopus · Aug 31, 2006, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by Cadaver

Imagine an eight-core Mac Pro... MacOS X might actually be Snappy™ with one of those.

Very funny. Just the idea of 8 cores working hard to make it possible to scroll through folder contents quickly.

Some good news. ATI will replace my X800 for free. Cards purchased before Sept. 05 are covered by a 3 year warranty.

Newer cards only get 1 year's coverage. Ridiculous but true.

I'll update this thread if my computer problems persist. Hopefully, AppleCare did a competent job here and I can get work done between now and the release of Leopard.

awcopus · Sep 4, 2006, 11:26 AM

So I picked up my computer from the Apple Store this morning. Brought it home, connected it to my 23" ACD monitor, started up, reset the PRAM for 2 chimes, and... no picture. Black screen on startup. Shutdown using key commands.

Reset the PMU. Waited. Started up machine. Black screen. On the fly, disconnected 23" and connected 22" ACD monitor. Still, black screen. Connected 23" to my dual 1.42 G4, works perfectly. Reconnected 22" to G4, works perfectly. My monitors are fine.

Reconnected 23" to G5, black screen. Ejected CD tray, inserted Tiger startup disc, restarted holding down "C". Computer chimes, I hear the computer starting up off the optical drive, but there's no picture. There's nothing.

Call back Apple Store. "Sorry sir, it worked here.... schedule a time to bring it back in....."

D'oh.

seanc · Sep 4, 2006, 11:39 AM

That's annoying. Try re-seating the graphics card.

awcopus · Sep 4, 2006, 11:53 AM

Thanks seanc. Did that. No results. Going back to the Apple Store, but I don't have the heart to do it today. Just so demoralized at this point. 2 weeks without the machine for nothing and now the prospect of having to upgrade before I wanted to. I'm bulls__t about this, but mostly perplexed. What isn't working in there!?!?

OreoCookie · Sep 4, 2006, 12:29 PM

Well, I think you should be pretty insistant now, usually a customer problem should be fixed after one repair, two repairs at the most. Just raise a little hell (you need that machine to earn money/study, etc.) -- perhaps they will be more open to a compromise (since you have Apple Care) -- a substantial rebate on a new MacPro for instance.

So the only thing that isn't working at the moment is Apple's service

I've heard that they have run into some rather substantial problems in the US …�(In Europe that was a problem as well when Apple's repair facility in the Netherlands went belly-up.)

awcopus · Sep 4, 2006, 12:54 PM

HOLY CR_P!

They.... I just can't believe what I'm hearing.... they DIDN'T TEST THE COMPUTER WITH AN ADC-based studio display. Yes, it says prominently in my notes that I'm using this with a studio display using the ADC connector, but the Apple Store didn't actually test that connection.... they used a DVI to ADC adapter.

They are now offering to have somebody come to my home to fix this... but of course it will take 72 hours just to make the appointment.... so I'm probably going to have to go back to the Apple Store with this machine, and bring one of my displays, of course, because they don't have the ADC-based ACDs in stock.

INCOMPETENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

seanc · Sep 4, 2006, 01:02 PM

I would of thought they'd keep that stuff around for testing purposes. Maybe your power supply is dying and it can't power the ADC display

awcopus · Sep 4, 2006, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

I would of thought they'd keep that stuff around for testing purposes. Maybe your power supply is dying and it can't power the ADC display

I would have thought the same damn thing. Yes, most likely the Power Supply is the culprit, since their tests showed the video card working via DVI and, it turns out, ADC *ONLY WITH A DVI ADAPTER AND SEPARATE POWERBLOCK*. So, yeah, probably just a power problem.

They had my computer for 2 weeks and they didn't test this in light of all of the symptoms? So... uninspiring.

"This may be the right moment to buy a 30 inch Cinema Display," awcopus thinks to himself between huffing and puffing.

seanc · Sep 4, 2006, 01:22 PM

I think that Apple store are doing a crappy job and that you should be compensated in some way for having to waste your time, drag your G5 back and forth and be supplied with incorrect information ("your machine is fried").

OreoCookie · Sep 4, 2006, 01:22 PM

Now that you know what is probably the culprit, you have even more leverage to get something in return