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fmalloy · Jul 8, 2007, 01:36 PM

I was excited to run out and get the iphone, and came to the nauseating realization:

I have a 1 GHz 17" sunflower iMac. It doesn't have USB2.0. It was the last Mac that did not have USB2.0. Ugh.

So, my only 4-year-old iMac will not support the iphone, correct?

Basically, I have to buy a $1500 new iMac to be able to get an iPhone. My iMac is only 4 years old and is in great shape. I see no reason to replace it.

My iPod, external drive, and CF reader all support FireWire. I don't know why Apple dumped it.

I cannot find a FW-to-USB converter.

Do I really have to buy a new Mac just to get an iPhone?

goMac · Jul 8, 2007, 02:17 PM

All USB 2.0 devices will work on USB 1.0 machines. They will just run a little slower. Expect slow syncs for loading on music.

icruise · Jul 8, 2007, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by goMac

All USB 2.0 devices will work on USB 1.0 machines. They will just run a little slower. Expect slow syncs for loading on music.

A little slower? Try several orders of magnitude slower. It will work, and if you don't plan to be swapping out the entire contents of the iPhone with every sync, it'll probably be doable, but make no mistake -- USB1.0 is way way slower than 2.0.

fmalloy · Jul 8, 2007, 05:06 PM

I didn't know that all USB 2.0 devices would work on 1.0 machines. I thought there had to be special support built into the device. The specs for iPhone don't mention USB1.0/1.1 at all.

Can someone confirm iPhone will work with USB1.1?

Assuming it works...

If I get the iPhone and suck up the time it takes to fill the flash with tunes and address book, and don't plan to change the music on the phone very often, will it be doable?

Besides the music and contacts, what else is sync'ed with the Mac that would require high transfer rates?

Thanks for the help!

dawho9 · Jul 8, 2007, 05:08 PM

I thought I remember seeing on these forums last week a user with a bondinlue iMac that didn't work with the iphone because of USB 1.1.

Dw9

chipchen · Jul 8, 2007, 05:21 PM

It should work. So long as the software requirements are met.

Kind of like iPods... instead of 20 minutes to sync a few GB's of music... just leave it overnight.

fmalloy · Jul 8, 2007, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by chipchen

It should work. So long as the software requirements are met.

It would be great if someone could confirm for sure. I have the G4 "sunflower" iMac from 2003 and the latest OS X and of course iTunes.

When I told a young girl working at the Apple Store I didn't have USB2.0 she said "Oh, you can just download it"

goMac · Jul 8, 2007, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by fmalloy

It would be great if someone could confirm for sure. I have the G4 "sunflower" iMac from 2003 and the latest OS X and of course iTunes.

When I told a young girl working at the Apple Store I didn't have USB2.0 she said "Oh, you can just download it"

iPhone with USB 1.1 and 10.4.10? - AppleInsider

Ask TUAW: USB for iPhone, clean installs, MP3 tagging and more - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

goMac · Jul 8, 2007, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by icruise

A little slower? Try several orders of magnitude slower. It will work, and if you don't plan to be swapping out the entire contents of the iPhone with every sync, it'll probably be doable, but make no mistake -- USB1.0 is way way slower than 2.0.

I used to sync my Palm over USB1 on my G3 tower. It wasn't so bad. Transferring music and photos though is going to be horribly slow.

fmalloy · Jul 8, 2007, 07:20 PM

Thanks, GoMac!

Willing to try it. I don't see myself changing music very often, and it will keep me going until I upgrade...

DigitalEl · Jul 9, 2007, 12:29 AM

When I told a young girl working at the Apple Store I didn't have USB2.0 she said "Oh, you can just download it"

That's the funniest thing I've read in quite some time.

Yeah, USB 1 will be doable, but it will be a constant source of frustration.

analogika · Jul 9, 2007, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by icruise

A little slower? Try several orders of magnitude slower.

Just one order of magnitude. USB 2.0 is only 40 times faster than USB 1.1 - nominally, at least (480Mbit vs. 12Mbit).

shifuimam · Jul 9, 2007, 12:44 PM

Also: I looked into USB-to-FireWire converters myself. They don't exist. AFAIK it's still physically impossible to convert between the two standards.

Apple dumping FireWire support was a stupid movie, IMO. They pushed FireWire as their chosen high-speed standard for nearly a decade, and their arbitrary decision to drop support on iPods and the iPhone leaves thousands of users out in the cold.

icruise · Jul 9, 2007, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by analogika

Just one order of magnitude. USB 2.0 is only 40 times faster than USB 1.1 - nominally, at least (480Mbit vs. 12Mbit).

"Only" 40 times faster? I stand corrected

DOC · Jul 10, 2007, 03:27 AM

I have a powerbook g4 titanium 1ghz. Does not at all sync with iphone. I have also tried syncing with a
usb 2.0 notebook card and its not compatible. I spoke on the phone with an IT guy from Apple and we spent a few hours trying different ways to make it work. Sadly we were unsuccessful. I would like to think Apple will come up with a soluton but I wont count on it. I went to the Apple Store where I purchased my phone and used the Genius Bar to Sync my phone and Activate. I also brought in my portable hard drive and loaded all my music. They told me I could do so any time until the issue is resolved. I still feel the issue will only be resolved when I buy a new Mac and I will. But anyway it was nice of them to be so accomidating. If anyone has resolved this issue please let us know.

goMac · Jul 10, 2007, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by DOC

I have a powerbook g4 titanium 1ghz. Does not at all sync with iphone. I have also tried syncing with a
usb 2.0 notebook card and its not compatible. I spoke on the phone with an IT guy from Apple and we spent a few hours trying different ways to make it work. Sadly we were unsuccessful. I would like to think Apple will come up with a soluton but I wont count on it. I went to the Apple Store where I purchased my phone and used the Genius Bar to Sync my phone and Activate. I also brought in my portable hard drive and loaded all my music. They told me I could do so any time until the issue is resolved. I still feel the issue will only be resolved when I buy a new Mac and I will. But anyway it was nice of them to be so accomidating. If anyone has resolved this issue please let us know.

That's very odd. If it's a USB2 issue, the USB2 card should have worked. Whatever the case, glad to see Apple is on the issue you are having.

Also as a note to the OP, if for some reason it doesn't work you could always return it.

analogika · Jul 10, 2007, 07:52 AM

Indeed, the USB2 card should definitely have worked. Maybe try a different one?

Is it possible that your tiBook is beginning to go south? Most tiBooks I've met start going slightly wonky eventually - weird issues like the one you describe, or varying degrees of PCMCIA card slot failure - as an early indication of gently impending death...

Your iPhone problem certainly doesn't seem to be a widespread issue among tiBook users.

rw2157 · Jul 26, 2007, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by DOC

I have a powerbook g4 titanium 1ghz. Does not at all sync with iphone. I have also tried syncing with a
usb 2.0 notebook card and its not compatible. I spoke on the phone with an IT guy from Apple and we spent a few hours trying different ways to make it work. Sadly we were unsuccessful. I would like to think Apple will come up with a soluton but I wont count on it. I went to the Apple Store where I purchased my phone and used the Genius Bar to Sync my phone and Activate. I also brought in my portable hard drive and loaded all my music. They told me I could do so any time until the issue is resolved. I still feel the issue will only be resolved when I buy a new Mac and I will. But anyway it was nice of them to be so accomidating. If anyone has resolved this issue please let us know.

Exact same computer and exact same problem... I even bought a USB 2.0 PCI card and it will not work... I haven't talked to anyone at apple about it yet, but very frustrating to say the least.