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louh · Dec 25, 2004, 09:30 PM

Aside from the sentimental issues, I am wondering if it would be financially wiser to replace my Cube or send it in to get fixed? Today, the 17 inch Studio Display went dark, ( I still get power to the display just nothing on the screen). In addition, I no longer have ethernet. I think the ethernet card got destroyed during a thunderstorm because of a phone surge. I would have to replace the entire logic board (at least $350.00 - just for that). So I have a 450 mHz cube with almost 1 gig of RAM and everything else is original as the day I bought it.

So I have a Cube that I am sentimentally attached to but the screen is black and I can't talk to the other computers in the house nor can I get on the web via ethernet.

Should I take this poor broken baby in to get repaired or buy something new? If I do decide to repair, should I also upgrade with a new processor and video card? My kids can't play some of the newer games that are now out because of outdated graphics cards and/or processors.

Grieving and questioning on December 25th,
Lou

MORT A POTTY · Dec 25, 2004, 10:03 PM

as hard as it is to recommend this, I say just get a new Mac.

you can use the enclosure for some creative stuff. check around the net for some ideas. but it's just not financially a good idea to replace the logic board for 350, and then upgrades on top of that will push it to a minimum of 1,000 EASILY. but then again, I did just spend more than that on my Quicksilver, but I got better upgrades than they have for a 'cube....

but lets see

350 - logic board
~500 - processor
200 - graphics card

total: $1,050

Big Mac · Dec 26, 2004, 01:06 AM

Sell the Cube on eBay as is, with a thorough description of the known defects. Surely a Cube lover will give it a good home.

chris v · Dec 26, 2004, 10:08 AM

I had to make the same decision last summer, and after adding it all up, a new G5 made more sense. You can definitely defray some of the costs by selling the cube, as there are plenty of collectors out there who will want it for spare parts.

Lee33 · Dec 27, 2004, 09:15 AM

I agree with the folks that say sell it on eBay. Use the $$ to get something current.

Randman · Dec 27, 2004, 09:28 AM

Yep, sell it and get a new machine.

Sparkletron · Dec 27, 2004, 10:30 AM

Originally posted by Randman:
Yep, sell it and get a new machine.

I am dreading the day when this happens to my Cube as well. So far I have gone through several HDs (I think the heat tends to kill them). But unlike others I refuse to add a third-party fan even though this would probably extend its life. My Cube will live its days as a Cube was meant to: fanless and silent.

-S

driven · Dec 27, 2004, 03:27 PM

I outgrew my Cube. (Sadly)

I added the cost of upgrades to get it usable (DVD burner, processor upgrade, etc.) and I was nearly at the cost of a new G5 anyway but not nearly the same power.

So ... I went for a G5. I found a good home for the Cube though. (My daughter now uses it!)

As much as I love the engineering on that machine, it's outlived it's prime.

freakboy2 · Dec 30, 2004, 02:38 PM

yeah at this point - long term cube ownership is only done at the expense of money and common sense.

I love mine, but when it's time comes.. i really don't think i'll be able to make myself shell out another x00s to get it fixed.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Dec 30, 2004, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by driven:
I outgrew my Cube. (Sadly)

I added the cost of upgrades to get it usable (DVD burner, processor upgrade, etc.) and I was nearly at the cost of a new G5 anyway but not nearly the same power.

So ... I went for a G5. I found a good home for the Cube though. (My daughter now uses it!)

As much as I love the engineering on that machine, it's outlived it's prime.

Same story, for me, it really isn't worth upgrading, for LESS you could actually have at 17" imac which is better in every way.

I would never sell it, just gave it to my sister to use and it is more than enough for her.

Eug Wanker · Dec 30, 2004, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Same story, for me, it really isn't worth upgrading, for LESS you could actually have at 17" imac which is better in every way.

17" iMacs are not cheap comparatively, if you already have a monitor. The rumoured 1.25 GHz G4 headless Mac for $600 seems like a good option though.

Still, a 1.2 GHz OWC Cube upgrade is only $350, and a Firewire external 16X dual-layer DVD burner is about $110. (The 1.7 GHz Cube upgrade is $500 though.

However, if your Cube is busted, then there is no point in fixing it IMO.

driven · Dec 30, 2004, 07:24 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
17" iMacs are not cheap comparatively, if you already have a monitor. The rumoured 1.25 GHz G4 headless Mac for $600 seems like a good option though.

Still, a 1.2 GHz OWC Cube upgrade is only $350, and a Firewire external 16X dual-layer DVD burner is about $110.

... which still won't work with iDVD. :-) (Not to mention the relative inadequacy of the currently supported video cards.)

Also: What happens if the power supply brick goes belly-up? They are more expensive to replace than most PC motherboards.

Eug Wanker · Dec 30, 2004, 07:26 PM

Originally posted by driven:
... which still won't work with iDVD. :-)

Works fine in iDVD.

driven · Dec 30, 2004, 07:28 PM

Unless something has changed recently iDVD didn't support external DVD burners. :-0

Eug Wanker · Dec 30, 2004, 09:01 PM

Originally posted by driven:
Unless something has changed recently iDVD didn't support external DVD burners. :-0

iDVD has an Easter Egg which is activated by putting two tiny files in your home directory. The Easter Egg allows iDVD to save .dmg files and to burn to external Firewire drives. All you have to do when burning is CTRL-double-click the burn button instead of just click.

The files do not alter iDVD in any way. All the code is built into iDVD.

driven · Dec 30, 2004, 09:43 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
iDVD has an Easter Egg which is activated by putting two tiny files in your home directory. The Easter Egg allows iDVD to save .dmg files and to burn to external Firewire drives. All you have to do when burning is CTRL-double-click the burn button instead of just click.

The files do not alter iDVD in any way. All the code is built into iDVD.

Oooo .... I did not know that.

At the risk of violating the DCMA ... is there a web-page or other resource that I can learn of this easter egg?

Eug Wanker · Dec 30, 2004, 11:15 PM

Originally posted by driven:
At the risk of violating the DCMA ... is there a web-page or other resource that I can learn of this easter egg?

The easiest is just to download PatchBurn, and follow the instructions. The PatchBurn guys didn't write the files, but includes them. You may need PatchBurn anyway, to get iTunes and stuff to recognize the external drive. (Toast of course works fine without PatchBurn.)

BTW, PatchBurn isn't a hack. It just creates profiles so that OS X apps can recognize the drive directly.

Oh, and it's not as if Patchburn is something that Apple hates, considering that it comes with .Mac.

driven · Dec 31, 2004, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
The easiest is just to download PatchBurn, and follow the instructions. The PatchBurn guys didn't write the files, but includes them. You may need PatchBurn anyway, to get iTunes and stuff to recognize the external drive. (Toast of course works fine without PatchBurn.)

BTW, PatchBurn isn't a hack. It just creates profiles so that OS X apps can recognize the drive directly.

Oh, and it's not as if Patchburn is something that Apple hates, considering that it comes with .Mac.

THANK YOU.

Randman · Dec 31, 2004, 03:18 PM

If the headless iMac rumors are true, gut a Cube and install the new iMac mini.

mdog · Jan 13, 2005, 09:32 AM

here where have the perfect candidate for the new mini mac. for $500 out with the old cube and in with the new cube (mini)

-Q- · Jan 13, 2005, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by mdog:
here where have the perfect candidate for the new mini mac. for $500 out with the old cube and in with the new cube (mini)

Actually, I don't know if it's the perfect situation as Louh also said his monitor died. So it may be better for him to get an iMac G5 and spend a little more, but get a machine with a lot more power and a screen at the same time.

But only he knows his budgetary constraints. It may be that the Mac mini is the best choice.

But it is definitely time to retire the cube...

OreoCookie · Jan 13, 2005, 11:43 AM

1. Sell the dead Cube on ebay.
2. Sell your 17" screen on ebay.
3. Buy a new iMac G5 or Mac mini.

BTW, the 17" CRT Apple Studio display (if it is the last graphite one), uses ADC (you can get an adapter, but those aren't cheap), so it is incompatible with the Mac mini. If you can, go for the iMac.