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strategem9 · Jun 30, 2003, 05:08 PM

Has anyone heard the Startup Chime for the Power Mac G5, is it the same as the previous Power Macs?

riverfreak · Jun 30, 2003, 09:43 PM

Originally posted by strategem9:
Has anyone heard the Startup Chime for the Power Mac G5, is it the same as the previous Power Macs?

Yeah! I've been wondering the exact same thing. Seems like such an obvious thing that a true Mac-head would check out, but nary a word!

starman · Jun 30, 2003, 11:49 PM

Same.

Mike

JustinD · Jul 1, 2003, 02:30 AM

one word: LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME

but then again they could always change it before they ship.... =D

The Placid Casual · Jul 1, 2003, 09:21 AM

Unless they can get a sample of Steve saying: "Muhahahaha, bow down before the living God" or "The problem with Microsoft is that they have no Class. I don't mean that in a small way, I mean that in a big way..." or something at startup, I'm kinda happy with the current chime...

iNeusch · Jul 1, 2003, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by JustinD:
one word: LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME

but then again they could always change it before they ship.... =D

I think the G5 we have all seen are still running a beta firmware
The Chime could still change !

milhous · Jul 1, 2003, 11:15 AM

agreed. A new generation of PowerMacs deserve a new chime!

mfessenden · Jul 1, 2003, 11:34 AM

Just curious, has anyone seen one in an Apple store (haven't been over to mine in a while)...

sideus · Jul 1, 2003, 02:36 PM

I'm not buying one unless the chime changes.

Maflynn · Jul 1, 2003, 04:28 PM

Of course look at the backlash when they changed the bootup from a smiling mac to the apple logo. I'm thinking that they change it.

Mike

himself · Jul 1, 2003, 07:54 PM

hmmph...

I don't see any good reason to change it.

schalliol · Jul 1, 2003, 08:11 PM

Originally posted by sideus:
I'm not buying one unless the chime changes.

Ok, dualie runs $3k. Apple probably makes a few hundred bucks on the machine. Apple should do a contest where they give away $300 for the best startup sound an employee makes in their free time that is less than xKB and has a duration of less than 3 seconds. They have a better startup sound, some fun, and they broke even on it because sideus buys a new one because of the sound.

Socially Awkward Solo · Jul 1, 2003, 09:59 PM

So where is the speaker on the new G5's anyway?

DeathMan · Jul 2, 2003, 02:27 AM

Originally posted by Socially Awkward Solo:
So where is the speaker on the new G5's anyway?

I was wondering the same thing.

iNeusch · Jul 2, 2003, 03:19 AM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
I was wondering the same thing.

Front panel, at the top, under the CD door

Cipher13 · Jul 2, 2003, 10:32 AM

They can't just "change" the chime.

They can alter it a LITTLE, but they can't go and replace it or change it or anything.

bradoesch · Jul 2, 2003, 10:50 AM

Originally posted by Cipher13:
They can't just "change" the chime.

They can alter it a LITTLE, but they can't go and replace it or change it or anything.

How come they can't change it completely?

-Q- · Jul 2, 2003, 10:50 AM

I agree with Cipher. They can't change it. They can improve it (and put in a 5.1 version for those of us with surround speakers

) but it needs to stay. The 'bwong' makes me happy when I turn on my machine.

KaosDG · Jul 2, 2003, 11:15 AM

personally I like the startup chime of my SGI.

Or they could just mess with us, and make it a neat little *boop* like x86 PC's

bradoesch · Jul 2, 2003, 11:25 AM

Ohhh, I see, you guys don't want Apple to change the sound, but it's not impossible to do.

Nonsuch · Jul 2, 2003, 11:41 AM

They should replace it with the opening chord from "A Hard Day's Night."

msuper69 · Jul 2, 2003, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by Nonsuch:
They should replace it with the opening chord from "A Hard Day's Night."

Not a bad idea but Apple would have to get permission from The (remaining) Beatles to use it.

DamnDJ · Jul 2, 2003, 12:58 PM

I was a big fan of the smiling Mac on boot up, but I really love the new minimal Apple logo that was introduced with 10.2..

As for the chime, that is the one thing I *don't* want to change. Well, they can change it a little, but I think the overall effect should remain the same. Maybe make it a little more "intense".. Moooore baaaaasss..

They can take away my fruit menu, they can take away my happy Mac, but the better not take away my chime or else I am moving to Windows!

JLFanboy · Jul 2, 2003, 01:53 PM

Question: Why is it exactly that the startup chime has to be of such low quality. Is there a limit as to how large the sound file can be?

I personally love the chime, but would love to have it replaced with a higher quality version of the same chord. I'm talking full orchestra, just to play that one note. 5.1 is a fantastic idea, 2.0 would be great as well. The sound we have now is classic, but it's always sounded really scratchy and compressed to me.

Nonsuch · Jul 2, 2003, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by msuper69:
Not a bad idea but Apple would have to get permission from The (remaining) Beatles to use it.

I know, and it would never happen. Just a joke really.

It'd be funny if they brought back the original Mac chime ... here's this awesome looking steel mesh hardware on your desk, and you hit the start button and out comes this limp little "ding!" ...

Gene Jockey · Jul 2, 2003, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by JLFanboy:
Question: Why is it exactly that the startup chime has to be of such low quality. Is there a limit as to how large the sound file can be?

I personally love the chime, but would love to have it replaced with a higher quality version of the same chord. I'm talking full orchestra, just to play that one note. 5.1 is a fantastic idea, 2.0 would be great as well. The sound we have now is classic, but it's always sounded really scratchy and compressed to me.

Well, I don't know why people are so attached to the current chime. It's not as if the chime has been the same since the Mac intro in '84. Go download Mactracker and you can listen to the chimes over time from different machines. (Or, if you're a packrat like me, boot your Plus, IIfx, Quadra 610 or PowerBook 180 and listen to the chimes

) I'm quite surprised this chime has lasted as many years as it has.

As for the low quality, the chime has always been in the Mac's ROM, which is hardware and space-limited. Now the hardware is less limiting, but the tone is still in what is now firmware; one can start a NewWorld Mac with no media and it'll still "bong" on power-up. In any case, the chime has been evolving, I'm sure a new one won't be too different from the current one.

--Josh

PacHead · Jul 2, 2003, 03:00 PM

Not to nitpick or anything, but the chime is not one note, as somebody mentioned, it's a chord.

I don't remember which chord, but Ill tell ya if I break out my keyboard later on.

Crusoe · Jul 2, 2003, 04:17 PM

I'm thinking fan noise as the startup sound. Imagine the look on our faces.

I just want my powerbook to snore when it sleeps.

PacHead · Jul 2, 2003, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by Crusoe:
I'm thinking fan noise as the startup sound.

Wasn't this a built in feature on the mirror macs ?

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jul 2, 2003, 05:27 PM

Who turns there computers on and off enough to care anyway?

It could play la-cocaracha for all I care.

daydreamer · Jul 2, 2003, 05:32 PM

That Zarvox voice should say hello.

CIA · Jul 2, 2003, 06:33 PM

I liked the quadra's startup chime, It was.. umm.. wind based? Anyway, it was nice.

PacHead · Jul 2, 2003, 06:39 PM

I'm constantly turning my computer on/off.

Switching from OSX to 9 and back again, using various apps.

And anyhow, doesn't RAM get fragmented when using OS 9 ? (im not sure how X operates)

Is there a program available for OS9 that cleans the RAM without doing a cold start ?

When I'm about to start a project using a heavy duty app, i like to have a clean slate and start from scratch..

People who say they haven't turned off their machines in years, baffle me.

Is this ram fragmentation thing a myth ?

I could swear ive read about it a few places.

msuper69 · Jul 2, 2003, 06:47 PM

Originally posted by PacHead:

And anyhow, doesn't RAM get fragmented when using OS 9 ? (im not sure how X operates)

Memory does get fragmented in OS 9.
Memory does not get fragmented in OS X.

And, yes, it's true. Restarting an OS X Mac is the exception rather than the rule.

schalliol · Jul 2, 2003, 06:52 PM

I remember the Quadra 840av/660av sounds, best I've heard. I believe they use the 48KHz output from the enhanced AV.

The optical output on the new G5's could bring the 5.1 startup sound in Dolby Digital. That would be challenging I imagine, they'd have to initiate a broadcast of the digital signal with something stored in a chip. [Edit: this sounds easy: broadcast a chip signal to another circuit. What I meant was that it might not be as easy to broadcast the sound that is to be sent through the optical port as what they currently do, which goes analog.]

About 8 years ago I thought about trying to determine if someone could make an IC that would allow someone to install the Mac startup sound into their car (this was around the time when I had a StyleWriter II installed in my trunk, a cellular modem for use with my analog Motorola Gold Series Flip Phone, and a Newton that could receive email and print from the driver's seat at 80MPH). Cars have some sound at startup, but a full fidelity startup sound (with adjustable volume) would be excellent. Like with Macs, it can't be too long or too loud.

glennmac · Jul 3, 2003, 01:37 AM

Originally posted by msuper69:
Not a bad idea but Apple would have to get permission from The (remaining) Beatles to use it.

Using the opening chord of "Hard Day's Night" is a good idea. The Beatle residue would not have to give permission because the chime is not subject to copyright laws. Copyright is only for lesser things such as art, literature and music.

Socially Awkward Solo · Jul 3, 2003, 01:41 AM

Originally posted by msuper69:
Memory does get fragmented in OS 9.
Memory does not get fragmented in OS X.

Memory does still leak in OSX though which sux.

chrisutley · Jul 3, 2003, 03:34 AM

Actually, I think they would need to get permission from Michael Jackson. He needs money from what I've heard, I'm thinking they could strike a deal.

Originally posted by msuper69:
Not a bad idea but Apple would have to get permission from The (remaining) Beatles to use it.

osiris · Jul 3, 2003, 09:51 AM

Originally posted by PacHead:
Not to nitpick or anything, but the chime is not one note, as somebody mentioned, it's a chord.

I don't remember which chord, but Ill tell ya if I break out my keyboard later on.

The startup chime always sounded like the opening chord
of "Live And Let Die" (PM & Wings)....

Start your Mac up, then right after the chime sing: "When you were young and your heart was an open book." I swear, it's true!

say, maybe there's a Beatle conspiracy thing going on here...

benb · Jul 3, 2003, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by osiris:
The startup chime always sounded like the opening chord
of "Live And Let Die" (PM & Wings)....

Start your Mac up, then right after the chime sing: "When you were young and your heart was an open book." I swear, it's true!

say, maybe there's a Beatle conspiracy thing going on here...

That is because it is either C or G. Either old Macs (non-PPC) were C and the new ones G, or vice versa.

tonewheel · Jul 3, 2003, 05:52 PM

G5 Startup Sound needs to be a well mastered stereo version of Garth and Wayne saying "schwing!"

RyanG3 · Jul 3, 2003, 06:20 PM

I'm thinking the G5 sound start up "chime" should be a jet flying over! Yeah, that's it, a jet.

idyll · Jul 3, 2003, 09:38 PM

I was hoping the G5s had no speaker on them. Although I don't necessarily hate the chime, it can really wake my family members up at 3 am.

coolmacdude · Jul 3, 2003, 09:42 PM

Originally posted by benb:
That is because it is either C or G. Either old Macs (non-PPC) were C and the new ones G, or vice versa.

New ones are G.

schalliol · Jul 3, 2003, 09:47 PM

Originally posted by idyll:
I was hoping the G5s had no speaker on them. Although I don't necessarily hate the chime, it can really wake my family members up at 3 am.

The sound of course is adjustable and shouldn't wake your family up if you don't have your other sounds turned up too loud.

coolmacdude · Jul 3, 2003, 09:51 PM

Originally posted by idyll:
I was hoping the G5s had no speaker on them. Although I don't necessarily hate the chime, it can really wake my family members up at 3 am.

Plug in a set of headphones, simple.

schalliol · Jul 3, 2003, 09:56 PM

Originally posted by coolmacdude:
Plug in a set of headphones, simple.

Yeah, should you turn off your computer during the day, that would be the best option to ensure no waking, though most people I know have external speakers with adjustable sound output levels.

Mac Zealot · Jul 3, 2003, 11:15 PM

Just unplug the internal speaker, I know it isn't reccomended by some people but it is a quick and easy way to axe the noise

schalliol · Jul 4, 2003, 01:44 PM

You absolutly could do that, but I would recommend plugging in some sort of adapter with a 1/4" connection or some headphones (or dead headphones with the cord cut off). That way you can always just unplug it.

Kissargi · Jul 4, 2003, 03:13 PM

It would be cool (and sad, but hey) to have the choice of different chimes. Personally id pay to have a lil burst of the banjo music from deliverance on start up.