[SeaKayaker]

I have an old Quicksilver G4 that I want to re-purpose.

It's been in storage for a year or so.

When I connect the video card to a VGA monitor using the VGA port, I don't get any image. When I researched this I found that I need a VGA adapter (presumably the video card VGA pinout was unique to Apple and one needed to have an adapter to connect to a non-Apple VGA monitor ).

According to the Apple knowledgebase, there is a 922-3764 adapter that is needed to connect the Quicksilver video card VGA port to a non-Apple VGA monitor. I presumable had that when the system was previously operational. But I must have misplaced it when I put the machine is storage.

Apple does not sell the adapter at this point. Anybody have a suggestion on where I can get one?

The only other port on the video card is an Apple ADC port which also appears to be obsolete (I thought there might be a ADCtoVGA adapter but no luck there.).

--SeaKayaker

[tooki]

No, that adapter is to connect old Apple monitors (with their DB15 connector) to the standard VGA port on the back of your Power Mac. No adapter is needed to connect a VGA display, as your Power Mac uses a plain vanilla VGA port.

If you're not getting an image, it's probably because of a dead PRAM battery in the system.

[SeaKayaker]

Originally Posted by tooki 

No, that adapter is to connect old Apple monitors (with their DB15 connector) to the standard VGA port on the back of your Power Mac. No adapter is needed to connect a VGA display, as your Power Mac uses a plain vanilla VGA port.

If you're not getting an image, it's probably because of a dead PRAM battery in the system.

Thank you... That makes sense.

Since the unit was in storage and unplugged the PRAM battery may well have run down. (Is that a rechargeable battery?)

(Also, it explains why I couldn't find the adapter... I do lose things but not, usually, something like that.)

I'll try replacing the battery and see if that makes things better.

Thanks again... --SeaKayaker

[Northeastern292]

Originally Posted by SeaKayaker 

Thank you... That makes sense.

Since the unit was in storage and unplugged the PRAM battery may well have run down. (Is that a rechargeable battery?)

(Also, it explains why I couldn't find the adapter... I do lose things but not, usually, something like that.)

I'll try replacing the battery and see if that makes things better.

Thanks again... --SeaKayaker

The PRAM battery is not rechargeable (and I doubt that it's set up to be, or if there is even a 3.6v battery like the Power Mac batteries that are rechargeable.

[chris v]

If you can't find an ADC-VGA adaptor (try ebay) you can still get ADC to DVI & a DVI to VGA. It'd be unweildy, but it'll work, if you want to use the ADC port.

You're sure it's just the display not getting a signal? Have you tried booting from an install CD to make sure your system on your hard drive isn't borked? Or booting into open firmware? (just tossing things at the wall to see what might stick)

[tooki]

Originally Posted by chris v 

If you can't find an ADC-VGA adaptor (try ebay) you can still get ADC to DVI & a DVI to VGA. It'd be unweildy, but it'll work, if you want to use the ADC port.

Nope, won't work. The ADC->DVI adapters are, specifically, ADC->DVI-D (digital, no analog). A DVI->VGA (technically a DVI-I ->VGA) adapter won't even plug in.

Just use an ADC->VGA adapter if you need to use an ADC port for VGA.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by tooki 

Nope, won't work. The ADC->DVI adapters are, specifically, ADC->DVI-D (digital, no analog). A DVI->VGA (technically a DVI-I ->VGA) adapter won't even plug in.

Just use an ADC->VGA adapter if you need to use an ADC port for VGA.

Huh. I thought I'd done it once, long ago. Well, I've got a couple of old ADC- VGA adaptors in my garage, it if turns out anyone wants one.

[tooki]

I suppose it might work if the ADC->DVI adapter were an ADC->DVI-I adapter, but I've never seen that. Apple shipped separate adapters to DVI-D and VGA, but maybe a third party made an adapter to DVI-I.