[PB2K]

i can buy this 20" g5 2.1ghz for a few hundred euro's. will i be able to fully use it with an external 20" screen?

some kid used a stanleyknife to cut up the screen, the rest is in ok condition.

[CharlesS]

You could replace the internal screen. It's pricey, but so's a decent external monitor...

Here are some sites I found that claim to offer a replacement internal screen for that model.

iMac G5 Parts & Repair Services

ApplePalace.com. The Apple Parts Expert

The site below has an iMac screen for much less than the two sites linked to above. Unfortunately, it's for the wrong iMac model, but they claim that you can call them for parts not on the list. Who knows... The "your/you're" typo doesn't inspire my confidence, though.

G5 iMac Parts | 1-800-525-3888

[PB2K]

I rather buy an external 24" dell or apple, because I can use it also with my macbook

[CharlesS]

The iMac G5 has a mini-VGA port, so you'll be able to connect the monitor if it can be connected via VGA. If it can be connected via DVI only, you're out of luck. Either way, you're not going to get to talk to the monitor digitally. I think the iMac G5 also has that stupid firmware block that locks you into mirroring mode, which might prevent the external monitor from being set to anything larger than 1680x1050.

Myself, I don't think I would bother with an external monitor for that machine. To each his own, though.

[PB2K]

450 dollars for a replacement internal screen is too much, i might buy a 20" apple screen instead

i can hide the iMac G5 under the desk. I just notice I am in the ibook forums, sorry

[mduell]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

450 dollars for a replacement internal screen is too much, i might buy a 20" apple screen instead

i can hide the iMac G5 under the desk. I just notice I am in the ibook forums, sorry

You can't connect an Apple Cinema Display to that iMac. The ACD is DVI-only while that iMac is VGA-only. Look at the Dell 2007FPW and 2407FPW instead.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

450 dollars for a replacement internal screen is too much, i might buy a 20" apple screen instead

i can hide the iMac G5 under the desk. I just notice I am in the ibook forums, sorry

I'll be nice and move this, as it doesn't seem quite resolved yet. There are many sources for iMac parts-you may find a new screen for a LOT less than $450...

[stefanicotine]

That makes me cry ...

[C.A.T.S. CEO]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

i can buy this 20" g5 2.1ghz for a few hundred euro's. will i be able to fully use it with an external 20" screen?

some kid used a stanleyknife to cut up the screen, the rest is in ok condition.

I hope you kick that kids butt....

[Veltliner]

Why would you do that?

If vandalism has destroyed the screen, there may be other issues involved. The computer could have received severe blows, which could have affected the hard drive.

I would never buy a computer that has so obviously seen abuse.

A few hundred Euros doesn't seem that cheap anyway, if you add the costs for the repair.

Better wait, and buy a new computer, or at least a good used unit.

[PB2K]

Thanks people, I made up my mind and i'll pick it up tomorrow. I just sent an email to the seller that I will buy the imac unless there is more damage to the casing (which is evidence for severe internal damage).

also, tomorrow I will check out an ilyama 22" VGA/DVI TFT that runs 1680x1050, the same resolution as the imac if i am not mistaken. All in all I will have a cheap invisible desktop

2,1Ghz, 1.5Gb, 250Gb, 128mem, 22" and duallayer drive. and applecare till 12-2007

[PB2K]

Ok, it's mine it's like unpacking a new computer, it came in the box, some items were still in plastic wrapping. the screen is still functional but very damaged. I now use a 20" samsung 205bw as external. (totals a 40" imac)

a question : why can't i insert my ordinary audio-connector (walkman kind of jack) in the audio-out? it's supposed to be digital, but a real digital output is square. i can fit it in but not entirely, so sounds is still being played over the internal speakers


analog jack-in


digital

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

a question : why can't i insert my ordinary audio-connector (walkman kind of jack) in the audio-out? it's supposed to be digital, but a real digital output is square. i can fit it in but not entirely, so sounds is still being played over the internal speakers

You can. It doesn't look like it's going in all the way, but it works. The port is special because it can take either digital or analog cables. You can also plug in a digital cable, but it has to use a mini-optical connector instead of a regular optical connector (the square one you're used to). A mini-optical connector is long and skinny like an analog connector, and is very much a "real" digital connector. You generally would get a cable that has a mini plug on one end and a normal sized optical connector on the other in order to hook your iMac up to audio equipment. Coincidentally, the picture you provided is of such a cable:

digital

See the long, skinny connector on the left of that picture? That's a mini-optical connector. In addition, I've seen some optical cables that come with two small adaptors you can put on either end of the cable to convert the regular connector to a mini-plug.

Of course, the fiber-optic audio cables with those two types of connectors aren't the only type of digital audio cable. There's also S/PDIF, which looks like a normal composite audio cable. And that's probably way more information than you asked for!

[PB2K]

thanks !

this is my amplifier : http://www.dealtime.com/xPF-Yamaha-R...www.google.com

i'll see if i have the proper cable for it, otherwise i'll have to do some shopping

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

thanks !

this is my amplifier : Yamaha RP-U200 Specs - DealTime

i'll see if i have the proper cable for it, otherwise i'll have to do some shopping

Yeah, you can hook that up to your iMac using the very cable you provided a picture of above. Just hook it up to one of the optical inputs on the receiver and you're good to go. My aunt and I hooked up a 5.1 receiver to her iMac a while ago. I think we just got the cable at Ace Hardware - they had one of the kind which is a plain old optical cable with two adapters that can adapt the connectors on the end to the mini-plugs. Those seem the most flexible, since you could connect pretty much any combination of full-size and mini optical ports to each other.

[PB2K]

Thanks Charles ! Tomorrow i'll have a look for that specific cable because I don't have one like that here. I remember having one of those for an advanced sony minidisk edit-centre once

You know, it's weird but it's easy to get used to a screen that's damaged like this : look

[removed oversize inline image --tooki]

I did the videocard-hack. i can now run resolutions as high as 1920x1080, if my TFT suported it

[stefanicotine]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

I did the videocard-hack. i can now run resolutions as high as 1920x1080, if my TFT suported it

Videocard hack?

[PB2K]

I used "Screen Spanning Doctor 0.3.3"

[ecking01]

You've got to add a pic of this crazy setup in the imac pic thread!