[stevesnj]

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
Nope.. wasn't there yesterday. Maybe today..

I've had dreams about using my computer after I get it back... and it not being very snappy... I wake up super disappointed and bummed out after dreams like those. That is, until I tell myself, "NINE HUNDRED MHZ"... Heh. This will be sweet.

Any luck yet?

[MacNZ]

Lol, you guys make it sound too good! I wish I'd waited for the G3/900 upgrade even though the G4 one is pretty sweet....

(2x Pismo G4/500 40GB Travelstar, 640MB RAM)

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by stevesnj:
Any luck yet?

Thursday, June 12...

No luck yet... ah! I've been without my Pismo for... 9 days. If I don't get my logic board back today, man it seems like I'll never get it back... I'm leaving town for the weekend on Friday morning...

The thought of not getting my laptop back until next week sickens me! C'mon, Powerlogix...

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
Thursday, June 12...

No luck yet... ah! I've been without my Pismo for... 9 days. If I don't get my logic board back today, man it seems like I'll never get it back... I'm leaving town for the weekend on Friday morning...

The thought of not getting my laptop back until next week sickens me! C'mon, Powerlogix...

I just checked my e-mail and received a letter from Bill at Powerlogix saying my processor card shipped last night (June 11)... Hopefully it gets here today... C'mon, Fedex!

It would be a shame if it didn't get here today... but hey, it's still exciting! !

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
I just checked my e-mail and received a letter from Bill at Powerlogix saying my processor card shipped last night (June 11)... Hopefully it gets here today... C'mon, Fedex!

It would be a shame if it didn't get here today... but hey, it's still exciting! !

Yo, guys... I am back from my exciting weekend... And to my surprise, my package was waiting for me... I had a little trouble installing the heatsink, but it was mainly stemmed from user error () and confusion on my part.

The system is all peachy and zipping along at 900 mhz... I noticed that the fan turned on while Software Update was optimizing the 10.2.6 install...

Some notes from this very limited and time-pressed usage: I tested out a few DivX movies in Mplayer OSX... They work beautifully. I've also noticed that scrolling seems a lot smoother. I'll have more specifics later.

I'm bummed that I forgot to run some kind of tests before the upgrade... because now I have nothing to compare to. But if anyone wants me to run any tests, lemme know...

[zos]

Glad to hear that you finally got your upgrade! I'm less concerned with tests than I am with real world usage. I wanna hear how perceived performance has changed. I hadn't really heard my Pismo fan go on more than a couple times until it has started getting up to 80 outside. Now when I'm sitting on the couch it tends to toast my legs a bit and the fan comes on from time to time when I play Myth II.

Can't wait to hear more!

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by zos:
Glad to hear that you finally got your upgrade! I'm less concerned with tests than I am with real world usage. I wanna hear how perceived performance has changed. I hadn't really heard my Pismo fan go on more than a couple times until it has started getting up to 80 outside. Now when I'm sitting on the couch it tends to toast my legs a bit and the fan comes on from time to time when I play Myth II.

Can't wait to hear more!

I what you mean about the heat... my fan actually just turned on. It's like 80 degrees here right now... 10:20 PM... Heh.

I just noticed another thing... I'm listening to iTunes, fink is compiling some packages, and I'm typing on Adium with no lag. Before the upgrade Adium would hiccup when I typed. Eh. Very unprofessional.

I'm mainly stoked that now this thing is like a real Powerbook... Sometimes I like to use the S-video to watch movies on the TV (impress the friends and stuff) but my lowly 400 mhz couldn't do DivX too well... and MPEG1, which this thing can decode brilliantly, just doesn't cut it anymore in this MPEG4 world.

Scrolling is pretty zesty too... Dragging the bar manually, and pretty quickly the system is able to keep up... rather than stuttering a few times on the way up.

I just opened up the Mike's New Car short from Monster's Inc. in QuickTime (Using the DivX 5.0.6 coded) and full screened it... Played fine with little slowdowns... Then I used the volume up and down keys on the keyboard (something that used to make videos lag) and there was no performance hit. All this while fink is STILL compiling...

I'm likin' this upgrade, guys.

[Mac Zealot]

Take note that the graphs are REALLY not to scale at all

In one test the 900mhz bar is 3 times bigger when the increase is only twice so.

[RT3434]

Hey, great thread.

Powerlogix's upgrades for the G3 powerbooks have been out for awhile now. I'm wondering if anyone can post any comments about the build quality of these upgrades after a year of usage and moving the machine around; be it the G4 or the G3 upgrade.

Bottom line, I'd like to find out if these upgrade proccessors are going to last as long as my pismo and, even more to the point, I'd like to be buried with mine when I die an old man .

[ingeniero]

[APi]TheMan, what difference does the L2 cache have? According to original specs., the Pismo comes with 1MB L2 cache, where the G3 900 upgrade advertises a 512k L2 cache, which is half.

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by ingeniero:
[APi]TheMan, what difference does the L2 cache have? According to original specs., the Pismo comes with 1MB L2 cache, where the G3 900 upgrade advertises a 512k L2 cache, which is half.

I'm pretty sure the new L2 cache with the upgrade runs at 900 mhz, as it's on the chip, so it is a little smaller but it's running 500 mhz faster, so there's not much of a performance hit.

[nonhuman]

This G3 900 upgrade is sounding pretty good. I might have to get it. I love my Pismo and would like to keep using it indefinitely, but 500 MHz isn't going to cut it forever. 900 should add a couple years to it's live though.

[RH]

It is good to hear that others have had a good experience with their upgrades as well. I've had mine now for about a month and its GREAT!!!

The upgrade was worth every penny in my opinion. Its been used a lot and have not had any problems.

RH
PowerBook G3 900
Blueberry iMac G4 433
iPod 5GB

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by RH:
It is good to hear that others have had a good experience with their upgrades as well. I've had mine now for about a month and its GREAT!!!

The upgrade was worth every penny in my opinion. Its been used a lot and have not had any problems.

Agreed. I'm loving the new speed in the Finder and in scroll-bar-happy applications. iTunes now uses less CPU on my machine than I ever remember it using. A top -u shows iTunes using 4-8% CPU. Not too bad.

[stevesnj]

SCREW MY CAR PAYMENT!!! Im gettin the upgrade...lol

Steve

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by stevesnj:
SCREW MY CAR PAYMENT!!! Im gettin the upgrade...lol

Steve

Hah! Yes! That's awesome!

I wish I had internet access at home so I could download some new games... Or maybe I should install Quake 3... woot!



edit: I wonder if Panther will add much snapiness�...

[stevesnj]

Did any of you 900Mhz Pismo guys try iChatAV? I am curious to see if it will recognize the 900 chip and let you use the video feature.

[zos]

You took took the words right out of my mouth! I was wondering about iChat A/V and whether or not it allows for video?

Any new revelations? Has anyone's computer blown up?

[[APi]TheMan]

I don't have a FireWire camera, nor do I have internet access... so iChat A/V isn't going to happen anytime soon on my box.

Nah, no explosions yet. My Pismo is still zipping along at 900 mhz happily. I can now burn CDs and do other stuff. iTunes 4 used to error a lot/I had to burn at 8x (I successsfully burned at 16x lastnight). I'm not sure if that was an iTunes 4 problem or a my computer was too slow issue since I've reinstalled iTunes 4.

I don't have internet access at home on that box, so I don't really use that machine right now... 5 minutes a day maybe, it's my MP3/Movie watching jukebox now. I just click iTunes or QuickTime player and leave it alone.

But I'm still very happy with the 900 mhz upgrade.

[stevesnj]

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
I don't have a FireWire camera, nor do I have internet access... so iChat A/V isn't going to happen anytime soon on my box.

Nah, no explosions yet. My Pismo is still zipping along at 900 mhz happily. I can now burn CDs and do other stuff. iTunes 4 used to error a lot/I had to burn at 8x (I successsfully burned at 16x lastnight). I'm not sure if that was an iTunes 4 problem or a my computer was too slow issue since I've reinstalled iTunes 4.

I don't have internet access at home on that box, so I don't really use that machine right now... 5 minutes a day maybe, it's my MP3/Movie watching jukebox now. I just click iTunes or QuickTime player and leave it alone.

But I'm still very happy with the 900 mhz upgrade.

[APi]TheMan

Thanks for the reply...but the reason we were curious is that iCahtAV recognizes the processor speed on the machine you are installing it onto and on ours, 500mhz and below, it says 'your computer is not compatible with iChatAV' during install BUT if it will install with the 900 upgrade than it will may be worth our while since I plan to use it alot. So if you could find it in your heart to possibly install iChatAV (when you get internet access on your system) to see if it will work you would help out more than one of us considering to upgrade and use iChatAV...if no I understand and apologize for the bother.

[Since EBCDIC]

Does the G3 with a processor upgrade pass iChat/AV's speed test?

If so, I just figured a way of breathing life into Dad's ol' Pismo.

If not, I may have to consider something from eBay, or failing that, from the mother ship.

[zos]

There's another informative thread going on over at the Macfixit boards. I'm wondering how much more heat this upgrade generates as I usually just sit with the Pismo on my lap, it's already quite hot.

[RH]

I feel bad now. I highly recommended this upgrade and please heed my warning, be careful with this upgrade (especially in regards to heat). Two months or even a month ago I was very enthusiastic about this upgrade, but now I was faced with a major pickle...replace the motherboard and possibly the cpu card or get a new laptop. Needless to say, I am writing this from a new 12" Al Book.

Last week when at work (there are renovations taking place, but no warning about power surges, all of the other computer are fine) I was going to watch the WWDC coverage at various sites while at lunch, when my pismo froze at 3 minutes till one.

After a hard restart it started up and died, started up an hour later, in open firmware then did the restart commands, worked for 1/2 hour or so then dead. Then it would only start after repeatedly zapping the pram before it started.

After many failed attempts at troubleshooting it I took it to an Apple service center here in Atlanta and after a few days their diagnosis was there was a motherboard problem and also the head produced was way to much and the "copper puck" was not sufficient. I have several projects that I am working on that I had to finish and a laptop is essential. All I can say is that I hope that you all have better luck with this upgrade. I apologize if anyone I encouraged to get this upgrade runs into similar problems---Be careful.

I hope that I may be able to get a replacement or a refund from Powerlogix but judging from other board postings and their record with the Better Business Bureau I highly doubt it. So far all of my emails to them have been unanswered.

If you are concerned about heat, I highly recommend putting on Arctic Silver thermal paste in place of the paste they [Powerlogix] provide. If you are interested in the Arctic Silver or parts let me know.


RH
12" PowerBook G4 867
Blueberry iMac G4 433
5GB iPod

In summation this whole experience was a big

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by stevesnj:
[APi]TheMan

Thanks for the reply...but the reason we were curious is that iCahtAV recognizes the processor speed on the machine you are installing it onto and on ours, 500mhz and below, it says 'your computer is not compatible with iChatAV' during install BUT if it will install with the 900 upgrade than it will may be worth our while since I plan to use it alot. So if you could find it in your heart to possibly install iChatAV (when you get internet access on your system) to see if it will work you would help out more than one of us considering to upgrade and use iChatAV...if no I understand and apologize for the bother.

Ah. I don't know yet... I don't want to install iChat AV, so I can't find out for you guys.

edit: Well I guess I could deal with it, since I'm the only one here that has the upgrade... And I don't use iChat, so I don't have to worry about wanting to downgrade if iChatAV sucks/doesn't work/I don't like it.

Originally posted by RH:
In summation this whole experience was a big

Yikes! I am bummed that you had that experience . I still love my 900 mhz upgrade, and I can still recommend it to those that aren't in the market for a new laptop (even a cheap iBook ) I am waiting to see how Panther runs on it... it will be interesting and I'll be sure to post my results.

[stevesnj]

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
Ah. I don't know yet... I don't want to install iChat AV, so I can't find out for you guys.

No Prob...I understand

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by stevesnj:
No Prob...I understand

lol. I felt fairly rude saying that I didn't want to install iChatAV, so I went back and edited my message. I didn't see that anyone had responded yet, though... I'm sorry you had to see my original (jerky) post.

Next time I get some Airport access I'll download iChatAV and give it a try.

[stevesnj]

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
lol. I felt fairly rude saying that I didn't want to install iChatAV, so I went back and edited my message. I didn't see that anyone had responded yet, though... I'm sorry you had to see my original (jerky) post.

Next time I get some Airport access I'll download iChatAV and give it a try.

Well it is alot to ask someone to load a program on their computer so I had no problem with your response. I am a teacher so I am immune to any jerkiness as you can probrobly guess.

Take a look at this Pismo Owners!!!... http://www.macnn.com/news/19981

IBM made a 1.1Ghz G3 750fx chip...looks like Powerlogix may have a new upgrade soon.

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by stevesnj:
Well it is alot to ask someone to load a program on their computer so I had no problem with your response. I am a teacher so I am immune to any jerkiness as you can probrobly guess.

Well I just so happened to load Panther on my Pismo tonight and I gave iChatAV a try. When configuring program on the first launch, the video conference option says, "Video is not supported on this system."

Take a look at this Pismo Owners!!!... http://www.macnn.com/news/19981

IBM made a 1.1Ghz G3 750fx chip...looks like Powerlogix may have a new upgrade soon.

Hot damn. Oh well. I'm still very satisfied with my 900, by the way.

[Davidarm]

I just installed the G3/900 last night in my wife's Pismo. It's noticeably faster, and noticeably hotter, but still within reason. It seems as fast as my iBook 800 now. Seems like a no-brainer for $350, and best of all, my wife is pleased. :-)

On a side note, I ordered some WildEepz from Radtech along with iGlide. Besides improving my iBook, they now send along thinner WildEepz for the AlBook 12", and they're just the right thickness for the Pismo! Definitely eliminates the keyboard-touching-the-screen problem without having to resort to a separator sheet. The iGlide also works well on the Pismo hinges which, as we all know, are two of the Pismo failure points.

[[APi]TheMan]

Originally posted by Davidarm:
I just installed the G3/900 last night in my wife's Pismo. It's noticeably faster, and noticeably hotter, but still within reason. It seems as fast as my iBook 800 now. Seems like a no-brainer for $350, and best of all, my wife is pleased. :-)

On a side note, I ordered some WildEepz from Radtech along with iGlide. Besides improving my iBook, they now send along thinner WildEepz for the AlBook 12", and they're just the right thickness for the Pismo! Definitely eliminates the keyboard-touching-the-screen problem without having to resort to a separator sheet. The iGlide also works well on the Pismo hinges which, as we all know, are two of the Pismo failure points.

Another success story and satisfied 900mhz upgrader, woohoo.

That's awesome to hear about those Radtech accessories, unfortunately I wouldn't have much use for them... I do want one of those iStands (or whatever they're called) that raise your laptop up off the desk to help with heat. Hmm.

[RH]

Alright, I am brining this thread back from the dead. Tomorrow I should be receiving my 3rd Powerlogix G3 900. My first one died after about a month of use and then the second one was dead out of the box (4 beeps at startup)

From those of you that have had success with this upgrade please let me know of any things you did that helped make this CPU upgrade work well over the long-term. If I remember correctly the directions they provide are rather vague. By the way Powerlogix has been quite good about honoring their warranty.

RH

[milhous]

Why not pay part cash and just shoot for the 1ghz upgrade?