Hey guys,

I just got my hands on a G4 450Mhz tower. I already have an intel core duo iMac 20" so I don't really need another usable computer. I want to mod it. I already have my iMac running to my TV and sound system in the other room with long optical cables and s-video, so I don't really need a media server. I'm open to just about anything, and anything crazy. What would you do if you got your hands on this machine? And by the way, I have a 21" CRT to go with it.

Build an arcade machine. There are tons of resources online for the cabinet construction and graphics  as well as kits for the controls. It would be very fun and functional and cool

http://homepage.mac.com/calhoun/projects/protoMAME1/index.html

http://www.katorlegaz.com/arcade_cabinets/building_mac_arcade/index.php

not a bad idea....but it looks too expensive. also I don't relly have room for one. But it would be cool.

You know, turning it into an arcade machine makes me think... The Nintendo Gamecube and the Nintendo Wii both use a version of the PPC750 (G3) processor. Granted, they're dedicated machines with specitfically tuned GPUs and memory, but I can't believe a G4 with a high-end GPU or even a G5 can't efficiently pump out graphics of the same quality as something like the GameCube. Really makes me wonder how much of the OS X overhead could be lowered... Oh, well. Ultimately I don't care too much because I prefer console gaming over computer gaming.

In any case! The arcade console G4 sounds like a fun idea. Making some kind of small one might be the ticket... It'd really be more like an all-in-one G4, though, if it was small enough to just sit on a desk/counter/table.

Install it in your car.

Don't be mislead by the fact that the latest Nintendos use PPC750 variants. There are alot of different versions of the G3, most of them used for embedded applications (a significant percentage of vehicle engine management systems are run by G3s I believe), the Xbox360 is a PPC machine too (though those are more like G5s I think).

None of these specific system versions are interchangeable with Apple versions since they are designed for very limited types of processing. I expect the GPU(s) do most of the grunt work, and they won't be restricted by anything like an AGP bus. I doubt a G4 could easily get close to the performance of one of the current generations of console.

I could be entirely wrong of course......