- Joined
- Jun 27, 2016
- Messages
- 13
- Motherboard
- iMac
- CPU
- Core 2 Duo
- Graphics
- I don't know, but they're probably crappy
Hello!
Long time viewer, first time poster. I've been fascinated by the work of many talented people on this forum who have had success modding the iMac G4 and G5, and to a lesser extent, the G3. The work they have put in to turning an outdated computer with a beautiful design into a modern Mac is striking to say the least. Like many, I've seen the rewards of modding an iMac but been either too nervous that something might go wrong or too cash strapped. My current desktop computer, a White iMac C2D 17 inch with 2.0 GHZ processor is beginning to slide further and further behind. It can only run up to 10.7.5 Lion. Though I was a little hesitant before because I was only one "class" of Macs behind (macs that can not run anything newer than Lion), now, with Sierra on the horizon and a whole new name change, I figured it was time to start planning for an upgrade.
Initially, I was looking at the first generation of "tapered edge" iMacs. Even used on eBay, they still were around $700+. I also noticed 3 key drawbacks to those computers: the lack of an optical drive (I still burn DVD's all the time), the almost nonexistent upgradeability, and the limitations of modding the computer once it becomes obsolete. Another reason I couldn't make the jump to the "tapered edge" models is while they are much more "pretty" than the 2007-2011 models (which I thought were hideous), I absolutely adore the White iMac design prevalent in the G5s to the Late 06 models.
I then made the conclusion that the dinky 17 inch screen on my iMac was too small. I settled on the iMac 24 inch model, 2.33 GHZ and 2.16 GHZ models. Now I understand this is relatively unmapped territory in modding- most have settled on modding the G5 iSights which are externally similar to the 06' C2D and Core Duo iMacs. There is one big reason why modding an Intel iMac has not been done on a large scale yet:
Display. Every iMac mod on here has to figure out how to connect the display to the computer's innards. G4's and G5's use TMDS wiring. This involves soldering the wires onto a DVI or HDMI connector to get the picture displayed. Then there is the challenge of powering the display, which I still am not able to understand. Then there's getting the backlight to work, which is achieved through a complex slider contraption.
The Intel iMacs use LVDS, which I believe is far simpler. eBay is scattered with LCD Controller Boards from suppliers like NJYTouch. These boards are a plug and play solution which can turn the LCD panel they are designed to work with into a standalone display. They work by first converting the LVDS connection into both DVI and VGA. Then the power is sent to the inverter (I think 6 lamps on the 24In iMac) and then to a standard laptop power supply. This solution, in my opinion, is far simpler.
So, I began formulating the mod ideas. I did not want to use Hackintosh; I had never tried it before and didn't want to hassle around with patches and updates and boot loaders. I wanted a true Mac experience. My current plans are to install a MacBook inside the iMac. It will either be a White Unibody MacBook, a 13 inch MacBook Pro, or a MacBook Air (depending on my budget). The plans are to mod the computer with lots of Multimedia features, including:
-HDMI In and Out
-SD Card Reader
-"Pigtail" lightning cable through Audio In Port
-Possibly Analog Red/White/Yellow Input
This mod will be the iMac "Directors Edition". I plan on writing a Quick Start Guide and manual for the product I may or may not put together to ensure absolute authenticity. I also plan on making a step-by-step guide, from choosing components, to disassembly, to putting together the final product. The build logs that most iMac Mods include can be confusing for first-time-modders.
But, before I begin, I have a few questions:
-Can a MacBook Pro or White Unibody MacBook fit behind the display of the iMac?
-How do you connect the iSight/Microphone to standard USB/3.5mm connections?
-How to connect IR sensor?
-How much space, in inches, is from the back of the LCD panel to the back of the iMac?
-Is the power button connector the same as any modern MacBooks? (2009-)
-If it isn't the same, how would I connect the power button to the MacBook?
-And, finally, how hard is it to cut holes in the iMac rear shell and RAM shield?
I hope this post wasn't overtly lengthy; and to be clear, it's not like I'm starting this mod tomorrow. I need to get some money first- but there is a lot of time left in the summer, and I'd like to get a mod started before school starts back up in the fall. I'm just in the brainstorming phase right now, and I'd like to get some feedback from some more experienced modders- and what better place to come than to this forum!
Thanks!
FlyingApple
Long time viewer, first time poster. I've been fascinated by the work of many talented people on this forum who have had success modding the iMac G4 and G5, and to a lesser extent, the G3. The work they have put in to turning an outdated computer with a beautiful design into a modern Mac is striking to say the least. Like many, I've seen the rewards of modding an iMac but been either too nervous that something might go wrong or too cash strapped. My current desktop computer, a White iMac C2D 17 inch with 2.0 GHZ processor is beginning to slide further and further behind. It can only run up to 10.7.5 Lion. Though I was a little hesitant before because I was only one "class" of Macs behind (macs that can not run anything newer than Lion), now, with Sierra on the horizon and a whole new name change, I figured it was time to start planning for an upgrade.
Initially, I was looking at the first generation of "tapered edge" iMacs. Even used on eBay, they still were around $700+. I also noticed 3 key drawbacks to those computers: the lack of an optical drive (I still burn DVD's all the time), the almost nonexistent upgradeability, and the limitations of modding the computer once it becomes obsolete. Another reason I couldn't make the jump to the "tapered edge" models is while they are much more "pretty" than the 2007-2011 models (which I thought were hideous), I absolutely adore the White iMac design prevalent in the G5s to the Late 06 models.
I then made the conclusion that the dinky 17 inch screen on my iMac was too small. I settled on the iMac 24 inch model, 2.33 GHZ and 2.16 GHZ models. Now I understand this is relatively unmapped territory in modding- most have settled on modding the G5 iSights which are externally similar to the 06' C2D and Core Duo iMacs. There is one big reason why modding an Intel iMac has not been done on a large scale yet:
Display. Every iMac mod on here has to figure out how to connect the display to the computer's innards. G4's and G5's use TMDS wiring. This involves soldering the wires onto a DVI or HDMI connector to get the picture displayed. Then there is the challenge of powering the display, which I still am not able to understand. Then there's getting the backlight to work, which is achieved through a complex slider contraption.
The Intel iMacs use LVDS, which I believe is far simpler. eBay is scattered with LCD Controller Boards from suppliers like NJYTouch. These boards are a plug and play solution which can turn the LCD panel they are designed to work with into a standalone display. They work by first converting the LVDS connection into both DVI and VGA. Then the power is sent to the inverter (I think 6 lamps on the 24In iMac) and then to a standard laptop power supply. This solution, in my opinion, is far simpler.
So, I began formulating the mod ideas. I did not want to use Hackintosh; I had never tried it before and didn't want to hassle around with patches and updates and boot loaders. I wanted a true Mac experience. My current plans are to install a MacBook inside the iMac. It will either be a White Unibody MacBook, a 13 inch MacBook Pro, or a MacBook Air (depending on my budget). The plans are to mod the computer with lots of Multimedia features, including:
-HDMI In and Out
-SD Card Reader
-"Pigtail" lightning cable through Audio In Port
-Possibly Analog Red/White/Yellow Input
This mod will be the iMac "Directors Edition". I plan on writing a Quick Start Guide and manual for the product I may or may not put together to ensure absolute authenticity. I also plan on making a step-by-step guide, from choosing components, to disassembly, to putting together the final product. The build logs that most iMac Mods include can be confusing for first-time-modders.
But, before I begin, I have a few questions:
-Can a MacBook Pro or White Unibody MacBook fit behind the display of the iMac?
-How do you connect the iSight/Microphone to standard USB/3.5mm connections?
-How to connect IR sensor?
-How much space, in inches, is from the back of the LCD panel to the back of the iMac?
-Is the power button connector the same as any modern MacBooks? (2009-)
-If it isn't the same, how would I connect the power button to the MacBook?
-And, finally, how hard is it to cut holes in the iMac rear shell and RAM shield?
I hope this post wasn't overtly lengthy; and to be clear, it's not like I'm starting this mod tomorrow. I need to get some money first- but there is a lot of time left in the summer, and I'd like to get a mod started before school starts back up in the fall. I'm just in the brainstorming phase right now, and I'd like to get some feedback from some more experienced modders- and what better place to come than to this forum!
Thanks!
FlyingApple
