Can't connect a DAC to a Powerbook G4
Jun 11, 2017 at 4:50 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 8
zenithpoint

zenithpoint

New Head-Fier
Joined
May 26, 2017
Posts
7
Likes
0
I have a Powerbook G4 (12yrs old? Old.) running OSX 10.5, a Lyr and Hifiman HE 400i, which produces really good music but I'd like to see if I can improve the sound, so I tried to connect a Bistfrost, connecting it to a USB port (there is no optical sound port). But the laptop wouldn't see it at all. According to Schiit, no driver is necessary for Macs. Is the laptop too old or something else? I emailed Schiit, they didn't answer. Any suggestions welcome, thanks!
 
Jun 11, 2017 at 7:56 PM Post #2 of 8
I don't know this because I have not tried it, but I question whether the Bifrost is going to work from the 12 year-old Powerbook G4. Maybe email Schiit again--they will know the answer to your question definitively.
 
Jun 11, 2017 at 8:02 PM Post #3 of 8
zenithpoint said:
I have a Powerbook G4 (12yrs old? Old.) running OSX 10.5, a Lyr and Hifiman HE 400i, which produces really good music but I'd like to see if I can improve the sound, so I tried to connect a Bistfrost, connecting it to a USB port (there is no optical sound port). But the laptop wouldn't see it at all. According to Schiit, no driver is necessary for Macs. Is the laptop too old or something else? I emailed Schiit, they didn't answer. Any suggestions welcome, thanks!
Click to expand...
Have you tried a different USB cable?
Have you tried connecting the Bifrost to a different computer?
 
Jun 11, 2017 at 8:22 PM Post #4 of 8
Doubt it will work. This is before Intel processors and I don't think Schiit was working on RISC processors outputs but I could be wrong.
 
Jun 11, 2017 at 11:50 PM Post #5 of 8
Very likely the USB ports are only USB 1.1 and use a chipset that is incompatible with the one used in Schiit products, so I don't see it ever working.
 
Jun 12, 2017 at 1:09 PM Post #6 of 8
Ok, off with the laptop. I did find on Schiit's website something about their DAC's "functioning best" w/OSX 10.6 and after, and I have 10.5 Also they mention USB 2 cables all over the place - though without saying USB 1 won't work. Thanks for input.
 
Jun 16, 2017 at 6:38 PM Post #7 of 8
In case someone else is looking to connect a DAC to a Powerboook G4, I got confirmation it's just too old. So the laptop is out, I got as a Modi Multibit, I'm using my phone as source and the sound is fantastic!
 
Jun 16, 2017 at 8:05 PM Post #8 of 8
Thought that would be the case on the G4 as time marches on. Sorry to hear it but you got a phone that will fill the gap so that is one good thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top