From: MAGNet mailing list administrator (owner-magnet-list@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
Date: Fri Jan 03 2003 - 14:45:14 PST
This is to forward a message posted to the MAGNet list by a non-subscriber, as it is likely of legitimate interest to members. This message concerns noise issues, including excessive fan noise and 'audio hum', that may affect some or all of the latest Power Macintosh G4 desktop computers.
The "G4-MDDs" referred to in the message below are the so-called Power Macintosh G4 "Mirrored Drive Doors" ("MDD") models, released in 2002. Their technical specs are listed in <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75343> and they can be distinguished from other Power Macintosh G4 models via the characteristics described at <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58418>.)
Related to the message below, Apple's responses to these issues include:
- A firmware update to address certain fan noise issues:
"Power Mac G4 Firmware Update: Information and Download"
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120171
- And an article discussing the 'audio hum' issue:
"Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors): Balanced or Grounded Equipment
Has a Humming or Buzzing Noise"
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75408
In addition, the MacInTouch Web site offers a discussion of many of these issues at:
http://www.macintouch.com/2002powermac04.html
Aron Roberts
Workstation Software Support Group
-- Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 23:38:34 -0800 Subject: Re: G4 Fan noise & whine -- FYI From: RH <dv@on101.com> To: magnet-list@uclink4.berkeley.edu For those dealing with the new G4-MDDs, you're well aware of the various forms of noise Owners have complained about. The firmware update took care of the CPU fan speed control issue when running OS9 (aka "Leafblower noise). But still annoying many Owners is the incessant high pitched whine of the Power Supply -- and for Music production & composing, the audio hum problem. These issues are discussed in depth at two locations: http://www.G4noise.com and it's email list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/G4noise/ In three weeks time there are now 315 list members from 13 countries reporting similar problems. Several pictorial guides to disassembly and fan mods, as well as spectral frequency analysis of various G4s. In addition, some videos from Owners, describing their problems. A lot of sussing out of these problems of quality control and inadequate acoustic engineering has been documented. This is all just FYI. Richard Hoefer Filmmaker, San Francisco, CA dv@on101.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The following was automatically added to this message by the list server: For information about MAGNet, its meetings and events, and its mailing list, including information on subscribing and unsubscribing, see the MAGNet Web site at <http://magnet.berkeley.edu/>.
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