Thanks for the history lesson. That's about the story I've heard about the GPIB cards.
It's my understanding that Apple removed support for GPIB in 9.2.2 but that it was fully supported in 9.0, and it sounds like also in 9.1.
Can you recommend a specific model of NI PCI-GPIB card that should work directly in a G3 MAC? That is my biggest concern, that I get the most suitable card for the task. It would be great to leave behind the old machine that I am using, (an old 8100), so all I need to do is get a G3 and a GPIB card and I can get that upgraded.
I last bought GPIB hardware in 2000, and that was a PCI-GPIB card called 'PCI-GPIB' for use under Windows NT. That card would work on either PCs or Macs with PCI buses, and we swapped it between an NT machine and a (I think) 9600 several times. It should certainly work with a G3.
What is the card in your 8100? I can't remember all the Mac models and which had NuBus and which PCI, but if the 8100 is PCI you may find your card can be simply swapped to a newer machine.
I took another look at the NI website, and it seems I was mislead by the 'support' part which is only for legacy products. They are selling new PCI-GPIB cards for both Mac OS Classic and OS X. The one for Classic looks exactly like the one I bought in 2000, and I suspect it is the same. The N.I. application engineers were always very helpful whenever I called them, so if you want to find out if this card will work with OS 9.1 on a G3, I would ask them.
GPIB is a very simple protocol, so another option would be one of the GPIB-tunnelling products that use Firewire, USB or Ethernet to connect to the computer, but which look like any other GPIB bus to the application software. The Ethernet version used to be too slow for imaging (I looked into using it to run a microscope) but the Firewire one might have enough throughput to support your scanner. Watch out if the application does a lot of low-level control of the scanner though, old GPIBs and GPIB-tunnels can be fine when streaming data, but clog up fast if you're doing a lot of bi-directional communication.
Finally, GPIB is getting tossed out all over the place in academic and commercial labs. If you want to save money, a spot of dumpster diving or a browse of your local uni. thrift shop could reap rewards. Look for the telltale connector sticking out of the back of junked or pennies-on-the-dollar computers. N.I. have always been very helpful to me when I have been trying to resurrrect or continue using old products.
1. If the scanner software is well-written, it may run under Classic just fine. In which case a new Classic-compatible card would let you use any of the modern Macs.
2. If you have the space, don't underestimate the usefulness of having an old computer reliably churning away at a single job. The chances of you getting a virus on that 8100 will be virtually nil, and you can get on with other work or play on your other computers without worrying about the consequences of a crash.
The 8100 is a Nubus machine (The last of the Nubus models).
I'll look into this a bit and see what I can figure out. I live near a university, and they do have a salvage depot, so maybe I'll check up there for a card or two.
I'll be happy with OS9.1 I suspect, as this machine is the anomoly in my office, the rest are modern PC's, so regardless of what I get for the scanner, it is a purpose use machine exclusively.
I found one reference on the NI website that indicates that the drivers for the PCI-GPIB cards are for OS9.0 ONLY, not 9.1 or higher, which is where my confusion came from, and why I stated they would only work up to 9.0. However, Bruce is working on 9.1, so there must be some compatability up into 9.1, but it may not have full compatibility. It must have enough to work for him, though.
I'm pleased I can get a newer machine running for the scanner, as it is a fantastic machine, and I'd like to be able to use it for many years to come. I recently had to swap the motherboard on the 8100 I had, and now I am out of spares, so I have to either buy a few old 8100's on Ebay, or move up to a newer machine. The G3 seems to be the logical choice for me.
Thanks for your input on this, as the Mac realm is beyond my experience bounds.
I have a client in Oregon who upgraded to a Tango. He purchased it from Hudson Grafik and I was there to do the installation. While there I saw that he has two ColorGetter Eagle Premier scanners in optimum condition (with the Mac Workstations included) for sale...total package price is around $6000.00 with shipping. Contact me for more info. The purchase would be direct from the owner, since my company only deals in Heidelberg brand hardware made in Germany...Karl Hudson
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