Power Mac G5 Developer Note

November 21, 2003

 Apple Computer, Inc.

2003 Apple Computer, Inc.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, mechanical, electronic,
photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, without prior written
permission of Apple Computer, Inc.,
with the following exceptions: Any
person is hereby authorized to store
documentation on a single computer
for personal use only and to print
copies of documentation for personal
use provided that the documentation
contains Apples copyright notice.
The Apple logo is a trademark of
Apple Computer, Inc.
Use of the keyboard Apple logo
(Option-Shift-K) for commercial
purposes without the prior written
consent of Apple may constitute
trademark infringement and unfair
competition in violation of federal
and state laws.
No licenses, express or implied, are
granted with respect to any of the
technology described in this book.
Apple retains all intellectual property
rights associated with the technology
described in this book. This book is
intended to assist application
developers to develop applications
only for Apple-labeled or
Apple-licensed computers.
Every effort has been made to ensure
that the information in this document
is accurate. Apple is not responsible
for typographical errors.
Apple Computer, Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-996-1010
Apple, the Apple logo, AirPort
Extreme, FireWire, the FireWire logo,
Mac, Macintosh, Power Macintosh,
and Power Mac are trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc., registered in
the United States and other countries.

Apple Pro Speakers, SuperDrive, and

Velocity Engine are trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc.
OpenGL is a registered trademark of
Silicon Graphics, Inc.
PowerPC is a trademark of
International Business Machines
Corporation, used under license
therefrom.
Simultaneously published in the
United States and Canada
Even though Apple has reviewed this
manual, APPLE MAKES NO
WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH
RESPECT TO THIS MANUAL, ITS
QUALITY, ACCURACY,
MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. AS A
RESULT, THIS MANUAL IS SOLD AS
IS, AND YOU, THE PURCHASER, ARE
ASSUMING THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO
ITS QUALITY AND ACCURACY.
IN NO EVENT WILL APPLE BE LIABLE
FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY
DEFECT OR INACCURACY IN THIS
MANUAL, even if advised of the
possibility of such damages.
THE WARRANTY AND REMEDIES SET
FORTH ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE AND
IN LIEU OF ALL OTHERS, ORAL OR
WRITTEN, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. No
Apple dealer, agent, or employee is
authorized to make any modification,
extension, or addition to this warranty.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or
limitation of implied warranties or
liability for incidental or consequential
damages, so the above limitation or
exclusion may not apply to you. This
warranty gives you specific legal rights,
and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.

Contents

Figures and Tables

Preface

About This Note

Chapter 1

Introduction

11

Hardware Features Summary

11
Features of the Enclosure
14
System Software
17
Computer Identification
17
Power Management
17
Processor and Bus Slewing
17
Processor States
18
System Modes
18
Velocity Engine Acceleration
19

Chapter 2

Architecture

21

Block Diagram and Buses

21
Processor Module
23
PowerPC G5 Microprocessor
24
U3 Bridge and Memory Controller
24
Processor Bus
24
Main Memory Bus
25
Accelerated Graphics Port Bus
26
Internal PCI Bus
26
PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots
27
Wireless LAN Module
27

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C O N T E N T S

Modem Slot Support

28
Boot ROM
28
HyperTransport Technology
28
PCI USB Controller
29
K2 I/O Controller
29
DMA Support
29
Ethernet Controller
30
FireWire Controllers
30
Interrupt Support
30
USB Interface
30
Serial ATA Interface
31
Ultra DMA ATA/100 Interface
31
Sound System Overview
31
Power Controller
33
Graphics Cards
33
Fan Controller
34

Chapter 3

Input and Output Devices

35

USB Ports
35
USB Connectors
36
Waking Up From Sleep
37
FireWire Ports
37
FireWire 800 Connector
38
FireWire 400 Connector
40
Booting from a FireWire Device
42
Target Disk Mode
42
Ethernet Port
43
Disk Drives
45
Hard Disk Drives
45
SCSI Drive
45
SuperDrive
46
Combo Drive
46
Internal Modem
47
AirPort Extreme Card
48
Data Security
48
AirPort Extreme Hardware
49

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C O N T E N T S

AirPort Extreme Software

49
Bluetooth Technology
50
Keyboard
50
Keyboard Features
51
Keyboard Layout
51
MultiMedia Control Keys
52
Keyboard and USB
52
Programmers Switches
53
NMI without Programmers Switch
53
Mouse
54
Audio
54
Optical S/PDIF Audio
56
External Clocking
57
Internal Clocking
57
Digital Optical Input/Output Specifications
Analog Audio Line-in
58
Analog Audio Line-out
58
Analog Headphone Jack
59
Video Monitor Ports
60
Apple Display Connector
61
DVI Connector
63
DVI to Video Adapter
65
Dual Display Extended and Mirror Modes
67

Chapter 4

Expansion

57

69

RAM Expansion
69
DIMM Specifications
71
Mechanical Specifications
71
Electrical Specifications
71
DIMM Configurations
72
RAM Addressing
73
PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots
73

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C O N T E N T S

Appendix A Supplemental Reference Documents

Apple Technical Notes
77
PowerPC G5 Microprocessor
77
Velocity Engine
78
3D Graphics
78
Mac OS X
79
Open Firmware
79
RAM Expansion Modules
80
ATA Devices
80
Ethernet
81
Serial ATA
81
USB Interface
81
FireWire Interface
82
Digital Visual Interface
82
Wireless Networks
83
Bluetooth
83

Appendix B Conventions and Abbreviations

Typographical Conventions
Abbreviations
85

Index

91

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

85

85

77

Figures and Tables

Chapter 1

Introduction
Figure 1-1
Figure 1-2

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Power Mac G5 front view

Power Mac G5 rear view

Architecture
Figure 2-1
Table 2-1

11

21

Simplified block diagram

22
Memory Bus Standard Specifications

Input and Output Devices

Figure 3-1
Figure 3-2
Figure 3-3
Figure 3-4
Figure 3-5
Figure 3-6
Figure 3-7
Figure 3-8
Figure 3-9
Table 3-1
Table 3-2
Table 3-3
Table 3-4
Table 3-5
Table 3-6
Table 3-7
Table 3-8
Table 3-9
Table 3-10
Table 3-11

15
16

25

35

USB connector
36
9-pin FireWire 800 connector
39
6-pin FireWire 400 connector
41
ANSI keyboard layout
52
Digital optical S/PDIF connector
56
Apple display connector
61
DVI to ADC adapter
63
DVI-I connector
63
S-video connector
66
Signals on the USB connector
36
Signals on the 9-pin FireWire 800 connector
39
Signals on the 6-pin FireWire 400 connector
41
Signals for 10Base-T/UTP and 100Base-TX operation
43
Signals for 1000Base-TX Gigabit operation
44
Media read and written by the SuperDrive
46
Media read and written by the Combo drive
47
Digital signals on the Apple display connector
61
Analog signals on the Apple display connector
62
Signals on the DVI-I connector
64
Pin assignments for the S-video output connector
66

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

F I G U R E S

Table 3-12

Chapter 4

T A B L E S

Picture sizes for S-video output

Expansion
Figure 4-1
Table 4-1
Table 4-2

A N D

67

69

DIMM installation
70
Sizes of DDR SDRAM expansion DIMMS and devices
72
Address multiplexing modes for SDRAM devices
73

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

P R E F A C E

About This Note

This developer note describes the all new 64-bit Power Mac G5. The note provides
information about the internal design of the computer, its input-output and
expansion capabilities, and issues affecting compatibility.
This developer note is intended to help hardware and software developers design
products that are compatible with the Macintosh products described here. If you are
not already familiar with Macintosh computers or if you would simply like
additional technical information, refer to Appendix A, Supplemental Reference
Documents (page 77), for additional information.
The information is arranged in four chapters and two appendixes:

Chapter 1, Introduction (page 11), gives a summary of the features of the

Power Mac G5 computer, describes the physical appearance of the enclosure,
and lists compatibility issues of interest to developers.

Chapter 2, Architecture (page 21), describes the internal organization of the

computer. It includes a functional block diagram and descriptions of the main
components on the logic board.

Chapter 3, Input and Output Devices (page 35), describes the built-in I/O
devices and the external I/O ports.

Chapter 4, Expansion (page 69), describes the expansion slots on the logic
board and provides specifications for the expansion modules.

Appendix A, Supplemental Reference Documents (page 77), provides sources

of additional information about the technologies used in the Power Mac G5
computer.

Appendix B, Conventions and Abbreviations (page 85), lists standard units of

measure and other abbreviations used in this developer note.

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

P R E F A C E

About This Note

10

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Introduction

The 64-bit desktop Power Mac G5 uses single and dual PowerPC G5
microprocessors and is intended for use in content creation, desktop publishing,
multimedia, scientific and technical applications, and other activities that require
high performance.

Hardware Features Summary

Here is a list of the hardware features of the Power Mac G5. The major features are
described more fully later in this note.

Microprocessors: Three clock frequencies are available on the Power Mac G5

computer: single 1.6 GHz, dual 1.8 GHz, and dual 2.0 GHz. For more
information, see PowerPC G5 Microprocessor (page 24).

Memory caches: The PowerPC G5 microprocessors used in the Power Mac G5

computer have an internal 512 KB level 2 cache.

Processor system bus: The processor bus has 64-bit throughput (32-bit in and
32-bit out) with clock speeds of 800 MHz, 900 MHz or 1 GHz. For more
information, see Processor Bus (page 24).

Memory bus: The main memory bus is 128 bit 333 MHz or 400 MHz. For more
information, see Main Memory Bus (page 25).

DDR SDRAM: Eight DIMM slots for 184 pin DIMMs (dual inline memory
modules) using unbuffered DDR (double data rate) SDRAM devices. A
minimum of 256 MB of RAM is installed in pairs of slots, and the systems are
capable of a maximum of 4 GB or 8 GB. For more information, see Main
Memory Bus (page 25).

Hardware Features Summary

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

11

C H A P T E R

Introduction

12

AGP 8x Pro card slot: The computer has an AGP 3.0 8x Pro accelerated graphics
card installed in this slot. For more information, see Accelerated Graphics Port
Bus (page 26).

PCI expansion slots: Three PCI or PCI-X slots are provided via the
HyperTransport bus. In some Power Mac G5 configurations, the slots support
PCI-X: one slot supports a maximum of 133 MHz and two slots support a
maximum of 100 MHz. In other Power Mac G5 configurations, the three slots
support 33 MHz PCI. For more information, see PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots
(page 27).

Hyper Transport bus: A new high-speed bus architecture between the memory
controller and device I/O. For more information, see HyperTransport
Technology (page 28).

Graphics card: The Power Mac G5 computer comes standard with one of the
following graphics cards: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64 MB RAM or
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro with 64 MB RAM. Also available as a build-to-order
option is the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with 128 MB RAM. All cards have ADC and
DVI-I connectors. For more information, see Graphics Cards (page 33).

Power supply: The Power Mac G5 computer comes with either a 450 W or 600 W
power supply.

Hard disks: An internal 7200 rpm Serial ATA hard disk occupies one of two
drive bays and functions as the default boot disk. Hard disk capacities are 80 GB
and 160 GB with a 250 GB build-to-order option. For more information, see
Serial ATA Interface (page 31).

SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW drive): The Power Mac G5 computer has a

SuperDrive drive connected to the Ultra DMA ATA/100 bus. For more
information, see SuperDrive (page 46).

Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive: Instead of a SuperDrive, the Power Mac

G5 computer has an optional build-to-order combination DVD-ROM/CD-RW
drive connected to the Ultra DMA ATA/100 bus. For more information, see
Combo Drive (page 46).

High-speed USB 2.0: The computer has three external USB 2.0 ports: two on the
rear of the enclosure and one on the front. All ports support both high-speed and
classic USB speeds. For more information, see USB Ports (page 35).

Hardware Features Summary

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Introduction

Ethernet: The computer has a built-in Ethernet port for 10Base-T/UTP,

100Base-TX, or 1000Base-TX Gigabit operation. The Ethernet port is
auto-sensing and self-configuring to allow use of either a cross-over or
straight-through cable. For more information, see Ethernet Port (page 43).

AirPort Extreme Card: Available as a build-to-order option, the 54 Mbps

AirPort Extreme Card provides a wireless LAN connection. For more
information, see Wireless LAN Module (page 27).

Bluetooth : Available as a build-to-order option, the fully-integrated Bluetooth

module enables short-range wireless connections between desktop and laptop
computers and a host of other peripheral devices. For more information, see
Bluetooth Technology (page 50).

FireWire ports: The computer has two FireWire 400 ports and one FireWire 800
port. For more information, see FireWire Controllers (page 30).

Modem: The computer has a built-in Apple 56 Kbps modem. The modem
supports K56flex and V.90 and V.92 modem standards. For more information,
see Internal Modem (page 47).

Keyboard: The computer comes with a full-size USB Apple Keyboard. The
keyboard is also a bus-powered USB hub with two USB ports. For more
information, see Keyboard (page 50).

Mouse: The computer comes with a USB Apple Mouse, with optical tracking.
For more information, see Mouse (page 54).

Boot ROM: The Power Mac G5 computer comes with 1 MB of boot ROM.

S/PDIF digital audio: The Power Mac G5 implements S/PDIF (Sony/Phillips

Digital Interface) digital audio I/O via TOSLink optical input and digital output
connectors on the rear panel. For more information, see Sound System
Overview (page 31).

Analog audio line-in: Rear panel analog audio line-in port for self-powered
microphones or other audio equipment. For more information, see Analog
Audio Line-in (page 58).

Analog audio line-out: Rear panel analog audio line-out port for
externally-powered speakers or other audio devices with line-level outputs. For
more information, see Analog Audio Line-out (page 58).

Headphone and internal speaker: The front panel includes a headphone

mini-jack and the system includes an internal speaker. For more information, see
Analog Headphone Jack (page 59).

Hardware Features Summary

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

13

C H A P T E R

Introduction

DVI to video adapter: The Power Mac G5 supports S-video and composite
video from an optional adapter connected to the DVI port. For more
information, see DVI to Video Adapter (page 65).

Voltage switching: Auto-ranging voltage switching accepts 100 - 240V.

Fan speed control: The speeds of the fans are thermally controlled and are
automatically set as low as possible to minimize noise. System performance can
be specified by a high/reduced/automatic pulldown option provided in the
Energy Saver Control pane in System Preferences.

Energy saving: Sleep scheduling can be controlled via the Energy Saver pane in
System Preferences.

Note: While in sleep mode, the computer emits no noise and the power light
pulses slowly.

Features of the Enclosure

The Power Mac G5 computers enclosure is a tower design. Figure 1-1 illustrates the
front of the enclosure and Figure 1-2 illustrates the rear of the enclosure.

14

Features of the Enclosure

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Introduction
Figure 1-1

Power Mac G5 front view

Optical drive

Power button /Status light

Headphone jack
USB 2.0 port

FireWire 400 port

Features of the Enclosure

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

15

C H A P T E R

Introduction
Figure 1-2

Power Mac G5 rear view

Access covers for PCI

expansion slots
ADC display port
Door latch
AirPort antenna port
DVI display port

Bluetooth antenna port

Optical digital audio out port
Optical digital audio in port
Analog audio line-out port
Analog audio line-in port
USB 2.0 ports (2)

Power socket

FireWire 400 port

FireWire 800 port
Ethernet port
Internal modem port
(on some models)

The enclosure has space for two hard disk drives and one optical device. See Hard
Disk Drives (page 45).
To access the main logic board to install PCI or PCI-X cards or additional memory,
refer to Expansion (page 69). For full details regarding opening and accessing the
computer, refer to the Power Mac G5 Take Apart document provided by Apple Care
support.
WARNING

Opening the enclosure side panel impacts the thermal

performance of the computer. Do not run the enclosure with
the side panel open. If the air deflector inside the enclosure
is removed, the fans will turn off and the system will take
action to prevent over-heating.

16

Features of the Enclosure

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Introduction

System Software
The Power Mac G5 computer ships with Mac OS X 10.3 or later installed as the
default operating system. The classic environment can be used to run Mac OS 9
applications.
To retrieve information from the I/O Registry, use the APIs in the header file
IOKit/IOKitLib.h.

Computer Identification
Rather than reading the box flag or the model string and then making assumptions
about the computers features, applications that need to find out the features of the
computer should use I/O Registry calls to test for the features they require.
Asset management software that reports the kind of computer it is run on can obtain
the value of the property at Devices:device-tree:compatible in the IODeviceTree
plane of the I/O Registry. The model string is the first program-usable string in the
array of C strings in the compatible field. For the Power Mac G5, the value of the
model property is PowerMac7,2.

Power Management
A common power management strategy is implemented across all Macintosh
models. The basics of Apples power management techniques are described in the
following paragraphs.

Processor and Bus Slewing

To lower power consumption, heat generation, and fan noise, the Power Mac G5
computer incorporates an automatic power management technique called bus
slewing. Bus slewing is designed to run at high processor and bus speeds and high
voltage when the demand on the processor is high, and to run at low processor and
bus speeds and low voltage when the demand on the processor is low. Switching

System Software
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

17

C H A P T E R

Introduction
between different processor/bus speeds and voltages is achieved by a gradual
transition that does not impact system or application performance and operates
seamlessly to the user. In slewing, the bus runs at half the speed of the processor.
The ranges of the slewed processor speeds are listed below:
Configuration

Processor range

1.6 GHz

1.3 GHz to 1.6 GHz

1.8 GHz

1.3 GHz to 1.8 GHz

2.0 GHz

1.3 GHz to 2.0 GHz

In addition, the Power Mac G5 computer allows the user to control bus slewing
mode. The options for specifying either high, reduced, or automatic processor and
bus speeds are located at System Preferences>Energy Saver>Options; then select
Automatic, Highest, or Reduced.
If the Power Mac G5 computer detects a system temperature that is too high, due to
high ambient temperatures or other factors, it will automatically enter bus slewing
mode regardless of the selected setting.

Processor States
The following processor states are defined:

Run: The system is running at maximum processing capacity with all processors
running at full speed.

Idle: The system is idling; this is the default state. All clocks are running and the
system can return to running code within a few nanoseconds. If the system has
no work to do, it will be in idle mode.

System Modes
The Macintosh system has the following power-saving modes. If the system does
not support full sleep, it will use the less efficient doze mode.

18

Run: The system is fully functional in normal operating mode with all
components powered and operating.

System Software
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Introduction

Doze: The power to the disk drive motors and the display is turned off, but the
power supply and fans are still on. PCI cards that don't support full system sleep
(some SCSI cards, some graphics cards) will cause the machine to doze rather
than fully sleep.

Full sleep: The main power supply is shut down. A trickle supply provides
auxiliary power to the PCI slots and keeps the DRAM state preserved for a quick
recovery. All processors are powered off with their state preserved in DRAM.
All non-essential clocks in the system are suspended. This mode allows the
computer to meet Energy Star sleep requirements while providing the ability to
start up without rebooting. This system may be awakened by administrative
network packets, keyboard or mouse activity, USB device removal, or PMU
scheduled wakeup.

Off: The Power Mac G5 computer meets FEMP (Federal Energy Management
Program) requirements and supports FireWire ports functioning as repeaters
when operating on AC power.

Velocity Engine Acceleration

The Velocity Engine is the vector processing unit in the PowerPC G5
microprocessor. System software has been modified to take advantage of the
accelerated processing that the Velocity Engine makes possible and to support
low-level operations using the Velocity Engine.
For complete information on the Velocity Engine, refer to the following Apple
website:
http://developer.apple.com/hardware/ve/

System Software
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

19

C H A P T E R

Introduction

20

System Software
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Architecture

This chapter describes the architecture of the Power Mac G5. It includes information
about the major components on the logic boards: the microprocessor, the other main
ICs, and the buses that connect them to each other and to the I/O interfaces.

Block Diagram and Buses

Figure 2-1 is a simplified block diagram of the Power Mac G5. The diagram shows
the main ICs and the buses that connect them together.
The architecture of the Power Mac G5 is based on the PowerPC G5 microprocessor,
and two custom ICs: the U3 memory controller and bus bridge and the K2 I/O
controller.

Block Diagram and Buses

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

21

C H A P T E R

Architecture
Figure 2-1

Simplified block diagram

Processor module

Processor module
64-bit PowerPC G5
microprocessor
32-bit in

64-bit PowerPC G5
microprocessor

32-bit out

32-bit in

32-bit out

800/900/1000 MHz
buses
8X AGP-Pro slot
2.1 GBps

Main logic board

DIMM slots

U3
333/400 MHz memory
DDR memory controller
and PCI
bus
bus bridge

16-bit
3.2 GBps
Hyper
Transport

USB 2.0 port (rear)

480 Mbps
PCI USB
controller
33 MHz
PCI
bus

USB 2.0 port (front)

480 Mbps
AirPort antenna port
AirPort Extreme
Card slot

100 MHz

Boot
ROM

PCI-X
bridge

100 MHz

USB 2.0 port (rear)

480 Mbps

133 MHz
PCI-X slots

Modem slot

8-bit
1.6 GBps
Hyper
Transport

Bluetooth
12 Mbps
USB

Analog line-in
Analog line-out
Audio
circuitry

12 Mbps USB

Optical digital audio out S/PDIF

ATA/100 bus

Internal hard drive

1.5 Gbps
connectors
Serial ATA bus

K2
I/O device
and disk
controller

PMU99
power
controller

1.5 Gbps
Serial ATA bus

22

Headphone jack
Optical digital audio in S/PDIF

I2S
Internal optical
drive connector

Bluetooth antenna port

Block Diagram and Buses

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

Internal
speaker
10/100/1000
Ethernet port
FireWire 400 port (front)

FireWire
PHY

FireWire 400 port (rear)

FireWire 800 port (rear)

C H A P T E R

Architecture
The Power Mac G5 computer has the following data buses, not counting the
processors dedicated interface to the backside cache.

Processor bus: 800/900/1000 MHz, 64-bit (32-bit in and 32-bit out) data
throughput per processor connecting the processor module to the U3 IC

Dual processor systems have two independent 64-bit (32-bit in and 32-bit out)
processor buses

Memory bus: 333 or 400 MHz, 128-bit bus connecting the main DDR SDRAM
memory to the U3 IC

8x AGP Pro bus: 266/533 MHz, 32-bit bus connecting the AGP graphics card to
the U3 IC

PCI or PCI-X bridge bus: supports three 64-bit PCI-X slots ( two 100 MHz and
one 133 MHz) or three 33 MHz PCI slots

Internal PCI bus: 33 MHz, 64-bit bus supports the K2 I/O controller, the boot
ROM, the AirPort Extreme Card slot, and the USB controllers

Serial ATA (S-ATA) buses: support 1.5 Gbps internal hard drive connectors

Ultra DMA ATA/100 bus: supports internal optical drive

HyperTransport: high-speed, bidirectional, point-to-point link for integrated

circuits supports bidirectional data rates up to 3.2 GBps

The remainder of this chapter describes the architecture of the processor module,
the U3 memory controller and bridge IC, the K2 I/O controller IC, and the USB
controllers.

Processor Module
The processor module is a separate logic board that contains one PowerPC G5
microprocessor. Dual microprocessor configurations contain two identical
PowerPC G5 processor modules.
The processor module is connected to the main logic board by a 300-pin connector.
To achieve the required level of performance, the signal lines that connect the
processor module and the main logic board are carefully matched in length,
loading, and impedance.

Processor Module
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

23

C H A P T E R

Architecture

PowerPC G5 Microprocessor
The PowerPC G5 used in the Power Mac G5 computer has the following features:

64-bit PowerPC implementation with 42-bit physical memory addressing

core runs at twice the bus speed

superscalar execution core supporting more than 200 in-flight instructions

two independent double-precision floating point units

Velocity Engine: 128-bit-wide vector execution unit

64K L1 instruction cache, 32K L1 data cache per processor

fully symmetric multiprocessing capability

built-in 512 KB backside L2 cache per processor

two independent, unidirectional 800 MHz to 1 GHz frontside buses each

supporting up to 8 GBps data throughput per processor

For more information, see the reference at PowerPC G5 Microprocessor (page 77).

U3 Bridge and Memory Controller

The U3 custom IC is at the heart of the Power Mac G5 computer. It provides the
bridging functionality among the processors, the memory system, HyperTransport
bus to the PCI-based I/O system, and the AGP slot.

Processor Bus
The processor bus is a 800 MHz, 900 MHz, or 1 GHz bus connecting the processor
module to the U3 IC. The bus has 64-bit wide data and 36-bit wide addresses.
The Power Mac G5 system controller is built with the same state-of-the-art
130-nanometer, SOI technology as the PowerPC G5 processor. This super-efficient
point-to-point architecture provides each subsystem with dedicated bandwidth to
main memory. The Power Mac G5 uses separate processor boards with each
PowerPC G5 processor; two processor boards are used for dual processor systems.

24

U3 Bridge and Memory Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Architecture
The U3 I/O implements two independent processor interfaces. The processors
range from 1600 to 2000 MHz in clock rate and connect to the U3 I/O through the
Apple Processor Interface (API). The processor clock is derived from a PLL which
multiplies the reference clock by preset intervals of 6 or 8 times.
Out-of-order completion allows the memory controller to optimize the data bus
efficiency by transferring whichever data is ready, rather than having to pass data
across the bus in the order the transactions were posted on the bus. This means that
a fast DDR SDRAM read can pass a slow PCI read, potentially enabling the
processor to do more before it has to wait on the PCI data.
Intervention is a cache-coherency optimization that improves performance for
dual-processor systems. If one processor modifies some data, that data first gets
stored only in that processors cache. If the other processor then wants that data, it
needs to get the new modified values.

Main Memory Bus

The Power Mac G5 computer main memory bus connects the main memory to the
U3 IC via the 64-bit data bus. The DDR SDRAM DIMM specifications for the
standard configurations are shown in Table 2-1.

Table 2-1

Memory Bus Standard Specifications

DDR memory bus speed

333 MHz

400 MHz

DIMM size

128 MB

256 MB

max total mem

4 GB

8 GB

number of DIMM slots

DIMM spec

PC2700

PC3200

Standard supported DIMM sizes are 128, 256, and 512 MB, and capable of 1 GB. The
DIMMs must be unbuffered and installed in pairs of the same size.
For more information about memory DIMMs and installation, see RAM
Expansion (page 69).

U3 Bridge and Memory Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

25

C H A P T E R

Architecture

Accelerated Graphics Port Bus

The accelerated graphics port (AGP 8x Pro) bus is a 266/533 MHz, 32-bit bus
connecting the AGP card to the U3 IC. DDR data is transmitted at both edges of the
clock for peak transfers of 2.1 GBps.
The AGP bus is an enhanced PCI bus with extra functionality to burst texture data
and other graphics across the port up to 8 times faster than a 66 MHz PCI port. The
Power Mac G5 computers AGP implementation is compatible with version 3 of the
AGP specification and with the Pro version of AGP. AGP 3.0 enables deeply
pipelined memory read and write operations and demultiplexing of address and
data on the bus.
To further improve the performance of the AGP bus, the U3 IC supports a graphics
address remapping table (GART). Because the virtual memory system organizes
main memory as randomly distributed 4 KB pages, DMA transactions for more
than 4 KB of data must perform scatter-gather operations. To avoid this necessity
for AGP transactions, the GART is used by the AGP bridge in the U3 to translate a
linear address space for AGP transactions into physical addresses in main memory.
For more information on the graphics cards installed in the AGP slot, refer to
Graphics Cards (page 33).
Note: The AGP bus is 1.5 V only and is not backward compatible. Older AGP
cards will not work in the Power Mac G5 computer.

Internal PCI Bus

An internal 33-MHz, 64-bit PCI bus connects the K2 I/O controller to the boot ROM,
the AirPort Extreme Card slot, and the USB controller. The U3 IC used in the Power
Mac G5 computer supports the PCI write combining feature. This feature allows
sequential write transactions involving the Memory Write or Memory Write and
Invalidate commands to be combined into a single PCI transaction. For memory
write transactions to be combined, they must be sequential, ascending, and
non-overlapping PCI addresses. Placing an eieio or sync command between the
write commands prevents any write combining.
For more information on the PCI bus, refer to PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots
(page 73).

26

U3 Bridge and Memory Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Architecture

PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots

The Power Mac G5 computer provides three PCI or PCI-X slots via the
HyperTransport bus. In some configurations of the Power Mac G5, one slot runs at
a maximum of 133 MHz and two slots run at a maximum of 100 MHz. In other
configurations of the Power Mac G5 computer, all three slots run at 33 MHz. Each
slot has room for a full size 12.335-inch or short 6.926-inch card. The slots are
numbered from 2 to 4 on back panel, on the PCB, and in the Apple System Profiler.
To satisfy cooling power supply requirements, a total of 90 W is allocated to the
three PCI or PCI-X slots and the AGP Pro slot.
The connectors to the PCI or PCI-X slots are 3.3 V keyed and support 32-bit and
64-bit buses. The connectors include a PME signal which allows a PCI card to wake
the computer from sleep.
Note: 5 V keyed or signalling cards do not work in the Power Mac G5 computer.
The slots (12.335 inch) have a capture feature which is at the end of the slot. If a card
exceeds the short length it is recommended that the long length be used rather than
an intermediate length, to assure the card stays secure if and when the system is in
shipment.
The 133 MHz slot can support a maximum burst bandwidth of 1064 MBps, based
on 64 bits times 133 MHz. The two 100 MHz slots can support a combined
bandwidth of 800 MBps. It is recommended that the highest bandwidth card be
inserted in slot 4.
For more information, refer to PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots (page 73).

Wireless LAN Module

The optional AirPort Extreme wireless LAN module connects via the PCI interface.
The AirPort Extreme Card wireless LAN module contains a media access controller
(MAC), a digital signal processor (DSP), and a radio-frequency (RF) section. The
module has an antenna port on the rear of the computer.
The AirPort Extreme Card is based on the IEEE 802.11g standard. The card
transmits and receives data at up to 54 Mbps and is compatible with
802.11b-standard 11 Mbps systems and earlier 2 Mbps systems. For information
about its operation, see AirPort Extreme Card (page 48).

U3 Bridge and Memory Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

27

C H A P T E R

Architecture
The build-to-order Bluetooth connectivity comes off the K2 IC; see Bluetooth
Technology (page 50) for more information.

Modem Slot Support

The K2 IC supports the modem and provides DB-DMA (descriptor-based direct
memory access) support for the modem slot interface.
The internal hardware modem is a separate module that contains a modem
controller IC, a data pump, and the interface to the telephone line (DAA). For more
information about the modem, see Internal Modem (page 47).

Boot ROM
The boot ROM consists of 1 MB of on-board flash EEPROM. The boot ROM includes
the hardware-specific code and tables needed to start up the computer using Open
Firmware, to load an operating system, and to provide common hardware access
services.

HyperTransport Technology
The DDR HyperTransport is an advanced chip-to-chip communications technology
that provides a high-speed, high-performance, point-to-point link for integrated
circuits. HyperTransport provides a universal connection that reduces the number
of buses within a system.
The HyperTransport bus between the U3 IC and the PCI-X bridge is 16 bits wide,
supporting total of 3.2 GBps bidirectional throughput. Between the PCI-X bridge
and the K2 IC, the bus width is 8 bits, supporting total of 1.6 GBps bidirectional
throughput.
For more information on the HyperTransport technology, go to the World Wide
Web at
http://www.hypertransport.org

28

HyperTransport Technology
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Architecture

PCI USB Controller

The Power Mac G5 CPU uses a PCI USB controller ASIC with one Enhanced Host
Controller Interface (EHCI) function and two Open Host Controller Interface
(OHCI) functions. The controller has a total of four ports available to support the
internal AGP slot and three external USB ports. If connected to classic-speed USB
devices, the two rear panel ports are connected to separate OHCI controllers.
These four USB ports comply with the Universal Serial Bus Specification 2.0. The
USB register set complies with the EHCI and OHCI specifications. For more
information, see USB Ports (page 35).

K2 I/O Controller
The K2 custom IC provides all the I/O functions. These functions are described in
the following sections.

DMA Support
The K2 IC provides DB-DMA (descriptor-based direct memory access) support for
the following I/O channels:

Ultra ATA/100

Communication slot interface

I2S channel to the sound subsystem

Serial ATA

The DB-DMA system provides a scatter-gather process based on memory-resident

data structures that describe the data transfers. The DMA engine is enhanced to
allow bursting of data files for improved performance.

PCI USB Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

29

C H A P T E R

Architecture

Ethernet Controller
The K2 IC includes an Ethernet media access controller (MAC) and PHY. As a
separate I/O channel on the K2 IC, it can operate at its full capacity without
degrading the performance of other peripheral devices.
The MAC implements the link layer. It is connected to a PHY that is internal to K2
and provides 10Base-T/UTP, 100Base-TX, or 1000Base-TX operation over a
standard twisted-pair interface. The Ethernet port is auto-sensing and
self-configuring to allow use of either a cross-over or straight-through cable. The
operating speed of the link is automatically negotiated by the PHY and the bridge,
router, hub, switch, or other Mac or PC to which the Ethernet port is connected. For
information about the port, see Ethernet Port (page 43).

FireWire Controllers
The K2 IC includes a FireWire controller that supports both IEEE 1394b (FireWire
800) with a maximum data rate of 800 Mbps (100 MBps) and IEEE 1394a (FireWire
400) with a maximum data rate of 400 Mbps (50 MBps). The IC is
backwards-compatible with 1394a (FireWire 400). The K2 IC provides DMA (direct
memory access) support for the FireWire interface.
The controller in the K2 IC implements the FireWire link layer. A physical layer IC,
called a PHY, implements the electrical signaling protocol of the FireWire interface
and provides the electrical signals to the ports. For more information, see FireWire
Ports (page 37).

Interrupt Support
The interrupt controller for the Power Mac G5 system is an MPIC cell in the K2 IC.
In addition to accepting K2 internal interrupt sources, the MPIC controller accepts
internal interrupts from U3 and dedicated interrupt pins.

USB Interface
The K2 IC has two independent USB OHCI controllers. One is used for the optional
modem module and one for the build-to-order Bluetooth interface.

30

K2 I/O Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Architecture
The external USB interface is via the PCI USB controller; see PCI USB Controller
(page 29).

Serial ATA Interface

Based on the Serial ATA 1.0 specification, Serial ATA (S-ATA) is a disk-interface
technology that delivers up to 1.5 Gbps of performance to each independent drive
bus on the Power Mac G5 computer. It provides a scalable, point-to-point
connection that allows multiple ports to be aggregated into a single controller. Serial
ATA uses a thin, point-to-point cable connection that enables easy routing within a
system, avoiding master/slave, daisy-chaining, and termination issues and
enabling better airflow within a system.
The K2 IC implements two Serial ATA revision one ports, each of which
accommodates one independent internal hard drive.
For information about the drive bays, see Hard Disk Drives (page 45).

Ultra DMA ATA/100 Interface

In the Power Mac G5 computer, the K2 IC provides an Ultra DMA ATA/100
interface to support the optical drive. For information about specific drives, see
Disk Drives (page 45).

Sound System Overview

The sound circuitry is connected to the K2 IC by a standard I2S (inter-IC sound) bus.
The K2 IC provides DB-DMA (descriptor-based direct memory access) support for
the I2S port.
The Power Mac G5 circuitry consists of two main components: an analog audio
CODEC IC and a digital audio CODEC IC. The analog audio CODEC IC includes
an A/D converter, a D/A converter, and digital audio processing functions. The
digital audio processing functions include output equalization, dynamic range
compression, and volume control. The equalization and dynamic range control
functions are set to fixed values to equalize the internal speaker. Those functions are
bypassed for signals sent to the audio output jacks.

K2 I/O Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

31

C H A P T E R

Architecture
The codec functions include one stereo input pair, two stereo output pairs (line out
and headphone out), and one mono output that drives the internal speaker.
Stereo signals from the audio input jack are routed to an analog line input buffer
that drives the internal A/D converter. The output of the A/D converter is routed
to the K2 IC over the I2S bus.
Digital audio data from the K2 IC is routed to the D/A converter on the analog
audio CODEC over the I2S bus. The analog audio output from the D/A is routed to
separate amplifiers that drive the line output, headphone output, and internal
speaker.
The digital audio CODEC IC includes an S/PDIF (Sony/Phillips Digital Interface)
digital audio receiver, a sample rate converter (SRC), a phase-locked loop (PLL),
and an S/PDIF digital audio transmitter.
The S/PDIF input can operate in synchronous and asynchronous modes. In
synchronous mode, the PLL in the digital audio CODEC locks on to the incoming
S/PDIF data rate and drives the audio system clocks in the Power Mac G5, allowing
bit-accurate data processing of the S/PDIF input data. In asynchronous mode, the
incoming S/PDIF data passes through the SRC, where it is converted to the output
sample rate of the Power Mac G5, allowing the Power Mac G5 to play audio at a
fixed output sample rate while accepting S/PDIF input data over a wide frequency
range. The S/PDIF input data is routed to the K2 IC over the I2S bus.
Digital audio data from the K2 chip is routed to the S/PDIF output transmitter in
the digital audio CODEC over the I2S bus. The Power Mac G5 sends and receives
S/PDIF audio data over TOSLink optical connectors.
Analog audio I/O is not independent of digital audio I/O on the Power Mac G5.
Audio input can come from either the line input or the S/PDIF input, but not both
at the same time. Audio output can be played simultaneously on the line output,
headphones output, and S/PDIF output. However, these audio streams are not
independent.
For more detail on the audio, see Audio (page 54).

32

K2 I/O Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Architecture

Power Controller
The power management controller in the Power Mac G5 computer is a
microcontroller called the PMU99. It supports new modes of power management
that provide significantly lower power consumption than previous systems. For
more information, see Power Management (page 17).

Graphics Cards
The Power Mac G5 computer comes with a graphics card installed in the AGP 3.0
8x Pro slot. The supported graphics cards are shown below:
Graphics IC

Video SDRAM

Connectors

NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra

64 MB DDR

ADC and DVI-I

ATI Radeon 9600 Pro

64 MB DDR

ADC and DVI-I

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro

(build-to-order)

128 MB DDR

ADC and DVI-I

All graphics cards support dual displays in either extended desktop or video
mirroring mode, and support digital resolutions up to 1920x1200 pixels and analog
resolutions up to 1600x1200 pixels.
The display memory on the AGP card is separate from the main memory. The
display memory consists of 64 or 128 MB of DDR devices configured to make a
128-bit data bus. The display memory cannot be expanded by the user.
For more information about the features of the graphics cards and the monitors they
support, see Video Monitor Ports (page 60).

Graphics Cards
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

33

C H A P T E R

Architecture

Fan Controller
The Power Mac G5 system employs advanced thermal management to keep
acoustic noise to a minimum. The system is divided into discrete zones, each with
independently controlled fans bringing in cool air from the front of the enclosure,
directing it through ducts and exhausting it out the rear. Temperature and power
consumption are monitored by the operating system which communicates with the
Fan Control Unit, which in turn controls and monitors fan operation. Note that if
Mac OS X is not booted, thermal management must be provided by the alternate
development operating system.

34

Fan Controller
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

This chapter describes the Power Mac G5 computers built-in I/O devices and the
ports for connecting external I/O devices. Each of the following sections describes
an I/O port or device.

USB Ports
The Power Mac G5 computer has two external Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 ports
on the back and one on the front of the enclosure and an internal connection to the
AGP slot for the Apple display. The external USB ports are off of the USB controller
connected to the PCI bus, bridged by K2. In addition, there are two USB 1.1 ports on
the keyboard. The USB ports are used for connecting the keyboard and mouse as
well as additional I/O devices such as printers, scanners, and storage devices.
All USB ports are fully compliant with the USB 2.0 specification, including support
for high-speed (480 Mbps) devices using an Enhanced Host Controller Interface
(EHCI). Ports are automatically routed to a companion OHCI controller when a
classic-speed (full-speed or low-speed) USB device is attached to a root hub port.
Each USB rear port is connected to a separate USB root hub in classic speeds,
allowing the USB ports to support 12 Mbps devices at the same time with no
degradation of their performance. The USB root hubs are also connected to the
internal USB modem and to the USB port on the ADC monitor connector.
The three external USB ports and the port supporting the Apple display comply
with the Universal Serial Bus Specification 2.0. The two ports on the keyboard
comply with the Universal Serial Bus Specification 1.1 Final Draft Revision. For

USB Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

35

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

low-speed and full-speed devices, the USB register set complies with the Open Host
Controller Interface (OHCI) specification. For high-speed devices, the USB register
set complies with the Enhanced Host Controller Interface (EHCI) specification.
For more information about USB on Macintosh computers, please refer to Apple
Computers Accessing Hardware from Applications and the other sources listed in
USB Interface (page 81).

USB Connectors
The USB ports use USB Type A connectors, which have four pins each. Two of the
pins are used for power and two for data. Figure 3-1 shows the connector and Table
3-1 shows the signals and pin assignments.

Figure 3-1

USB connector

1
2
3
4

Table 3-1

36

Signals on the USB connector

Pin Signal name

Description

VCC

+5 VDC

Data

D+

Data +

GND

Ground

USB Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The Power Mac G5 computer provides 5 V power for the USB ports and up to
500 mA on each port. The power is provided in both run and sleep mode. The ports
share the same power supply; a short circuit on one disables all ports until the short
has been removed.
The USB ports support all USB 2.0 speeds: high-speed (480 Mbps) and classic USB
speeds of full-speed (12 Mbps) and low-speed (1.5 Mbps). High-speed operation
requires the use of shielded cables.
The Macintosh system software supports all four data transfer types defined in the
USB specification, as well as split transactions for classic-speed devices attached to
high-speed hubs.

Waking Up From Sleep

As defined in the USB-suspend mode of the USB specification, USB devices can
provide a remote wakeup function for the computer (resume signalling). The USB
root hub in the computer is set to support remote wakeup whenever a device is
attached to the bus. The device wakes the computer by sending a RESUME event to
the USB root hub. The mouse and keyboard that come with the computer use this
method to wake the computer on a key press or mouse click.

FireWire Ports
The Power Mac G5 computer has one FireWire 800 port based on IEEE 1394b and
two FireWire 400 IEEE 1394a ports. Each FireWire port

supports booting the system from a mass storage device

supports target disk mode

provides bus repeating capability as long as the computer is connected to AC

power

provides power for FireWire devices both in run and sleep mode (useful for
charging the iPod)

FireWire Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

37

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The three FireWire ports share a single power supply that can provide up to 15
watts total. The three ports are all on the same FireWire bus and can connect to up
62 other FireWire devices.
The FireWire hardware and software provided with the Power Mac G5 computer
are capable of all asynchronous and isochronous transfers defined by IEEE
standards 1394a and 1394b.
Developers of FireWire peripherals are required to provide device drivers. A driver
for DV (digital video) is included in QuickTime 4.0 and later versions.
Note: FireWire cables are not included with this product and must be purchased
independently, if required.
For more information about FireWire on Macintosh computers, please refer to the
Apple FireWire website and the other sources listed in FireWire Interface
(page 82).

FireWire 800 Connector

The FireWire 800 port on the Power Mac G5 computer is based on IEEE 1394b and
enables a 800 Mbps transfer rate. FireWire 800 uses a 9-pin connector and is
backwards compatible with original 1394a (FireWire 400) devices with 6-pin or
4-pin connectors. With the appropriate cable, the 9-pin port works seamlessly with
legacy FireWire devices. Cables are available to go from both 6-pin and 4-pin
connectors to a 9-pin, and 9-pin to 9-pin.
Note: FireWire adapter cables are not included in the package.
The 9-pin FireWire 800 connector is shown in Figure 3-2. Its connector signals and
pin assignments are shown in Table 3-2.

38

FireWire Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Figure 3-2
9

9-pin FireWire 800 connector

7

Table 3-2

Signals on the 9-pin FireWire 800 connector

Pin

Signal name

Description

TPB

Twisted-pair B Minus

TPB+

Twisted-pair B Plus

TPA

Twisted-pair A Minus

TPA+

Twisted-pair A Plus

TPA (R)

Twisted-pair A Ground
Reference

VG

Power Ground

SC

Status Contact (no

connection; reserved)

VP

Power Voltage
(approximately 25 V DC)

TPB (R)

Twisted-pair B Ground
Reference

VP (pin 8) provides up to 15 W power, shared with the other FireWire connectors.

The voltage on the power pin is approximately 25 V.

FireWire Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

39

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The 9-pin FireWire port is capable of operating at 100, 200, 400, and 800 Mbps,
depending on the device it is connected to. Using a cable with a 9-pin connector at
one end and a 4-pin or 6-pin connector at the other, the 9-pin port is capable of
directly connecting to all existing FireWire devices. Using a cable with 9-pin
connectors at both ends, the 9-pin port is capable of operating at 800 Mbps.
The IEEE 1394b standard defines long-haul media using Cat 5 UTP and several
kinds of optical fiber. The Power Mac G5 computer is interoperable with such cables
but cannot be directly connected to them. To use long-haul cables, connect the
computer to a 1394b hub that has the desired kind of long-haul connectors. If the
hub has a bilingual port, that port can be connected to any of the computers
FireWire ports. If the hub has a beta-only port, it can be connected only to the
computers 9-pin port.

FireWire 400 Connector

The FireWire 400 ports 1 and 2 use the six-pin connectors shown in Figure 3-3. The
connector signals and pin assignments are shown in Table 3-3.

40

FireWire Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Figure 3-3

6-pin FireWire 400 connector

Table 3-3

Signals on the 6-pin FireWire 400 connector

Pin

Signal name

Description

Power

Power (approximately 25 V DC)

Ground

Ground return for power and inner cable shield

TPB

Twisted-pair B Minus

TPB+

Twisted-pair B Plus

TPA

Twisted-pair A Minus

TPA+

Twisted-pair A Plus

Shell

Outer cable shield

The power pin provides up to 15 W total power, shared with the other FireWire
connectors. The voltage on the power pin is approximately 25 V.
Pin 2 of the 6-pin FireWire connector is ground return for both power and the inner
cable shield. In a FireWire cable with a 4-pin connector on the other end, the wire
from pin 2 is connected to the shell of the 4-pin connector.

FireWire Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

41

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The signal pairs are crossed in the cable itself so that pins 5 and 6 at one end of the
cable connect with pins 3 and 4 at the other end. When transmitting, pins 3 and 4
carry data and pins 5 and 6 carry clock; when receiving, the reverse is true.

Booting from a FireWire Device

The Power Mac G5 computer can boot from a FireWire storage device that
implements SBP-2 (Serial Bus Protocol) with the RBC (reduced block commands)
command set.
For additional information about the FireWire interface and the Apple API for
FireWire device control, see the references shown in FireWire Interface (page 82).

Target Disk Mode

The user has the option at boot time to put the computer into a mode of operation
called Target Disk Mode (TDM). When the Power Mac G5 computer is in Target
Disk Mode and connected to another Macintosh computer by a FireWire cable, the
Power Mac G5 computer operates like a FireWire mass storage device with the
SBP-2 (Serial Bus Protocol) standard. Target Disk Mode has two primary uses:

high-speed data transfer between computers

diagnosis and repair of a corrupted internal hard drive

The Power Mac G5 computer can operate in Target Disk Mode as long as the other
computer has a 1394a or 1394b FireWire port and either any version of Mac OS X or
Mac OS 9 with FireWire software version 2.3.3 or later.
To put the Power Mac G5 computer into Target Disk Mode, restart the computer
and hold down the T key until the FireWire icon appears on the display. Then
connect a FireWire cable from the Power Mac G5 to the other computer. When the
other computer completes the FireWire connection, a hard disk icon appears on its
desktop.
If you disconnect the FireWire cable or turn off the Power Mac G5 computer while
in Target Disk Mode, an alert appears on the other computer.
To take the Power Mac G5 out of Target Disk Mode, drag the hard disk icon on the
other computer to the trash, then press the power button on the Power Mac G5
computer until the computer powers down.

42

FireWire Ports
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Ethernet Port
The Power Mac G5 computer has a built-in Ethernet port that supports
10/100/1000 Mbps transfer rates. In operation, the actual speed of the link is
auto-negotiated between the Ethernet PHY device that is internal to the K2 IC and
the bridge, router, hub, switch, or other Mac or PC to which it is connected. The
Ethernet port is auto-sensing and self-configuring to allow connection via either a
cross-over or straight-through cable.
Both CAT 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and shielded twisted pair (STP) cables
work with the Ethernet port. An STP cable is recommended for noisy environments
or run of greater than 100 meters.
Note: When connecting a Power Mac G5 computer directly to another computer
without using an Ethernet hub, a crossover cable is not required; circuits in the
PHY detect the type of connection and switch the signal configuration as
required.
The connector for the Ethernet port is an RJ-45 connector on the back of the
computer. Table 3-4 shows the signals and pin assignments for 10Base-T/UTP and
100Base-TX operation. Table 3-5 shows the signals and pin assignments for
1000Base-TX operation.

Table 3-4

Signals for 10Base-T/UTP and 100Base-TX operation

Pin Signal name Signal definition

TXP

Transmit (positive lead)

TXN

Transmit (negative lead)

RXP

Receive (positive lead)

Not used

Not used

Ethernet Port
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

43

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Table 3-4

Signals for 10Base-T/UTP and 100Base-TX operation

Pin Signal name Signal definition

RXN

Receive (negative lead)

Not used

Not used

Table 3-5

Signals for 1000Base-TX Gigabit operation

Pin Signal name Signal definition

TRD+(0)

Transmit and receive data 0 (positive lead)

TRD(0)

Transmit and receive data 0 (negative lead)

TRD+(1)

Transmit and receive data 1 (positive lead)

TRD+(2)

Transmit and receive data 2 (positive lead)

TRD(2)

Transmit and receive data 2 (negative lead)

TRD(1)

Transmit and receive data 1 (negative lead)

TRD+(3)

Transmit and receive data 3 (positive lead)

TRD(3)

Transmit and receive data 3 (negative lead)

To interconnect two computers for 1000Base-TX operation, you must use 4-pair
cable (Category 5 or 6).
The Ethernet interface in the Power Mac G5 computer conforms to the ISO/IEC
802.3 specification, where applicable, and complies with IEEE specifications 802.3i
(10Base-T/UTP), 802.3u-1995 (100Base-TX), and 802.3ab (1000Base-TX).

44

Ethernet Port
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Disk Drives
The Power Mac G5 computer has one 5.25 inch bay for optical drive access through
the front panel and two 3.5 inch bays for internal hard disk drives. The optical drive
is connected to the Ultra ATA/100 bus; the factory installed drive runs at 33 MHz.
The standard configuration of the Power Mac G5 provides a SuperDrive, however
a build-to-order Combo drive can be selected as a configure-to-order option.

Hard Disk Drives

The enclosure has two drive carriers with two 3.5 inch bays for fixed-media mass
storage devices. The drive carrier has data and power connectors for the boot drive.
The two drives on the independent Serial ATA buses implement revision one ports.
For references to S-ATA website information, refer to Serial ATA (page 81).

SCSI Drive
SCSI drives and SCSI PCI controller cards are available from third party providers.
The Power Mac G5 computer supports external SCSI drives only.

Disk Drives
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

45

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

SuperDrive
The Power Mac G5 computer has a tray-loading SuperDrive (combination DVD-R
and CD-RW drive). The SuperDrive can read and write DVD media and CD media,
as shown in Table 3-6. The DVD-R/CD-RW drive also provides DVD-Video
playback. (The G5 microprocessor provides the MPEG 2 decoding.)

Table 3-6

Media read and written by the SuperDrive

Media type

Reading speed (maximum) Writing speed

DVD-R

8x (CLV)

4x/2x/1x (CLV) depending on

media type

DVD-ROM

8x (CAV max)

CD-R

32x (CAV max)

16x (CLV)

CD-RW

32 (CAV max)

10x (CLV) high speed CD-RW disc

CD or CD-ROM 32x (CAV max)

The Apple SuperDrive writes to DVD-R 4.7 gigabyte General Use media. These
discs are playable in most standard DVD players and computer DVD-ROM drives.
For a list of players tested by Apple for playability, refer to
http://www.apple.com/dvd/compatibility/
For compatibility information regarding recordable DVD formats, refer to
http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3
Digital audio signals from the SuperDrive can be played through the sound outputs
under the control of the Sound Manager.

Combo Drive
As a build-to-order option, the Power Mac G5 computer can have a tray-loading
combination DVD-ROM and CD-RW drive.

46

Disk Drives
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The Combo drive can read DVD media and read and write CD media, as shown in
Table 3-7. The DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive also provides DVD-Video playback. (The
G5 microprocessor provides the MPEG 2 decoding.)

Table 3-7

Media read and written by the Combo drive

Media type

Reading speed

Writing speed

DVD-R

4.8x (CAV max)

DVD-ROM

12x DVD5 (CAV max)

8x DVD9 (CAV max)

CD-R

32x (CAV max)

32x (ZCLV)

CD-RW

20x (ZCAV max)

10x (CLV, for high speed media)

CD or CD-ROM

32x (CAV max)

Digital audio signals from the Combo drive can be played through the sound
outputs under the control of the Sound Manager.

Internal Modem
The Power Mac G5 computer has an internal modem module. The external I/O
connector for the modem is an RJ-11 connector installed on the rear panel of the
computer. The modem has the following features:

modem bit rates up to 56 Kbps, supporting V.90 and V.92 modem standards

fax modem bit rates up to 14.4 Kbps

The modem appears to the system as a USB device that responds to standard AT
commands. The modem provides a sound output for monitoring the progress of the
modem connection.

Internal Modem
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

47

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

AirPort Extreme Card

The Power Mac G5 computer supports the optional AirPort Extreme Card, an
internal wireless LAN module. The AirPort Extreme Card is available as a
build-to-order option or as a user-installable upgrade through the Apple Store.
By communicating wirelessly with a base station, the AirPort Extreme Card can be
used for Internet access, email access, and file exchange. A base station provides the
connection to the Internet or the bridge between the wireless signals and a wired
LAN or both. The AirPort Extreme Base Station has connectors for a wired LAN, a
DSL or cable modem, and a standard telephone line using the built-in 56 Kbps
modem that is available on some base stations.
When the AirPort Extreme option is included in the factory order, an external
AirPort Extreme antenna is provided in the accessory kit and must be installed on
the AirPort Extreme antenna port on the rear of the enclosure.
Complying with the IEEE 802.11g standard, AirPort Extreme transmits and receives
data at rates up to 54 Mbps. Airport Extreme is also compatible with other devices
that follow the IEEE 802.11b standard, including PC's. For more information about
Wi-Fi and compatibility, see the reference at Wireless Networks (page 83).
Note: As is the case with the existing IEEE 802.11b standard, actual data
throughput will be lower than the indicated maximum connection speeds.

Data Security
AirPort Extreme has several features designed to maintain the security of the users
data:

48

The system uses direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) technology that uses

a multibit spreading code that effectively scrambles the data for any receiver
that lacks the corresponding code.

The system can use an Access Control List of authentic network client ID values
or MAC addresses (Ethernet or AirPort IDs) to verify each clients identity
before granting access to the network.

AirPort Extreme Card

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

When communicating with a base station, AirPort Extreme uses up to 128-bit

encryption to encode data while it is in transit.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station can be configured to use NAT (Network
Address Translation), protecting data from would-be Internet hackers.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station can authenticate users by their unique MAC
addresses (AirPort IDs), preventing unauthorized computers from logging into
a network. Network administrators can take advantage of RADIUS
compatibility, used for authenticating users over a remote server.

As an additional data security measure, VPN can be used in conjunction with the
AirPort Extreme data security.

AirPort Extreme Hardware

The AirPort Extreme Card is a wireless LAN module based on the IEEE 802.11g
standard using both OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) and
DSSS technologies. Using DSSS, AirPort Extreme is interoperable with
PC-compatible wireless LANs that conform to the 802.11b standard at speeds of 11
Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps, and 1 Mbps. Using OFDM, AirPort Extreme is compatible
with all 802.11g standard speeds.
The AirPort Extreme wireless interface is on the PCI bus.

AirPort Extreme Software

Software that is provided with the AirPort Extreme Card includes

AirPort Setup Assistant (located in the Applications/Utilities folder), is an

easy-to-use program that guides the user through the steps necessary to set up
the AirPort Extreme Card or set up an AirPort Extreme Base Station.

Users can switch between wireless networks and can create and join
peer-to-peer networks. These functions are accessed via the AirPort Menu-Extra pulldown, which is enabled by a checkbox in System Preferences.

AirPort Admin Utility (located in the Applications/Utilities folder), is a utility

for advanced users and system administrators. With it the user can edit the
administrative and advanced settings needed for some advanced
configurations.

AirPort Extreme Card

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

49

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Bluetooth Technology
Available as a fully-integrated, build-to-order option, Bluetooth is an open
specification that enables short-range wireless connections between desktop and
laptop computers and a host of other peripheral devices. Bluetooth support is built
into Mac OS X and compliant with Bluetooth specification v1.1. It operates on a
globally available 2.4 GHz frequency band (ISM band) for worldwide compatibility
and has a maximum throughput of 1Mbps.
The Bluetooth technology supports the following profiles:

synchronization enables synchronization of devices over Bluetooth

serial provides a wireless serial connection to other Bluetooth devices

dial-up networking (DUN) enables a mobile phone to act as a modem

object push enables the transfer of files between Bluetooth devices

Bluetooth is available as a build-to-order option, which is installed by Apple at the

time of purchase as a fully integrated module. Accessing the Bluetooth capabilities
without purchasing the integrated module will require a third-party dongle.
When the Bluetooth option is included on the factory order, the Bluetooth antenna
is provided in the accessory kit and must be installed on the Bluetooth antenna port
on the rear of the enclosure.
For more information on Bluetooth technology, refer to Bluetooth (page 83).

Keyboard
The Power Mac G5 computer comes with an Apple Keyboard. It is a full-size
keyboard with function keys and separate numeric keypad and editing sections.

50

Bluetooth Technology
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The keyboard has an attached 1-meter cable and comes with a 1-meter extender
cable for installations where the computer is located on the floor or away from the
immediate desktop area.

Keyboard Features
Here is a list of the features of the Apple Keyboard.

sloped design

109 keys (on the ANSI versions)

16 function keys

6 editing keys (Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, Forward Delete, and Help)

USB HID Consumer Page Usage multimedia control keys

full travel, standard pitch keys on alphanumeric, editing, and keypad sections,
including function keys and cursor-position keys

localized worldwide: 33 versions, standard layouts (including: ANSI, JIS, ISO)

LED indicator on the Num Lock key

USB hub functionality with two USB 1.1 sockets

Note: There is no power key on this keyboard.

Keyboard Layout
There are localized versions of the Apple Keyboard for use in different parts of the
world. The three standards used are ANSI (US and North America), JIS (Japan), and
ISO (Europe).
Applications can determine which keyboard is connected by calling the Gestalt
Manager and checking for the corresponding value of the gestaltKeyboardType
selector.
Figure 3-4 shows the keyboard layout for the ANSI keyboard.

Keyboard
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

51

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Figure 3-4

ANSI keyboard layout

MultiMedia Control Keys

The keyboard has six multimedia keys: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute,
Brightness Up (F15), Brightness Down (F14), and Eject. Theses keys provide direct
control of the features on the computer by way of the USB.

Keyboard and USB

The Apple Keyboard is designed to work with the computer by way of the USB
ports. The keyboard has a captive cable with a USB Type A connector. The keyboard
is a bus-powered USB hub with two USB Type A ports.
WARNING

A bus-powered hub as defined in the USB specification does

not provide enough power to support a second bus-powered
hub. A second bus-powered hub must be connected to a USB
port on the computer or other self-powered hub, not to a port
on the keyboard.
Apple provides a HID class driver for the Apple Keyboard, which supports the USB
boot protocol. Other keyboards intended for use on the Macintosh platform must
support the HID boot protocol, as defined in the USB Device Class Definition for
Human Interface Devices (HIDs).

52

Keyboard
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Programmers Switches
Key combinations for programmers switches that used the Power button on earlier
models now use the Eject key. Here are the key combinations for the Power Mac G5
computer.

Control-Command-Eject: restart immediately (reset)

Control-Command-Option-Eject: shut down immediately

Control-Eject: display the dialog for shutdown, restart, and sleep

The key combinations are decoded in software and may not be available under
some crashed conditions.

NMI without Programmers Switch

Current Macintosh computers do not have a programmers switch, which allowed
users to generate a non-maskable interrupt (NMI). The paragraphs below describe
how to generate an NMI from a remote session for systems that do not have a
physical programmer's switch.
Starting with Mac OS X 10.1.2, the OS will promote and recognize the DB_NMI bit in
the boot-args property of the chosen node from Open Firmware. When the
DB_NMI bit is set, the user can generate a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) by pressing
the system's power button. This replaces the power buttons sleep or wake
response. The system reads the state of the bit at boot time from the boot-args
configuration variable. For more information about the debug flags, please see
Inside Mac OS X: Kernel Programming.
To set the DB_NMI bit, enter the following command at the Terminal to display the
current debug flag settings.
% nvram boot-args

Add the parameter debug=0x4, as follows.

% sudo nvram boot-args="<current settings> debug=0x4"

Keyboard
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

53

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

After rebooting, press the power button for approximately 3 seconds to generate an
NMI.
Note: If the power button is pressed for more than five seconds, the system will
immediately power off.
The power button will retain this functionality until Mac OS X is restarted without
the DB_NMI bit set. To clear this bit, issue the nvram command omitting debug=0x4
parameter, as follows.
% sudo nvram boot-args=""

Note: The debug flags bit will be cleared if you use System Preferences to change
the startup disk. It may also be cleared if you perform an installation that requires
a restart.

Mouse
The Power Mac G5 computer comes with an Apple Mouse. The mouse case is made
of polycarbonate plastic.
The Apple Mouse uses optical tracking in place of the traditional rolling ball. It
works on almost any surface, though nonreflective, opaque surfaces without
repetitive patterns work best.

Audio
The Power Mac G5 computer supports a sound system with both digital and analog
audio. The new digital capability features Sony/Phillips Digital Interface (S/PDIF)
input and output using optical connectors. S/PDIF technology results in a clean
audio signal with no added noise to or from an external audio device.

54

Mouse
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Under the control of the system software, the sound circuitry digitally creates and
records sounds. The Power Mac G5 computer can receive input only from either the
analog input or the digital input. However, it can output simultaneously to digital
and analog devices: the internal speaker, the headphone jack, the audio output jack,
and the S/PDIF output connector.
By default, when components are plugged into the headphone jack or the rear
line-out, the sound system mutes the internal speaker.
The headphones, rear line-out jack, and S/PDIF output are only muted when
selected in the System Preferences. Muting and sound options are set in System
Preferences:Sound:Output. Selecting the Allow Line Out and Digital when
headphones are attached checkbox allows operation of the analog and digital
output ports when headphones are attached, enabling monitoring of the optical
digital transport.
The analog and digital sound circuitries are not independent. Different audio
streams cannot be played to the analog and digital circuitry. The selection of digital
or analog output is performed through Sound pane in System Preferences.
The sound circuitry and audio device drivers handle audio data in multiple
formats. Both digital and analog sound circuitry handle audio input and output
data at sample rates of 32.0 kHz, 44.1 kHz, and 48.0 kHz at sample depths of 16 bits
and 24 bits.
If audio data sampled from another computer at a lower rate is played as output on
the Power Mac G5, the Core Audio (Mac OS Xs OS Level Audio API) transparently
up-samples the data to the currently set sampling frequency prior to sending the
audio data to the sound circuitry. To maximize audio fidelity, the Core Audio
samples are stored as 32-bit floating point. The Sound Manager exists as a Carbon
compatibility layer, but developers are encouraged to move their applications to
Core Audio for maximum performance and fidelity, because the Sound Manager is
capable of representing samples only as 16-bit values.
For more information about audio APIs on Mac OS X, visit the Apple audio
technologies developer web page at
http://developer.apple.com/audio/

Audio
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

55

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Optical S/PDIF Audio

Digital data is transmitted to and from the digital audio I/O using optical cables.
The physical connectors, commonly referred to as TOSLink, are for both input and
output and conform to IEC60874-17. The TOSLink friction-lock type F-05
connectors are available from pro-audio, musicians supply, hi-fi and other
retailers. The 7.5 mm digital optical TOSLink input and output connectors, shown
in Figure 3-5, are located on the back of the enclosure.

Figure 3-5

Digital optical S/PDIF connector

The digital I/O circuitry can either perform input clock recovery on an incoming
data stream or can sample using the internal clock. If samples are clocked using the
internal clock, the data is run through the sample-rate converter on the digital
circuitry. To enable bit-accurate copies, the external clock should be enabled in
Audio MIDI Setup. Developers of applications that need this capability will need to
provide access to the input clock recovery control.
Audio signals from the audio input jack are converted to digital data internally. All
audio is handled digitally inside the computer, including audio data from the CD
or DVD drive and from devices connected to the USB and FireWire ports. Audio
data is converted to analog form for output to the internal speaker, the headphones,
line output jacks, or external speakers.
For details on the S/PDIF digital input and output electrical specifications, refer to
Digital Optical Input/Output Specifications (page 57).
The Power Mac G5 computer also has the ability to lock its internal audio hardware
to the incoming audio stream to synchronize the audio subsystem to an external
device supplying the audio stream. This function allows audio and video to play in
sync with the external audio or video device. The data format for signals
transmitted over the optical cable is S/PDIF protocol IEC 60958-3.

56

Audio
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The Power Mac G5 computers audio subsystem has built-in sample-rate
conversion (SRC) that allows the incoming audio to have a different rate than the
playback audio, enabling the audio to come in the digital-in connector. For the best
digital input quality in its purest form, set the audio clocking preference to
External Clock.

External Clocking
When the Power Mac G5 computer is set to External clocking, the computer audio
circuitry will track and follow the incoming digital sampling rate and lock the
internal audio hardware to the sampling rate of the external device. The external
clock must be stable enough to be locked onto, otherwise the digital circuit will
signal an error and the driver will fall back to using the internal clock.

Internal Clocking
When the Power Mac G5 computer is set for Internal clocking, the computer
audio circuitry will run using the computers internal clock. Incoming digital audio
is automatically sample-rate converted to the selected output sample rate using the
sample rate converter in the audio chip. The sample rate converter is high quality
and does not use CPU bandwidth for audio conversion.

Digital Optical Input/Output Specifications

Based on playback of a 1 kHz, -1dBFS 24-bit sine wave playback, 24-bit 44.1 kHz
output sample rate (unless otherwise specified below) the digital sound input and
output have the following electrical characteristics (nominal specifications):

Fsi input sample rates (external clock mode): 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz

Fsi input sample rate (internal clock mode): 16 kHz 96 kHz

bits per sample: 16-bit or 24-bit

SNR (external clock mode): >130 dB

SNR (internal clock mode, 16 kHz < Fsi < 96 kHz): < -110 dB

THD+N (external clock mode): < -130 dB (0.00001%)

THD+N (internal clock mode, 16 kHz < Fsi < 96 kHz): < -110 dB (0.0003%)

Audio
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

57

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Analog Audio Line-in

The Power Mac G5 has a stereo audio line-in jack on the back panel. The audio
inputs are designed to accept high-level audio signals: 2.2 Vrms or +8 dbu, which is
the standard output level from CD and DVD players. The output level of some
consumer audio devices is lower, often 0.316 Vrms or 10 dbV. Sound recordings
made on the Power Mac G5 with such low-level devices have more noise than those
made with high-level devices. The user may obtain better results by connecting an
amplifier between the low-level device and the computers audio input jack.
The audio input jack is a 3.5 mm miniature phone jack with the signals connected
as follows:
Tip

Left-channel audio

Ring

Right-channel audio

Sleeve

Audio ground

Based on a 1 kHz, 2VRMS sine wave input, 24-bit 44.1 kHz input format, 0 db input
gain and no weighting, the line input has the following electrical characteristics :

maximum input voltage: 2.2 Vrms (+8 dBu)

input impedance: > 47 kilohms

bits per sample: 16-bit or 24-bit

channel separation: greater than 75 dB

frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5 dB/3.0 dB

THD+N distortion: below < 85 dB (no weighting)

Analog Audio Line-out

The Power Mac G5 has a stereo output jack on the back of the enclosure. The audio
output jack is suitable for connecting amplified external speakers.

58

Audio
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The audio output jack is a 3.5 mm miniature phone jack with the signals connected
as follows:
Tip

Left-channel audio

Ring

Right-channel audio

Sleeve

Audio ground

Note: For best results, line-out devices should be plugged into the line-out jack.
Headphone impedance is 32 ohms and line-out impedance is 1 kilohm.
Based on a 1 kHz, -1 dBFS sine wave playback, 24-bit 44.1 kHz output format, -1 db
output level and 100 kilohm load no weighting, the line output has the following
electrical characteristics (nominal specifications):

output voltage: 1.4 Vrms (+4 dBu)

source impedance: less than 24 ohms

bits per sample: 16-bit or 24-bit

channel separation: > 65 dB

THD+N distortion: < 80 dB (0.01%) no weighting

frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5 dB/3.0 dB

Analog Headphone Jack

The Power Mac G5 has a stereo headphone jack on the front of the enclosure. The
headphone jack is suitable for connecting a pair of headphones or amplified
external speakers. When a plug is inserted into the headphone jack, the internal
speaker is muted.
The headphone jack is a 3.5 mm miniature phone jack with the signals connected as
follows:
Tip

Left-channel audio

Ring

Right-channel audio

Sleeve

Audio ground

Audio
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

59

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Note: The rear line-out is not designed to power headphones. Headphone

impedance is 32 ohms and line-out impedance is 1 kilohm.
Based on a 1 kHz sine wave playback, 24-bit 44.1 kHz output format, -1 dB output
level and 100 kilohm load no weighting, (unless otherwise specified) the
headphone output has the following electrical characteristics (nominal
specifications):

output voltage: 1.4 Vrms, (+4 dBu)

output impedance: 24 ohms

bits per sample: 16-bit or 24-bit

channel separation: > 65 dB

frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5 dB/3.0 dB

THD+N distortion: < 80 dB (0.01%)

output power (into 32 ohms): 20 mW

Video Monitor Ports

Depending on the configuration, the Power Mac G5 computer comes with either an
ATI or an NVIDIA graphics card installed. The main features of the graphics cards
are as follows:
Graphics IC

Video SDRAM

Connectors

NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra

64 MB DDR

ADC and DVI-I

ATI Radeon 9600 Pro

64 MB DDR

ADC and DVI-I

The ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with 128 MB DDR, ADC/DVI-I graphics card is available
as a build-to-order option.
All of the graphics cards support dual displays in either extended desktop or video
mirroring mode; for more detail, see Dual Display Extended and Mirror Modes
(page 67).

60

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The following sections describe the video connectors on the graphics cards.

Apple Display Connector

The graphics cards have an Apple proprietary connector called the ADC (Apple
display connector). The connector carries both digital and analog video signals as
well as USB and control signals and power for an external monitor. Figure 3-6
shows the contact configuration; Table 3-8 and Table 3-9 list the signals and pin
assignments.
The maximum current available from the 25 V supply for the external monitor is
3.6 A.

Figure 3-6

Apple display connector

9 10

C1

C2

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
C3

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Table 3-8

C4
C5

Digital signals on the Apple display connector

Pin Signal name

Pin Signal name

25 V Supply

16

TMDS Data1/3 Shield

25 V Supply

17

TMDS Data3

LED

18

TMDS Data3+

TMDS Data0

19

DDC CLock

TMDS Data0+

20

Clock Return

TMDS Data0/5 Shield

21

USB Data+

TMDS Data5

22

USB Data

TMDS Data5+

23

USB Return

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

61

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Table 3-8

Digital signals on the Apple display connector (continued)

Pin Signal name

Pin Signal name

DDC Data

24

TMDS Data2

10

Vsync

25

TMDS Data2+

11

25 V Return

26

TMDS Data2/4 Shield

12

25 V Return

27

TMDS Data4

13

Soft Power

28

TMDS Data4+

14

TMDS Data1

29

Clock+

15

TMDS Data1+

30

Clock

Table 3-9

Analog signals on the Apple display connector

Pin Signal name

C1 Analog Blue Video

C2 Analog Green Video
C3 Analog Horizontal Sync
C4 Analog Red Video
C5 Analog RGB Return and DDC Return
The graphics data sent to the digital monitor use transition minimized differential
signaling (TMDS). TMDS uses an encoding algorithm to convert bytes of graphics
data into characters that are transition-minimized to reduce EMI with copper cables
and DC-balanced for transmission over fiber optic cables. The TMDS algorithm also
provides robust clock recovery for greater skew tolerance with longer cables or
low-cost short cables. For additional information about TMDS, see the references
shown in Digital Visual Interface (page 82).

62

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

DVI Connector
In addition to the ADC connector, supported graphics cards also have a DVI-I (DVI
with analog) connector. With a DVI to ADC adapter, available separately and
shown in Figure 3-7, the DVI port on the Power Mac G5 computer can also support
any Apple flat panel display.

Figure 3-7

DVI to ADC adapter

USB 2.0 connector

Power cord

DVI connector
Power supply

ADC port

Figure 3-8 shows the contact configuration for the DVI-I connector; Table 3-10 lists
the signals and pin assignments.

Figure 3-8

DVI-I connector

C1

C2

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

C3

C4
C5

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

63

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Table 3-10

Signals on the DVI-I connector

Pin Signal name

Pin Signal name

TMDS Data2

13

TMDS Data3+

TMDS Data2+

14

+5V Power

TMDS Data2/4 Shield

15

Ground for +5V Power

TMDS Data4

16

Hot Plug Detect

TMDS Data4+

17

TMDS Data0

DDC Clock

18

TMDS Data0+

DDC Data

19

TMDS Data0/5 Shield

Analog vertical sync

20

TMDS Data5

TMDS Data1

21

TMDS Data5+

10

TMDS Data1+

22

TMDS Clock Shield

11

TMDS Data1/3 Shield

23

TMDS Clock+

12

TMDS Data3

24

TMDS Clock

C1 Analog red

C4 Analog horizontal sync

C2 Analog green

C5 Analog ground (analog R, G, B return)

C3 Analog blue
The graphics data sent to the digital monitor use transition minimized differential
signaling (TMDS). TMDS uses an encoding algorithm to convert bytes of graphics
data into characters that are transition-minimized to reduce EMI with copper cables
and DC balanced for transmission over fiber optic cables. The TMDS algorithm also
provides robust clock recovery for greater skew tolerance with longer cables or
low-cost short cables.

64

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

For information about TMDS, see the reference listed in Digital Visual Interface
(page 82).
Note: The Power Mac G5 computer includes a DVI-I to VGA adapter.

DVI to Video Adapter

The Power Mac G5 computer supports an optional DVI to S-video/composite
adapter that provides S-video and composite output to a PAL or NTSC video
monitor or VCR. When a display is connected by way of the video adapter, the
computer detects the type of adapter and enables the composite and S-video
outputs. The settings for the resolutions and standards (NTSC or PAL) are then
selectable in the System Preferences Displays pane.
Note: The DVI-I to video adapter does not come packaged with the Power Mac
G5 computer and must be purchased separately.
The video output connector is a 7-pin S-video connector. shows the arrangement
of the pins and Table 3-11 shows the pin assignments on the composite out and
S-video connector.

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

65

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

Figure 3-9

4
2

S-video connector

7
6

Table 3-11

66

Pin assignments for the S-video output connector

Pin number

S-video output connector

Analog GND

Analog GND

Video Y (luminance)

Video C (chroma)

composite video

Unused

Unused

Video Monitor Ports

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

The Power Mac G5 computer provides video output at picture sizes and frame rates
compatible with the NTSC and PAL standards; the picture sizes are listed in Table
3-12. Those picture sizes produce under-scanned displays on standard monitors.

Table 3-12

Picture sizes for S-video output

Picture size

Pixel depth

800 by 600

24 bpp

832 by 624

24 bpp

1024 by 768

24 bpp

Dual Display Extended and Mirror Modes

The Power Mac G5 is equipped with an ADC port for connecting an Apple display
and a DVI-I port for a second digital display. Through these two ports, the Power
Mac G5 supports dual displays in both extended desktop and video mirroring
modes. Extended desktop mode lets users distribute work across two displays,
increasing the amount of visible desktop space. Video mirroring mode displays the
same information on both monitors, enabling the control of a presentation on one
display, while allowing an audience to watch the presentation on a second display
or projector. The Power Mac G5 can power two Apple Cinema HD Displays at a
cumulative pixel resolution of 3840x1200.
To switch between extended desktop and video mirroring modes, enable the
Mirror Displays option on the Arrangement tab in the Displays pane of System
Preferences.
The scaling function is available when both monitors (main via ADC and second via
DVI-I) are operating and the mirror mode is selected. Either monitor could have
black borders during mirroring, depending on the supported timings between the
two displays and on the monitors selection algorithm. Both displays show

Dual Display Extended and Mirror Modes

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

67

C H A P T E R

Input and Output Devices

full-sized images only when the resolutions match. Both displays can operate with
other resolution settings, but in mirror mode, one of them has a display that is
smaller than the full screen and has a black border around it.

68

Dual Display Extended and Mirror Modes

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Expansion

This chapter describes the expansion features of the Power Mac G5 computer: the
DDR SDRAM expansion slots and the PCI or PCI-X expansion slots.

RAM Expansion
The main logic board of some configurations of the Power Mac G5 computer has
four pairs of DDR SDRAM expansion slots for unbuffered DDR400 (PC3200) dual
in-line memory modules (DIMMs) for a maximum memory of 8 GB. The main logic
board of other configurations of the Power Mac G5 computer has 2 pairs of DDR
SDRAM expansion slots for unbuffered DDR333 (PC2700) dual in-line memory
modules (DIMMs) for a maximum memory of 4 GB.
Each DIMM can contain 256 and 512 MB (also is capable of 128 MB, 1 GB, and has
future expansion ability of 2 GB) of double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM
(DDR SDRAM). At least one pair of the RAM expansion slots contains factory
installed DIMMs.
Additional DIMMs must be installed in pairs of the same size. The slot pairs are
numbered: J11 and J12, J13 and J14, J41 and J42, and J43 and J44; see Figure 4-1 for
slot locations and numbering for both the 8-slot and 4-slot configurations. When
installing additional memory, populate starting with the lowest slot pair numbers.
The combined memory of all of the DIMMs installed is configured as a contiguous
array of memory.

RAM Expansion
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

69

C H A P T E R

Expansion
Figure 4-1

DIMM installation
DDR SDRAM DIMM
Connectors

Notch

DDR SDRAM slot

Ejectors
Rib (inside slot)

J44
J42
J14
J12
J11
J13
J41
J43

J14
J12

J11
J13

For all microprocessor speeds and for both DDR400 (PC3200) and DDR333
(PC2700) SDRAM DIMMs, the Power Mac G5 supports CAS latencies of 2, 2.5, 3, 4,
and 5.

70

RAM Expansion
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Expansion

DIMM Specifications
The RAM expansion slots accept 184-pin DDR SDRAM DIMMs that are 2.5 volt,
unbuffered, 8-byte, nonparity, and DDR400-compliant (PC3200) or
DDR333-compliant (PC2700).
I m por t ant

DDR266 (PC2100) or slower DIMMs do not work in the

Power Mac G5 computer.
I m por t ant

DIMMs with any of the following features are not supported

in the Power Mac G5 computer: registers or buffers, PLLs,
ECC, parity, or EDO RAM.

Mechanical Specifications
The mechanical design of the DDR SDRAM DIMM is defined by the JEDEC
specification JESD21-C, MODULES4_20_4, Release 11b. To find this specification on
the World Wide Web, refer to RAM Expansion Modules (page 80).
The maximum height of DIMMs for use in the Power Mac G5 computer is 2 inches.

Electrical Specifications
The electrical design of the SDRAM DIMM is defined by the JEDEC specification
JESD21-C, MODULES4_20_4, Release 11b. To find this specification on the World
Wide Web, refer to RAM Expansion Modules (page 80).
The Serial Presence Detect (SPD) EEPROM specified in the JEDEC standard is
required and must be set to properly define the DIMM configuration. The EEPROM
is powered on 3.3 V. Details about the required values for each byte on the SPD
EEPROM can be found on pages 6870 of the JEDEC specification.
I m por t ant

For a DIMM to be recognized by the startup software, the

SPD feature must be programmed properly to indicate the
timing modes supported by the DIMM.

RAM Expansion
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

71

C H A P T E R

Expansion

DIMM Configurations
The largest DIMM supported is a two-bank DIMM of 2 GB using 512 Mbit DDR
SDRAM devices. The maximum number of devices per DIMM is 16.
I m por t ant

Power is delivered to the Power Mac G5 during sleep mode,

so do not remove DIMMs while in sleep mode. A red light
adjacent to the DIMM is illuminated when power is present.
Table 4-1 shows information about the different sizes of DDR SDRAM devices used
in the memory modules. The memory controller supports 64 Mbit, 128 Mbit,
256 Mbit, and 512 Mbit DDR SDRAM devices. The device configurations include
three specifications: address range, word size, and number of banks. For example,
a 1 M by 16 by 4 device addresses 1 M, stores 16 bits at a time, and has 4 banks.
The first column in Table 4-1 shows the memory size of the largest DIMM with that
device size that the computer can accommodate. The third column specifies the
number of devices needed to make up the 8-byte width of the data bus. The fourth
column in the table shows the size of each bank of devices, which is based on the
number of internal banks in each device and the number of devices per bank.

Table 4-1

72

Sizes of DDR SDRAM expansion DIMMS and devices

Size of
DIMM

SDRAM
device size

Device
configuration

Devices Size of
per bank each bank

128 MB

128 Mbits

4Mx8x4

64 MB

128 MB

256 Mbits

2 M x 16 x 4

64 MB

256 MB

128 Mbits

4Mx8x4

128 MB

256 MB

256 Mbits

4 M x 16 x 4

128 MB

512 MB

256 Mbits

8Mx8x4

256 MB

1 GB

512 Mbits

16 M x 8 x 4

512 MB

RAM Expansion
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Expansion

RAM Addressing
Signals A[012] on each SDRAM DIMM make up a 13-bit multiplexed address bus
that can support several different sizes of SDRAM devices. Table 4-2 shows the
address multiplexing modes used with the devices.

Table 4-2

Address multiplexing modes for SDRAM devices

Device size

Size of
Device configuration row address

Size of
column address

128 Mbits

4Mx8x4

12

10

128 Mbits

2 M x 16 x 4

12

256 Mbits

8Mx8x4

13

10

256 Mbits

4 M x 16 x 4

13

512 Mbits

8Mx8x4

14

10

PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots

The Power Mac G5 provides three PCI or PCI-X slots via the HyperTransport bus.
In some configurations of the Power Mac G5, one slot runs at a maximum of
133 MHz and two PCI-X slots run at a maximum of 100 MHz. Other configurations
of the Power Mac G5 computer access all three PCI slots at 33 MHz. Each slot has
room for a full size 12.335-inch or short 6.926-inch card.
The PCI-X configuration conforms to the PCI-X Specification 10B. The PCI
configuration conforms to the PCI Specification 2.3.
To optimize performance of both PCI and main memory transfers, your PCI card
should use DMA. The point-to-point G5 architecture is designed to provide optimal
performance to each subsystem using DMA. If your card does not support DMA, it
should use vector data types for read/write transfers. This approach results in 4
dword burst transfers on the PCI bus.

PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

73

C H A P T E R

Expansion
I m por t ant

The Power Mac G5 does not support marking memory space

on PCI cards as cacheable. This technique was used in the
past to improve read/write performance for cards without
an on-board DMA engine. Cards using this technique will
not function on the Power Mac G5.
The computers case has four openings in the back for access to I/O connectors on
cards in the three expansion slots and the AGP slot. The numbering on the casing is
1 through 4 and corresponds to the label on the PCB. Number one is the AGP slot
and numbers two through four are the PCI or PCI-X slots.
The expansion slots accept PCI or PCI-X cards with either 32-bit or 64-bit address
and data buses. The expansion slots support universal and +3.3 V cards, but not 5 V
signalling. The cards are required to use the standard ISA fence described in the
specification.
Note: 5 V keyed or signalling cards do not work in the Power Mac G5 computer.
The expansion slots support all the required PCI signals and certain optional PCI
signals. The PCI slots support the optional 64-bit bus extension signals and cache
support signals.
The PCI slots and the AGP Pro 8x slot carry the 3.3 V_AUX power and PME signals
to allow an expansion card to wake the computer from sleep mode.
A standard AGP 3.0 8x card consumes up to 30 W. Some of the higher powered
AGP Pro style cards will consume a higher amount of that power, depending on the
card specifications. These cards may also physically require the usage of one of
more of the PCI or PCI-X slot spaces. In such a case, the power available for the
physically available PCI or PCI-X slots is reduced to compensate for the increased
AGP Pro power usage over the 30W. Hence, the AGP 3.0 8x Pro slot can account for
up to 75 watts of that total, depending on which card is installed. The total power
available for the AGP Pro slot and the three PCI or PCI-X slots is 90 W.
I m por t ant

Before removing or installing PCI expansion cards, shut

down the computer and unplug the AC power cord. The
Power Mac G5 computer does not support PCI hot-plugging
functionality. When the computer is powered-on or asleep,
the main logic board has a red LED to warn that power is
present.

74

PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

C H A P T E R

Expansion
To install or remove a PCI or PCI-X expansion card: turn off power to the computer,
flip out the enclosure latch, open the side panel, remove the clear plastic air
deflector, and remove the fan units. Remove the blank PCI fence for the appropriate
slot, insert the card in the slot, and screw the cards fence into place to secure the
card.
WARNING

When the system power is on or the system is asleep, a red

light will illuminate if the plastic air deflector is removed. Do
not continue if the red light is on. Power-off the system
before continuing.
For detailed instructions on accessing the expansion slots, refer to the Apple Take
Apart document for the Power Mac G5 computer.
In order to use the new PCI or PCI-X card, a driver must be installed. The driver
installation procedure is documented by the manufacturer of the PCI card.
For more information on PCI or PCI-X, visit the worldwide web at
http://www.pci-sig.org

PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

75

C H A P T E R

Expansion

76

PCI or PCI-X Expansion Slots

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference
Documents

For more information about the technologies mentioned in this developer note, you
may wish to consult some of the references listed in the following sections.
For information about older models of Macintosh computers, refer to the developer
notes archive at
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/hardware2.html

Apple Technical Notes

Apple Technical Notes answer many specific questions about the operation of
Macintosh computers and the Mac OS. The notes are available on the Technical
Note website at
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/

PowerPC G5 Microprocessor
Information about the PowerPC G5 microprocessor is available on the World Wide
Web at
http://www-3.ibm.com/chips/techlib/techlib.nsf/techdocs/
A1387A29AC1C2AE087256C5200611780

Apple Technical Notes

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

77

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

Velocity Engine
Velocity Engine is Apples vector processor in the PowerPC G5 microprocessor.
Apple provides support for developers who are starting to use the Velocity Engine
in their applications. Documentation, development tools, and sample code are
available on the Apple website, at
http://developer.apple.com/hardware/ve/index.html
Motorola's implementation of Apple's Velocity Engine is named AltiVec. The
AltiVec Technology Programming Environments Manual (AltiVec PEM) is a reference
guide for programmers. It contains a description for each instruction and
information to help in understanding how the instruction works. You can obtain a
copy of the AltiVec PEM through the Motorola documentation site on the World
Wide Web, at
http://e-www.motorola.com/webapp/sps/site/
overview.jsp?nodeId=03M943030450467M0ymK5Nf2

3D Graphics
Developers of 3D graphics for games should know about OpenGL for Macintosh, a
version of SGIs application programming interface (API) and software library for
3D graphics.
Information is available on the World Wide Web at
http://www.apple.com/opengl
Developer support and documentation is available at
http://developer.apple.com/opengl/

78

Velocity Engine
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

Mac OS X
Initially, the Power Mac G5 computer ships with Mac OS X 10.3 or later installed
as the default operating system. The classic environment can be used to run Mac OS
9 applications, For access to Apples developer documentation for Mac OS X, see the
Apple Developer Connection (ADC) website at
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/MacOSX.html
and
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Carbon/Reference/
Multiprocessing_Services/
O'Reilly & Associates publishes a series of books about Mac OS X development. The
books in this series have been technically reviewed by Apple engineers and are
recommended by the Apple Developer Connection.

Open Firmware
The software architecture implemented on current Macintosh computers follows
the standard defined by the Open Firmware IEEE 1274-1994 specification. Three
Technotes provide an introduction to Open Firmware on the Macintosh platform.
They are
TN 1061: Open Firmware, Part I, available on the Technote web site at
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1061.html
TN 1062: Open Firmware, Part II, at
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1062.html
TN 1044: Open Firmware, Part III, at

Mac OS X
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

79

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1044.html
Other Technotes provide additional information about Open Firmware on the
Macintosh.
TN 2000: PCI Expansion ROMs and You, at
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn2000.html
TN 2001: Running Files from a Hard Drive in Open Firmware, at
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn2001.html
TN 2004: Debugging Open Firmware Using Telnet, at
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn2004.html

RAM Expansion Modules

The Power Mac G5 computer uses (DDR333) PC2700-compliant or (DDR400)
PC3200-compliant, 184-pin DDR SDRAM DIMMs.
The electrical and mechanical characteristics of the DIMM are given in JEDEC
Standard 21-C. The specification can be found by using the search string JESD21-C
on the Electronics Industry Associations website at
http://www.jedec.org/DOWNLOAD/default.cfm

ATA Devices
ATA (AT Attachment), also referred to as integrated drive electronics (IDE), is a
standard interface used with storage devices such as hard disk drives. For more
information on ATA, refer to the following Apple website at

80

RAM Expansion Modules

Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/DeviceManagers/ata/
ata.html
The web page for Technical Note 1098 includes a link to a downloadable copy of
ATA Device Software Guide.
Information about the ATA standards is available at the Technical Committee T13
AT Attachment website, at
http://www.t13.org/

Ethernet
For information on Ethernet specifications and design guides, go to the World Wide
Web at
http://standards.ieee.org/

Serial ATA
For information on Serial ATA specifications and design guides, go to the World
Wide Web at
http://www.serialata.org

USB Interface
For more information about USB on the Macintosh computer, refer to Apple
Computers Accessing Hardware from Applications at

Ethernet
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

81

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/DeviceManagers/usb/
usb.html
For full specifications of the Universal Serial Bus, refer to the USB Implementation
Forum on the World Wide Web, at
http://www.usb.org/developers/docs

FireWire Interface
For additional information about the FireWire IEEE 1394a and 1394b interfaces and
the Apple API for FireWire software, refer to the resources available on the Apple
FireWire website at
http://developer.apple.com/firewire/index.html
The IEEE 1394a and 1394b standards are available from the IEEE; you can order
these documents electronically from the IEEE Standards Department website at
http://shop.ieee.org/store
You may also find useful information at the 1394 trade associations website at
http://www.1394ta.org/

Digital Visual Interface

For information about transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) used
with digital video monitors, see the specification, Digital Visual Interface DVI
Revision 1.0, available on the website of the Digital Display Working Group
(DDWG) at
http://www.ddwg.org/index.html

82

FireWire Interface
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

Wireless Networks
More information about Wi-Fi and wireless networks using the IEEE 802.11
standard is available on the website of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance,
at
http://www.wi-fi.org

Bluetooth
For more information regarding Bluetooth technology, refer to the following
locations on the World Wide Web.
Bluetooth specification:
http://www.bluetooth.com/dev/specifications.asp
Bluetooth SIG:
http://www.bluetooth.org
Bluetooth developer tools on the Apple web site at:
http://developer.apple.com/hardware/bluetooth

Wireless Networks
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

83

A P P E N D I X

Supplemental Reference Documents

84

Wireless Networks
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Conventions and Abbreviations

This developer note uses the following typographical conventions and

abbreviations.

Typographical Conventions
Note: A note like this contains information that is of interest but is not essential
for an understanding of the text.

I m por t ant

A note like this contains important information that you

should read before proceeding.
WARNING

A note like this contains a warning about a situation that

could cause a system crash or loss of data.

Abbreviations
When unusual abbreviations appear in this developer note, the corresponding
terms are also spelled out. Standard units of measure and other widely used
abbreviations are not spelled out.

Typographical Conventions
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

85

A P P E N D I X

Conventions and Abbreviations

Here are the standard units of measure used in developer notes:
A

amperes

mA

milliamperes

dB

decibels

microamperes

Gb

gigabits

Mb

megabits

GB

gigabytes

MB

megabytes

Hz

hertz

MHz

megahertz

in.

inches

mm

millimeters

1000

ms

milliseconds

1024

microseconds

KB

kilobytes

ns

nanoseconds

kg

kilograms

ohms

kHz

kilohertz

sec.

seconds

kilohms

volts

lb.

pounds

watts

Other abbreviations used in developer notes include these:

86

ADC

Apple Display Connector

AGP

accelerated graphics port

ATA

advanced technology attachment

ATAPI

advanced technology attachment, packet interface

AV

audio visual

CAS

column address strobe

CAV

constant angular velocity

CD-ROM

compact disc read-only memory

CLV

constant linear velocity

DB-DMA

descriptor-based direct memory access

DDC

display data channel

DDR

double data rate, a type of SDRAM where data is clocked on

rising and falling clock edges

DIMM

dual inline memory module

DIN

Deutsche Industrie Norm

Abbreviations
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Conventions and Abbreviations

DMA

direct memory access

DRAM

dynamic random-access memory

DVD

12 cm optical storage system with 4 GB capacity

DVD-ROM

DVD read-only memory

DVD-RAM

DVD that is both readable and writable

DVI

Digital Visual Interface

EDO

extended data out DRAM device type

EHCI

Enhanced Host Controller Interface, USB 2.0 specification

EIDE

extended IDE

EMI

electromagnetic interference

G5

Generation 5, the fifth generation of PowerPC

microprocessors, incorporating Velocity Engine technology

GBps

data throughput rate giga bytes per second

Gbps

data throughput rate giga bits per second

HID

human interface device, a class of USB devices

I2C

same as IIC

I2S

same as IIS

IC

integrated circuit

IDE

integrated device electronics

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IEEE 1275

the official specification for Open Firmware

IEEE 1394a

the official specification for FireWire 400 (400 Mbps)

IEEE 1394b

the official specification for FireWire 800 (800 Mbps)

IIC

inter-IC (an internal control bus)

IIS

inter-IC sound bus

I/O

input/output

ISO

International Organization for Standardization

JEDEC

Joint Electronics Devices Engineering Council

L2

level 2 (refers to level of cache)

L3

level 3 (refers to level of cache)

LAN

local area network

Abbreviations
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

87

A P P E N D I X

Conventions and Abbreviations

88

MAC

media access controller

Mac OS

Macintosh Operating System

MBps

data throughput rate mega bytes per second

Mbps

data throughput rate mega bits per second

OFDM

orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing

OHCI

Open Host Controller Interface, USB 1.1 specification

PCI

Peripheral Component Interconnect

PHY

physical layer

PIO

programmed input/output

RADIUS

Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service

RAM

random-access memory

RAS

row address strobe

RBC

reduced block commands

RGB

a video signal format with separate red, green, and blue

components

RISC

reduced instruction set computing

rms

root mean square

ROM

read-only memory

S-ATA

serial ATA bus for hard disk drives

SBP

Serial Bus Protocol

SPD

Serial Presence Detect

SCSI

Small Computer System Interface

SCC

serial communications controller

SDR

single data rate

SDRAM

synchronous dynamic random access memory

SO-DIMM

small outline - dual inline memory module

SRAM

static random access memory

USB

Universal Serial Bus

TMDS

transition minimized differential signaling

Abbreviations
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

A P P E N D I X

Conventions and Abbreviations

VESA

Video Electronics Standards Association

VRAM

video RAM; used for display buffers

Wi-Fi

Wireless- Fidelity. Used by the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility

Alliance for certification of interoperability of 802.11 products

Abbreviations
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

89

A P P E N D I X

Conventions and Abbreviations

90

Abbreviations
Apple Computer, Inc. November 21, 2003

Index

A
abbreviations 8689
accelerated graphics port bus, See AGP bus
ADC 61
AGP bus 12, 23, 26
AGP graphics card 12, 33
AirPort Extreme Admin Utility 49
AirPort Extreme Application 49
AirPort Extreme Base Station 48, 49
AirPort Extreme Card 27, 4849
hardware components 49
security features 48
software components 49
AirPort Extreme Setup Assistant 49
analog audio 13, 31, 54
analog audio in 58
analog audio out 58
Apple Display Connector. See ADC
ATA/100 interface 31
audio
analog input 58
analog output 58
digital input 57
digital output 57
audio overview 31

B
block diagram 21
Bluetooth 83
boot ROM 28
booting from a FireWire device 42
bus slewing 17
buses 21
AGP bus 23, 26
HyperTransport 12

memory bus 23, 25

PCI bus 23, 26
PCI-X bus 23, 27
processor 11
processor bus 23, 24

C
clock speeds 24
Combo drive 46
composite connector 65
computer identification 17
connectors
ADC 61
composite/S-video 65
DVI monitor 63
Ethernet 43
FireWire
9-pin connector 38
FireWire 400 40
FireWire 800 38
headphone jack 59
S-video/composite 65
USB 36
CPU power modes 17
custom ICs
K2 I/O controller 29
PMU99 power controller 33
U2 bridge and memory controller 24
USB controllers 29

D
DDR SDRAM 11
digital audio 13, 31, 54, 56

91

INDEX

DIMMs. See RAM DIMMs

disk drives 4547
displays
mirror mode
resolution settings 68
DMA support 29
dual display mode 67
DVD-R/CD-RW 46
DVD-ROM/CD-RW 46
DVI monitor connector 63

G
G5, See PowerPC G5 microprocessor
graphics acceleration 33

H
headphone jack 59
HyperTransport 28
HyperTransport bus 12

E
EHCI 29, 36
Ethernet controller 30
Ethernet port 13, 43
expansion bus. See PCI/PCI-X expansion bus
expansion slots 73
external monitors
dual display mode 67
mirror mode 67

I,J
I/O ports
Ethernet 43
sound 54
USB 35
video monitor 60
idle state 17
internal modem 47
interrupts 30

F
features summary 11
FireWire
long-haul cables 40
FireWire 400 40
FireWire 800 38
FireWire connectors
6-pin connector 40
9-pin connector 38
FireWire controller 30
FireWire device programming 38
FireWire drivers 38
FireWire ports 3742
booting from 42
Target Disk mode 42

K
K2 I/O controller IC 29
keyboard 5052

L
logic board access 16
long-haul cables 40

M
memory bus 23, 25
microprocessor 24
microprocessor clock speeds 24

92

INDEX

mirror mode 67
resolution settings for 68
model property 17
modem 47
modem slot 28
mouse 54

N
NMI 53
non-maskable interrupt 53
NTSC video monitor 65

O
OHCI 29, 36
Open Firmware
Technical Notes for 79
optical audio. See digital audio
Optical drive
Combo drive 46

P,Q
PAL video monitor 65
PCI bus 23, 26
PCI or PCI-X expansion slots 73
PCI write combining 26
PCI-X bus 23, 27
PMU99 IC 33
power controller IC 33
power management 17
power supply 12
PowerPC G5 microprocessor 24
presence detect feature of DIMMs 71
processor bus 23, 24
processor module 23
programmers switch 53

R
RAM DIMMs 6973
capacities of 72
configurations 72
devices in 73
installation of 69
mechanical specifications of 71
presence detect feature 71
RAM addressing 73
specifications of 71
ROM in RAM
boot ROM 28

S
S/PDIF audio in 57
S/PDIF audio out 57
Serial ATA interface 31
serial presence detect (SPD) 71
slewing, bus 17
sound system 5460
overview 31
summary of features 11
SuperDrive 46
S-video connector 65
switches 53

T
Target Disk Mode 42
TV display adapter 65

U
U2 bridge and memory controller IC 24
Ultra DMA interface 31
Universal Serial Bus. See USB
USB connectors 36
USB controller IC 29, 36

93

INDEX

USB controllers 29
USB interface 30
USB ports 3537
data transfer speeds 37
USB with keyboard 52

V
Velocity Engine 19
video monitor ports 6065
video port 65

W-Z
wireless LAN module 27, 4849
base station 48, 49
hardware components 49
security features 48
software components 49
write combining 26

94