[global_dev]

Any comments on using PPC architecture, like a mac mini, for asterisk under YDL? I have re and reread astmasters.net, but most info is on older macs.

Are there any disadadvantages or advantages going this route vs. x86 beside digium hardware support?

Thanks

[isepic]

I first tried asterisk on a mac mini - it works okay, but you dont get the right timing youneed for meetme conf rooms, or music on hold, plus like you said, the releases are a bit behind. So I switched to a 200$ box and sold the mini. Been loving it every since, except the 1U server's fan sounds like a mac truck idling (lol).

[philquinney]

There's nothing stopping you from compiling Asterisk 1.2.1 yourself. I did this just the other night on my PowerBook so that I can test 1.2.1 before installing it on my main asterisk machine.

All you need is Apple's Developer tools.

Of course you won't get the timing as isepic said.

Phil.

[isepic]

Phil, do you know (since its been so long since I've looked into this) if they every finished the drivers for the mac mini modem to use that as a zaptel device? I thougth that was a way-cool idea! But, for some reason, Apple is no longer including the modems in the new mini's from what I heard (sigh) but maybe they will make a dirver for a usb external modem or something to help it along.

Are the developer tools free? (I'm asking for others who read this, since I don't have my mac anymore).

[philquinney]

When I last read about it there was a preview of the driver but it wasn't in a working state. You can read more about various Asterisk on Apple projects at www.astmasters.net.

The OS X Developer Tools are free and included with 10.3 or higher. For earlier versions of OS X you can download them from Apple.com. Look for Developer Tools for 10.2 and before, or XCode for 10.3 and higher.

Hope this helps,

Phil.

[philquinney]

PS: I just re-read the first post and realised that it was about running Asterisk on Linux using Apple Hardware. This should be just as easy as running it on Intel hardware (and even easier come January).

There have been many reports of people using X100P's inside Macs using Yellow Dog Linux - in fact I think Yellow Dog may have done some work on the Zaptel drivers in order to make things compatible. Search for benjk on the Asterisk mailing lists. Some of his posts might give more information.

Phil.

[global_dev]

so, if i was going to use a voip only solution on the mac-min, no PSTN, the mac mini using OSX would work fine if i compiled asterisk, myself. I don't need conference call or music on hold really, although it looks like it all works under the original mac minis from what i read at astmasters. any more information would be really great as I am interested in this platform due to the size and cost factors. Does using the mac with asterisk mean that other things can't be accomplished (due to high cpu usage) if someone is actually on channels?