Just bought an IMac after many frustrating years using a pc ( sounds
familiar?). I have an HP printer, scanner and DVD MovieWriter (for
transferring VHS movies onto DVD). So far I have managed to download the
driver from HP for the printer so it will work with the Mac. As far as the
scanner, HP only has a driver for OS9, and no drivers for the Moviewriter
DVD burner. I've installed OS 9 on the Imac from an extra disk that came
with it. My questions are:

Any obvious disadvantages to installing OS9 on an IMac G5, (as when
installing anything on a pc and the whole system gets screwy)? So far it
seems to work ok.
Is there a site or some way to get device drivers for them to run on Macs
when the manufacturer doesn't supply them?
Does Apple have a comprehensive list of device drivers on their site
somewhere that we can download?

If I can't use the DVD movieMaker from HP, what's the best way to hook up my
vcr to the Imac?

thanks

JML

In article <EmEUd.8699$Vf6.331902@news20.bellglobal.com>,
"J.M.L." <jeanmarc.lachance@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> Just bought an IMac after many frustrating years using a pc ( sounds
> familiar?). I have an HP printer, scanner and DVD MovieWriter (for
> transferring VHS movies onto DVD). So far I have managed to download the
> driver from HP for the printer so it will work with the Mac. As far as the
> scanner, HP only has a driver for OS9, and no drivers for the Moviewriter
> DVD burner. I've installed OS 9 on the Imac from an extra disk that came
> with it. My questions are:
>
> Any obvious disadvantages to installing OS9 on an IMac G5, (as when
> installing anything on a pc and the whole system gets screwy)? So far it
> seems to work ok.
> Is there a site or some way to get device drivers for them to run on Macs
> when the manufacturer doesn't supply them?
> Does Apple have a comprehensive list of device drivers on their site
> somewhere that we can download?
>
> If I can't use the DVD movieMaker from HP, what's the best way to hook up my
> vcr to the Imac?
>
> thanks
>
> JML

You're probably out of luck... while you can install OS 9 on your iMac
G5, you won't be able to boot to it-- that model will only boot to OS
X... and running in OS9 Classic mode under OS X, your OS9 driver
probably won't be usable.

HP doesn't provide Mac support for any of its DVD+R products; I had an
older HP DVD drive; I ended up selling it and getting a Pioneer... that
drive simply worked w. OS X. I am surprised, however... HP seems to have
OS X drivers for most of the printer and scanner models that I've needed
to install.

In general, if a company isn't bothering to make its products compatible
with Macs, you're out of luck (although there is software called
GIMP-PRINT which will allow many printers to work with Mac OS X).

===============================================
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"J.M.L." <jeanmarc.lachance@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:EmEUd.8699$Vf6.331902@news20.bellglobal.com.. .
> If I can't use the DVD movieMaker from HP, what's the best way to hook up
my
> vcr to the Imac?

If you have or can borrow a digital video camera, most have a setting to
convert A/V input to digital output. Connect the VCR to the camera with A/V
wires, the camera to your Mac with a firewire, and import with iMovie.

GG

In article <EmEUd.8699$Vf6.331902@news20.bellglobal.com>,
"J.M.L." <jeanmarc.lachance@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>Just bought an IMac after many frustrating years using a pc ( sounds
>familiar?). I have an HP printer, scanner and DVD MovieWriter (for
>transferring VHS movies onto DVD). So far I have managed to download the
>driver from HP for the printer so it will work with the Mac. As far as the
>scanner, HP only has a driver for OS9, and no drivers for the Moviewriter
>DVD burner. I've installed OS 9 on the Imac from an extra disk that came
>with it. My questions are:

Go to VersionTracker.com and search.

For your scanner, ViewScan seems to work with almost all scanners under
OS X.

>
>Any obvious disadvantages to installing OS9 on an IMac G5, (as when
>installing anything on a pc and the whole system gets screwy)? So far it
>seems to work ok.

Nothing will get screwy when you put OS9 on your iMac and use it in
Classic mode.

>Is there a site or some way to get device drivers for them to run on Macs
>when the manufacturer doesn't supply them?
>Does Apple have a comprehensive list of device drivers on their site
>somewhere that we can download?

VersionTracker is your best bet here, but you can also Google for them.

>
>If I can't use the DVD movieMaker from HP, what's the best way to hook up my
>vcr to the Imac?

I think I recall a recent issue of either MacWorld or MacHome dealing
with VHS to DVD.