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Andy’s PowerBook Problem
- Thread starter AndyO
- Start date
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
I was speaking for the hinge mounts on the 190, but the same goes for PDQ hinges. Would be very expensive though, might be a good maceffects project!
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
I’m talking about the plastic hinge mounts, not the metal hinges. You can print mounts for any 100 or 500 series PowerBook on a conventional 3D printer, I’ve done so for my 145. The same can be done for the 190/5300 laptops. My 5300 hinges are intact but I never use them because they WILL break if I do.
AndyO
Well-known member
Ah. I've never done any 3D printing, or had access to the equipment so it's not something I think of. It might actually help if I dismantled some of these systems to see how such things as the hinges actually work!
It does seem unfortunate that these hinges are pretty much certain to break at some point with normal use - let alone my rather ham-fisted opening of the PDQ - but considering their age, it's probably inevitable given the materials of the day, even if the design of hinges might have been better.
It does seem unfortunate that these hinges are pretty much certain to break at some point with normal use - let alone my rather ham-fisted opening of the PDQ - but considering their age, it's probably inevitable given the materials of the day, even if the design of hinges might have been better.
AndyO
Well-known member
My original 1400cs/117 on the left, the new 1400c/166 on the right. I hadn't really expected the difference in screens to be so noticeable... silly me! Admittedly, the 117 looks more washed out due to the angle, but in real life it is quite a night-and-day difference in display.
Of the two, my original is in far better physical condition - mostly the result of me not liking it and it being mostly disused for 20 or so years. The 166 looks like it's had far more use.
Of the two, my original is in far better physical condition - mostly the result of me not liking it and it being mostly disused for 20 or so years. The 166 looks like it's had far more use.
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
Awesome. The 1400c active display looks so good.
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
I’ve never had the displeasure of owning a laptop with a passive color panel, but the photos tell me enough. I am very very picky about displays in my laptops though. I can’t stand 1024x768 displays on anything past 2002 or so.
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
Oddly enough I don't mind the passive matrix monochrome panel in my 145.
AndyO
Well-known member
Passive matrix screens get a bad rap these days because they seem to degrade faster/further in image clarity/resolution/granularity/contrast/brightness than active matrix does, but when new they were not really that bad. These days, some are awful, but I suspect that's at least as much about recapping and other maintenance needing to be done.
I've taken care of (meaning, not used, yet kept in stable household environmental conditions away from sun) my 1400cs and in comparison to other screens, it has minimal ghosting, is bright and had good contrast, even pretty good color saturation. As I've said before, I never actually liked it as a system, so rarely used it, and never used it in the past 20 years, yet now it's been in use regularly for a few months, and of all the aspects of it, the screen is close to being the best.
The 1400c however was a great surprise. I have other active matrix screens of course, so I know what they're like, but this is the first time I actually have seen two 'identical' systems, one passive, one active, side by side and used them both, and the difference is amazing, and very noticeable. Yet, moving to the 1400cs, after a couple of minutes, the screen looks quite normal and usable again as I adjusted to it.
Clearly active matrix is better, and always was, but in my experience a good passive matrix display is more than adequate for most things - though I doubt I'd try any serious Photoshop or video work on one!
I've taken care of (meaning, not used, yet kept in stable household environmental conditions away from sun) my 1400cs and in comparison to other screens, it has minimal ghosting, is bright and had good contrast, even pretty good color saturation. As I've said before, I never actually liked it as a system, so rarely used it, and never used it in the past 20 years, yet now it's been in use regularly for a few months, and of all the aspects of it, the screen is close to being the best.
The 1400c however was a great surprise. I have other active matrix screens of course, so I know what they're like, but this is the first time I actually have seen two 'identical' systems, one passive, one active, side by side and used them both, and the difference is amazing, and very noticeable. Yet, moving to the 1400cs, after a couple of minutes, the screen looks quite normal and usable again as I adjusted to it.
Clearly active matrix is better, and always was, but in my experience a good passive matrix display is more than adequate for most things - though I doubt I'd try any serious Photoshop or video work on one!
AndyO
Well-known member
Oh dear - the addiction continues... Two new acquisitions, though both parts/repair. A PowerBook 160, which I was interested in purely for the bottom casing, spare floppy drive and screen, and a 3400c - which looks to be the ugliest PowerBook ever, but I haven't seen one before in person to know for sure.
They were very cheap, and both untested from a recycler. It would be nice if the 3400 was in working condition since I've never had one or had access to one, but I don't even know what model it is. Hopefully good for parts when I do actually find a working one... which I am now looking for because... well, it seems there's no escaping the addiction!
Which is funny really, since I switched from PowerBooks at home and work to the Classic II at home and the 630CD at work, but I keep going slipping back to PowerBooks even so. Damn the 1400c, and the ease of moving files around on a CF card!
They were very cheap, and both untested from a recycler. It would be nice if the 3400 was in working condition since I've never had one or had access to one, but I don't even know what model it is. Hopefully good for parts when I do actually find a working one... which I am now looking for because... well, it seems there's no escaping the addiction!
Which is funny really, since I switched from PowerBooks at home and work to the Classic II at home and the 630CD at work, but I keep going slipping back to PowerBooks even so. Damn the 1400c, and the ease of moving files around on a CF card!
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
I hope that 3400 works out for you but it’s likely that the battery’s wrecked it, best of luck!
AndyO
Well-known member
I recall something about battery damage to the logic board is this model, so not expecting much. If nothing else it might be good for some parts when I get a working one, and it was cheap enough to take a chance on it anyway.
It's important to take my mind off the pending SCSI2SD upgrade to my Classic II though, so perusing PowerBooks and the (occasional?) purchase seems inevitable!
It's important to take my mind off the pending SCSI2SD upgrade to my Classic II though, so perusing PowerBooks and the (occasional?) purchase seems inevitable!
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
Hoping for the best! It’s the PRAM battery that gets ‘em. VARTA 6-cell NiMH pack, conveniently positioned directly over the logic board for maximum corrosive destruction.
AndyO
Well-known member
Ah, that was it, yes. I must say, those were the days when Apple was highly skilled in designing for the planned obsolescence of their products.
There is a 3400 on eBay right now where the owner/seller says it worked 3 years ago but won't now... that could be a self-destruct contender to avoid. Somehow, I'd rather one that is not tested and unknown than one that is and doesn't appear to work. There are failures like the 1400 green-light-of-death that can be easy to resolve, but I would guess not many others!
There is a 3400 on eBay right now where the owner/seller says it worked 3 years ago but won't now... that could be a self-destruct contender to avoid. Somehow, I'd rather one that is not tested and unknown than one that is and doesn't appear to work. There are failures like the 1400 green-light-of-death that can be easy to resolve, but I would guess not many others!
3lectr1cPPC
Well-known member
Best chance of getting one working is to order one that is tested, but I hope things go better for you. I’ve even seen posts of people mentioning this battery leak in the 2400/3400 computers as far back as 2008! NiMH batteries in laptops suck.
AndyO
Well-known member
Neither the 160 or 3400 work. Delivered today, and both actually power up. The 160 screen remains blank (but grey), the 3400 screen comes up with a mouse pointer and the question mark disk icon, along with a sound that I think is the HD trying to spin ump, then stopping.
I have no CD media here to boot it with, and though I have an IDE/SD adapter and an SD card at work to try with, I'm not sure if the CD drive works. However, it seems quite promising. Also, the battery compartment is totally clean, so no leaks. Not sure about the PRAM batteries yet though since I am yet to take it apart.
I have no CD media here to boot it with, and though I have an IDE/SD adapter and an SD card at work to try with, I'm not sure if the CD drive works. However, it seems quite promising. Also, the battery compartment is totally clean, so no leaks. Not sure about the PRAM batteries yet though since I am yet to take it apart.
