Duo 230 & dock... Worth the hassle?

[scidsecret]

Just a few days ago, I was visiting a client and commented on his Bondi iMac when he pulled out a beat-up box with a PowerBook Duo 230 and dock. He has no idea if the thing works, where the cables are, and has no monitor for it. Not to mention, the case on the PowerBook is separating.

Considering this thing is going to need some things and might even need to be repaired, would this be a rabbit hole worth going down? Not sure I want to get into a project that would seem to never end.

 

[TheWhiteFalcon]

How much does he want?

 

[scidsecret]

Probably around $30-60. i don't think he's really sure.

 

[TheWhiteFalcon]

I think...think, mind you, the dock should be worth that alone if things don't pan out. Even if it's for parts.

Ultimately, value is determined by you, I've always thought the Duo idea was very interesting.

 

[Elfen]

The Duo 230 can be fixed if the caps have not rotted the board. The Dock is worth the money alone, you can always put another Duo in it. You know you can lift the front cover off the dock and insert a Duo it with the LCD open and run it that way and see if it even works.

The Duo 230 case can be worked on and fixed easily. It just requires time and patience. I have fixed many Duo cases in the past and have a Duo collection.

It depends on you, both eventually will need a recap sooner or later if they do work. They will need a recap now if they do not work.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

You know you can lift the front cover off the dock and insert a Duo it with the LCD open and run it that way and see if it even works.

Been there done that, it's not quite that simple. The LCD only works in an open DuoDock when you've cut power to the Dock's Declaration ROM (or removed the ROM entirely from a Dock+ ZIF Socket) because the DeclROM tells the Duo where it's Docked and to keep the LCD shut down.

Blasted thing also tells the Duo that stereo sound's not avaialable and it's the devil's own time to get stereo output up and running using an SAII NuBus Card.

 

[Elfen]

Before it died (a broken gear in the mounting system of the dock that pulls the Duo into it), it worked for me on my 210, 280 and 2300c on a Dock II. The screen remained on and I as able to use the Docked Duo as one system, including its FPU and added Ethernet card while mousing about the LCD with the track ball.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Did the Video out on the Dock work or were you forced to use the Dock with the top popped? All you've described fits a borked DeclROM in the Dock. Did the FDD or internal HDD work? External SCSI?

FPU and NuBus work fine without DeclROM support because they're transparent to the Dock/ROM, being interfaced directly to the Duo's I/O bus across the PDS/Docking Connector. Other Dock services are lost, such as the Video Output, EtherNet etc. on a DuoDock or Dock+ for instance.

A DuoDock or MiniDock amounts to one big, multifunction PDS Expansion Card for a Duo.

 

[Elfen]

The FDD worked but I cant say about the SCSI since the Dock II did not have a hard drive in it. I also never tested the Video out on the Dock II with the top off, though I remember it did work with the top on. I made the discovery of the top off hen the gear started stripping and took the top off to see how the Duo slid in. With a push with the thumbs the Dock would be able to grab the Duo and engage it and out of curiosity I opened the LCD on the Duo and it booted up like if it was not docked but AppleTalk had Ethernet, I could load floppies and Tech Tools said I had an empty SCSI and an FPU. So I worked it like that since.

Eventually the gear would grind down to nothing and the Dock II would no longer engage the Duo though you can hear the motor trying. I shelved it since then. If I can get a 3D Printer and Scanner ad barrow another Dock II to scan its gears, I could probably make a new gear set for the Dock II.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I'll have to install a Dock II board and give that a try. I think I have one, I always thought my Dock+ was a Dock II.

The gears are nylon, so they've some slop, shock absorption built in. I'm not sure about nylon prototyping? I think I've got a spare (extra) motor/gear assembly.

You can also just remove the assembly and plug the Duo in manually for lidless config playtime.

.

 

[Elfen]

Considering that it was over 10 years ago, that Dock II and its PSU probably needs a recapping by now. There are too many machines in my collection that need to be recapped before it, including a few Duo's.

Give me time and it will be done... eventually.

Unfortunately, 3D Printing is usually done in ABS plastic. ABS can be temperamental and brittle at times.

 

[scidsecret]

Well, I definitely know what to look for when I take a second look at it.