PowerBook 1400c - ultimate upgrades

[Cory5412]

Shortly after that (PowerBooks getting VGA), they adopted HD-15 VGA for their desktops, too. It was smooth sailing until ADC. Then Mini-VGA. Then Mini-DVI. Then Mini DisplayPort, which was at least adopted as part of the DisplayPort standard and used by other vendors. 

Keeping machines pretty far away from surfaces behind them isn't too surprising. Back in the day, Apple's cables had perhaps more strain relief and structure on their connectors than was strictly necessary, and many of them had very oddly long connector bits. I'm thinking in particular of video cables which in total had connectors that extended like two or three inches out the back of the machine, plus things like SCSI cables that don't bend particularly easily.

My PB180 has a SCSI Ethernet adapter hanging out the back and that's like 3-4 inches long (it's an Asante Micro EN-SC if I remember correctly, the one that hangs directly off the HDI30 connector.)

It's pretty different from more modern times where most cables (certainly on laptops) can bend immediately after the connector and it's usually less than an inch of clearance needed and ports are on the sides of machines anyway.

HAR™ :lol:

I appreciate that you appreciated that. Also, HAR™ indeed!

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

This talk of dongles reminded me that I snagged one of NewerTech's BookEndz Docking Stations for Beater! [] ]'>   I'll have to post some pics, it's one of the coolest upgrades in terms of the 1400's usability in the Laptop/Desktop replacement role.

It has Apple's (sub-)standard DB-25 SCSI Connector a bit recessed so it's flush with the back. The Serial and ADB "ports" are actually handy extension cables hardwired to the back of the case. A DA-15 video connection is on a short, hardwired pigtail and for installation of a VGA adapter parallel to the back, all but rubbing its side along the backside of the dock! Limiting factor from back of the unit to a vertical surface would be the flexibility of a standard SCSI cable.

Snagged one for the Pismo/500 too! [] ]'>

 

[Cory5412]

I've always been intrigued by the BookEndz, but I never liked the idea of wanted to get one. To me, Apple's stance on the matter by the time they stopped selling the Duo line was that if you wanted to use a PowerBook, use it like a laptop, and if you wanted a desktop, buy a desktop. In the late '90s, this got a lot more affordable to actually do with semi-high-end systems, but the combo would probably have been a midrange to high end Mac desktop, and a low end PowerBook, depending on what you needed, of course.

"real docking" was definitely one of the reasons I went to go get a Windows computer. Even since then, docking stations have become a lot simpler and are mostly port replicators now, but with TB3 and USB Type C and things like the Razer Core, we're returning to a situation where there are docking stations available that connect in a new (I'd say, better) way that provides thin and light laptops a one-cable connection to a relatively massive boost in performance/ports/whatever.

 

[EtherRad]

I like having a minimalistic book cover for mine. I've attached it, the dimensions should be correct. It is on A4 paper.

View attachment template powerbook cover.docx

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Wasn't there a MacDraw(?) Bookcover template included with either the 1400 or the cover set? I remember using it to make my custom cover back in the day.

 

[butterburger]

Wasn't there a MacDraw(?) Bookcover template included with either the 1400 or the cover set? I remember using it to make my custom cover back in the day.

BookCover Template PostScript file was part of preloaded Apple Extras.

Sadly as there are no 16 bit USB PCMCIA cards, that is not an option for the 1400

USB host controller 16-bit PC Cards do exist.

I'm liking this site software, less than ever.  I cannot find "plain" editor.

 

[Cory5412]

There was also a ClarisWorks 4 version of the template. I don't have my 1400 easy at hand right now, so I can't tell whether my system's preload also had a postscript file.

Are there Mac drivers for the 16-bit PCMCIA cards or is it merely worth mentioning on a technicality? The conclusion we (or at least I) came to in the previous thread is that it's kind of a useless technical factoid because while it is indeed technically correct it's not practically correct in that you still can't go buy a USB card on eBay and put it into a 1400 and use a flash drive or a USB wifi adapter with it, the way you can on systems that have CardBus.