Powerbook 3400c Ebay find (finally)

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

PC Card (32bitPCI Architecture) fits into/works in the 3400 above, but not in the 1400 PCMCIA slot (16bit ISA Architecture) and there's a new kid on the block: ExpressCard.

Article that buries the lead, which would be the three card specs. https://kb.iu.edu/d/ahtn

 

[Rick Dangerous]

@Trash80toHP_Mini Okay so my CF card and adaptor came in; works like a charm!  Pops right up on the desktop  

I won't even bother with the SD Card reader i guess; if this works; good enough for me!  

Thanks again for the recommendation! 

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

De nada! []

 

[just.in.time]

Nice 3400s! I’d say skip the PRAM battery all together on this model. No need to have one in there, they only present risks of leaking. You can always throw an alias of the Time and Date control panel (or SetDate control panel if you are using that for 2021 dates) into the StartUp Items folder in the System folder if you want correct dates for high scores on your games, file modifications, etc. assuming you aren’t leaving them plugged in 24/7.

With its first ever in a PB stereo speaker setup it was perfect.

Don’t forget the PowerBook 500 series  

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

First worthwhile speaker setup?  :lol: Very early MP3 + very early MpegDec = not all that worthwhile. With no optical drive in the 500 series vs. the 3400c with CDs played inboard, no contest! Napster postdates the 3400c by 2 years and the very first commercial MP3 Player hit the market the same year as the 3400c.

On a more serious note, how would Blackbird speakers hooked up to an external Optical stack up to the 3400c and its internal? Here I'm also thinking not so good? Not enough cubic for decent speakers I'd think? 3400c was crazy BIG (on top of fast) for its place in the PowerBook continuum.

Methinks 500 vs. 3400 comparisons would be on topic?

 

[Raster30]

HOLY COW! The 3400c really worth that much? I picked one up I think two years ago and I don't think I spent more then $40. I found a source for the pram battery that was identical. I recapped it because I saw signs the power board caps were starting to leak and I even got the battery to work but I forgot I left it plugged in for a day and the battery now acts flat dead which is unfortunate because it lasted for hours. If I could sell it for $500.... might be worth it as I no longer have time.

 

[just.in.time]

Definitely not worth $500... at least not now. Unless it’s brand new in box, never opened.

 

[Raster30]

he posted a ebay for $500. what am I missing here? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Macintosh-PowerBook-3400C-PowerPC-603ev-240-MHz-64mb-256k-tested-working/124559434484?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[just.in.time]

Looking at eBay sold listings, all went for $70 to $300. That particular link was buy it now or best offer.
 

If on the off chance they do start regularly going for $500 in the near future I’ll definitely put mine up for sale  

 

[Rick Dangerous]

I didn't pay $500 for the 240Mhz, he was just asking that.  Offered $125 and settled on $175 which i thought was reasonable as the top spec models always seem to fetch more and this one is in really good cosmetic condition and comes with a bigger RAM board than i currently have. 

Random question guys:  My PCMCIA card ejects when i start up my machine.  Is there a setting/switch to just let it stay inserted somewhere? 

 

[just.in.time]

I’m pretty sure my old 240mhz version I had 15 years ago and my 200mhz version I have now both kick out my SD card to PCMCIA adapter at power-on. If I recall correctly, it will not kick out cards like my Orinoco WiFi card. But it’s been nearly 5 years since I used that WiFi card so I may be misremembering.

Point being, mine also ejects PCMCIA storage cards at immediate power on. I can do a halfway remove then re insert the card quickly to boot off it if necessary.

 

[cheesestraws]

I think that's just the normal 'eject all removable media it can' thing at boot. I think if you set the machine to boot from the CF card, it won't eject it (like CDs) but I could be wrong there.

 

[Raster30]

yeah I think my pb 190 and my 3400 ejects on boot. If you're booting from a cf to pc card adapter, I got a cf to ide adapter and installed that on the HD cable with my 3400c. works perfectly. 8GB CF internal storage with 48MB ram is a decent little machine. your thread got me to take a look at my 3400 and found the issue as to why my battery wasn't charging, so now I have a happy battery again.

 

[Rick Dangerous]

@just.in.time can you post a link for the SD to PCMCIA card you have?  I tried one from Amazon but it didn't work properly.

Using a CF to PCMCIA now which is great but SD would be ideal because it would be one less adaptor i'd have to use.  Thank you sir! 

 

[just.in.time]

@Rick Dangerous I bought my SD to PCMCIA adapter way back in like 2003 from BestBuy when I needed to get photos from a 1.3 megapixel HP camera to a PowerBook 5300cs I owned a long time ago. So I don’t have a link for it.

That said, I’m looking at it right now and can describe it. It’s branded as “Dazzle” and is a 4 in 1 adapter for SD, MMC, SmartMedia and Sony Memory Sticks.

I’ve never used the other 3 card types with it, but for SD cards it’s very important to make sure they are truly SD and not SDHC or SDXC cards.

IIRC, anything below 2GB will almost always be true SD. At 2GB it may be SD or SDHC. Above 2GB it’s much more likely to be SDHC/SDXC.

In my case, I have a 64MB Lexar Media and a 2GB SandDisk SD card that work great with it. Even bootable (great for installing OS/software). At one point I tried a 4GB card and it wasn’t even recognized as it was SDHC.

It looks like you have a 2GB card. Perhaps it’s SDHC in disguise. If in doubt, try to find an old 512mb or 1gb card. Odds are much higher those will be true SD.

 

[PacNPal]

Nice find! I got my 3400c last year and I love it. I stuck a SD-IDE card as its internal HD. My advice is to be careful with the mouse clicker. It's a piece of plastic under there that gets brittle with age and can break off. Mine has been repaired, that's how I know.

I got very lucky as I bought mine untested. It had a failed hard drive in it but everything else was fine. Best of all, it's the 240Mhz model, and it came with the 128MB RAM upgrade! I paid less than $100 for it, so I'm pretty pleased.

 

[PacNPal]

@Rick Dangerous I bought my SD to PCMCIA adapter way back in like 2003 from BestBuy when I needed to get photos from a 1.3 megapixel HP camera to a PowerBook 5300cs I owned a long time ago. So I don’t have a link for it.

That said, I’m looking at it right now and can describe it. It’s branded as “Dazzle” and is a 4 in 1 adapter for SD, MMC, SmartMedia and Sony Memory Sticks.

I’ve never used the other 3 card types with it, but for SD cards it’s very important to make sure they are truly SD and not SDHC or SDXC cards.

IIRC, anything below 2GB will almost always be true SD. At 2GB it may be SD or SDHC. Above 2GB it’s much more likely to be SDHC/SDXC.

In my case, I have a 64MB Lexar Media and a 2GB SandDisk SD card that work great with it. Even bootable (great for installing OS/software). At one point I tried a 4GB card and it wasn’t even recognized as it was SDHC.

It looks like you have a 2GB card. Perhaps it’s SDHC in disguise. If in doubt, try to find an old 512mb or 1gb card. Odds are much higher those will be true SD.

Thanks for the recommendation on the SD adapter! I found one for a great price. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dazzle-4-In-1-Card-Adapter-Media-SD-includes-original-sleeve/293563448532

Been wanting to get an SD-PCMCIA adapter for a while but could never decide on which to get, and having bad luck with more recent options.

 

[just.in.time]

@PacNPal that one looks identical to mine. So long as you use a true original SD card with it, should work great.

 

[Rick Dangerous]

The second 3400c came in; very first thing i did was pull the PRAM Battery.  I swear the hardest part is getting it off the double sided tape; stuff is the stickiest surface i've ever encountered.  Took all my finger strength plus an exactor blade to slowly get the battery off of there...

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Which KBD do you prefer, 1400 or 3400?