Is it possible in anyway to use a 15" Tibook as a monitor for a new powermac? I know its unlikely but this seems to be the home to some pretty creative solutions.
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TiBook as PMac monitor?
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There are two ideas I can think of besides the VNC way (or the Apple Remote Desktop way):
1) Cannibalizing your TiBook and getting out the soldering iron
2) The other options will only work if you're happy with blurry 640x480 video and if your Power Mac has a composite/s-video output:
- Get an iREZ CapSure or similar PCMCIA card for the TiBook (the CapSure is now discontinued, and I'm not sure if it works in OS X, but it can be found on eBay). Note that PCMCIA video capture cards will only work in rev A TiBooks because the later models don't support zoomed video (at least the rev Bs don't).
- Get a Firewire or USB video capture device
Probably didn't help much, but...
1) Cannibalizing your TiBook and getting out the soldering iron
2) The other options will only work if you're happy with blurry 640x480 video and if your Power Mac has a composite/s-video output:
- Get an iREZ CapSure or similar PCMCIA card for the TiBook (the CapSure is now discontinued, and I'm not sure if it works in OS X, but it can be found on eBay). Note that PCMCIA video capture cards will only work in rev A TiBooks because the later models don't support zoomed video (at least the rev Bs don't).
- Get a Firewire or USB video capture device
Probably didn't help much, but...
i don't want to hijack this thread, but...
alex_ant, you seem pretty proficient with older hardware... i should ask mac68k this too... i have a powerbook 3400, and there's a PCMCIA card for it that allows zoomed video, the card was released when desktop macs just started to support DVD-ROM. But i cannot find a DVD module anywhere... i was assuming there was a 3rd party module that went with the card, and you connected them via some external cable or something (or not) to watch DVDs on the powerbook. is there any solution to this besides getting an external portable DVD drive? they advertised DVD playback on the documentation for the card... but didn't explain how. i don't want to get a new laptop, i love the 3400 and got one just for the retro-coolness factor... but it'd be nice to be able to watch more than VCDs on them...
pnw
alex_ant, you seem pretty proficient with older hardware... i should ask mac68k this too... i have a powerbook 3400, and there's a PCMCIA card for it that allows zoomed video, the card was released when desktop macs just started to support DVD-ROM. But i cannot find a DVD module anywhere... i was assuming there was a 3rd party module that went with the card, and you connected them via some external cable or something (or not) to watch DVDs on the powerbook. is there any solution to this besides getting an external portable DVD drive? they advertised DVD playback on the documentation for the card... but didn't explain how. i don't want to get a new laptop, i love the 3400 and got one just for the retro-coolness factor... but it'd be nice to be able to watch more than VCDs on them...
pnw
what about one of those switch boxes? you can plug your tibook into that along with your desktop. i dont think it will work. but its worth a phone call to the computer store.
switch boxes (or whatever their called) allow you to plug two different systems into this switch, you then plug in the monitor and keyboard. this allows you to control two systems with one monitor and one keyboard. this really doesnt seem like it would work come to think of it. anyway good luck
switch boxes (or whatever their called) allow you to plug two different systems into this switch, you then plug in the monitor and keyboard. this allows you to control two systems with one monitor and one keyboard. this really doesnt seem like it would work come to think of it. anyway good luck
Hmm, do you know what make/model of card it is? Is it a TV tuner or video capture card, or is it a DVD decoder card? What kind of connectors does it have on it?Originally posted by paulwhannel
i don't want to hijack this thread, but...
alex_ant, you seem pretty proficient with older hardware... i should ask mac68k this too... i have a powerbook 3400, and there's a PCMCIA card for it that allows zoomed video, the card was released when desktop macs just started to support DVD-ROM. But i cannot find a DVD module anywhere... i was assuming there was a 3rd party module that went with the card, and you connected them via some external cable or something (or not) to watch DVDs on the powerbook. is there any solution to this besides getting an external portable DVD drive? they advertised DVD playback on the documentation for the card... but didn't explain how. i don't want to get a new laptop, i love the 3400 and got one just for the retro-coolness factor... but it'd be nice to be able to watch more than VCDs on them...
pnw
I just got a 3400 for my brother for Christmas... I don't know if the 240MHz 603e is fast enough to decode DVD video in real time. The 180MHz probably isn't.
Hey,
I was wondering if you could help me out with some more information on 'canibalizing' my tibook. I broke the hinges a few months ago, and the cheapest estimate i have recieved was around 900 because i was told i have to replace the entire lcd unit, despite it being in perfect working order, you know other then the hinges.
so what i want to do is to set up the lcd from my tibook as a seperate monitor for my desktop. Is it possible to hook it up and use it with a vga cable or some other rigged object. I have some electronics experience, b ut don't really have any idea how the inside of that beast works, so i'm lookin for any info at all.
thanks,
jason
I was wondering if you could help me out with some more information on 'canibalizing' my tibook. I broke the hinges a few months ago, and the cheapest estimate i have recieved was around 900 because i was told i have to replace the entire lcd unit, despite it being in perfect working order, you know other then the hinges.
so what i want to do is to set up the lcd from my tibook as a seperate monitor for my desktop. Is it possible to hook it up and use it with a vga cable or some other rigged object. I have some electronics experience, b ut don't really have any idea how the inside of that beast works, so i'm lookin for any info at all.
thanks,
jason
I have no idea... but if it helps at all, I think Samsung makes the TiBook LCDs. Maybe they've got them listed generically on their website.
To cannibalize it, you need the inverter board for the backlight, and the LCD controller itself. That might be (and probably is) soldered to the motherboard, and will require buying a second one, which can cost upwards of $200. But if it is detachable, you are good to go.
This is rather difficult, I have researched this in the past, because I wanted to get one of those dirt cheap PC laptop lcd's off ebay and use it to make a small extra display. I used google and found many people out there trying to do it, but it ends up being more hassle and pricy than it is worth. I would suggest to you to buy a seperate screen for the trouble that it is.