eBay bargains - what's your latest conquest?

[MacFoxG4]

Not an outright PPC machine, but I recently scored a Quadra 650 with an Apple PPC 601 upgrade card for free on Craigslist. Still setting up my 040 partitions before moving on to some PPC fun!

Nice! I wish those PPC upgrade cards weren’t so hard to find and expensive, so I could put one in my Centris 650.

 

[fooyork]

Hi there! I recovered a few days ago this beautiful G4 CubeView attachment 1980158View attachment 1980159View attachment 1980160

So jealous!

 

[christiann]

Just got an $10 iBook with a broken screen.

 

[weckart]

Just got an $10 iBook with a broken screen.

Looks like an SE so can be replaced with any XGA screen from an iBook or Powerbook 12". Just getting the video cable adapter is going to be very difficult, though.

 

[christiann]

Looks like an SE so can be replaced with any XGA screen from an iBook or Powerbook 12". Just getting the video cable adapter is going to be very difficult, though.

I’ve never had a clamshell, do you know if I can use a monitor with it?

 

[Amethyst1]

I’ve never had a clamshell, do you know if I can use a monitor with it?

The clamshell doesn't have a VGA port. So you can only hook up a monitor or, more likely, a TV using the composite video output. Image quality won't be anything to write home about.

 

[weckart]

I’ve never had a clamshell, do you know if I can use a monitor with it?

You can use a TV with it. You need the cable. It only mirrors what is on the internal display, so a max of 800x600. I've never got mine to ever work, however.

 

[TheShortTimer]

The clamshell doesn't have a VGA port. So you can only hook up a monitor or, more likely, a TV using the composite video output. Image quality won't be anything to write home about.

I wonder if a mod is possible that would provide S-Video or component instead.

 

[weckart]

I wonder if a mod is possible that would provide S-Video or component instead.

The plug in point is a barrel jack, which limits the cabling out to three. Not sure how you would split the audio and video from that.

 

[TheShortTimer]

The plug in point is a barrel jack, which limits the cabling out to three. Not sure how you would split the audio and video from that.

View attachment 1981397

I was thinking of a procedure that would tap the signal from an appropriate point on the logic board and then somehow feed it externally. If it were even possible to do so.

 

[weckart]

I was thinking of a procedure that would tap the signal from an appropriate point on the logic board and then somehow feed it externally. If it were even possible to do so.

It might be technically possible but you would have to sacrifice the display out socket in order to feed the wires out and it would look messy. I don't think it would be easily possible given the design of the case to create an extra port out for audio/video as appropriate so that you could use a component cable.

 

[BigMac?]

View attachment 1974417

Scored this little beauty for £20. Was very much dead when it arrived, and looked as though it had been stored in a shed (absolutely filthy, full of muck). However, it turned on and presented a flashing question mark startup disk fail - which I took as a very good sign!

Ordered a refurb IDE drive from eBay for another £15 including delivery.

Got her open and my god it was filthy inside. Someone had clearly been in there before as the ATA ribbon cable was completely disconnected from the mother board, and when I got the drive caddy out it was completely missing its original HDD. Gave it a bit of a vacuum, popped the replacement drive in, managed to get it back together... and now... whirring away and running 10.4 happily!

Bloody love this machine. I always wanted one, but at the time it was released I had a Power Mac G4 so had absolutely need for one... I ended up getting a G5 iMac but was never a fan of its design. The iMac G4 just makes me smile every time I look at it.

What a beauty!

 

[BigMac?]

Yep - I have that one too but it wasn't sold in retail so I wasn't sure if it counts or not.


Then you need this to play the MIDIs on the go:

And.. The ante can be upped

Great boombox, I had already forgotten it. Thanks for sharing!

 

[christiann]

The plug in point is a barrel jack, which limits the cabling out to three. Not sure how you would split the audio and video from that.

View attachment 1981397

Will this work?

Eanetf 3.5mm to RCA Cable - Versatile Audio/Video Connection

👍 Compatible with most Mini DV and Digital camcorders made by Sony, Canon, JVC, Panasonic, Sharp camcorders that use a single 3.5mm (1/8 inch) connector for exporting audio / video Compatible with Sony TV, Sony DVD Player 👍 To be compatible with TCL TV Nintendo Wii raspberry pi, you ...

www.amazon.com

 

[christiann]

Will this work?

Fyi, I got it to go to a white screen using Safe mode!

 

[christiann]

Looks like an SE so can be replaced with any XGA screen from an iBook or Powerbook 12". Just getting the video cable adapter is going to be very difficult, though.

As in finding it online? Also, can I just swap displays and display cables with an iBook G3 Snow?

 

[weckart]

As in finding it online? Also, can I just swap displays and display cables with an iBook G3 Snow?

The screen will be fine. I swapped mine with the last generation iBook G4 12". To be honest, the newer the better. At that time, you could get a display cable adapter from pchub.com but they sold out long ago. Without that adapter you need to somehow find a display with the same cable connector as on the iBook Clamshell. That is the problem. Nearly all do not have that connector.

I did a quick summary of my swap here so you can see what the problem is.

Right, that Clamshell XGA mod, then...

I intended this to be a detailed step by step guide with a lot of pictures but frankly it was such a straightforward procedure that I am not surprised that no such guide exists. The key things: Get a suitable XGA panel, which means from a G3 or G4 12" iBook. Mine came from the last generation...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[christiann]

The screen will be fine. I swapped mine with the last generation iBook G4 12". To be honest, the newer the better. At that time, you could get a display cable adapter from pchub.com but they sold out long ago. Without that adapter you need to somehow find a display with the same cable connector as on the iBook Clamshell. That is the problem. Nearly all do not have that connector.

I did a quick summary of my swap here so you can see what the problem is.

Right, that Clamshell XGA mod, then...

I intended this to be a detailed step by step guide with a lot of pictures but frankly it was such a straightforward procedure that I am not surprised that no such guide exists. The key things: Get a suitable XGA panel, which means from a G3 or G4 12" iBook. Mine came from the last generation...

forums.macrumors.com

So I can’t use the cable without an adapter. That sucks. Why would a snow cable not work for a Clamshell?

 

[weckart]

Will this work?

Eanetf 3.5mm to RCA Cable - Versatile Audio/Video Connection

👍 Compatible with most Mini DV and Digital camcorders made by Sony, Canon, JVC, Panasonic, Sharp camcorders that use a single 3.5mm (1/8 inch) connector for exporting audio / video Compatible with Sony TV, Sony DVD Player 👍 To be compatible with TCL TV Nintendo Wii raspberry pi, you ...

www.amazon.com

No idea. It's the correct form factor but it's Apple, so who knows if Apple didn't swap the cables around somehow. You could give it a try. As said, I couldn't get mine to work even with an Apple cable and from what I have seen on Apple's forums, I'm not the only one.

 

[christiann]

No idea. It's the correct form factor but it's Apple, so who knows if Apple didn't swap the cables around somehow. You could give it a try. As said, I couldn't get mine to work even with an Apple cable and from what I have seen on Apple's forums, I'm not the only one.

I will try the Apple cable

 

[weckart]

So I can’t use the cable without an adapter. That sucks. Why would a snow cable not work for a Clamshell?

You won't know until you see what your panel is in your Clamshell and if it matches your replacement panel. As I showed, my Clamshell had an LG Philips panel but most iBooks/PowerBooks had Samsung panels. If you find an LG panel then you might be in with a shout.

 

[christiann]

You won't know until you see what your panel is in your Clamshell and if it matches your replacement panel. As I showed, my Clamshell had an LG Philips panel but most iBooks/PowerBooks had Samsung panels. If you find an LG panel then you might be in with a shout.

I’ll see if I can get the broken Snow to boot up and possibly check to get the specs on it. (I broke it replacing the hard drive). Then, I’ll use the parts for the Clamshell. This will be an all-day affair. It was so difficult replacing the hard drive on the Snow— and I broke it… Wish me luck

 

[TheShortTimer]

Wish me luck

You'll be fine. All of us have experienced episodes where something was damaged or destroyed.

Next time, it won't happen because you'll have learned from your past errors.

 

[weckart]

I’ll see if I can get the broken Snow to boot up and possibly check to get the specs on it. (I broke it replacing the hard drive). Then, I’ll use the parts for the Clamshell. This will be an all-day affair. It was so difficult replacing the hard drive on the Snow— and I broke it… Wish me luck

If it's not an LG, don't take it apart. There isn't much you can do unless you can find the right display cable or adapter.

 

[christiann]

If it's not an LG, don't take it apart. There isn't much you can do unless you can find the right display cable or adapter.

If it helps, it’s the dual USB 500MHz (the first non-Clamshell). Could that make it more likely to be the LG?