[zen]

Hi,

Before I scoot off to Orlando and buy me a 12" iBook, I have a couple of more questions:

1. Can somebody check and see what the combo drive model is? Is it the Matshita-CW 8123? As the drive will initially be region 1, and I'll be taking it back home which is region 2, that already uses up one of the four permitted region changes.

2. How does battery calibration work, and what do you do? Is it simply a matter of leaving the iBook to discharge completely, then charge it up fully, as soon as I get it?

Zen

[wataru]

Originally posted by zen:
1. Is it the Matshita-CW 8123?

2. Is it simply a matter of leaving the iBook to discharge completely, then charge it up fully, as soon as I get it?

Yes and yes.

[ginoledesma]

You can use VLC to skip the DVD-region check of Apple's DVD Player. Version 0.7 has a pretty slick interface that doesn't confuse new users anymore.

Otherwise, its either a choice of getting the PowerBook G4/12" or the MCE DVD-RW Upgrade (an additional $400 more or less).

[zen]

Yeah, VLC will do for the moment, until someone re-firmwares the iBook drive. How does VLC do it? I understood there was a both a software check (in Apple DVD player) and hardware check (in the drive firmware). You can outwit one (software), but not the other?

With the battery calibration, should it just be drained and recharged once through, or a couple of times? And (silly question) can I drain it for calibration by actually using it, or should I leave it alone let it sleep or something?

Zen

[ginoledesma]

One full drain + one full recharge does it. In my case, I kept on waking up the iBook until it really complained about not having enough power, went to sleep, and refused to wake up. That's the moment I started charging it until it was fully charged.

[seishindo]

I have a brand new 12".
Ran it on battery without first fully charging it.
Battery went to near zero and then I plugged the unit in and fully recharged.
Shows 100% charged, and if I pull out the power plug the unit immediately goes dead as if there was no battery inside at all!!
What do do?
I zapped the PRAM and I powered down while staying plugged in, took the battery out, powered back up, and then put the battery back in.
Still no joy!
How do I locate the Power Manager on the computer?

TIA!
charlie

[discotronic]

Originally posted by seishindo:
I have a brand new 12".
Ran it on battery without first fully charging it.
Battery went to near zero and then I plugged the unit in and fully recharged.
Shows 100% charged, and if I pull out the power plug the unit immediately goes dead as if there was no battery inside at all!!
What do do?
I zapped the PRAM and I powered down while staying plugged in, took the battery out, powered back up, and then put the battery back in.
Still no joy!
How do I locate the Power Manager on the computer?

TIA!
charlie

Have you applied any of the updates? There is a battery update for Panther. That may do the trick.

[gigglebyte]

PRAM won't do crap for most things and for PMU you will hold (while the computer is turned off..battery and adapter can be in though) Shift + Control + Option (NOT Apple/Command) and the power button...you should not see anything happen at this point...count to 5 and power up the comp and see if you still have the same issue...if you do pull the battery and reseat it and if you still have the same issue then it is a problem with the battery and you need to call in for a new one

[seishindo]

Hi Discotronic and others,
Is the battery up date on the Panther disk that comes with the computer or do I need to go to Apple?

Here is what is happening now.
I reset the Power Manager and everything seemed fine.

But now, if the computer is sleeping and not plugged in it dies and once I had to do a forced restart.

Then just now, I woke it from sleep it showed 87% of a charge, set it back to sleep, and it immediately died.

Maybe the battery upgrade will fix this?

TIA
charlie

[ClaraT]

Originally posted by zen:
Hi,

Before I scoot off to Orlando and buy me a 12" iBook, I have a couple of more questions:

1. Can somebody check and see what the combo drive model is? Is it the Matshita-CW 8123? As the drive will initially be region 1, and I'll be taking it back home which is region 2, that already uses up one of the four permitted region changes.

2. How does battery calibration work, and what do you do? Is it simply a matter of leaving the iBook to discharge completely, then charge it up fully, as soon as I get it?

Zen

What does region 1 and region 2 mean? And what are "permitted region changes"? Can you not cross the border with an ibook?

clarat

[zen]

Originally posted by ClaraT:
What does region 1 and region 2 mean? And what are "permitted region changes"? Can you not cross the border with an ibook?

clarat

DVDs are, for ridiculous reasons that needn't be delved into here, divided up into different regions. Region 1 is US, Canada, 2 is UK, Europe, Japan, 3 is China, Asia, 4 is New Zealand, Australia, South America...etc etc. There are 8 regions I think.

This means that a DVD bought in say region 1 won't play in a player from say region 2. Unless you have a multiregion player.

As I'm buying my iBook in the US, the DVD drive will be set to region 1. I'm taking it back to New Zealand, which is region 2. The drive will allow you to change the region 5 times before it locks onto the last region you set it to. Don't ask me why, that is also quite ridiculous.

Zen

[seishindo]

Hi,
I guess I have a screwed battery.
I got the battery upgrade from the Apple site, and applied it, and I also reset the Power Manager,
And still the computer sometimes does not wake from sleep with a forced restart.

Any other ideas?