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Zimwy · May 5, 2002, 02:13 PM

Hey,
I have a 400 Mhz powerbook g4. Can anybody think of any cool mods I can do to it? Also, how hard is it to put some thin plastic film behind the apple on the back of the screen? Thanks,

Gabe

vmarks · May 5, 2002, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by Zimwy:
Hey,
I have a 400 Mhz powerbook g4. Can anybody think of any cool mods I can do to it? Also, how hard is it to put some thin plastic film behind the apple on the back of the screen? Thanks,

Gabe

You can add things to the book, like racing pin stripes, or vinyl film to cover the ti paint and make it a different color- but opening the screen is supposedly impossible.

x user · May 5, 2002, 05:53 PM

Anything the was put together can be opened.

Borborygmi · May 5, 2002, 08:05 PM

Yes, but can it then be put BACK together again? (and not look like sh*t!)

The Godfather · May 6, 2002, 12:45 AM

Make a battlebot! Control it with the Powerbook.

GlobalNomad · May 6, 2002, 01:29 AM

Originally posted by Zimwy:
Hey,
I have a 400 Mhz powerbook g4. Can anybody think of any cool mods I can do to it? Also, how hard is it to put some thin plastic film behind the apple on the back of the screen? Thanks,

Gabe

Stick a couple of stamps on it (makes the computer look really cool) then send it ot me

.

Zimwy · May 6, 2002, 02:23 AM

Originally posted by The Godfather:
Make a battlebot! Control it with the Powerbook.

Make a battlebot. Hmmm. I wish I could. Anybody know where to learn how or want to teach me the basics of robotics and such. Oh, here's an idea: My friend (a **shudder** windows user) just got a VFD (much like LED) display for 20 bucks. He found a short tutorial on how to hook it up via serial port and someone else out there wrote software for it. It can display his Winamp song and a bzillion others things as well. Anybody know how to get one of these working under USB for OS X? How amazing would that be? It's really a beautifully looking thing and for so cheap it'd be amazing to have it mounted on your wall showing how many emails you have... I have basic programming skills in Java, but no knowledge whatsoever of USB drivers or anything of that sort. Any clues, help or ideas?

Gabe

Nimisys · May 6, 2002, 02:47 AM

look at this thread for lCD/VFD info: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread....hreadid=248302

hit up this forum for info on a concersion to usb... just to let you know... its not been done yet: http://www.hardforum.com/forumdispla...amp;forumid=13

Zimwy · May 6, 2002, 02:56 AM

This is what I'm talking about hooking up: http://bgm.bgmicro.com/prodinfo.asp?...fd&stype=3

on the other hand, it seems fairly simply to get one of these and just hook it up to the video out port:
http://i-mcm.com/Hobbyist/60x9855-frame.jhtml

Gabe

Zimwy · May 6, 2002, 10:25 AM

So, this: http://i-mcm.com/Hobbyist/60x9855-frame.jhtml
looks like it could be pretty cool. It comes with an RCA adapter cable. I have the S-Video adapter that came with the powerbook. So, should I just string all those together to run it from the TV out of my powerbook? Then, unfortunately, comes the power problem. It says Power connection is made via a 7" pigtail lead using 12 V DC. I (not being an electrical person just yet) don't know what that is completely. I would need an AC to DC adaptor, right? Are they expensive? Are they hard to make? So, here's my final plan:
I get a power supply, I get the screen and adapter wire, and it appears that I should just be able to sling it all together (power from wall to screen, composite video out from powerbook to adapter wire listed on the page to the screen) and it should work. Any thoughts?

Gabe

maffioso · May 15, 2002, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by Nimisys:
look at this thread for lCD/VFD info: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?s=1d1a40f697b9a98166161b4a3f2e158f& amp;threadid= 248302

hit up this forum for info on a concersion to usb... just to let you know... its not been done yet: http://www.hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?s=1d1a40f697b9a98166161b4a3f2e158 f&forumid=13

Awesome, give it a go...

If you do post the results...

� · May 16, 2002, 08:59 AM

Where can I find replacements (if everything goes wrong) for the rubber dots that protect the screen while being closed?

[ 05-16-2002: Message edited by: � ]

James Mullins · May 16, 2002, 10:43 PM

Hi Zimwy,

I am currently doing quite a lot of work relating to Apple control of a mobile robot, I have an ibook 500 that I use to control a powerbook G3 on board my mobile six wheeled robot. This robot sends back video and audio and can be controlled over the internet and handle things such as path planning, speech and task execution. I use a USB to serial adaptor and this is connected to some home made microcontrollers.
I program in RealBasic and am always on the lookout for brocken / damaged apple powerbooks / ibooks to implement on my robots....

If anyone needs any help in this interesting area please let me know....BTW I am currently in my final year of Robotics Engineering in Australia.....

Also....Does anyone know where I can find Quicktime Broadcaster or something similar for OSX?

Thankyou

James Mullins
Deakin Uni
Australia

May 21, 2002, 01:39 PM

4 days till total TITANIUM MAKEOVER..stripping paint..

Arcayx · May 25, 2002, 11:59 AM

Okay, I'd like to see/hear about how the paint stripping goes.
What are you planning on doing once all the paint is gone? I was thinking about a shiny black paint. Something along those lines for my own. I'm just not sure how it would hold up.

vmarks · May 26, 2002, 07:53 AM

You can always overclock the poor titantium-

<a href="http://www.voelker.com/service/void/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.voelker.com/service/void/index.html</a>

I too am looking for powerbooks in need of reviving.

Zimwy · May 26, 2002, 10:44 AM

Hey,
Well, my original plan of attaching the LCD screen has come to a temporary stop. Here's the story:

First, I finally got the screen, but I had to make my own power supply for it. Now, there were two wires coming out of the screen, one of which was striped, and two wires coming out of the power supply one of which was striped. You'd assume that both striped ones were the same direction of current, but then you'd be wrong. Needless to say that screen doesn't quite work all that well anymore. Also, on a completely different not for a second, maybe someone can answer this question:
One of the wires (i think the negative one) coming off the lcd screen had a big plastic thing at the end that you could push in and turn. What is that? The wire comes out of both ends, but isn't connected in the middle. The plastic thing is spring loaded and can be pushed in and turned so that it stays pushed in, but even then the wires on both of its ends don't touch. Anyway, back to the story.
So, I blew up the screen and sent it back. They claimed to be sending me a new one within 3 business days. Myself, being the everhopeful one hoped that it was three business days of the phone call, not three business days of them receiving my returned LCD screen. So (this all took place up at College which is now over) on the last night of school, somebody broke into my room and stole my computer. Thankfully it was insured though. Any advice on waiting 'till july? I think I'm going to do my best to, but it's goign to be hard. On the other hand I'd feel mighty stupid if they came out with revised powerbooks then. (The millions of apple deals might be a clue of that too!) So, the screen also didn't arrive before I left school, so now my school has to forward it home which I'm sure will take years.
Anyway, just letting you all know that it will eventually happen and as soon as it does, there will be pictures here!

Any advice for waiting until July? Am I being stupid since they just came out with new powerbooks?

Gabe

Stogieman · May 27, 2002, 03:01 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Zimwy:

Any advice on waiting 'till july? I think I'm going to do my best to, but it's goign to be hard. On the other hand I'd feel mighty stupid if they came out with revised powerbooks then. (The millions of apple deals might be a clue of that too!)...

Any advice for waiting until July? Am I being stupid since they just came out with new powerbooks?

Gabe<hr /></blockquote>I see no point on waiting till July. Apple usually upgrades the powerbooks every six months which means the next upgrade won't be until sept/oct. The Powerbook Forum already has a thread discussing this subject which you may find interesting.

<a href="http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=005019" target="_blank">New Powerbook now or wait til July</a>