It's Alive!
I thought up a project where I could turn the Powerbook 5300c that Jeb gave me for Christmas a few years ago into a digital picture frame. The first problem was the Powerbook didn't actually work. As you will recall, I found out that if I replaced the power tip on the AC adapter that I could get it to work. But there was no modem and the splice came undone, so I lost interest.
However, the 5300c has a 10-inch active matrix screen that supports thousands of colors and I have nothing to lose. So last night I took it completely apart down to the motherboard and various components. So today I rebuilt the splice (using butt connectors) reattached most of the pieces I thought it would need (not the IR port, floppy drive, video card, battery, battery power supply). That didn't work. So I reconnected the power supply and it started up!
Now I just need to find a slide show viewer that I can put in the startup folder, load a bunch of pictures, and mount the whole thing to a frame like this guy.
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Comments (6)
That's your dining room table... aka surgical table. That stuff about working static free is just a bunch of hooey.
Posted by Jeb | June 27, 2006 12:21 AM
I love that! Will you make me one?
Posted by Sista | June 27, 2006 11:40 AM
I had a setback today. I was trying to load some software and the ribbon connecting the trackpad was resting on the motherboard, unfortunately right on the very, very hot processor. This melted part of the ribbon cable and while the trackpad still works, the click button does not. I could remedy this by getting software that lets you tap the trackpad instead of clicking the button, but I will need an old Apple mouse to do anything. Right now all I can do is move the cursor around.
Posted by UT | June 27, 2006 11:55 PM
I have a drawer full of old Apple stuff (including mice) that I was about to throw out. Will salvage a mouse. Also have a 520c that may have a compatible trackpad ribbon.
Posted by Jeb | June 28, 2006 5:42 PM
That would be great. I have a 520 as well and will see if I can use the ribbon. It's a funky ribbon that branches off to the trackpad, clicker, and some other thing.
Posted by UT | June 28, 2006 5:48 PM
this is very cool :) hope you can fix the problem
Posted by nicole | June 29, 2006 10:12 AM