Hello - As you can tell I am new to this board but I have a question. I love the old colorful ibooks... however, there's two aspects of the ibook that prevent me from using them - the low 800x600 screen res and the low end g3. So I would like to put a motherboard from a G4800 ibook (or other more modern ibook) in the clam shell body. The G4 ibooks are physically smaller than the clamshells so I think it should fit with some minor modding to secure the MB. Connections to the screen are probabaly another issue but I think can be over come with some rewiring.
Later - I want to replace the screen to a 1024x748 - I think finding an LCD with the original size of the SE screen should not be a *huge* problem.
Is the motherboard swap possible? I think it should be able to fit.... ROM and video card are soldered on there already...
Thanks
I don't know if it is. I like your I idea. I will do some research.
Macme
the boards are angled in differently into the case. The G4 ibook uses a more square design that would not fit into the clamshell case. Also, the G4 iBook (and dual USB G3) has several external added cards (functions not built into the main Motherboard, more type of a daughter card). You would have to replace the Keyboard with a Dual USB one. the trackpad would have to be removed from a Dual USB, as well as an LCD 12" from a G4 800MHz of the same model. You might as well buy a new iBook for the price that you would spend on this hack
So is there anyway to put a lower power G4 chip in to this ibook? Perhaps using the mother board of a Pismo? Any idea's?
I am working out a deal for a 500MHz G4 upgrade for my clamshell ibook with a company called Wegener Media, www.wegenermedia.com. Heat is going to be a problem. Removing the modem for a custom cooling solution from Thermacore, www.thermacore.com might be a solution. The lcd is proving to be a problem for me too. Many will actually fit but the problem is the video size that the built in chips can display. If you or anyone else can find a solution please post it here.
MORE MONEY THAN BRAINS!
If we all did things that made sense you would never see "mountain climbing accident" in the news!
I was thinking about placing a lcd that is 1024*768. This is the resolution of the Pismo. The 466 SE models of the ibook ran the same video chip as the pismo so I cant see that the video card would be an issue unless you attempting to gain greater resolution than the pismo or have an older video chip (366 model or lower. )
That's interesting (ie suspicious). The CPU on a clamshell is soldered on, not socketed. So there *are* no CPU upgrades for iBooks. And as others have pointed out here, the motherboard is hardly a straight swap either. So what exactly are they planning to sell you? A Wallstreet/Pismo CPU upgrade (that won't fit)?
You should also do a thorough search of these forums for LCD swap. The physical size and the pixel size are *definitely* not the only problems.
the ports probably wont line up.
I've not heard of this upgrade, but it's very likely possible. After all, there are outfits out there (eg: wegnermedia) reworking Pismo CPU modules from G3 to G4. I doubt there's a viable market for such a beast, but hey . . .
Anyone care to give us more details about this alleged iBook upgrade?
dan k
How about unsoldering the ibook procesor chip,and soldering the pismo's in?
You'd have to be completely insane and/or a perfect solderer.
the iBook uses the ultra thin 750FX (gx) processor. Not compatible with the 750 in the Pismo.
the internal parts for ibooks and powerbooks are usualy designed to fit just right, so it might not work, however the clamshells are really nice, i have a g3 366 graphite se with soon to be 320mb ram, a 20gb hd and a 12" display that supports 1024x768 and its the factory display, i bought it on ebay for $225 after shipping so maybe you should look for a good deal on a decent clamshell instead, besides some of the g3's with enough ram can keep up with low end g4's.
How did you manage to get 1024x768 out of that lcd. The best I've been able to manage out of them has been 800x600.
-iantm
Please post the link to the eBay auction. I really want to find out if I can put a screen that supports 1024x768 into the clamshell. That's the only thing from the clamshell not being my primary portable.
LOL sorry to sound desperate but I really love the clamshell. It's so retro and different from ANY laptop out there. I currently have an Indigo 366, 512, 20G. My portables are only used for typing and stuff. A 10 b 7 screen would help a lot
Please post that auction or any links on the web that would help with this.
on the thought of the motherboard, the board itself might fit fine. you would probably have to cut the case for extended ports or for a door in that case. the issue is, however, that it would be harder to fit in a battery and drives. it might be possible to get creative with the cd drive and hard drive, but it'd be difficult.