20 replies to this topic

[Fletch]

The backlight on my wife's iBook recently failed. I had an old dead Atari 810 in the basement. Rather than fixing either one, I decided to bring my two computing loves together. Thus the iBrick project has begun.

I still need to relocate some ports and snazzy up the exterior a bit, but as of this afternoon it is functional.

Enjoy the pics and suggestions are welcome!

Pete

http://homepage.mac....otoAlbum24.html

[Room 34]

Nice work! I'm a little surprised to see it hooked to a TV (although, with old Atari computer hardware, I suppose it makes sense! ). Can you actually read what's on the screen?

I used to hook my old iBook up to my TV to play MAME. My new iBook can't do that though... Apple switched from the combined A/V 1/8-inch output to a regular headphone jack, so you have to use the monitor video-out jack to get any mirrored video. I don't have the proper connections for that.

[Fletch]

Room 34, on Sat Dec 3, 2005 2:27 PM, said:

Nice work! I'm a little surprised to see it hooked to a TV (although, with old Atari computer hardware, I suppose it makes sense! ). Can you actually read what's on the screen?

I used to hook my old iBook up to my TV to play MAME. My new iBook can't do that though... Apple switched from the combined A/V 1/8-inch output to a regular headphone jack, so you have to use the monitor video-out jack to get any mirrored video. I don't have the proper connections for that.

Actually on the TV in the picture it is quite fuzzy. However when connected to my Commodore 1702 it looks quite nice at 800x600.

I have the s-video adapter for the iBook that allows me to hook it up to a TV. The picture looks better on a VGA monitor, but somehow it just doesn't feel right.

My next task is to move the ports to the rear of the 810 so I don't need to open it to attach peripherals.

I think something like this might help.

[classics]

[SteveW]

Nice one! But you know, you could have just brought the iBook to an Apple authorized repair place, and they'd be able to replace the burnt out backlight...

Now what you need to do is get one of those Atari style USB joysticks to hook up to it. Or a Stelladaptor pre-installed in the back.

[Fletch]

SteveW, on Sat Dec 3, 2005 3:46 PM, said:

Nice one! But you know, you could have just brought the iBook to an Apple authorized repair place, and they'd be able to replace the burnt out backlight...

Now what you need to do is get one of those Atari style USB joysticks to hook up to it. Or a Stelladaptor pre-installed in the back.

Well, I was out of warranty and we bought a new G4 iBook for the wife. Plus this just looked liked too much fun.

Yes, I need to put on Atari800MacX and Stella. Now if only AtariMax Steve would make APE for Mac OS X I'd be in heaven.

In fact, the case used was bought from AtariMax a few years ago. I bought the 810 with Archiver from him. It worked for quite a while and I backed up a bunch of stuff but it eventually died. I saved the case and it has worked out

Pete

Edited by Fletch, Sat Dec 3, 2005 3:12 PM.

[Chrodegang]

Cute little thing

[KulorXL]

Hah, that thing 0wnz. Awesome work.

[classics]

There really is a lot of room in those cases. It would probably make a nice home for a mini PC too.

[Fletch]

classics, on Sun Dec 4, 2005 9:34 AM, said:

There really is a lot of room in those cases.  It would probably make a nice home for a mini PC too.

I actually had planned on doing just that about a year ago. A mini-itx motherboard would fit nicely. I just never got around to buying the parts. When the iBook died I changed gears because the parts were "available"

Pete

[Fletch]

I've added the rear ports and have put on some stickers. Just a few minor adjustments here and there, but I'm probably 95% finished.

I want to thank everyone for the kind words on the project. I made the iBrick just to entertain me, but its nice when others appreciate it as well.



I've also updated my initial site with a few more pictures if you'd like to see more.

http://homepage.mac....otoAlbum24.html

Pete

Edited by Fletch, Wed Dec 7, 2005 9:51 PM.

[classics]

Hehe you get extra points for creative use of promotional rulers.

[bedouin]

If you don't know, PB Fixit sells just about any part for a Mac portable and provides very detailed instructions on installing everything. If you haven't destroyed your iBook's enclosure it might be worth looking into.

[Fletch]

bedouin, on Wed Dec 7, 2005 11:31 PM, said:

If you don't know, PB Fixit sells just about any part for a Mac portable and provides very detailed instructions on installing everything.  If you haven't destroyed your iBook's enclosure it might be worth looking into.

Oh, it's destroyed alright My wife just shakes her head when she sees what is left She has a new iBook now though so we're all happy.

Pete

[Fletch]

classics, on Wed Dec 7, 2005 11:31 PM, said:

Hehe you get extra points for creative use of promotional rulers.

That's how you can tell the project was done on the cheap Plus I know very little about electronics and figured wood tends to be non-conductive so It seemed like a good way to mount the logic board without frying it.

My soldering skills seemed to improve a bit through this experience so I guess I learned something.

Pete

[doctorclu]

Fletch, on Sat Dec 3, 2005 12:50 PM, said:

The backlight on my wife's iBook recently failed.  I had an old dead Atari 810 in the basement.  Rather than fixing either one, I decided to bring my two computing loves together.  Thus the iBrick project has begun.

I still need to relocate some ports and snazzy up the exterior a bit, but as of this afternoon it is functional.

Enjoy the pics and suggestions are welcome!

Pete

http://homepage.mac....otoAlbum24.html

You know the REAL beauty of this?

SIO2PC has been ported to the Macs now...

http://www.atariage....showtopic=82249

So now you can have a Mac in a 810 case acting as a virtual drive for the Atari 8-bits. If I didn't have to trash a 810 to accomplish it, I would probably do what you did. I have SIO2OSX running on 10.3.9 on a G3 300 mhz. And you will need a special usb to serial adaptor, but they explain all that there.

[Fletch]

Dr. Clu,

I have downloaded the software, but the serial port adapter I have does noyt work with it. I need to get that.

Pete

doctorclu, on Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:09 PM, said:

Fletch, on Sat Dec 3, 2005 12:50 PM, said:

The backlight on my wife's iBook recently failed.  I had an old dead Atari 810 in the basement.  Rather than fixing either one, I decided to bring my two computing loves together.  Thus the iBrick project has begun.

I still need to relocate some ports and snazzy up the exterior a bit, but as of this afternoon it is functional.

Enjoy the pics and suggestions are welcome!

Pete

http://homepage.mac....otoAlbum24.html

You know the REAL beauty of this?

SIO2PC has been ported to the Macs now...

http://www.atariage....showtopic=82249

So now you can have a Mac in a 810 case acting as a virtual drive for the Atari 8-bits. If I didn't have to trash a 810 to accomplish it, I would probably do what you did. I have SIO2OSX running on 10.3.9 on a G3 300 mhz. And you will need a special usb to serial adaptor, but they explain all that there.

[doctorclu]

Fletch, on Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:21 AM, said:

Dr. Clu,

I have downloaded the software, but the serial port adapter I have does noyt work with it.  I need to get that.

Pete

You're 810 looking Mac will be perfect! I know you'll love it once you get it going.

[Fletch]

Well, I finally got around to get SIO2OSX up and running on the iBrick. Best $25 i've spent in a long while. I have the iBrick set to boot right into SIO2OSX on startup and have a VNC server installed. I use one of my other macs to control the iBrick and it works like a champ.

I chose to use a VNC server so the iBrick doesn't need a keyboard, mouse, or monitor. Besides its custom paint job, It looks just like the other 810 its daisy chained to.

This project has worked out better than I had expected! I can post some updated shots if anyone cares.

[Stephen]

Fletch, on Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:56 PM, said:

Well, I finally got around to get SIO2OSX up and running on the iBrick. Best $25 i've spent in a long while. I have the iBrick set to boot right into SIO2OSX on startup and have a VNC server installed. I use one of my other macs to control the iBrick and it works like a champ.

I chose to use a VNC server so the iBrick doesn't need a keyboard, mouse, or monitor. Besides its custom paint job, It looks just like the other 810 its daisy chained to.

This project has worked out better than I had expected! I can post some updated shots if anyone cares.

Yeah - post some shots. It's always cool to see what other people are running.

Stephen Anderson

[Beetle]

Very nice work! Ever thought to enter a casemod competition with your iBrick?
My vote would be shure...

Beetle