Anyone here ever swap the CD/DVD drives on a TiPowerBook?

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Anyone here ever swap the CD/DVD drives on a TiPowerBook?

I'm looking into swapping the CD/DVD ROM drive on my TiPowerBook 500 for one of these beauties;

http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/computer/storage/optical/models/UJ846B.htm

(A dual layer CD/DVDx8 RAM.) This seems like a compatible move, same protocol, size (the slimline line), and maker (Panosonic/Matshita). It is shown with an external black plastic bezel and push button, but I think that these are removable.

This site has them for $105.00 (selling on ebay for $125?!?!?) ;

http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?query=UJ-845-B&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0&catalog=meritline

Am I missing something (comptability wise)? Advice, warnings, and encouragements all welcomed. Thanks in advance. . .

Mutant_Pie

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yep

Your original DVD drive is not a standard slimline mechanism. From my web page about Optical drives in post-EBM PowerBooks, scroll down toward the bottom:

Three points specific to the 400/500 models:

* It is possible to replace a 400/500's optical with a standard form-factor slim drive with some additional steps. The original drive has no brackets, its rubber mounting grommets attaching directly to the drive. Standard form-factor slim drives need brackets, those from a 550/667 model will work, those from DVI models will NOT.
* Also, the cable from the original drive won't work with standard form-factor slim drives. A cable from the 550/667 series will work, but DVI models' cable will NOT.
* On the couple of swaps I did, with the replacement drive in place the case bottom didn't fit. A pair of protrusions need to be trimmed off at the front edge of the case bottom to allow it to seat correctly.

I'd suggest the Pioneer DVR-K05 (eg: US$87 with free shipping from zipzoomfly, or from meritline for US$90) instead, same functionality but a bit cheaper. It's what I put into my 667DVI. I did have to shunt pins 47-45 on the cable to force the drive to Master, but a blob of solder took all of a minute to 'install'.

dan k

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ty, ty, ty! . . .and now. . .?

Thankyou so much for the guidance! (Instructions really.)

Do you have any advice on how/where to obtain the brackets and cable?

Mutant_Pie

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eBay

Keep your eyes out for a complete combo drive from a gigE TiBook, making sure it comes with the brackets and cables. Plenty of older 'Books are broken and parted out nowadays, so it's just a matter of searching eBay regularly.

dan k

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Drive Noise

Dankephoto-

[I had a question on this and I think the orig. poster will be interested]

When I swapped my drive for a cd burner from a 550/667 it went pretty easy. I got it from Ebay with everything that is needed. I did have to remove the faceplate though.

My question is the noise. It works flawlessly (read and burning) but when its accessing a disk it has a lot of mechanical noise. The noise seems to be a "good" noise (no grinding etc) but just a loud noise for a laptop. It also seems to be more of a manual insert than the original. I have to push the disk almost all the way in before it grabs it.

Is there something different as far as noice cancelling in the 550/667 than my 400? The orig. drive was nice and quiet.

MaxTek

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Mounting bracket set. . .

Does this look like the correct mounting bracket set for what I want to do? (See description above)

http://www.smalldog.com/product/34482

Mutant_Pie

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Here's another mounting bracket option. . .

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Mounting-Bracket-for-Titanium-Combo---Superdrive-p-16493.html

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re: Drive Noise

Newer mechanisms spin the disk faster, I suspect that's the louder noise you hear. Also, the newer mechanism is probably made of alumimum, not the hefty steel of the original, so may in fact not damp the whirring as well.

dan k

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brackets and cable

The powerbookmedic item will work, but the cost (IMO) is a tad high. The smalldog set is for a DVI 'Book and won't work for you. FYI, the cable you need is much larger, sort of U-shaped, and the brackets are different.

Seriously, I see drives with brackets & cable on eBay all the time, if you are even a little patient you'll score a complete combo-drive-with-brackets-and-cable for way less than $70.

dan k

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cost/availability. . .ebay!

Yup, I've already found a set (cables and bracket, I think) for about $30, with the combo drive.

Mutant_Pie

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Got the hardware. . . is a software patch needed?

Dan k,

Thanks again for the previous advice. I did get the hardware (brackets, cable, and Pioneer DVR-K05). I've also read your linked to page. I find it interesting that you had to shunt the two pins that you mentioned, I think I'll try installing it without. Also, I've noticed on one or two of the sites selling upgrade kits for this upgrade function, that they have a software patch, but not this model of drive. I'm running OS 10.4.5, will that recognize the drive automatically? I am trying to Google for this data, but having minimal success. . .

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re: is a software patch needed?

Yeah, for OS-supported burning you'll probably need to use the patch (what-the-hecks-it-called-anyhow?) I only use Toast to burn so I never bothered to use the patch. (*%(%^ dang it what's it called . . .?) Blum 3

As for the Master/slave thing, you don't need the drive set to master unless you want to be able to boot from a CD holding the "C" key.

dan k

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Re: re: is a software patch needed?

... you'll probably need to use the patch (what-the-hecks-it-called-anyhow?)

Patchburn.

http://www.patchburn.de

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Thanks folks!

That should cover the topic then. Thanks again dankephoto and swsmith for the good help.

As it is a basic function that is standard to Macs, I think that I'd better shunt the two pins and make the drive a "master." Thank you for explaining that function.

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Cable pin shunting. . .

Uh-oh. . . I just realized that the Powerbook 500/55/667 cable set-up is different than the one you mention (the DVI 667), so the cables are different. I'll consult the drive spec sheet to check the slave/master set-up. . . .

. . . I'll report my findings back here.

On the cable I have pins 45 and 47 are not shunted at the drive connector end. It is the Apple OEM Fujikura manufactured cable.

Mutant_Pie

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re: On the cable I have pins 45 and 47 are not shunted

The original cable won't be shunted, it's the device itself that's set to Master (or Slave.) Any shunting necessary to force 'Master' will be the same pins as my web page shows for the Lombard/Pismo EBM mod.

dan k

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Done and tested, mostly. . .

Thanks again everyone. I shunted pin 45 to 47, got the drive installed, installed Patchburn4 (which instantly and correctly ID the drive), then burned my first DVD in my lovely TiPowerBook 500! Also, I've booted from the new DVD drive, and accessed it in OS 9 (though I didn't try to burn with it at all in OS 9, it did recognize a disk.)

I just wished that I would have had the time to test the drive without the shunting, and without the installation of PatchBurn4. I suspect that OS 10.4 has a few different drivers built-in. . . am I off base? I'm very pleased with the results anyway. This drive is quick. I recommend this mod. I'm definitely sending a PayPal donation to the creator of PatchBurn4, and will mention that I'm looking forward to a version for the BlueRay HD DVD drives when they are available. (Harr, harr!)

Mutant_Pie

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