Question on Compatibility of iBook and TiBook optical drives

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tmtomh's picture
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Question on Compatibility of iBook and TiBook optical drives

For Dan K. or anyone else with the required expertise:

Can an optical drive from an iBook G4 be installed in a 400MHz Powerbook G4?

Specifically, the pix I've seen of TiBook G4 optical drives show them to have a different form factor than more modern optical drives like those in the iBook G4. But I don't know if the drive is a different size/shape, or if the TiBook just uses a cage/carrier that makes it look different.

I also note from Dan's Web page that iBook G4s use, among other models, a Matshita CW-8123 "combo" drive, whereas 400/500MHz TiBooks use, among others, a Matshita CW-8121-B. I imagine - but do not know for sure - that these drives must share a basic form-factor, in which case the two different models of Mac would have physically interchangeable optical drives.

Can anyone confirm?

TIA,
Matt

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re: Question on Compatibility of iBook and TiBook optical drives

Scroll down my page to "TiBook optical drive upgrades", where you'll find the answer to your question. Biggrin

The first generation 400/500 TiBooks use a non-standard-form-factor slot-load DVD slim drive, without any extra brackets and with a non-standard location for its 50-pin ATAPI connector. . . .

The G4 iBooks use standard form-factor slotload drives.
To sum up, to install a standard slot-load slim drive into a 400/500 TiBook, from a TiBook 550/667 you'll need a pair of brackets and an interface cable, plus you'll have to trim the case bottom.

dan k

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Thanks!

Didn't notice that bit - it always pays to scroll!

Matt

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