Powerbook 170 - Apple's High End $13,000 Laptop From 1991 - Review & repair!
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- Опубліковано 10 січ 2022
- Hi! Big thanks to www.pcbway.com for sponsoring this video!
Back in 1991, if you wanted a no expense spared top of the range laptop, then you bought the Powerbook 170.
Today we take a look at this first truly mobile Apple computer, and then we pull it apart to fix a few things, mainly a replacement mouse ball, leaky battery, and lots and lots of broken plastic standoffs.
The main issue affecting these old Powerbooks, this one included, is a phenomenon called 'Tunnel Vision'. This is where the screen gradually darkens from the outside, usually starting in the corners. The longer the screen is left on, the smaller the tunnel of viewable screen becomes. So far there is no known definitive fix, but due to a recent UA-cam video claiming a new fixing method I decide to give it a try.
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I had one of those at work when it came out. I remember that pattern on the screen when I turned it on back then.
Cool! What sort of work did you use it for?
@@TheBasementChannel Mostly just took it on trips and took notes and played a lot of games in boring meetings ;) I did my real work on a desktop computer in my cubicle.
I had a 140 in the late 90's and it always did that weird black bar pattern at boot. I wouldn't be worried about it I guess. On a related note, I had thought my 140 was gone forever, but recently found it in a pile of old computer stuff! It chimes, but the screen apparently needs recapping. Guess why I'm suddenly nostalgic for classic Mac Powerbook videos? :D
That’s cool you found it again! Happy tinkering.
Ahhh... 1991,.. what a great year!
It was a great time to be alive!
Glad to find this channel. I declare you the new Jason’s Macintosh Museum!
That’s a massive compliment, thank you! I love Jason’s channel, I wish he was still making videos. I’ve found them very helpful.
Hai una grande pazienza e una enorme passione, ti seguo con molto interesse e i tuoi video sono veramente molto interessanti per chi ama il mondo Apple vintage. Grazie, un abbraccio, Stefano.
Grazie Stefano, sono felice che il video ti piaccia. Grazie per il tuo bel e incoraggiante commento!
Great education video for ever ❤
Thank you sir.
Nice work! Looking forward to the baking results. (PS that pattern on boot is normal)
Great, thanks for letting me know! 😅
That was one crusty battery indeed. Looking forward for part 2!
Super crusty 😳
I have a growing jealousy over your collection!
It’s really just a room full of broken computers 😆
What an awesome channel this is! Subbed :)
Why thank you! That’s very kind 😊
@@TheBasementChannel thank you! Had this video not existed I would have had to disassemble my PowerBook 170 twice instead of just going straight the oven! Lol
I have PowerBook 180 with the same problem. As for the case, I have my fingers and eyes crossed hoping someone will step up and make replacement cases a la the Amiga community has done for their systems. After baking, would there be a way to reseal the thing? Nail polish around the edge or similar?
I would be hesitant to use anything to seal the edge. It’s not apparent where you would apply it, and the moisture theory isn’t really proven yet. Some say the baking helps restore the contacts between the lcd and board. No one really knows for sure.
I have a 170 i used the epoxy then dropped it so i took the springs out of the hinges so now it moves freely
Hey what expoxy did you use?
Hey sorry to bother you but I have a question that I think you can answer. I have a Powerbook 170 but it doesn't have a hard drive. I've heard of CF Card HD adapters but I don't know which one I could use in my machine. Would you have any clue? Or if I can even get a replacement HD in general? Thanks!
No bother! These early Apple laptops are tricky in that they use SCSI hard drives, so normal CF-IDE adapters don’t work. Good news however is the blueSCSI project is an affordable option. And I think they are now making a powerbook version. I have one I use on the external SCSI bus. Check out the blueSCSI wiki or do a search for that on UA-cam. Have fun!
@@TheBasementChannel Thanks a bunch 🙂
If it’s a moisture issue, what if you put the screen in a food dehydrator? Would that be safer than the oven?
I did think of that, but decided on the oven for the following reasons: 1. I don’t have a food dehydrator. 2. Every food dehydrator I have seen is round, and I’m not sure how the screen would fit. 3. Every dehydrator I’ve seen is fairly cheap with basic controls, with the oven I can keep a constant finely controlled temperature. 4. Any oven can dehydrate food as good as a food dehydrator, so I can’t actually see the dehydrator doing a better job than the oven, and don’t see why it would be any safer?
Happy for someone else to try and report back.
I had my fingers crossed on the "simple fix."
Too good to be true! 🤷♂️
What’s the brand of epoxy?
ramset.com.au/product/chemset-101-plus/
@@TheBasementChannel thank you
The tunnel vision is just Apple being ahead of the times with Instagram filters
Trendy vignette effect? You pay extra for that!
170 should be better than 150