Will never understand why TH-cam makes an algorithm that does not send your videos to the top -- your talent is not appreciated enough. I always enjoy your videos.
That's how I fixed my Casio databank watch! One of the holes for the springbar was completely gone, so I filled it in with Krazy Glue and baking soda, then made a new hole. I also fixed the power button on my Pioneer receiver by gluing one of the legs of one of those things that goes in the middle of a pizza to it along with a little baking soda (wow, that was a sentence and a half).
@@Omabatfartsbruh Adam Savage from Discovery hit show Mythbusters it runned from early 2000th to 2018 what a great show and so many things you could learn from Adam and other show members . Adam Savage now have TH-cam channel - Adam Savage Tested where he do all kind of one day builds, making cosplay costumes etc. His making, repair/fixing buildings tips are great !
It pains me greatly to see something rare destroyed by carelessness, but I'm really glad you were able to hodgepodge them together to make a nice working one.
@@shadako2 yeah it was definitely just one bad apple because japanese people know how to take care of stuff. I've seen non-working Wii consoles that looked brand new yet they say that it has been used for years.
Yeah cause there would have been loads of them back then.. there's probably only one or two right now. It's more likely the English manual exists because an English language release was planned but cancelled at the last minute.
donpalmera: Entirely possible, although the manual did specifically state it was exclusive to Japan, so who knows... Another possibility could be that the manual was created in English first & later translated to Japanese. (Or some combination of all these ideas!) And who knows what it was back then, but I can tell you first hand that there's definitely more than one or two English speaking technicians here in Japan, native or otherwise. (Apple is an American company, after all! 😅)
Shipping anything someone paid money for like that is madness. I had an eBay seller charge me $30 to pack a $600 purchase in a box instead of just it's original packaging. I understand labour costs but $30 to pack something correctly is just price gouging. But, I was already in for $600 so of course I paid it. I work at a sorting center. I've seen too much.
@@jordanzish Depends. If I had to go out and buy packaging for a one off sold item, especially an expensive one, it would easily cost me around £10-£15 (so $12-$18) and then have something leftover I probably don't need as a waste - and I have to go out of my way to do that for someone request. Shipping requirements might even dictate I can't use certain cheaper alternatives. There are a lot of ways $30 is not crazy at all.
@@jordanzish Yeah, the reason you were ABLE to pay that fee is because of your own overblown salary at your own sorting center, which is paid for by your center's own exhorbitant fees. You're bitching about the very machine YOU ARE PART OF.
It was the most theatrical, dramatic and best unpacking. I had tears in my eyes. This dedication, fervor ... a master of unpacking !! The best unpacking i've ever seen in my life ...
I was working at Apple during this time period, but I was in the High End Group, (Quadras and Servers). I think you got a good deal with the 040 with FPU and 32MBs RAM! For most common tasks the 040 running at 33 MHz felt faster than the first generation PowerPC CPUs. Especially running earlier builds of System 7. Unless Photoshop was my main app, I’d definitely choose the 33 MHz 040 with FPU over the PPC, and in fact that’s what I had during this era, (a Quadra 650 - one of my favorite Macs of all time). I was a big fan of System 7.1. Most people would upgrade to System 7.6, but there are some good reasons to stay away from System 7.5, (and variants of that generation). Put together an AppleTalk network, run some basic apps like Word and System 7.1.2 on that machine is quite a pleasant experience. I miss the simplicity of those days. “You’ve got mail!”
Every time I see a Apple laptop from this era, I remember Sandra Bullock's "The Net". As someone that from time to time have to glue together laptop's hinges, you can be much more generous with the glue, if the inside part have the space. Modern glues are surprising effective in holding back together broken plastic. And as someone had already said, you can add backing soda to make volume and turn the thing even stronger than when it was new. BTW, kudos for the unpacking part. That was a top notch production!
Apple's notebooks really were innovative during the 90s. They were the first to introduce a trackpad (instead of a trackball) and also to put it below the keyboard, creating the palm rest design that is still around. I never had an Apple notebook until the Intel MacBook, but I always appreciated the 1990s-era Apple notebooks.
Apart from your hardwork of getting these laptops, your presentation is so soothing and calming, it feels good to watch it and hear it even if one is not interested in these things and ultimately get interested in these things.
I had one of these, found it at a computer recycling place around 2001-ish. Somebody had already swapped out the Japanese keyboard for a North American one, and had installed a North American version of the Mac OS(System 7.5 something, I can’t remember). I think it had 40 MB of RAM, which was pretty good for one of those machines. Wish I’d kept it. As others have mentioned, 500 series PowerBooks had thin plastics. 100 series ‘books were more robust in general IMHO.
Fun! I have been living and working in Japan since 1981 and the 550c was my main computer for awhile. Looking at your video makes me wish I'd tucked it away somewhere and kept it. (Owned the 5300 too, and many, many other Macs over the years, starting with the Plus....)
I remember a lot of people waiting for that model and being disappointed when it were only released in Japan. Shortage in screens was what we were told as the reason, but I really don't know.
Wasn't it the proxy shipping service's job to make sure it was packaged well enough to ship? I'm sure you could get some of the money back from them. I've used SuperBuy to get stuff shipped from TaoBao (China), and the entire shipping/packaging is their responsibility.
Most proxy's have different options regarding this. Buyee for example will give you the option to inspect the item or not and also has repackaging options. I normally order trinkets in bulks that aren't worth repackaging since they're not very valuable, but for a laptop, I would pay for it.
@@Agret If you just want to buy a few non-expensive stuff, then stick with ebay and make sure the seller is from Japan. Only go with a proxy service and a Japan only store if you're going to buy something expensive of you are going to buy a lot of items.
@@AiOinc1 I've had a Macintosh Color Classic shipped through a Japanese proxy. Even through seamail, which is the roughest and slowest shipping service, it came out just fine. It ended up just being cheaper doing all that than buying one in Europe, even with all the costs of importing it.
heck, i wish modern smartphones had hot-swappable batteries. Or just user-serviceable batteries at all. Renewable, replaceable rechargable batteries, what a concept!
The 190 & 5300 series had dual battery options as well. The Compaq Armada E500 (late 1999) had a 4 battery option (3 internal and one thin rectangular one that fitted underneath).
I have two Dell Inspiron 8200. (I think it was this number) They have each two bays. I have a pile of batteries but sadly, they all have lost most of their capacity. After a minute of runtime, they are reported as empty. I wish I could replace the cells inside those packs.
This is a great one. Never even heard about 550c and I was a Mac salesman/tech in Europe at the time (and long after). I used to receive lots of old Macs traded in (during to 68xxx to PowerPC -transition) which my employer didn't want so I took them home, some better ones I paid for. I still have a 540c which is in pristine condition. I think my customer traded it in when it was about 3-4 years old. In my market the 540c was a very expensive model costing about 9750€ of todays money (compared to 1995). I believe mine has the PCMCIA -slot. I need to dig it out from my warehouse and look if it still boots after decades of non use.
That’s your proxy services fault mostly. I ordered from the proxy “fromJapan” a N64DD and they had EXCELLENT packaging. They literally just took the local sellers packing and sent it international
Is it just me or is it that the way Colin makes the videos mysterious like the dark unboxing and the end where he says that the donor laptop awaits it's own journey which ties in with ending his journey hunting for one is so interesting? There should be more videos like this man keep it up!
Awesome video, I'm glad you were able to get what you wanted in the end. By the way, your production quality is off the charts which makes your videos very enjoyable to watch!
Beautiful machine. It's always nice to see preservation projects like this, especially for something that otherwise would've been thrown out. And your passion for older Apple products is really neat. Thank you for preserving a neat piece of history, and I look forward to your next upload!
The 500 series was a great line of laptops, but unfortunately the plastics on them were always a weak point, especially on the screen hinge area. I had a 540c that I used for years and there was so much epoxy holding the hinges together it wasn't even funny. Machine was great though. I think 10k 550c units is a good number, i've always wanted one, but never found one reasonable. They fetch a hefty sum. Best thing you can do is get a PPC upgrade, but those are quite expensive since it was only for the 500 series of machines. Glad you were able to find a pair of them and make one good again.
I picked up a pair of powerbook 550c machines from Japan years ago, both came with the PPC upgrades but I am almost afraid to touch them... I've had a 520 and a 540 literally disintegrate on me :(
if there were ever a machine destined to get a SCSI2SD adapter, I'd put my money on it being this one. as far as the donor laptop, you can save the plastics you have that are broken and make all the replacement parts necessary on a high-res 3D printer. 100% totally worth it.
The way these poor machines are treated these days, especially by shipping companies, is really saddening… makes me worried about my PowerBook 190 that’s on the way…
I have a couple of 520c PowerBooks in my collection and neither of them work, although I'm starting to wonder about the power adapter now. I've never been a big fan of this design. It feels kind of rickety somehow compared to some of the earlier and later models I have. I think even when they were new the plastics were not fantastic quality, so it's not at all surprising that it got damaged.
Nice fixing... I've done this type of fixing in the past and it is very frustration process and tedious to watch for screws and cables, etc... I just can't imaging fixing computers like this anymore... I just do the basic: replace RAM or hard drive...
I got a horrible feeling the moment I saw the packaging on the first machine,it was the worst I have seen for a long time,glad you managed to find another it's a lovely laptop. Great video as usual really enjoy these.
I had 2 of these back in the day, I think I still have some of the cabling, especially that monster square SCSI connector at the back. Great effort on the restoration.
I found that when repairing broken plastics and standoffs, I use a mix of JBWeld which gives it a much stronger hold and you can even use it to rebuild stripped screw holes or add additional stability to weaker standoffs. Congrats on your find, what a lovely retro machine.
Years late, but the plastics used on powerbooks in the early to mid 90s were a unique type. They react with JB Weld and it doesn't hold properly. It bubbles and melts the plastic.
I can suggest some special filler compounds and dyes to use for a restoration of the cracks in the first unit. I work with these plastics quite extensively, both with vintage electronics, and automotive plastic compounds, and we use a few specialty products that will be very useful. One of them is SEM Colour Coat, and you can have it mixed to a perfect colour match, then airbrush it over any part. it won't wear off, scratch, or scuff. I have used it both for restoration of faded colours on plastics, and to create custom colour jobs for clients. I'd need to look at the product ID on the plastic fill that we use now, but it's bloody awesome. It starts as a powdery base that you mix with a filler, and slowly dab and caress into the gaps and cracks after bonding and re-enforcing them. From there, you can sand it and smooth it out like bondo for plastic. Let me know f you want more information.
I purchased a Panasonic laserdisc player from Japan through Buyee and paid for them to repackage it. It was one of the best packing jobs I've ever seen. They encased it in a foam mold before boxing it up. I've heard Zen Market is great too (and I hear cheaper too), but I haven't used it myself.
Repairing plastics: I personally use ABS cement. It works on all ABS type plastics (as it has ABS plastic in it). I have used it to repair everything from computer parts to motorcycle fairings to kitchen appliances with excellent results and it is just as strong when it dries as the original.
Very interesting version of the laptop. One thing you are right about is how damn brittle these old Mac laptops are. I have the best PowerBook 5300ce model from 1995. It still functionally works, despite a rotted out battery which I discarded since it was leaking all over the computer. Other than having to basically rebuilt the AC adapter jack due to a short in the wire, and a loose port on the motherboard needing me to resolder due to cold joints, it otherwise works fine. The issue for me is the bad plastics. I want to rebuild mine eventually sometime in the future when I have a bit better income as these laptops can be difficult to find in good quality. My only other idea was to build a wooden case for it. It is the most desirable PowerBook 5300 since it is the ce model with better processor, higher resolution color screen, and better memory and a full 1gb HDD. So not sure if I want to build it into a wooden case. What do you recommend? I got this laptop from my mothers ex boyfriend about 8 years ago. I have wanted to turn it into my little retro Mac gaming machine since I only found out a few years back that Pippin games would natively run on it, I had the idea to use it as such...
This started as such a heartbreak that the happy ending was especially satisfying. I love seeing these interesting old devices preserved for posterity with such care and passion.
The 5x0 series had the ready for PPC stickers at some point, too. At least the ones I saw at my local store did. I assume the mystery laptop is the 2400c? Always wanted one since I saw the photo of it in Mac User with its weird flask-shaped external floppy drive. Japan got all the coolest stuff. Haha
You do amazing video work. Amazing presentation. And enjoyable to watch. I am glad you got your rare computer finally. I never realized apple made a Japanese market only computer.
This hits close to home. One of my bucket list buys was a Thinkpad 755cd. Bought one, needed parts, bought a second.. Mostly fixed up the first, but now the second, while rough, is doable.. so now i'll just have to figure out how to get that one up and running also.. Donor laptops are dangerous!
I sure could use one of you to fix my old computer left by my dad ha ha! : D Awesome videos man - you got the skill AND the courage to fix any kickass Powerbook or Mac Computer! It's amazing to see how well you do it!
one big advantage of this specific Power Book is that it's a power book with I think an active matrix display and is the fastest Non-PowerPC mac laptop you can own. This makes it very useful for playing classic B&W and 16 color mac games which the Power PC sometimes can't properly play due to the color restrictions as well as doing other things that are built for pre-power PC macs. This mac essentially has the power of a Quadra 800 and Quadra 950.
That glue loctite is absolutely horrible for laptop scew posts I've tried using it to glue a screw post down and it only lasted a few days before it snapped again. And in the end I bought Insta-cure gap filling 2oz Bob Smith industries glue And it has held up so far Another glue for plastic that I would recommend is plastruct bondene
I remember a customer ordering a 540c and our distributer said it was one of the first off the line. I remember installing the memory u/g was a little nerve racking because it was such a nice laptop and didn't want crack any plastic. Loved that laptop for the little time I worked with it. Still my favorite from that era.
Awesome video! I had a PowerBook 540c growing up (I got it used of course), and loved the machine! I always searching for the card cage adapter, but even back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, it was fetching at least $150-200 on eBay. It's very cool to see you get the 550c working, I always wanted one. It's a shame the first one got destroyed in shipping. I can't wait to see that PowerBook 2400c. I have a flyer from a collector I can scan if you'd like to feature it. :)
Colin: you should look into mixing aggregates in with your super glue (CA glue), such as graphite. It's an excellent way to repair things like destroyed screw stand offs.
I saw this video and then ran across the podcast video you did back in December of 2016 talking about Apple kind of not seeming to care so much about their creative pro demographic. Again, as with the other videos of yours I've watched lately, I really liked it. I guess I wish you had a chat community going on here as I don't use social media. Anyhow, I think one of the biggest differences between Apple of the present day and Apple of the golden years (let's call that the 1980s and very early 1990s) is that, with both Apple in particular but also the computer technology world at large, it is simply nowhere near as enthusiast driven or enthusiast influenced now as it used to be. Now, everything is about consumer goods and extracting money and controlling users. Honestly, the situation is even worse in the Windows world with W10 being more a marketing platform than an operating system. Nevertheless, a friend had one of the 500 series, as well as one of the 100 series (190, iirc), I owned and then got rid of a 5300c, and so I well remember the hardware of that era. I think these videos you make are really important because so much would be lost otherwise. You do a service in helping keep alive awareness of what has come before. Please keep making these videos!
Hey Colin. I'm alright, trying to do something productive during the lockdown. How are you doing these days? Are you self isolating? I just realised you ask that every video nearly and I've never seen anyone actually respond 😁.
To make really strong super glue repairs after applying the glue cover it with baking soda. Then blow away the excess. Super glue and baking soda will dry instantly and form a kind of plastic that in most cases will be stronger then the original plastics. It is sandable and paintable and can be built up and shaped with a dremel to do complex repairs. Practice before trying on something important but since I learned this technique I have done some amazing repairs.
I know it would be a lot of work, time, and money, but I wonder if 3D printing replacement plastic parts should be considered as an option for a lot of these old machines?
I have used JB weld epoxy to fix standoffs, you can also completely disregard the standoff gluing and build up a standoff from JB weld, you then drill the screw hole and it will be extremely strong.
As an Ebay seller, I can say with some confidence that this packaging was not the seller's fault. The shipping service you used, if they're anything like most international shipping companies, likely removed the item from it's original packaging and re-packaged it to then ship to you, either to reduce weight or reduce size. The workers who do this job are chaos incarnate. They slice into Brand New vintage boxes with large serrated knives to remove the item, and then re-package it using a hodgepodge of whatever random shipping supplies happens to be within arms reach. I've had them remove New vintage iPods still sealed in their original box leaving brutal knife gouges on the ipod in the process. They then haphazardly tape the charger&cord to the ipod(in the exact same way that the power supply was taped to your laptop in the video), wrap it in a single layer of the cheapest bubble wrap known to man, and stuffed it into a clearly pre-used cardboard envelope that was then mailed out the enraged buyer, who proceeded to post a brutally negative review essentially calling me a scammer. While this re-packaging is done in theory to reduce weight and size, it's clear those doing the re-packaging have no set rules or training to guide them, and the result is often a substantially worse package with almost no actual decrease in weight or size. These workers pointlessly tear up original packaging and then re-use it later, likely just to kill time and appear as though they're hard at work saving $ in shipping fees to a thrifty boss who never actually hears any complaints as buyers always blame the original seller, and even if they did, nobody there can read English anyway and they just respond with a google translated generic "thanks for your business" reply. And yes, I'm rather salty about these shipping companies, they've likely destroyed millions in new/used goods due to a completely unnecessary process to save them a buck or two at most in shipping fees.
Cool project and vid. Buying from Japan is made so much easier now thanks to those proxy services, and even with their cut and shipping it's still worth it to import vintage japanese gear, versus buying it on Ebay from US sellers. I just won an auction for a JVC/Victor QL-Y44F turntable and am pretty stoked for it to arrive. it uses the same auto-record size detection technology as the classic Denon DP-47F, but I think the JVC looks better
I did not know 550c was sold only in Japan. I remember that I could not afford at that time. It was priced more than 700,000 yen. I had other b&w model. I like the video beautiful.
Moonlight sonata playing in the background while unboxing an old mac (does not even have to be rare.. I could finally afford a mac mini just a year back.. Till that moment, I was just guessing how these would be ;) ). Yes, ticks a couple of my boxes. Thank you for this. :D
Smh how in the world that computer was shipped...I just back to the IG post to see the condition and said...there’s something else...amazing content as always....
Oh man... The package opening scene... So many flashbacks from horrible eBay sellers. Many an extremely-hard-to-find piece of hardware, destroyed...and gone forever. The suspense is killing me... I'm not done with it yet... Bubble wrap... Oh the bubble wrap.... OH NO... UGH.... NOOOOO....WHY.......... WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY :'( Okay, it's over now... But the scar will remain.
Ooo the 2400. That is one I will wait for. Yes I have two, the US and Japanese versions but not the faster one. Anyway, the 550c is an interesting machine indeed.
I still daydream about my first laptop I got when I was 13.. a Fujitsu Lifebook DX. I believe it was a Japanese model.. they only had a handful of them at CompUSA. My Grandpa was the CTO of Zilog at the time and he wanted to see how it worked (they all used Thinkbooks) and we both agreed it was amazing. Had two swappable bays.. I had a CR-ROC, Zip-Drive and extra battery. Thing had three mice.. 3! I managed to hang onto it til probably 2009 then Im not sure where it went. Downloaded my first MP3 on that thing..
![ร้อยพ่อพันแม่ - WanMai [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XY2pNYASEbg/mqdefault.jpg)
Will never understand why TH-cam makes an algorithm that does not send your videos to the top -- your talent is not appreciated enough. I always enjoy your videos.
Pro tip I picked up from Adam Savage! Mix the glue with baking soda when you want to create some build-up material to strengthen the old plastic :)
@Mr Guru True! But in case of expy shortage it's good to have a backup option :P I like the paperclip tip, will definitely use next time :)
That's how I fixed my Casio databank watch! One of the holes for the springbar was completely gone, so I filled it in with Krazy Glue and baking soda, then made a new hole.
I also fixed the power button on my Pioneer receiver by gluing one of the legs of one of those things that goes in the middle of a pizza to it along with a little baking soda (wow, that was a sentence and a half).
who's adam savge?
Oliver Batura The guy from Mythbusters
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Savage
Side note: He also wrote and performed a song called Brain Candy
@@Omabatfartsbruh Adam Savage from Discovery hit show Mythbusters it runned from early 2000th to 2018 what a great show and so many things you could learn from Adam and other show members . Adam Savage now have TH-cam channel - Adam Savage Tested where he do all kind of one day builds, making cosplay costumes etc. His making, repair/fixing buildings tips are great !
It pains me greatly to see something rare destroyed by carelessness, but I'm really glad you were able to hodgepodge them together to make a nice working one.
they were just lazy. I have had guitars sent from Japan and they knew what they were doing with little hacks to pack it properly.
@@shadako2 yeah it was definitely just one bad apple because japanese people know how to take care of stuff. I've seen non-working Wii consoles that looked brand new yet they say that it has been used for years.
Japanese sellers are know for cutting cost and reducing quality. They are just very good at marketing to convince people that they are the opposite.
@@grapefruitsyrup8185 You do not know what you are talking about at all!
The majority of items ive purchased from eBay have had woefully inadequate packaging
The English manual could also have been used for English speaking technicians living & working at Apple in Japan!
Yeah cause there would have been loads of them back then.. there's probably only one or two right now. It's more likely the English manual exists because an English language release was planned but cancelled at the last minute.
donpalmera: Entirely possible, although the manual did specifically state it was exclusive to Japan, so who knows... Another possibility could be that the manual was created in English first & later translated to Japanese. (Or some combination of all these ideas!)
And who knows what it was back then, but I can tell you first hand that there's definitely more than one or two English speaking technicians here in Japan, native or otherwise. (Apple is an American company, after all! 😅)
apple had worldwide warranty for all laptops in that era, so even warranty repairs was possible, just not for desktops.
Sending 160$ computer protected like this is madness. Doesnt matter if its modern laptop or old.
Shipping anything someone paid money for like that is madness. I had an eBay seller charge me $30 to pack a $600 purchase in a box instead of just it's original packaging. I understand labour costs but $30 to pack something correctly is just price gouging. But, I was already in for $600 so of course I paid it. I work at a sorting center. I've seen too much.
@@jordanzish Depends. If I had to go out and buy packaging for a one off sold item, especially an expensive one, it would easily cost me around £10-£15 (so $12-$18) and then have something leftover I probably don't need as a waste - and I have to go out of my way to do that for someone request. Shipping requirements might even dictate I can't use certain cheaper alternatives. There are a lot of ways $30 is not crazy at all.
@@jordanzish Yeah, the reason you were ABLE to pay that fee is because of your own overblown salary at your own sorting center, which is paid for by your center's own exhorbitant fees. You're bitching about the very machine YOU ARE PART OF.
Man my ps3 OG was sent in better protection than this. And the thing was hangin out.
@Zeksteve Oh, so you overpaid for a mac pro and are having a superiority complex about something that wasn't packaged correctly and is rare?
It was the most theatrical, dramatic and best unpacking.
I had tears in my eyes. This dedication, fervor ... a master of unpacking !!
The best unpacking i've ever seen in my life ...
I was working at Apple during this time period, but I was in the High End Group, (Quadras and Servers). I think you got a good deal with the 040 with FPU and 32MBs RAM! For most common tasks the 040 running at 33 MHz felt faster than the first generation PowerPC CPUs. Especially running earlier builds of System 7. Unless Photoshop was my main app, I’d definitely choose the 33 MHz 040 with FPU over the PPC, and in fact that’s what I had during this era, (a Quadra 650 - one of my favorite Macs of all time). I was a big fan of System 7.1. Most people would upgrade to System 7.6, but there are some good reasons to stay away from System 7.5, (and variants of that generation). Put together an AppleTalk network, run some basic apps like Word and System 7.1.2 on that machine is quite a pleasant experience. I miss the simplicity of those days. “You’ve got mail!”
This is the first time I've been sitting on the edge of my seat watching an unboxing.
Well shot and edited, Colin. You are becoming the Baumgartner Fine Art of electronics.
I don't know why videos like this are so danged RELAXING to me, but they are. Just what I needed in times like these. Thanks, Colin! ;)
I'm never going to be able to unhear "CPU stiffener".
🅱abe it's 4pm, time for your CPU stiffening!
I knew you could turn a floppy disk into a hard drive but I didn't know you could stiffen a CPU.
OwO
The four of you have created the best TH-cam comment chain ever, and nothing will change my mind.
Every time I see a Apple laptop from this era, I remember Sandra Bullock's "The Net".
As someone that from time to time have to glue together laptop's hinges, you can be much more generous with the glue, if the inside part have the space. Modern glues are surprising effective in holding back together broken plastic. And as someone had already said, you can add backing soda to make volume and turn the thing even stronger than when it was new.
BTW, kudos for the unpacking part. That was a top notch production!
One of the few movies with Dennis Miller in it.
Apple's notebooks really were innovative during the 90s. They were the first to introduce a trackpad (instead of a trackball) and also to put it below the keyboard, creating the palm rest design that is still around. I never had an Apple notebook until the Intel MacBook, but I always appreciated the 1990s-era Apple notebooks.
Apart from your hardwork of getting these laptops, your presentation is so soothing and calming, it feels good to watch it and hear it even if one is not interested in these things and ultimately get interested in these things.
I had one of these, found it at a computer recycling place around 2001-ish. Somebody had already swapped out the Japanese keyboard for a North American one, and had installed a North American version of the Mac OS(System 7.5 something, I can’t remember). I think it had 40 MB of RAM, which was pretty good for one of those machines. Wish I’d kept it. As others have mentioned, 500 series PowerBooks had thin plastics. 100 series ‘books were more robust in general IMHO.
Fun! I have been living and working in Japan since 1981 and the 550c was my main computer for awhile. Looking at your video makes me wish I'd tucked it away somewhere and kept it. (Owned the 5300 too, and many, many other Macs over the years, starting with the Plus....)
I remember a lot of people waiting for that model and being disappointed when it were only released in Japan. Shortage in screens was what we were told as the reason, but I really don't know.
Wasn't it the proxy shipping service's job to make sure it was packaged well enough to ship? I'm sure you could get some of the money back from them. I've used SuperBuy to get stuff shipped from TaoBao (China), and the entire shipping/packaging is their responsibility.
Most proxy's have different options regarding this. Buyee for example will give you the option to inspect the item or not and also has repackaging options. I normally order trinkets in bulks that aren't worth repackaging since they're not very valuable, but for a laptop, I would pay for it.
Proxy shipping services are always garbage. I don't think I've ever seen anything arrive well for anyone via such services.
@@Waifu4Life Can you tell me where is a good place to buy trinkets from Japan?
@@Agret If you just want to buy a few non-expensive stuff, then stick with ebay and make sure the seller is from Japan. Only go with a proxy service and a Japan only store if you're going to buy something expensive of you are going to buy a lot of items.
@@AiOinc1 I've had a Macintosh Color Classic shipped through a Japanese proxy. Even through seamail, which is the roughest and slowest shipping service, it came out just fine. It ended up just being cheaper doing all that than buying one in Europe, even with all the costs of importing it.
More genuine emotion and tension than any hollywood movie from the past 30 years! Bravo!!!
I wish my laptop had dual hotswap batteries, what a cool feature!
Also, I love that dramatic package opening...it was like an autopsy or something lol
heck, i wish modern smartphones had hot-swappable batteries. Or just user-serviceable batteries at all. Renewable, replaceable rechargable batteries, what a concept!
Yeah it was very enjoyable. Defo a great vid
The 190 & 5300 series had dual battery options as well. The Compaq Armada E500 (late 1999) had a 4 battery option (3 internal and one thin rectangular one that fitted underneath).
I have two Dell Inspiron 8200. (I think it was this number) They have each two bays. I have a pile of batteries but sadly, they all have lost most of their capacity. After a minute of runtime, they are reported as empty. I wish I could replace the cells inside those packs.
This is a great one. Never even heard about 550c and I was a Mac salesman/tech in Europe at the time (and long after). I used to receive lots of old Macs traded in (during to 68xxx to PowerPC -transition) which my employer didn't want so I took them home, some better ones I paid for. I still have a 540c which is in pristine condition. I think my customer traded it in when it was about 3-4 years old. In my market the 540c was a very expensive model costing about 9750€ of todays money (compared to 1995). I believe mine has the PCMCIA -slot. I need to dig it out from my warehouse and look if it still boots after decades of non use.
That’s your proxy services fault mostly. I ordered from the proxy “fromJapan” a N64DD and they had EXCELLENT packaging. They literally just took the local sellers packing and sent it international
Man, i wish you could 3D scan parts like those feet, it would probably go a long way in aiding someone else's repair.
That’s a really good idea. We’ll need to do things like that as these plastics die and parts become more and more rare
Is it just me or is it that the way Colin makes the videos mysterious like the dark unboxing and the end where he says that the donor laptop awaits it's own journey which ties in with ending his journey hunting for one is so interesting?
There should be more videos like this man keep it up!
Awesome video, I'm glad you were able to get what you wanted in the end.
By the way, your production quality is off the charts which makes your videos very enjoyable to watch!
I love my 540C!! I got it in 1998 to replace my 180c and it still works, albeit slow, but thats part of the charm of booting it up anymore
Beautiful machine. It's always nice to see preservation projects like this, especially for something that otherwise would've been thrown out. And your passion for older Apple products is really neat. Thank you for preserving a neat piece of history, and I look forward to your next upload!
The 500 series was a great line of laptops, but unfortunately the plastics on them were always a weak point, especially on the screen hinge area. I had a 540c that I used for years and there was so much epoxy holding the hinges together it wasn't even funny. Machine was great though. I think 10k 550c units is a good number, i've always wanted one, but never found one reasonable. They fetch a hefty sum. Best thing you can do is get a PPC upgrade, but those are quite expensive since it was only for the 500 series of machines. Glad you were able to find a pair of them and make one good again.
I picked up a pair of powerbook 550c machines from Japan years ago, both came with the PPC upgrades but I am almost afraid to touch them... I've had a 520 and a 540 literally disintegrate on me :(
if there were ever a machine destined to get a SCSI2SD adapter, I'd put my money on it being this one. as far as the donor laptop, you can save the plastics you have that are broken and make all the replacement parts necessary on a high-res 3D printer. 100% totally worth it.
That intro is seriously the coolest I've seen. That stack of PowerBooks, just wow. You've certainly got your hands on quite a few of them!
The way these poor machines are treated these days, especially by shipping companies, is really saddening… makes me worried about my PowerBook 190 that’s on the way…
I have a couple of 520c PowerBooks in my collection and neither of them work, although I'm starting to wonder about the power adapter now. I've never been a big fan of this design. It feels kind of rickety somehow compared to some of the earlier and later models I have. I think even when they were new the plastics were not fantastic quality, so it's not at all surprising that it got damaged.
.....good lord.....not even a gorilla would do that kind of shipping job..
I think you owe gorillas an apology.
Nice fixing... I've done this type of fixing in the past and it is very frustration process and tedious to watch for screws and cables, etc... I just can't imaging fixing computers like this anymore... I just do the basic: replace RAM or hard drive...
I got a horrible feeling the moment I saw the packaging on the first machine,it was the worst I have seen for a long time,glad you managed to find another it's a lovely laptop. Great video as usual really enjoy these.
I had 2 of these back in the day, I think I still have some of the cabling, especially that monster square SCSI connector at the back. Great effort on the restoration.
This was beautifully filmed!!! Great video as always.
I found that when repairing broken plastics and standoffs, I use a mix of JBWeld which gives it a much stronger hold and you can even use it to rebuild stripped screw holes or add additional stability to weaker standoffs. Congrats on your find, what a lovely retro machine.
Years late, but the plastics used on powerbooks in the early to mid 90s were a unique type. They react with JB Weld and it doesn't hold properly. It bubbles and melts the plastic.
Just keep the screen if it still work’s. Yeah I had a 520 with some software like ClarisWorks
I can suggest some special filler compounds and dyes to use for a restoration of the cracks in the first unit. I work with these plastics quite extensively, both with vintage electronics, and automotive plastic compounds, and we use a few specialty products that will be very useful.
One of them is SEM Colour Coat, and you can have it mixed to a perfect colour match, then airbrush it over any part. it won't wear off, scratch, or scuff. I have used it both for restoration of faded colours on plastics, and to create custom colour jobs for clients.
I'd need to look at the product ID on the plastic fill that we use now, but it's bloody awesome. It starts as a powdery base that you mix with a filler, and slowly dab and caress into the gaps and cracks after bonding and re-enforcing them. From there, you can sand it and smooth it out like bondo for plastic. Let me know f you want more information.
I purchased a Panasonic laserdisc player from Japan through Buyee and paid for them to repackage it. It was one of the best packing jobs I've ever seen. They encased it in a foam mold before boxing it up. I've heard Zen Market is great too (and I hear cheaper too), but I haven't used it myself.
The music and the box opening was very cinematic and soothing. Great job!
Repairing plastics: I personally use ABS cement. It works on all ABS type plastics (as it has ABS plastic in it). I have used it to repair everything from computer parts to motorcycle fairings to kitchen appliances with excellent results and it is just as strong when it dries as the original.
Very interesting version of the laptop. One thing you are right about is how damn brittle these old Mac laptops are. I have the best PowerBook 5300ce model from 1995. It still functionally works, despite a rotted out battery which I discarded since it was leaking all over the computer. Other than having to basically rebuilt the AC adapter jack due to a short in the wire, and a loose port on the motherboard needing me to resolder due to cold joints, it otherwise works fine. The issue for me is the bad plastics. I want to rebuild mine eventually sometime in the future when I have a bit better income as these laptops can be difficult to find in good quality. My only other idea was to build a wooden case for it. It is the most desirable PowerBook 5300 since it is the ce model with better processor, higher resolution color screen, and better memory and a full 1gb HDD. So not sure if I want to build it into a wooden case.
What do you recommend? I got this laptop from my mothers ex boyfriend about 8 years ago. I have wanted to turn it into my little retro Mac gaming machine since I only found out a few years back that Pippin games would natively run on it, I had the idea to use it as such...
Most cinematic unboxing ever 11/10
I am heated over that packing job... Good god
I love geting old apple things just like you.
This started as such a heartbreak that the happy ending was especially satisfying. I love seeing these interesting old devices preserved for posterity with such care and passion.
I fix damage plastics before and had really good results with resin and held the bond perfectly and still going good
Lol the piano... great video :)
The 5x0 series had the ready for PPC stickers at some point, too. At least the ones I saw at my local store did.
I assume the mystery laptop is the 2400c? Always wanted one since I saw the photo of it in Mac User with its weird flask-shaped external floppy drive.
Japan got all the coolest stuff. Haha
You do amazing video work. Amazing presentation. And enjoyable to watch. I am glad you got your rare computer finally. I never realized apple made a Japanese market only computer.
...that unboxing has to be one of the greatest ever.
It's almost like the Halo: Believe commercials.
I'd have to agree at the end there Colin... I felt the same way when I got my digital dec PC then put all new modern hardware inside it
This hits close to home. One of my bucket list buys was a Thinkpad 755cd. Bought one, needed parts, bought a second.. Mostly fixed up the first, but now the second, while rough, is doable.. so now i'll just have to figure out how to get that one up and running also.. Donor laptops are dangerous!
Super glue and baking soda mixed together will form a very stong adhesive, no idea why it works it just does.
I sure could use one of you to fix my old computer left by my dad ha ha! : D Awesome videos man - you got the skill AND the courage to fix any kickass Powerbook or Mac Computer! It's amazing to see how well you do it!
one big advantage of this specific Power Book is that it's a power book with I think an active matrix display and is the fastest Non-PowerPC mac laptop you can own. This makes it very useful for playing classic B&W and 16 color mac games which the Power PC sometimes can't properly play due to the color restrictions as well as doing other things that are built for pre-power PC macs. This mac essentially has the power of a Quadra 800 and Quadra 950.
Oo-ooh, loving the lightning work on the unboxing section!
I think it's awesome your saveing history and preserving it
That glue loctite is absolutely horrible for laptop scew posts I've tried using it to glue a screw post down and it only lasted a few days before it snapped again. And in the end I bought Insta-cure gap filling 2oz Bob Smith industries glue
And it has held up so far
Another glue for plastic that I would recommend is plastruct bondene
The unpacking montage, pure gold. :-) Simply outstanding video.
I love the dramatic unboxing sequence
I remember a customer ordering a 540c and our distributer said it was one of the first off the line. I remember installing the memory u/g was a little nerve racking because it was such a nice laptop and didn't want crack any plastic. Loved that laptop for the little time I worked with it. Still my favorite from that era.
I enjoyed the unpacking. The packaging from Japan seems insane.
I love the way you shot that unboxing sequence!
Awesome video! I had a PowerBook 540c growing up (I got it used of course), and loved the machine! I always searching for the card cage adapter, but even back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, it was fetching at least $150-200 on eBay. It's very cool to see you get the 550c working, I always wanted one. It's a shame the first one got destroyed in shipping. I can't wait to see that PowerBook 2400c. I have a flyer from a collector I can scan if you'd like to feature it. :)
Love the dramatic moonlight sonata part!
550c was new old components of a discontinued line. As you said. It was released at the ditching of the series.
Most well lit unboxing I’ve seen. And the piano...
Colin: you should look into mixing aggregates in with your super glue (CA glue), such as graphite. It's an excellent way to repair things like destroyed screw stand offs.
Congrats on your acquisition! Can’t wait to see what’s next for the donor machine.
Sweet. the MAC 550c was a computer I have been curious about. Great video Collin.
The most intense and powerfull unboxing i have ever laid eyes upon...
I saw this video and then ran across the podcast video you did back in December of 2016 talking about Apple kind of not seeming to care so much about their creative pro demographic. Again, as with the other videos of yours I've watched lately, I really liked it. I guess I wish you had a chat community going on here as I don't use social media.
Anyhow, I think one of the biggest differences between Apple of the present day and Apple of the golden years (let's call that the 1980s and very early 1990s) is that, with both Apple in particular but also the computer technology world at large, it is simply nowhere near as enthusiast driven or enthusiast influenced now as it used to be. Now, everything is about consumer goods and extracting money and controlling users. Honestly, the situation is even worse in the Windows world with W10 being more a marketing platform than an operating system.
Nevertheless, a friend had one of the 500 series, as well as one of the 100 series (190, iirc), I owned and then got rid of a 5300c, and so I well remember the hardware of that era. I think these videos you make are really important because so much would be lost otherwise. You do a service in helping keep alive awareness of what has come before. Please keep making these videos!
The superglue will not hold, you will need to use epoxy. Get some 5 minute epoxy on hand, it will be an excellent fix.
Alvaro Gil Plastic weld would probably do the trick better with less cosmetic effect. I’d also go for longer screws.
Kinda reminds me of the Laptop's from the movie Hacker's from back in the 90s 😊😊
Hey Colin. I'm alright, trying to do something productive during the lockdown. How are you doing these days? Are you self isolating?
I just realised you ask that every video nearly and I've never seen anyone actually respond 😁.
And did you spray Lysol on your shipping packages?
To make really strong super glue repairs after applying the glue cover it with baking soda. Then blow away the excess. Super glue and baking soda will dry instantly and form a kind of plastic that in most cases will be stronger then the original plastics. It is sandable and paintable and can be built up and shaped with a dremel to do complex repairs. Practice before trying on something important but since I learned this technique I have done some amazing repairs.
This is was the most dramatic unboxing video I ever seen lol I love it ❤️
I know it would be a lot of work, time, and money, but I wonder if 3D printing replacement plastic parts should be considered as an option for a lot of these old machines?
For tasks other than simple prototyping and trinket making, most consumer grade 3D printing is 99% hype and 1% practicality.
I pieced my Initial D3 Arcade cabinet together in a similar way over the past three years. I know what you mean by the thrill of the hunt.
I have used JB weld epoxy to fix standoffs, you can also completely disregard the standoff gluing and build up a standoff from JB weld, you then drill the screw hole and it will be extremely strong.
As an Ebay seller, I can say with some confidence that this packaging was not the seller's fault. The shipping service you used, if they're anything like most international shipping companies, likely removed the item from it's original packaging and re-packaged it to then ship to you, either to reduce weight or reduce size. The workers who do this job are chaos incarnate. They slice into Brand New vintage boxes with large serrated knives to remove the item, and then re-package it using a hodgepodge of whatever random shipping supplies happens to be within arms reach.
I've had them remove New vintage iPods still sealed in their original box leaving brutal knife gouges on the ipod in the process. They then haphazardly tape the charger&cord to the ipod(in the exact same way that the power supply was taped to your laptop in the video), wrap it in a single layer of the cheapest bubble wrap known to man, and stuffed it into a clearly pre-used cardboard envelope that was then mailed out the enraged buyer, who proceeded to post a brutally negative review essentially calling me a scammer.
While this re-packaging is done in theory to reduce weight and size, it's clear those doing the re-packaging have no set rules or training to guide them, and the result is often a substantially worse package with almost no actual decrease in weight or size. These workers pointlessly tear up original packaging and then re-use it later, likely just to kill time and appear as though they're hard at work saving $ in shipping fees to a thrifty boss who never actually hears any complaints as buyers always blame the original seller, and even if they did, nobody there can read English anyway and they just respond with a google translated generic "thanks for your business" reply.
And yes, I'm rather salty about these shipping companies, they've likely destroyed millions in new/used goods due to a completely unnecessary process to save them a buck or two at most in shipping fees.
Cool project and vid. Buying from Japan is made so much easier now thanks to those proxy services, and even with their cut and shipping it's still worth it to import vintage japanese gear, versus buying it on Ebay from US sellers. I just won an auction for a JVC/Victor QL-Y44F turntable and am pretty stoked for it to arrive. it uses the same auto-record size detection technology as the classic Denon DP-47F, but I think the JVC looks better
Best unboxing I have ever seen. Edge of my seat stuff!
This is the most intense unboxing I ever seen.
That Beethoven in the background as you unbox this is bliss
10/10 best unboxing video, reminded me of the opening for West World.
That was an emotional unboxing
I did not know 550c was sold only in Japan. I remember that I could not afford at that time. It was priced more than 700,000 yen. I had other b&w model.
I like the video beautiful.
Moonlight sonata playing in the background while unboxing an old mac (does not even have to be rare.. I could finally afford a mac mini just a year back.. Till that moment, I was just guessing how these would be ;) ). Yes, ticks a couple of my boxes. Thank you for this. :D
Most dramatic unboxing ever!
your videos are the best
I have a feeling that you'll cover Powerbook 1400
Smh how in the world that computer was shipped...I just back to the IG post to see the condition and said...there’s something else...amazing content as always....
Oh man... The package opening scene... So many flashbacks from horrible eBay sellers. Many an extremely-hard-to-find piece of hardware, destroyed...and gone forever. The suspense is killing me... I'm not done with it yet... Bubble wrap... Oh the bubble wrap.... OH NO... UGH.... NOOOOO....WHY.......... WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY :'( Okay, it's over now... But the scar will remain.
Ooo the 2400. That is one I will wait for. Yes I have two, the US and Japanese versions but not the faster one. Anyway, the 550c is an interesting machine indeed.
I still daydream about my first laptop I got when I was 13.. a Fujitsu Lifebook DX. I believe it was a Japanese model.. they only had a handful of them at CompUSA. My Grandpa was the CTO of Zilog at the time and he wanted to see how it worked (they all used Thinkbooks) and we both agreed it was amazing. Had two swappable bays.. I had a CR-ROC, Zip-Drive and extra battery. Thing had three mice.. 3!
I managed to hang onto it til probably 2009 then Im not sure where it went. Downloaded my first MP3 on that thing..
Epic unboxing, especially the final shot.