Thread
PowerBop part II
Incredibly, another PowerBop appeared on ebay-fr about a week and half ago. Scored it .
That one is complete with the antenna and second SCSI port on the side. Was sold without charger, was a first hand, bought in 1994, not used much. The owner trashed the charger, ext floppy drive and all documentation a few years ago ...
The thing is like new, very good condition. Booted on first try, on a Zip. had to mount the internal drive with Disk First Aid, then it could boot on it and runs fine on it now . Good to have at least one PB1xx with a working HD
This one also has his serial sticker : CK35012R1YG. And a ESN number 008004077083.
Voilà… happy galgot
picts :
That one is complete with the antenna and second SCSI port on the side. Was sold without charger, was a first hand, bought in 1994, not used much. The owner trashed the charger, ext floppy drive and all documentation a few years ago ...
The thing is like new, very good condition. Booted on first try, on a Zip. had to mount the internal drive with Disk First Aid, then it could boot on it and runs fine on it now . Good to have at least one PB1xx with a working HD
This one also has his serial sticker : CK35012R1YG. And a ESN number 008004077083.
Voilà… happy galgot
picts :
Congrats, beautiful find
Wow, I didn't know this model! Great find!
Nicolas
Nicolas
Just a note, the port on the side by the PowerBop is not a second SCSI port, instead a 20pin floppy port for the external duo floppy drive.
Ah , thanks for the correction Strimkind.
Congrats, have you got the special Powerbop software on the disk ? and yes the port on the side is for the external floppy...probably the same as the PWB 100.
Hi Mate,
Nope :-/ only some fax softwares not related to the Bibop system it seems… but anyway i don't have any Bibop station to test .
Nope :-/ only some fax softwares not related to the Bibop system it seems… but anyway i don't have any Bibop station to test .
I have connected mine this week.
http://www.journaldulapin.com/2014/09/14/how-i-connect-the-powerbop-to-the-internet/
The external is the same as the PowerBook 100, i have used the one from my PB100 to test it.
http://www.journaldulapin.com/2014/09/14/how-i-connect-the-powerbop-to-the-internet/
The external is the same as the PowerBook 100, i have used the one from my PB100 to test it.
Many thanks to Dandu, i was able to install the missing PowerBop modem drivers :
Completely useless as i don't have a Bibop station… but essential to have And it make a cool noise when opening that "radio CT2" app .
Completely useless as i don't have a Bibop station… but essential to have
And it make a cool noise when opening that "radio CT2" app .
I miss minitel. 
I've never used it, but the idea that an old terminal style BBS system was still active for all those years is awesome in my book.
I've never used it, but the idea that an old terminal style BBS system was still active for all those years is awesome in my book.
Me too, i liked it.
Some are hacking them into linux terminals now :
Some are hacking them into linux terminals now :
Any chance someone could hack this up to work with US GSM channels? That would be fun, if not somewhat useless.
Though as long as EDGE is around, it could be feasible?
c
Though as long as EDGE is around, it could be feasible?
c
It works more like a cordless phone, not a cell phone.
Classic WaveLANs... maybe.
Classic WaveLANs... maybe.
I doubt it...these types of things are implemented in hardware and its likely the RF frequency and modulation standards are totally different between GSM GPRS/EDGE and France Telecoms Bi-Bop system.
(Bi-Bop is short range, not really "cellular" to our current definition. More like wifi.)
(Bi-Bop is short range, not really "cellular" to our current definition. More like wifi.)
So it is still possible if one finds out the correct frequency, modulation, and coding of the signal and fashion a radio base that works with those.
I doubt FCC would approve though, it may operate on a frequency that is not open in USA. So try it at your own risk.
I doubt FCC would approve though, it may operate on a frequency that is not open in USA. So try it at your own risk.
A few people have designed bridges that converted modern GSM/UMTS carriers to repeat on the old AMPS network so they could use brick phones and the likes at ranges up to 100m. They were usually suitcase sized solutions.
Someone blogs it at least once a year and the FCC promptly orders them to remove it or prepare their butt for something no human can handle. I think the last time I saw it was in March. It was on a Russian blog and that time a DMCA was filed and it vanished a few days later.
To you too, stupid edit cutoff.
If you EVER know of a source of minitel terminals I strongly suggest you all hoard three or four because they're the closest thing you can get to a nice compact terminal with that 80's feel and they've basically been free since the shutdown a few years ago and are recycled in droves (there were still hundreds of thousands of them in use until 2012 so literally they were all over France). The "hack" is normally the addition of a MAX232 and some models don't even require that.
If you EVER know of a source of minitel terminals I strongly suggest you all hoard three or four because they're the closest thing you can get to a nice compact terminal with that 80's feel and they've basically been free since the shutdown a few years ago and are recycled in droves (there were still hundreds of thousands of them in use until 2012 so literally they were all over France). The "hack" is normally the addition of a MAX232 and some models don't even require that.
Must ask my Grand'ma, i think she still has one or two…
With little work, the screen can be used on Compacts Macs.
I'm sure with a bit of hacking of a DECT cordless base station you could do something.
As for terminals, I like the DEC vt-series.
As for terminals, I like the DEC vt-series.
Indeed,
From the Bibop Wikipedia french page (translated) :
"One of the business benefits of Bi-Bop was excellent call quality, since the radio link with the terminal is based on the CT2 standard, the audio link is coded identically to that used by the DECT cordless phones home (ADPCM 32 kbit / s)."
and on the CT2 standard wikipedia page :
"..Unlike DECT, CT2 was a voice-only system, though like any minimally-compressed voice system, users could deploy analog modems to transfer data. In the early nineties,Apple Computer sold a CT2 modem called the PowerBop to make use of France's Bibop CT2 network. Although CT2 is a microcellular system, fully capable of supportinghandoff, unlike DECT it does not support "forward handoff", meaning that it has to drop its former radio link before establishing the subsequent one, leading to a sub-second dropout in the call during the handover."
From the Bibop Wikipedia french page (translated) :
"One of the business benefits of Bi-Bop was excellent call quality, since the radio link with the terminal is based on the CT2 standard, the audio link is coded identically to that used by the DECT cordless phones home (ADPCM 32 kbit / s)."
and on the CT2 standard wikipedia page :
"..Unlike DECT, CT2 was a voice-only system, though like any minimally-compressed voice system, users could deploy analog modems to transfer data. In the early nineties,Apple Computer sold a CT2 modem called the PowerBop to make use of France's Bibop CT2 network. Although CT2 is a microcellular system, fully capable of supportinghandoff, unlike DECT it does not support "forward handoff", meaning that it has to drop its former radio link before establishing the subsequent one, leading to a sub-second dropout in the call during the handover."
The best way is to found a CT2 base station.
In France, it's uncommon but possible (i have found 3 base to test, one is broken, but the two other working).
There is many CT2 Network, i think it works with rabbit base station (UK) and the hardware from Hong Kong.
And i have seen that many old DECT phone are also compatible with CT2 (and BiBop french phone).
In France, it's uncommon but possible (i have found 3 base to test, one is broken, but the two other working).
There is many CT2 Network, i think it works with rabbit base station (UK) and the hardware from Hong Kong.
And i have seen that many old DECT phone are also compatible with CT2 (and BiBop french phone).