Bacteria - Ipaq 3600 PDA resurrected, improved! *DONE*

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 2:29 am

vskid - nice to hear from you again.

You say $50 to get it going?? All you need is a cable to connect from the PDA to your computer (cost about $12 or so delivered from e-bay); ActiveSync is free software, if you need games/apps I have some you can have (free ones or old and no longer sold anywhere), I have Pocket PC 2002 upgrade (you can have this too if you want it, about 9mb) for this PDA. It would only cost a few bucks to make the case and about $10 or less for batteries - you could have a fully functional PDA for under $30, which is dirt cheap (and fun to make)!

A PDA does play games but that isn't its purpose really (more of a bonus); the Ipaq is an excellent PDA in its own right.

Have a great Thanks Giving. Assuming I haven't got a really cheap deal elsewhere on e-bay in the interim, eg PDA and bits for cheap price in the meantime, I will be happy to have yours.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:57 am

I kinda want a PDA now...

My It/Physics teacher has one too. He always uses it to check who's there, and who did his homework.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 10:34 am

I was meaning to get it to a useful state, not just usable. For it to be useful, I would have to get a 2 slot PCMCIA sleeve, a CF to PCMCIA adapter (to use my CF card in it), and a wifi card. Even then, my PSP is probably better for me, I think the small amount of RAM in the ipaq would make web browsing just as limited as on the PSP. And I have an older Sony PDA that I can use for other PDA sort of stuff.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:10 am

vskid - Yes, the Ipaq I imagine would not be great for internet. I have no interest in making this PDA wireless (not stable I believe) nor internet, I just want this as a PDA and have a few games on it for fun. If you use a link to PC, I am not sure how much use the CF card is as if you lose your programs and data you have a backup on the PC to get it all back again as it was (via ActiveSync).

Kyo - Go on, buy one and mod one, old PDA's are cheap!! It's like mobile phones - basic ones which do a great job are dirt cheap, but if you want a slightly better one that's the "latest thing" you pay a lot for it.

In its day, when I bought it, the Ipaq was THE best you could buy and it is still great.

update time:

I decided to get two of the sides on - these sides are on permanently now by hot glue. I have prepared the third piece, I had to relocate the mains power in plug due to space issues and a decision to put it on the top. Basically, as you hold the system, on the top left is the USB, top is the battery on switch and the top right is the mains plug.

The last pic isn't great as I had to hold the PDA in one hand and take a pic with the other hand.

I can't do more work on this until I either win or lose the current bids in the next couple of days for an expansion port and CF card; or decide not to get one. At the moment I still have access inside the system.

Yes, this looks hideous at the moment! I hope I can transform it in due course from an ugly duck into a beautiful swan!

illustriouschin · Post by **illustriouschin** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:41 pm

i think back in the day the Zaurus was better, it was nearly the same hardware except it had linux (lol) but it also had a pretty slick thumb keyboard.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:19 pm

illustriouschin wrote:i think back in the day the Zaurus was better, it was nearly the same hardware except it had linux (lol) but it also had a pretty slick thumb keyboard.

I hadn't heard of the Zaurus, I did a quick Google search and then an e-bay search. Looks rather nice, and a good PDA. Proves exactly the point I was making illustriouschin about old technology being not a distant cousin to the newer systems, without the "go fast stripes" and "also available in pink". Thanks - good comparison.

Quick Google pic:

I would really encourage others, who might like a PDA, to get an old cheap one off e-bay and mod it to make it custom and powerful (have a go Kyo!) - you get a lot of fun making it and end up with a corker of a deal! This Ipaq has taken a lot of abuse and is still fine; I even accidentally dropped a 5v line onto the main mobo, heard a bit of a crackle, but system still booted up perfectly!

Far better recycling than using landfill to discard old systems for the "latest" models - look at mobile phones - ridiculous situation. My mobile phone is only that - a phone, none of this "extras" features nonsense that you don't need or can't use easily.

I am really enjoying modding projects, really into it; barely played a PC game for months!! It will be sad when I run out of projects to do.

My next project will be GP2x, I have some neat ideas - rotating screen; interchangeable joystick / D-pad in same hole. Another project, just for fun - another N64p - however just an N64p this time, but trying to see just how slim I can make it this time (still using a PSone screen and official N64 controller for a change) - my previous N64 mobo is looking at me and smiling....

illustriouschin · Post by **illustriouschin** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:19 pm

if i could go back in time i would never have spent $400 on my zaurus, huge waste of money unless you have appointments schedules 24 hours a day. also nobody ever made software for it that didnt suck because they were all too busy slapping together crappy version of linux to go on there and then updating them.

i think maybe i might buy an old black and green screen Palm, if it was smaller, started up faster, and was more convenient than those big color screen bricks (kind of like your brick monster but a little smaller and a little more convenient.)

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 10:14 pm

bacteria wrote:It will be sad when I run out of projects to do.

Ha ha! You're funny, bacteria! You almost sounded serious there!

khaag · Post by **khaag** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:16 am

Life of Brian wrote:
bacteria wrote:It will be sad when I run out of projects to do.
Ha ha! You're funny, bacteria! You almost sounded serious there!

In case you didn't get it... he meant you will never run out of projects to do

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:26 am

What I meant was that there are only so many useful projects you can do without just making things for the sake of it. In my case:

Ipaq (this project) - hated having spent a fortune on it ages ago, only having limited use with it, and it now being dead. I am putting this right.

GP2x - small screen, A,B,Y,X buttons tiny and not spaced well. Many games benefit from D-pad although some games benefit from the digital joystick, battery life poor, not sure if will make dual power system or not yet. I also need to mod a PSone screen to take s-video (about to start project)

GBA - (yes another one!) - bought a TV out add-on which may not be as good as the Transverter, but it relies on pressure to keep the minute contacts against those on the GBA, in other words it doesn't install properly. I intend to wire it up and see what the quality is like (future project).

N64 - thought I would use what I have lying about to try and see how thin I can make an N64p.

After that, not really sure. Might have a go at trying to make a frontlit GBA (not expecting it to work well). Once I get to this point, I may be scratching my head for other projects!

I can't do any more with this Ipaq project until I know if I win bids (today) for extras - if I do I will get the expansion pack in this system if it fits and also CF card. Then I can finish the case and have fun with the Ipaq.

I have Pocket PC 2002, a good selection of games and apps; and someone on e-bay has offered to post me a stack of other Ipaq 3600 games (I will only be interested in the really good ones). I may put LucasArts adventures on there, I seem to recall I used to play this on the Ipaq a bit. I also want games like Galaga and Pacman on it. Will keep you posted...

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:07 am

Mhm, actually considering that I'm wishing for a DS for christmas (With a flashcart), I'll just go ahead and use that with DSOrganize as PDA

Still, I might actually buy an old one and mod it (for fun!), but I gotta finish my SNESp first, and the SNESp which I'm doing for someone else.

illustriouschin · Post by **illustriouschin** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:31 pm

prepare to be severely disappointed with DSOrganize, if you want a PDA you need a real PDA, or just get a paper day planner because it is simply more convenient, and if you dont use a day planner then you wont need a PDA to begin with.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:10 pm

Good advice!

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:59 am

I have been surprised by the money these Ipaq's go on e-bay still.

An Ipaq 3600 by itself seems to go for about Â£10-Â£20 depending on condition.

An expansion pack for the Ipaq 3600 seems to go for Â£11 upwards.

An Ipaq with expansion pack and docking bay is about Â£35.

Docking port (USB) or USB > PDA cable about Â£5.

New battery about Â£5-7.

On reflection, it isn't worth this extra cost for what I need. I was hoping to get an expansion pack for just a few pounds, not over Â£11! After all, you can get a new version of the PDA for about Â£200 now, puts things in context.

I have therefore decided it makes sense to have the spare Ipaq from vskid (as I had intended to do anyway) just in case my Ipaq fails, I have a spare one then to make the mod again with. As to this project, I may as well complete the case as it isn't worth spending over Â£11 ($22) on the chance I can break apart the expansion pack successfully and end up with a thin and straight connector for a CF memory card.

Fortunately I have the 64mb model (Ipaq 3660) of which about 30mb or higher is usable (as I recall), which is plenty to put stuff on and replace when I want to via ActiveSync.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:11 am

As I am not after the expansion pack now, I sealed the other two sides down, and cut out a piece of wood (from picture frame) for the backing - it is a tight fit, so doesn't need screws to hold it in place.

I will test the system tomorrow, make sure the power mains in works fine, I will then sand the project down to make sure it is smooth (as smooth as I can get it anyway, I will then apply some glue to hold the backing in place and then tape the back to the sides (yes, tape it) and then cover with the plastic and hope it all goes to plan and I can make it look nice...

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Bacteria - Ipaq 3600 PDA resurrected, improved! DONE