Converting power supply to MagSafe?
 

Hello,
Just wondering if anyone knows of a way to convert the old style PowerBook power adapter to the new MagSafe style. I have a 1.67 GHz PB and people, myself included, are always tripping over the cord. The advent of this new MagSafe technology added a little ray of hope to me, if only someone would come up with a converter.

Thanks

As of right now I haven't seen any evidence of Apple or 3rd party vendor making an adaptor (the latter being the more likely). Sounds like an inexpensive solution for a potentially expensive problem. The only reason i can think that such an adapter won't be produced is Apple's patent on the device.

Never thought of the patent thing, but it sure would be a shame for someone not to take advantage of this new feature with an aftermarket product. I guess it would also depend on how specific or general the patent is, possibly allowing someone a similar-but-just-different-enough product.

It is unlikely that there will be a Magnetic connector you could mount in your PB, there isn't much room in there. If you use the iGo Juice power supply you will find that the adapter tips come off the end of the cable pretty easily. It provides much the same protection.

Mac

What I was meaning was two adapters, one that fits on the end of the current power supply, and one that fits into the outlet on the PB, that connect via magnet. Or, perhaps a new power supply with an adapter for the PB. Either way, it'd be a reversible and hopefully inexpensive procedure.

You will still have the same internal connector (Apple usually calls this a DC-in board) where your adapter plugs into the PB. So, to provide a magnetic attachment point, you would have this bulky thing attached to the side of your PB. It would have to be solid enough to not move when the magsafe connector was tugged away - I think it would need to be permanently attached to the side. The older internal connector is fragile enough as it is, so now you have this 'thing' hanging off that back corner, perhaps making the whole powerbook connection even more fragile - not less... Just my opinion....

not neccisarily true..

with a "old" connector with a magnetic connector where the cable should go, you will achieve the same thing, exept that you will have to use a bigger, bulkier connector on the computer-side.

think of it this way:
< "old" connector
- cable
|| magnetic connector (both sides)
@ ac adaptor
___
com|
put |
er |<- || -------@
---

___
com|
put |
er |<- | .... | -------@
---



...hope this makes sense.. :)

Sure, that allows you to 'use' the magsafe connector, but the original connector becomes more fragile as a result due to the large device in the power cable. If you make the short cable long enough to give the magnetic connector room to move, you still have the original connector with the same problem - it won't protect the connector in the Powerbook. If you make the cable shorter to allow the magnetic release to work, then you are too close to the original connector, and that extra mass will make a fragile connector worse.
No advantage to that cobbled-up kind of connector.

It's easy enough to design and would only add a thickness of the size of the magnetic connectors, which isn't much.
But Apple holds the patent, so unless Apple creates it --which isn't likely--, or licenses it to another company --which is even less likely--, we'll all just have to buy MB(P)s.

i am not certain, but i guess magnets conduct electricity. and by using 4 magnets (2 for each wire), and turn one pair so you cannot put them together the wrong way, you can create your own with little more than a glue-gun and shrink tube.

None of the above solutions will work because they use the 65W "old" power requirement. The new magsafe power adapters are 85W. The iGo Juice stuff has a "70" in the title. Guess what "70" refers to. Watts. So don't expect to see a magsafe attachment for iGo Juice or a converter for your old 65W powerbook power supplies.

But why couldn't somebody make an adapter for the old model? The new models don't need adapters, so a 65W MagSafe adapter seems like a reasonable request.

That is irrelevant! We are talking about a magsafe-style adapter for YOUR CURRENT power supply.

Because there's a patent on the device and most likely, Apple is not going to license its use for this purpose.

Patents are usually pretty narrow in definition. It's possible someone could make a breakaway strain guard that went in the cord, say, six inches from the computer. It wouldn't get used unless there was a shock to the cord. My Xbox controllers have this mid-cord, though they accomplish it by being destroyed. Would be nice if they could be plugged back together after saving the console.

Sounds great. Make it and market it!

While you're at it, choose to either incorporate outside the US or hire yourself a team of patent lawyers.

Obviously, there are third party power adapters for the Powerbook. I'd assume that there will be third party MagSafe adapters in the future. Why not an adapter that will convert MagSafe to Powerbook (i.e., allow a Powerbook to be powered by a MagSafe power adapter).

About the patent issue....
Magnetic power connectors are hardly a new idea. A lot of kettles over here have them.

Judge: Any prior art?
Defendant: Yes, your Honor. My mother's coffee percolator from 1952.

Unless you're like Franklin and copy the connector right down to the logo I don't see the patent going anywhere.

All the OP is looking for is a power dongle. Existing laptop connector, 3-4 inches of cord, magnetic connector. Look up "Electronic parts and supplies, Wholesale" in your local Yellow Pages and see what they've got. 15 minutes with a soldering iron and you're all set.

One issue I do see - magnets hold a lot better when pulled face-on ( as it would be with a dongle ) as opposed to an angle to a fixed position.

Funny, it just struck me last night that our fondue pot has a "magsafe" power adapter. So I have to wonder if there's a third party patent here?

I still haven't seen any power adapters for this though.

Interesting, this article from March mentions the kitchen uses of the magnetic connector. I've loooked for a patent number but I'm unable to locate one. The closest I've come is a Chinese trademark for MagSafe, which isn't very close at all.

Despite the current uses in Kitchen appliances, I assume Apple would still have patent rights if the original patent is outdated and/or didn't extend to personal computing devices. I assume, this is why patent descriptions -- and pictures-- are extremely vague.

There are dozens of connectors similar to the iPod connector, but a manufacturer still has to pay Apple a license fee to use the iPod's connector. The same would apply to Apple's unique Magsafe connector. If your percolator's connector works, go for it (I wouldn't recommend trying though).

The 4 contacts aren't just power btw. The connector on my new MacBook Pro's adapter failed and the symptoms were that the computer simply didn't recognize that it wasn't charging. The result was 100% charge indicated until the computer shut down when the battery went dead.