Mobilepro 800

I got one of the single MP800's from that Materials Processing Corp. I had not realized what a really nice balance between compactness and usable screen size they are till I got it in my hands. I had an idea about the keyboard from my 780, but I could not get a sense for the overall size from any auction pix I looked at over the preceding 2-3 months.

One serious problem has developed: the power connector was not only loose inside, but seems to be a flimsy design. Instead of a simple solid metal post inside for the positive terminal, it is a PLASTIC post with a pair of thin wire conductors running in a groove along the lower side - nothing like my 780. I did not have a power supply (cannot believe that outfit got so many of those from that MN school system with none of the batteries or power supplies - what on earth would they have done with so many separated from the units?) So I tried cobbling something with a universal PS with that RadioShack tip connector (2 prongs on a tip that plug into the corresponding socket on the end of the wire from the PS), and got one that sort of worked if I held it with just the right pressure at just the right angle - confirmed that the unit wokred at least.

In my quest to get a tip that would work without that "personal touch", I tried one that I believe had 2 conductors running along on the inside opposite each other, and in rotating that tip around inside the connector to make contact it seems that one of those pieces "engaged" with the center post wire/groove, and I twisted it right off before I realized what was happening - RATS!

So, I got some liquid solder (in a tube), and more or less glued the broken center post, its conductor wires, and the inside of the PS tip together. Now there is a "permanent" tip protruding from the power connector socket of the MP800 - ugly, but it works.

Still, if I ever get a battery for something reasonable so I can actually carry the unit around untethered from the PS, I fear that rig is going to break off sooner or later. Does anyone have a defunct 800 (or 880, if it has the same lame design?) that they would be willing to cut that power connection module loose from (the internal wires just before they go down into the motherboard), and sell to me for something "reasonable"? The proper Power Supply would be nice to get, also, so I don't have go through that kind of a hack again ;-}.

TIA,
Rory

Wrokon, try a Sony DVD adapter, perfect fit, right way round, just the right voltage too!
P/N: MPA-AC1

I think they are more readily available and cheaper too, besides, they were used with DVD writers, camcorders and I forgot the rest! Its outlined in my earlier post

Ok, now I actually threw in my MP right into service, I now hit one problem, I am using the MP880 battery, but according to the unit, there is no juice left in the battery, thus I get the low battery warning, no battery warning and it'll go off, is there any suggestions of what might be causing this? It still keeps going, but it shuts itself down, then a soft reset seems to revive it. Does the battery have more juice than the computer suspects?

are you using a legit MP800 power supply? (I didn't try to search to see if/where you said so, one way or the other).
It could be like a car where for 12v; you charge at 13.5v. I don't know, but if either the voltage and/or ampage are low then I imagine one might never get a good charge.
It could also be an old battery or one that is suffering from the 'memory' effect and will never hold much of a charge any more. I doubt the monitoring circuits in the hpc are bad, either battery or PSU's ability to charge.

hrm...

well if the reset revives it it may be just the battery BUT i'm not sure! it may be a motherboard problem just as well... two ways to find out: get another battery - or remove battery and use the thing off AC only for a while.

I'll have to test both batteries then, I have 2 that came with the 880 and the seller did say that they may not hold a decent charge...