Pimp my Toughbook: a new Toughbook CF-29 owner learning as he goes

I apologize for opening a thread that will indeed wind up duplicating some information that has been reviewed in detail, but most of the people on this forum that are full of knowledge, are so full of knowledge that it is hard for other savvy-but-not-expert members to wrap their minds around the scope and breadth of the options for improving their toughbooks. The information is very specific, and even the ultimate and unofficial threads, although a great place to start understanding, are a little large for rapid digestion. I've been working on it, I swear! I thought it might be helpful, therefore, to put what revelations and improvements I have/will make to my CF-29 all in once place.

I am intending this machine to be used as a scan tool for automotive trouble codes and so on. No, I'm not some boy-racer, I'm studying for my ASE (Automotive Service Excellence, not the American Society of Engineers...) certification in collision repair, and I am planning on running the autoenginuity software and interface for bi-directional commands used during repairs to some of the more modern vehicles. I was trained as a sound engineer, and worked for a few years at that before I realized that its nearly impossible since the economic downturn to support one's self in the entertainment industry, so I went to school for working on cars, which was always a guilty pleasure of mine. This is to say, that I'm not scared of soldering the odd connection, but some of the micro-soldering work I've seen on and through this forum is superb and admittedly a little out of my league. I've worked on hundred-thousand-dollar sound boards, but at line level there is a lot more juice going through the connections essentially making micro-soldering of any sort unnecessary. I just say this to explain my qualifications and approximate skill level when considering future modifications to my Toughbook.

I picked up a CF-29 from overstock.com, a CF-29HTM50BM to be more specific. It cost me $430. It came in superior cosmetic shape, with the touchscreen, CD drive (not DVD combo or burner), 40gb hard drive, 512mb ram, 1.4ghz processor, fresh un-applied touchscreen protecting sheet for me to put on, standard chicklet keyboard, top-left screen mounted antenna, and XP pro for refurbished computers. The power cord that arrived with the computer was original, but totally done-in. The cable was shredded and the laptop wouldnt charge. I called the number that came with the laptop, and within 4 minutes the nice lady had a new cord in the mail. It got there a few business days later, very well packed and totally functional.

I almost immediately ordered a PC-2700 DDR 333 200 PIN Crucial 1GB stick of RAM and threw it into my machine. I also stumbled on an auction on ebay that was posted pretty badly. The guy put up a bad picture of a cigarette lighter style car adapter for toughbooks, and no real information but the model number. PA1555-968 LK. When I searched that number, I discovered that it would also be the part ordered for a CF-29. It arrived missing the cord that goes from the adapter to the laptop. I'm ordering it from amazon for $10. Oh, and I also put SimFarm and SimTower for free from brothersoft on it, upping the grin factor immensely.

Through reading much of these threads, there are some mods I would like to get done to my machine and/or do myself. I want to add a WWAN wireless modem (I appreciate that is redundant, but only because I've been doing my reading). I want to add GPS, and I have read extensively on the subject, but still would like to consult the experts before I consider buying any bits. I would also put the backlit keyboard on, and I havn't decided between rubberized or chicklet, and yes I have read pros and cons for both, but I still cant make up my mind.

I would love to get the OEM WWAN setup into my machine, including the caddy with the snazzy memory card reader and the LEDs and power switch that fit in the chassis just left of the handle. Would this work if I could miraculously procure the parts through means such as a heavily abused donor machine? Is this the kind of thing that I just plain can't find in working order outside of a machine for a reasonable price? Would it not be worth the effort? I'm just beginning my research into the WWAN setup, as I feel it will be the most difficult part selection and easiest install, if I need to go with a non-original parts set. I would hold out if anyone thought that putting the OEM set on was worth it or even possible. It looks like its physically possible, but I would like to hear if anyone has considered or even performed this retrofit before.

I completely understand what members like Toughbook mean when they say that one shouldn't get into things like adding GPS to their notebook if they don't know what they're doing, but I'm striving to make this my grail-quest project, doing it the right way and as much by myself as possible. I saw the kit from www.custom-toughbooks.com, almost purchased the thing straight away, and then read the pros and cons of it on this forum (thanks again, Toughbook!). I feel like I should be buying their breakout board, for convenience and my time value vs. cost of board for building my own, and sourcing the rest of the kit myself. I don't ever see the GPS antenna style that you mount inside the magnesium case (the ceramic type cube-lookin suckers) could ever work perfectly considering that you ideally would tune the antenna for penetrating whatever surface it is to transmit or receive through. On top of that, you often block the signal with normal usage (you put your hands on the keyboard to type and you cover the antenna, which probably can't help the signal strength all that much). I have spent more than half of my life with model-making as a hobby. Well, more accurately tabletop gaming but thats really semantics. I would love the challenge of taking the right side black corner protecting piece and modifying it to accept an externally protruding antenna like the Sarantel SL1204 SMP GeoHelix-M, but would need more help on the technical side. I would like to hear opinions on that antenna (power consumption is of little concern to me), other suggestions of antennas, and means to connect that particular antenna to a MMCX connector style cable. I also heard that the gps module in the custom-toughbook kit is inferior, and although I researched and read up on modules, would appreciate some honest recommendations based on personal experience. What are some sources for very high quality ribbon cables? A couple days ago, one of my buddies came over and randomly handed me one of the USB bluetooth devices from the kit, much to my surprise, and very much for free. What other parts would I be missing?

Something I've been noticing about the keyboards on Ebay is that the rubberized keyboards go for less money than the chicklet style backlit keyboards. Could they really be so uncomfortable to use that it actually causes people to switch it out for another one, or is this probably from initial purchases of the seemingly-higher-end rubberized keyboards? If I find a rubberized keyboard for a low price, its as good as mine, but I'm wondering if people really think that the chicklet style keyboard is worth the extra $20-40 I see in price difference.

I will post pictures of my laptop soon, and additionally whenever I manage to get something actually done to it. Thank you all for assembling this community of or pertaining to my new favorite tool!

 

NYChop... Welcome to the forum and to the frenzy! Good first post... You obviously have been reading. My thoughts are that you take it one mod at a time. Some you mention can't be done in combination... Like having an OEM WWAN and the Sarantel GPS antenna as they take up the same spot. You can mod in a custom GPS in with the stock WWAN... But if your laptop didn't come wireless ready.... Installing a WWAN antenna and all the accessories can be daunting if you have never worked on Toughbooks before.

The dollars can easily add up but you save a lot if you can do it all yourself.

This should be the perfect platform for what you want to use it for. I have used my own as a diagnostic tool for my car and others... Many of my customers have as well.

As far as keyboards go... Start with the rubber one and work your way up if you don't like it. Then keep it for a spare if you go for the emissive. Just a thought.

Rick

 

Case top in good condition


That's my dog in front of my fireplace on the desktop.


RAM installed


Car adapter as purchased for a whopping $16 shipped from ebay.


USB bluetooth doo-hickey installed


Door doesnt quite close with the bluetooth receiver installed, nor does the side mounted cap close without some sort of modification. I have no intention of cutting my toughbook for a POS little bluetooth device, so I'll just keep putting it in the back because its a huge pain to pull out of the side USB slot.

 

Thanks for your continued guidance. I love the keyboard idea. I have the old-school cellular style antenna on what I call my screen's left side, and I would be putting the gps antenna in a re-formed corner piece on what I would call my screen's right side. I would consider making it out of two pieces of plastic in order to mount the antenna, and even having several made if I could find a design I like that works and a plastics manufacturer that would work with me. Injection molded or CAD machined. I could also consider building a mold and building them out of fiberglass, but I want something tougher than that. Sheet steel is another option, but that makes production setup a pain. That's why I call it my holy-grail project. I really want to go to town with that one. I don't want to make a huge profit selling a million units or anything, but if I manage to break even on the project and put out a nice part for other toughbook modders, that would be nice. I have the cellular style antenna on the screen, and a MMCX cable dangling out of the PCMCIA slot area. I'm pretty sure that would mean wireless ready. If I can't hook up the GPS breakout board etc. with the OEM WWAN parts, I would drop the subject on that immediately if I could use a PCMCIA card WWAN modem that would accept the antenna that is conveniently run right to there. Tell me what you think:

 

The screen-mounted antenna is for the OEM-installed PCMCIA WWAN card. In other words: the card goes into the top PC Card slot and connects to the antenna via the cord beside the PC Card cage.

FYI; the CF-29HTM50BM Toughbook is:

***SBC ONLY***Pentium M 738-1.4G LV (Centrino), 13.3" Transmissive touch XGA, 512MB, 40GB, WLAN 802.11a+b+g, Win XP SP2, Tester I/F, EDGE(GC83), logo, asset tag, replaceable RJ11 jack

From a fellow CF-29HTM50BM owner.

[ADDENDUM] The last photo shows the antenna cable, but the last part, the part that actually connects the card, is missing.

 

The Lind power adaptors are excellent products and if you're going to use the CF-29 when mobile (in-car or truck etc.) use it for powering the computer.

Craig.

 

could I be mixing up parts for the GPS from the factory and parts for the WWAN? I know the caddy for the WWAN modem from the factory is on the left side of the computer not in with the PCMCIA cards, so I would figure mine is wireless "ready" without having the factory wireless modem installed. I found a toughbook that went for sale on ebay with basically all of the mods I was talking about, so check it out before the link dies: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Panasonic-toughbook-CF-29,1.6ghz,-WWAN,-20Chan-GPS-_W0QQitemZ330405070848QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100216?IMSfp=TL100216139001r4227

After posting I noticed that this is one of Ohlip's machines. It's even possible that this very machine was discussed on this forum somewhere, thus already proving me right for warning that things will get touched on again here.

Oh, and I have an empty spot over where my battery is, I thought that's where the WWAN caddy from the factory went.

 

I've never plugged this thing in and I can already tell that it is made with absolutely stellar quality. It's got some heft to it, its very solidly built. Even the cable is heavy duty. I can't wait until I get it running.

 

The SBC machine is not "wireless-ready": it is "wireless- equipped"!

See the previously-posted specs.

 

I'm guessing overstock.com purchased a whole lot of refurbished laptops that came from surplus laptops from government surplus turn-ins in one huge batch. Is it possible that this could be de-milled or whatever the law enforcement alternative to that is before it was given to the refurbishing company, therefore removing the WWAN card before sale? I'm peering inside the upper PCMCIA slot (where upon further study I believe all of the factory Sierra WWAN cards went) and its empty. If I pick up one of the old sierra MC5725 cards, could I just install it, attach the antenna, and activate if I can convince a wireless provider to accept the card?

 

I just ordered the western digital 320gb 2.5" Scorpio Blue IDE WD3200BEVE hard drive for my laptop from amazon for $85 shipped. I'm excited. I'll do a write up on the install, even though its been done before. We'll see if I'm feeling too lazy to take pictures of the process, however

 

As noted in the specs for the CF-29HTM50BM, to-wit:

***SBC ONLY***Pentium M 738-1.4G LV (Centrino),13.3" Transmissive touch XGA, 512MB, 40GB, WLAN 802.11a+b+g, Win XP SP2, Tester I/F, EDGE(GC83), logo, asset tag, replaceable RJ11 jack

this is not a "government surplus turn-in", but a retired SBC (Southwestern Bell Company) tester unit (less the VIP tester module).

This is the same unit I have and it did not come with the retail-sold Sierra card, but with an OEM-installed Sony-Ericsson GC83 card installed in the upper PC Card slot (behind the retainer plate screwed onto the PC Card cage).

I guess you will need to check with Heartland Services < http://www.heartlandsi.com/ > to see if they have the antenna extension cable to fit either the Sony-Ericsson card or the Sierra card.

I would also suggest that while talking with them you inquire about getting the original revocery disks, as it would be worth your while and make getting the system back "up to par" a lot easier.

Hope this helps.

 

Yes, this helps a ton, thank you kindly. I know about heartland, and I'll be calling in an order, I'm sure, one of these days coming up. I'm just trying to make a definitive list before I call them because I hear their shipping charge leaves you aching I'll definitely ask about the recovery software. Then I could put the recovery xp on the frankenstein parts computer I've been workin on. I've got to re-install my system anyhow as I have that new hard drive on order.

To clarify: I need an extension cord even though I have the 90 degree MMCX connector hanging right there at the PCMCIA door? I would think that if I got the right card, sony-ericsson... sierra... whatever, it would be PCMCIA and the antenna cable hanging right there could only go to the one and only antenna I think I have on the computer already...

 

I will advise you on keyboards

If you are worried about having it perfectly sealed in dusty dirty shop conditions, you need the rubber type

But you are going to use the keyboard regularly ,you might end up frustrated with the feel of the rubber type

Its a tough choice , the premuim type is hard chicklet

btw I have keyboards for sale in the buy and sell section


Alex

 

I'm thinking of getting the rubberized keyboard first, try it out, and while I use it in a collision repair environment (bondo dust, uuugh!) be able to effectively clean it I think I'd get longer and better operation. If I retire this to be my mobile in-the-back-woods or vehicle only laptop and get a cf-19 or somesuch to use in the shop, I might spring for the nicer operating chicklet keyboard. Thanks for your 2 cents.

 

Agree, for your application the rubber keyboard is the best


Alex

 

As I've posted elsewhere; the rubberized keyboards do have issues with random single or multiple key failures; you want to be sure your seller offers a warranty.

On the upside, once you get used to them, you CAN TYPE on the rubberized keyboards, you just have to be a LITTLE BIT slower and heavier handed.

The thing to be careful of is that when cleaning them it is SUPER-EASY to snag a towel on a key while trying to clean between them and rip the silicone rubber membrane right off, key and all. Of course, there goes your water & dust resistance right down the drain.

mnem
key.

 

The cable you have requires an "extension/adapter" cable with the propriety connector for the particular WWAN card used.

As previously stated (and as noted in the Configurator specs previously posted), the OEM card is the GC83 Sony-Ericsson. I do not know if there is a Sierra-capable extension/adapter cord or not, Heartland should know.

And as to Heartland, forum member h3lpmedic is putting together a group order for Heartland. Get the info you need from them, then PM him with the part numbers you need. This will reduce the individual's S/H expenses on our part of the order.

 

Wow, that was a great 1st post. It was almost like reading a book, the grammer and such was perfect!

1st off, welcome to the Toughbook Addiction Center, where we specialize in making you worse not better.

Pretty much all of your anwsers have been handled by the trained staff accordingly pretty well. Just let me know when you the wrong advice on something and I will be sure to chime in and help ya...

Ok, I just googled what Sim Farm is. Do you actually mean that people play or do this kind of stuff

 

Man, you lucked out I cant find any of the Lind models for the CF-29 for under $80.00!

Addiction?!!!!!??!?!?!? I'm perfectly fine!
I can stop at any time!

Speaking of addiction, you are amazed by Sim Farm? Try a google news search for a little thing called Farmville. You will be blown away!

 

I think your best bet would be to mount a active patch antenna in the palmrest area or a Sarantel in the WWAN spot. There is just no "meat" to tie to on the upper right corner.... Though I know at least one person will disagree. Plus you take a chance of shearing it off. I've had a few of my customers do that on earlier ones that I've built.

 

I was considering having a 2-piece corner made that would appear much like the opposite side (with WWAN antenna), only it splits in the middle. I would make these things out of solid chunks of thermoset plastic. If I could find someone willing to put it into autocad and run it through a CNC machine, I would then take a roll of rubber gasket material, cut it to fit, and make it a nice solid piece that would be just as waterproof as any other part on the laptop. If it came out well, I'd consider looking into getting a mold made and putting out a couple dozen of these. I am probably going to wind up taking the palmrest style antenna for now, tho, as I feel the cost of adding gps with that style antenna is going to cost me less than the creation of my corner antenna pipe dream!

 

If you want a durable gps antena setup look on this picture.

 

I agree! However, Check this out...

 

Installing the sarantel antena at the oposite side of the lcd is not as hard as you can imagine. It is depends on how you mounted it. In my setup( i know everybody will not agree), It will break in half the antena before you can pull it out into its base.

ohlip

 

excellent! thanks for the link! Someone once told me something about great minds... I forget what it was tho. I think a prototype should be cut out of, say, aluminum to check for fit. I say use a strand impregnated thermoset plastic, like the stuff car bumpers are made out of. The nice thing about thermoset is that it can be cut without melting and smearing. I'm not sure 160 degree plastic would cut it (pun intended). The allowances for the antenna's dimensions would have to be the result of a consensus on a commonly available and high quality antenna that would fit. What I've heard is that the aforementioned sarantel sl1204 is a high quality piece. I'm far from qualified to make that decision tho.

Also: Thanks for chiming in, Ohlip! I was eyeballing one of your ebay auctions earlier and linked to it. Hope you don't mind, I'm a fan I agree that the factory wwan location is a toughbook worthy spot to mount a GPS antenna, which is why I would be basing the shape of the piece on the bulge of the factory antenna. I'm also a little OCD, and love my symmetry.

 

I was thinking something like this:
(2 pieces split along the green line. Ease of antenna install and plenty of material on either side to hollow out for the rest of the antenna)

 

Well, we have the same bt adapter and ya it doesnt close all the way but it closes far enough. You cold always trim the top of the bt a little. I too will be purchasing a scantool from mp3car. Its perfect cause its rugged and can be dropped in the car, i have the emissive keyboard and it seems fine i am not sure if the rubber really provides that much more protection but if you are around bondo and such i wouldnt risk it and just get the rubber. I mean heck if rubber stops STDs im sure it can stop bondo lol.

 

I had created one before but the end result was horible. It was full of bubles see the pictures. I guess I have the right materials but lack of proper tools to make it better. It is suppose to be an enjection type to make it in good quality. Maybe you can and will wait what you've got. Good Luck.

ohlip

 

Yeah, from what I have read, most of these plastics work best with the ad of a vacuum pump to minimize bubbles, those some formulas seem more prone to the problem. I was thinking, that perhaps ff you were to subject your molds to vibration, say like being on top of a speaker playing some old hard rock, it might help to minimize them.

On the other hand, that looks like it would clean up decent with some fine sand paper and I salute you for actually doing it, rather then just pondering it like I have!

 

Teo, did you try out the plaster mold & alignment press I mentioned previously? Get some silicon spray mold release as well... the end result will be smoother.
Ron in SG

 

To make my first piece, I wouldn't be pouring a mold. I would be looking to find a solid chunk of thermoset plastic (as in, its chemically catalyzed and does NOT melt, especially when touched with a grinder etc.) and carving bits out until I got the shape I was looking for. That would take care of the bubbles in the surface, but it still would look rough until I spent a nice chunk of time with some sandpaper. Also, that's why I thought making a nonferrous metal non-functioning prototype would be helpful just to check the fit and finish in case there would be multiple of these units made. This would require CNC and some capital, so I'm just looking for a block of thermoset to start 'whittlin with

 

Ron.. As I said, I don't have proper tools to do it right. Currently I still have the rubber mixture which is a good stuff of making this coner piece. Its hard like a plastic when totally cured. Anyway, I will try to look on it of what you suggested. Thanks for the input.


ohlip

 

Teo, while I no longer have access to lab equipment, I do have enough materials at home to try rig up an aligned 2-part mold. For the 'press', I ought to be able to come up with a simple design using threaded rod and wing-nuts.

If you have something specific in mind (and trust me not to screw it up), send that sample to me, together with some of that black plastic material. I'll study it and decide on the best course of replication and probably trial-press a piece from high-impact polymer material (it's pinkish because it's denture material!! ).

If it requires more than a 2-part mold and I couldn't get it just right, I'll return the sample with a generous wad of hair that I lost while trying.

If it's AOK, you'll find the mold set along with the polymer sample. Let me know if my proposal tickles your interest (it will also give me something to work on between job interviews or until I find gainful employment! )

Ron in SG

 

I gotta couple of stupid questions..What else is new.

What is the problem, or what wont it do for you guys? no, I have not read all the 1000 pages here on the GPS mods.

Has anybody looked locally for a custome moulding company. I see them all around the place. You could go in and show them what it is you want. Alot of those machines are fully computerized, meaning if you had a cad drawing you put the dimensions into the machine and it makes it. There are alot of companies that make specialty type pieces for the motorcycle after market industry.

 

Since keyboards were discussed in this thread ...as I have seen them mentioned in many threads.... There is always the talk of the two backlit options - rubber and chicklet. What is the deal with the standard keyboard as came with the CF-29 purchased in this thread (I bought the same one)? Is it tolerant of moisture? I don't have dust concerns ...but rain I do. What happens if the standard keyboard gets wet?

FYI - if anyone is looking to snag one of these overstock does still have them. $429.99 + $2.95 shipping. Promo code on checkout 148945 will knock off $43.00. Another $15+ rebate comes back if you use ebates. So they come in at a little under $375 shipped, no tax . Pretty good for a clean warrantied refurb CF-29 with touch. I had one issue (cracked hdd door), also instantly resolved with a phone call. Fresh XP is installed, no device/driver conflicts at all ...ready to go out of the box and very clean looking.

 

The guides I have read have recommended using acorn nuts to make the alignment posts.

 

So is the OEM card worth buying and installing? Did AT&T support this kind of card???

 

Works great in my CF-29HTM50BM with AT&T LaptopConnect.

http://www.wireless.att.com/busines...Ericsson&model=GC83&dest=phone-device-support

 

Nice little update: I managed to get my 320gb IDE hard drive installed last night with the help of Toughbook's illustrated guide. Took me about 15 minutes to swap out the hard drive physically, and with the restore disks I picked up from the forum member of the same name, the setup was ridiculously easy. I tried to take a couple useful pictures of the process, but just wound up copying some of the angles and shots that Toughbook has had posted on this forum for about 2 years now, so I gave up on that idea. I just warn anyone who is going to be using the panasonic recovery disks, have some patience. The progress bar only updates like every three to five minutes. I nearly restarted it the first time around in frustration, but left alone and returned to find the install looking for the next disk. Although the process only left me with 298 of the advertised 320gb, I can't complain. Sure, the difference is basically the original hard drive size, but I'm just going to assume the extra space was lost to the age of my laptop's chipset or the super-slick install software... again, I don't care in the slightest. Thanks again Toughbook! Another quality mod made under your tutelage!

 

Try this for your bluetooth problem...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/474733-easy-usb-bluetooth-mod.html

 

Teo,

I don't know how I missed this. This is a great idea and I think you are on the right track. I think Azrial is right though... You need to do this in a vacuum bell... It should be easy enough to get one or fab one up. That would take the bubbles right out!

What plastic formula did you use?

 

No, Rick. When the resin/rubber material is curing, a vacuum state will enlarge all embedded bubbles.

If one has to apply vacuum, do it while mixing and maintain compression till cured.