Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 02:07:34 -0500
Reply-To: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
Subject: Re: My I-Opener finally arrived!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Hi Ken, and others interested in the I-Opener internet appliance for use in
the Vanagon. (This was discussed on the list in March, if you don't know
what this is about - check the archives for "I-Opener" or "iopener".)
WARNING.......DO NOT LET IT PHONE HOME PRIOR TO THE CONVERSION - IT'S SW CAN
BE UPDATED FROM THEIR SITE - DO NOT CONNECT IT TO A TELEPHONE LINE
Netpliance has made some changes to their system, to make it slightly more
complex to add a HD.
Don't worry, all the hard stuff has already been figured out, and there is
no need to do anything to the circuit board, other than create or purchase
the correct IDE cable, which has always been the situation. I just ordered
mine from a website for 8 bucks plus handling/postage charges. I got it,
exactly as advertised.
Changes to the bios, unfortunately, will have to be made to your I-Opener.
Netpliance changed the bios, so that the new bios won't allow a HD to be
mounted. No problem.....
Fellow "enthusiasts" created an image of the old bios, and created a special
program to write the old bios over the new.
There are several pieces of SW required, all of which I have, so don't
worry. BTW: none of them violate copyright laws, either.
My I-Opener is currently in transit from a kind US listees adress to Canada,
and I expect it tomorrow, or sometime early this week. (Monday was a holiday
in Canada, at least for Gov't workers, (Like me!))
As soon as it arrives, I'll post the step by step directions for adding a
HD, and making it boot everybodies "favorite" OS.
Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy "Iron Igloo"
>Put in my normal bi-weekly call to the local Circuit City. Surprise,
>surprise, my I-Opener is finally in after almost three months of waiting.
I
>am hoping to slip over and pick it up within the next couple of days.
Total
>cost appears to be around $105. I asked about having to sign up for the
>service and they told me I didn't have to (yippee!).
>I am really excited about setting up the machine to do MP3s and RA files in
>my Vanagon (content), also using it as a GPS machine, and eventually a
email
>machine for the road (when coupled with a cell phone). Anyone else got
thier
>machine and set it up for the van? Any websites better than others about
>doing this stuff or buying the hard disk needed to make the beast work?
Any
>help would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>Ken Wilford
>http://www.vanagain.com
>John 3:16
>Office (856)-765-1583
>Shop (856)-327-0027
>Fax (856)-327-2242
>
