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Devices and Ports
This chapter describes both the built-in I/O devices and the ports for connecting external I/O devices. Each of the following sections describes an I/O port or device.
USB Ports
The iBook has two external USB 2.0 ports that can be used to connect additional I/O devices such as a USB mouse, printers, scanners, and storage devices.
The USB ports on the iBook comply with the Universal Serial Bus Specification 2.0. For more information about USB on Macintosh computers, consult the references at USB Interface.
USB Connector
The USB port uses a USB Type A connector, which has four pins. Two of the pins are used for power and two for data. Figure 3-1 is an illustration of a Type A USB port. Table 3-1 shows the pin assignments.
Pin | Signal name | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | VCC | +5 VDC |
2 | D– | Data – |
3 | D+ | Data + |
4 | GND | Ground |
The iBook provides power for the USB ports at 5 V and up to 500 mA each.
Each USB port supports low-, full-, and high-speed data transfers at rates of 1.5 Mbps, 12 Mbps, and 480 Mbps, respectively. All cables and peripherals should be compliant with the USB specification.
The Macintosh USB system software that comes with the iBook supports all four data transfer types defined in the USB specification.
USB Device Programming
Mac OS X includes support for a variety of USB Class Compliant devices and provides access to vendor specific devices. Developers can use the built-in support or provide additional applications and drivers.
In Mac OS X, The USB Family (IOUSBFamily) handles device plug and unplug and supplies IOKit with a USB-specific matching method. The general services publish information about the bus and the devices in the IO Registry, so that IOKit can match drivers to each connected USB device.
In the iBook, Mac OS X provides the following USB class compliant drivers:
Audio
Bluetooth
CDC (Communication Data Class)
modem (abstract control model only)
HID (Human Interface Device)
boot protocol
report protocol
HUB
Mass storage
MIDI
Printer
Still image/PTP (digital still cameras)
For information on writing USB drivers or applications, download the latest USB SDK from http://developer.apple.com/sdk/.
For information about USB support on the Macintosh, see the references in USB Interface.
FireWire 400 Port
The iBook has one external FireWire 400 IEEE 1394a port. The FireWire 400 port
supports serial I/O at 100, 200, and 400 Mbps (megabits per second)
provides up to 7 watts of peak power when the computer system is on or the power adapter is connected
supports booting the system from a mass storage device
supports target disk mode (TDM)
The FireWire 400 hardware and software provided with the iBook are capable of all asynchronous and isochronous transfers defined by IEEE standard 1394.
FireWire 400 Connector
The FireWire 400 connector has six contacts, as shown in Figure 3-2. The connector pin assignments are shown in Table 3-2.
When the computer is on, or the computer is sleeping with the power adapter connected, the power pin provides a maximum voltage of 16.8 V (no load) and up to 7 W peak power.
Pin 2 of the 6-pin FireWire 400 connector is ground for both power and the inner cable shield. If a 4-pin connector is used on the other end of the FireWire 400 cable, its shell should be connected to the wire from pin 2.
The signal pairs are crossed in the cable itself so that pins 5 and 6 at one end of the cable connect with pins 3 and 4 at the other end. When transmitting, pins 3 and 4 carry data and pins 5 and 6 carry clock; when receiving, the reverse is true.
FireWire 400 Device Programming
Mac OS X includes general support for the FireWire bus and specific support for various kinds of FireWire devices and protocols. Developers can use the built-in support or provide additional applications and drivers for use with their products.
The general FireWire services will configure the FireWire bus, scan the bus for new devices, and allow multiple drivers and devices to share a single FireWire interface cooperatively. The general services also publish information about the bus and the devices in the IO Registry, so that IOKit can match protocols and drivers to each connected FireWire device.
The specific device and protocol support in Mac OS X as provided with the iBook includes the following:
General services for Serial Bus Protocol 2 (SBP-2) and support for most mass storage devices using SBP-2, such as hard disk drives, optical drives, flash card readers, Target Disk Mode (see Overview of the iBook), and the iPod. Mac OS X can boot from most of these devices.
General services for the Audio Video Control (AV/C) protocol and support for most digital video (DV) cameras and decks using this protocol, including video capture through standard QuickTime APIs.
A QuickTime device driver for IIDC/DCAM type cameras such as the iSight.
A network device driver supporting IP (Internet Protocol) over FireWire according to IEEE RFC 2734.
Additional services for user-space and kernel access to all FireWire resources.
For information on writing FireWire drivers or applications, download the latest FireWire SDK from http://developer.apple.com/sdk/.
For additional information about the FireWire 400 interface, refer to the resources listed in FireWire 400 Interface.
Ethernet Port
The iBook has a built-in 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port. The user can connect it to either a 10BASE-T or a 100BASE-T hub; the port will automatically sense which type of hub is connected.
The connector for the Ethernet port is a shielded RJ-45 connector near the left rear corner of the computer. Table 3-3 shows the signals and pins on the connector.
When connecting two computers using Ethernet, a crossover cable is not required; circuits in the PHY detect the type of connection and switch the signal configuration as required.
The Ethernet interface in the iBook conforms to the ISO/IEC 802.3 specification, where applicable.
Internal Modem
The iBook comes with a built-in modem.The connector for the modem is an RJ-11 connector on the left rear corner of the computer.
The modem has the following features:
modem bit rates up to 56 Kbps (V.92 modem standards)
fax modem bit rates up to 14.4 Kbps
The modem appears to the system as a serial port that responds to the typical AT commands.
AirPort Extreme
The iBook computer supports the internal, wireless, AirPort Extreme LAN module, which is compliant with the IEEE 802.11g standard. By communicating wirelessly with a base station, AirPort Extreme can be used for internet access, email access, and file exchange. A base station provides the connection to the Internet or the bridge between the wireless signals and a wired LAN or both. The AirPort Extreme Base Station has connectors for a wired LAN, a DSL or cable modem, or a standard telephone line using the optional 56K modem that is built-in on some models.
AirPort Extreme transmits and receives data at speeds up to 54 Mbps. Airport Extreme is also compatible with other devices that follow the IEEE 802.11b standard, including PC's. For more information about compatibility, see the reference at Wireless Networks.
Data Security
AirPort Extreme has several features designed to maintain the security of the user’s data.
In 802.11b mode, the system uses direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) technology that uses a multi-bit spreading code that effectively scrambles the data for any receiver that lacks the corresponding code.
The system can use an Access Control List of authentic network client ID values (wireless and MAC addresses) to verify each client’s identity before granting access to the network.
When communicating with a base station, AirPort Extreme uses 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption and WPA personal and enterprise modes to encode data while it is in transit. Additional security features may be available via firmware upgrades as 802.11 enhancements are ratified by IEEE.
The AirPort Extreme Base Station can be configured to use NAT (Network Address Translation), protecting data from Internet hackers.
The AirPort Extreme Base Station can authenticate users by their unique Ethernet IDs, preventing unauthorized computers from logging into your network. Network administrators can take advantage of RADIUS compatibility, used for authenticating users over a remote server. Smaller networks can offer the same security using a local look-up table located within the base station.
As an additional data security measure, VPN can be used in conjunction with the AirPort Extreme data security.
AirPort Extreme Hardware
AirPort Extreme is a fully-integrated, wireless LAN module compliant with the IEEE 802.11g standard using both OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) and DSSS technologies. Using DSSS, AirPort Extreme is interoperable with PC-compatible wireless LANs that conform to the 802.11b standard at speeds of 11 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps, and 1 Mbps. Using OFDM, AirPort Extreme is compatible with all 802.11g standard speeds.
Two antennas are built into the computer, on either side of the flat-panel display. One antenna is always used for transmitting. Either of the two antennas may be used for receiving. Using a diversity technique, Air Port Extreme may select the antenna that gives the best reception.
AirPort Extreme Software
The iBook includes software for setting up and using AirPort Extreme:
AirPort Extreme Setup Assistant, an easy-to-use program that guides users through the steps necessary to set up AirPort Extreme or set up an AirPort Extreme Base Station.
Users can switch between wireless networks and can create and join peer-to-peer networks. These functions are accessed via the AirPort Extreme status menu.
AirPort Extreme Admin Utility, a utility for advanced users and system administrators. With it the user can edit the administrative and advanced settings needed for some advanced configurations.
Bluetooth Technology
Bluetooth is an open specification that enables short-range wireless connections between desktop and laptop computers and a host of other peripheral devices. Bluetooth support is built into Mac OS X and compliant with Bluetooth specification 2.0 + EDR. It operates on a globally available 2.4 GHz frequency band (ISM band) for worldwide compatibility and has a maximum throughput of 3 Mbps.
The Bluetooth technology supports the following profiles:
serial port (SPP) —provides a wireless serial connection to other Bluetooth devices
dial-up networking (DUN) — enables a mobile phone to act as a modem
object push (OPP) —enables the transfer of files between Bluetooth devices
human interface device (HID) — enables the use of Bluetooth input devices (keyboards and mice)
Bluetooth file transfer profile (FTP) — enables browsing of the file system of other Bluetooth devices which support Bluetooth FTP
hardcopy cable replacement profiler (HCRP) — describes how to send rendered data over a Bluetooth link to a device, such as a printer. Although other profiles can be used for printing, the HCRP is specially designed to support hardcopy applications.
headset profile (HSP) — enables the use of Bluetooth-enabled wireless headsets for applications such as iChat. This profile does not enable use of Apple Speech Recognition due to the fact that it is a low-precision audio channel.
For more information on Bluetooth technology, refer to Bluetooth.
Hard Disk Drive
The storage capacity of the internal hard disk drive is 40 GB or 60 GB; a 60 GB, 80 GB, or 100 GB drive is available as a build-to-order option. The drive uses the Ultra ATA-100 (IDE, integrated drive electronics) interface and is ATA-6 compatible. Data Transfer Mode for the drive is ATA-100.
The software that supports the internal hard disk is similar to that in previous models with internal IDE drives and includes DMA support. For the information about that software, see the references in ATA Devices.
Hard Disk Dimensions
Figure 3-3 shows the maximum dimensions of the hard disk and the location of the mounting holes. The minimum clearance between any conductive components on the drive and the bottom of the mounting envelope is 0.5 mm.
Hard Disk Connector
The internal hard disk has a 48-pin connector that carries both the ATA signals and the power for the drive. The connector has the dimensions of a 50-pin connector, but with one row of pins removed, as shown in Figure 3-4. The remaining pins are in two groups: pins 1–44, which carry the signals and power, and pins 45–48, which are reserved. Pin 20 has been removed, and pin 1 is located nearest the gap, rather than at the end of the connector.
Signal Assignments
Table 3-4 shows the signal assignments on the 44-pin portion of the hard disk connector. A slash (/) at the beginning of a signal name indicates an active-low signal.
ATA Signal Descriptions
Table 3-5 describes the signals on the ATA hard disk connector.
The built-in ATA devices are connected to the I/O bus through bidirectional bus buffers.
Combo Drive
Some configurations of the computer have a slot-loading, combination DVD-ROM and CD-RW drive.
The drive can read DVD media and read and write CD media, as shown in Table 3-6.
Digital audio signals from the Combo drive can be played through the sound outputs under the control of the System Preferences.
SuperDrive
Some configurations of the iBook have a slot-loading Apple SuperDrive.
The SuperDrive can read and write DVD media and CD media, as shown in Table 3-7 and provides DVD-Video playback.
The SuperDrive writes to DVD-R 4.7 gigabyte General Use media. These discs are playable in most standard DVD players and computer DVD-ROM drives.
Digital audio signals from the SuperDrive can be played through the sound outputs under the control of the Sound Manager. The SuperDrive is an ATAPI drive.
Trackpad
The pointing device in the iBook is a trackpad. The trackpad is a solid-state device that emulates a mouse by sensing the motions of the user’s finger over its surface and translating those motions into cursor movements.
The user makes selections either by pressing the trackpad button (below the trackpad) or by tapping or double tapping on the pad itself (enabled via Systems Preferences). The trackpad responds to one or two taps on the pad itself as one or two clicks of the button. The user can tap and drag on the trackpad in much the same manner as clicking and dragging with the mouse. By default, vertical and horizontal scrolling is possible by dragging two fingers across the trackpad. The tap and double-tap functions and scrolling function are optional and can be adjusted and activated or deactivated by means of the mouse pane in System Preferences.
The trackpad on the iBook has palm-rejection capabilities that help prevent unintended trackpad input while typing is being performed. When the “Ignore trackpad while typing” checkbox is selected on the mouse pane of Systems Preferences, the system software attempts to filter out unintended contact with the trackpad. The trackpad will not respond when a mouse is present and the “Ignore trackpad when mouse is present” checkbox is selected on the keyboard mouse pane of Systems Preferences. The default setting is for all gestures to be turned off.
Keyboard
The keyboard is a compact, low-profile design with a row of function keys and inverted-T cursor motion keys.
Removing the Keyboard
The keyboard is removable to allow access to the internal components and expansion connectors inside the computer. The keyboard is held in place by a locking screw and two latches.
To unlock the keyboard, turn the slotted screw that is part of the Num Lock LED, which is between the F5 and F6 function keys. Turning the screw 180 locks or unlocks the keyboard.
The two latches are between the ESC key and the F1 key and between the F11 and F12 keys. The user can release the latches by pulling them toward the front of the computer; see Figure 3-5.
For information on accessing the memory card, see The RAM Expansion Slot.
Keyboard Illustrations
Figure 3-7 shows the appearance of the keyboard. Figure 3-8 shows the alternate modes of operation of the function and control keys. Figure 3-9 shows the embedded numeric keypad.
Figure 3-8 and Figure 3-9 include duplicate versions of some keys in order to show their alternate modes of operation. In some cases, the alternate key captions shown in the figures do not appear on the keyboard. For the basic appearance of the keyboard, refer to Figure 3-7.
Keyboard Operations
Several of the keys on the keyboard have more than one mode of operation.
Function keys F1–F6 can also control the display brightness, speaker volume, and the Num Lock function; function key F12 is also the media eject key.
Certain control keys can be used as page-control keys.
The keys on the right side of the keyboard can be used as a numeric keypad.
The next sections describe these groups of keys and the way their alternate modes of operation are selected by using the Fn key and the Num Lock key.
Using the Fn Key
Pressing the Fn key affects three sets of keys: the function keys F1–F12, the embedded numeric keypad, and certain modifier keys.
It toggles the function keys between their control-button operation and their F1–F12 functions, as shown in Table 3-10 and Figure 3-8.
It selects the embedded numeric keypad on the right portion of the alphanumeric keys, as shown in Table 3-8 and Figure 3-9.
It changes certain control keys, including the cursor control keys, to page control keys, as shown in Table 3-10 and Figure 3-9.
Using the Num Lock Key
Pressing the Num Lock key affects two sets of keys: the embedded keypad and the rest of the alphanumeric keys.
It selects the embedded numeric keypad, as shown in Table 3-8 and Figure 3-9.
It makes the rest of the alphanumeric keys functionless (NOPs), as shown in Figure 3-9.
The Embedded Keypad
A certain group of alphanumeric keys can also function as an embedded keypad. The user selects this mode by using the Fn key or the Num Lock key. Figure 3-9 shows the keys making up the embedded keypad and Table 3-8 lists them.
Key name | Keypad function |
|---|---|
6 | Clear |
7 | 7 |
8 | 8 |
9 | 9 |
0 | / (divide) |
- | = (equals) |
U | 4 |
I | 5 |
O | 6 |
P | * (multiply) |
J | 1 |
K | 2 |
L | 3 |
; | – (subtract) |
M | 0 |
, | NOP |
. | . (decimal) |
/ | + (add) |
When the embedded keypad is made active by the Num Lock key, the other alphanumeric keys have no operation (NOP), as shown in Figure 3-9. The affected keys include certain special character keys: plus and equal sign, right and left brackets, vertical bar and backslash, and straight apostrophe.
Operations of the Function Keys
Function keys F1 through F6 are used as control buttons for the display and sound, and F12 is used for media eject (hold down F12 button for one or 2 seconds).
Table 3-9 defines the default operation of the function keys. The "Use the F1-F12 keys for custom actions" checkbox in the Keyboard and Mouse pane in System Preferences allows you to toggle the default operation of these keys to custom actions. When this checkbox is enabled, the function keys operate as F1 through F12 keys that can be customized within individual software applications. Holding down the fn key while the checkbox is enabled, will go back to perform the default action that is listed in Table 3-9.
Other Control Keys
The cursor control keys can also be used as page control keys. Other control keys can take on the functions of certain keys on a PC keyboard, for use with PC emulation software. The Fn key controls the modes of operation of this group of keys. Table 3-10 is a list of these keys and their alternate functions. These control keys are also show in Figure 3-9.
Flat Panel Display
The iBook has a built-in color flat panel display. The display is backlit by a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL). The display uses TFT (thin-film transistor) technology for high contrast and fast response.
Depending on the model, the display is either 12.1 or 14.1 inches in size, measured diagonally. The display contains 1024x768 pixels (XGA) and can show up to millions of colors.
The graphics controller IC is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 with 32 MB of video DDR SDRAM on the chip. It supports 3D acceleration and display depths up to 24 bits per pixel. For more information, see Graphics IC.
The graphics IC includes a scaling function that expands smaller-sized images to fill the screen. By means of the scaling function, the computer can show full-screen images at 1024x768, 800x600, or 640x480 pixels.
External Display Port
The iBook has a video output port for connecting an external video monitor or projector. The port supports both RGB and composite/S-video signals (for VGA and video) by means of adapters. The port detects the type of adapter connected to it and programs the graphics IC to provide the appropriate type of video signals, as shown in Table 3-11.
Adapter type | Video signals | Connector type(s) |
|---|---|---|
VGA | RGB | VGA 15-pin miniature D-type |
Video | Composite and S-video TV signals | RCA and S-video |
Resolutions supported are 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768 pixels. When either type of display adapter is connected, the settings for the resolutions are selectable in the Systems Preferences Display pane.
Composite video and S-video signals can be displayed on either an NTSC display or a PAL display. When a display is connected by way of the video adapter, the computer detects the type of adapter and enables the composite and S-video outputs. The settings for the resolutions and standards (NTSC or PAL) are then selectable in the Systems Preferences Display pane.
The video output mirrors the flat panel display: internal and external video share the same buffer, and the hardware sends the image to both displays.
Video Display Connector
The video display connector is a 14-pin rectangular connector, Hosiden TCX3143, or compatible. The connector pins are identified in Figure 3-10.
The iBook detects the type of display adapter that is plugged in and programs the graphics IC to route the appropriate video signals to the connector. The signal assignments on the video connector are shown in Table 3-12. The signal assignments for the video adapter are shown in Table 3-13.
The cable detect function on pin 13 is implemented by connecting pin 13 to ground in the display cable. The computer detects the video adapter by reading its EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) via DDC (pins 10 and 11).
The video display connector is compliant with the VESA specification (DDC version 3).
Older Monitors Not Supported
The computer supports current video monitors. The detection scheme on some older monitors are not supported and will use default configurations, including the following Apple monitors:
Multiple Scan 17
Multiple Scan 20
AudioVision 14
Apple Hi-Res RGB
Apple 16" Color
Apple Hi-Res Monochrome
Macintosh 12" RGB
Audio System
The 16-bit stereo audio circuitry provides audio input through the built-in microphone and the USB port and sound output through the built-in stereo speakers and the audio minijack.
All audio is handled digitally inside the computer, including audio data from the optical drive, the modem, and devices connected to the USB and FireWire ports. Audio data is converted to analog form only for output to the internal speakers and the headphone jack.
The audio circuitry handles audio data as 44.1 kHz 16-bit samples. If audio data sampled at a lower rate on another computer is played as output, the Sound Manager transparently upsamples the data to 44.1 kHz prior to sending the audio data to the sound circuitry.
Audio Headphone Port
The audio headphone port is located on the left side of the computer at the left palm rest. The port accepts a standard stereo mini-plug.
The stereo audio signals at the jack are configured to drive a pair of low-impedance stereo headphones. External powered speakers may also be connected to the headphone jack.
The audio signals on the audio minijack have the following electrical characteristics:
output impedance: 16 ohms each channel
minimum recommended load impedance: 32 ohms each channel
maximum level: 1.5 V rms (4.4 V P-P)
signal to noise ratio (SNR): greater than 90 dB (A)
THD+N: less than 0.0315%
Internal Microphone
The computer has a built-in microphone located at the upper right hand corner of the display.
Internal Speakers
The computer has a stereo pair of speakers located between the keyboard and the display. The sound system provides parametric equalization for the speakers. The computer turns off the sound signal to the speakers when headphones are connected to the audio mini-jack and when USB speakers are active.
Sound effects and output from other audio sources can be specified in the System Preferences Sound panel. An output device is displayed on the Sound panel when the computer detects that it is plugged in. The system default setting is the internal audio controller. Once the default is changed to a different device, it will remain the default as long as the device is plugged in.
Internal Modem
Digital audio data from the modem is read from the I2S interface, processed by the audio software, and transferred by the DMA through the I2S interface of the Intrepid IC to the sound system.
CD Audio
Digital audio data from the optical drive is read using the ATA interface, processed by the audio software, and then transferred by DMA through the I2S interface of the Intrepid IC to the sound system or sent to USB speakers.
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