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Using PC Cards (PCMCIA cards)
PC Cards (also known as PCMCIA cards) are about the size of a thick credit
card and have a 68-pin connector at one end. They come in many varieties,
such as fax/modem cards, mass-storage cards, Ethernet connection cards, and
wireless communication cards. You can use PC Cards to expand your
Macintosh PowerBook’s capabilities.
This section describes how to insert and eject PC Cards, and how to set up
your communications software to use PC Card modems. For information on
using PC Cards, see the “Using PC Cards” topic area of Mac OS Guide,
available in the Guide (h) menu.
Your Macintosh PowerBook has two PC Card slots: an upper slot and a lower
slot. You can insert a card into either slot, or you can use both slots
simultaneously.
There are three types of PC Cards. The different types refer to the thickness
of the card. A Type I card is 3.3 millimeters (mm) thick, a Type II card is
5 mm thick, and a Type III card is 10.5 mm thick. Make sure you check the
documentation that came with your PC Card to verify that it is compatible
with your Macintosh PowerBook.
You can place a Type I or Type II card in either the upper or lower slot. You
can place a Type III card only in the lower slot. When a Type III card is in the
lower slot, you cannot use the upper slot. You may find it useful to get in the
habit of always using the lower slot to make sure the card you are using is
properly inserted.
A special type of PC Card supports “zoom video,” a method of showing full-
motion video images in a window on the computer’s screen. Your PowerBook
is designed to use a zoom video card, but this type of card must be placed in
the lower PC Card slot.
WARNING
Make sure you only use cards that are designated by the PC
Card manufacturer as compatible with your Macintosh PowerBook. If
you use an incompatible card, you may damage the card or your
PowerBook. If you are not sure whether a PC Card is compatible with
your PowerBook, contact the PC Card manufacturer.
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Chapter 3