The Apple diyMod: My Take on the Famous iMod [56k killer] Featuring 3G, 4G, 5G and nano 1G!

[joneeboi]

iNiGFx:

The $20 is an exaggerated pricing, depending on what equipment you already have. Already armed with the soldering gun and wire, the price really just depends on the capacitors you use. I'd say the mod requires quite a bit of electronics experience. I try to make it as painless as possible with the many resources available, but the skill and confidence can't really be taught except through experience. I've even messed up a few iPods of my own, requiring complete (and sometimes costly) replacement of the logic board. Get a friend, father, uncle, stranger to do it for you if you don't think you can do it. Messing up an iPod can be too crushing for some souls.

funch:

*crosses fingers*

[funch]

Well, I'm not too worried. I've got a Bausch & Lomb binocular magnifier to use, as well as a very pointy tip for my iron, so it shouldn't be too tough.

[pcyl]

okay guys i will be getting my stuff real soon to fit up the 4 gen
it shold not be difficult, i will update you guys

[ruZZ.il]

Originally Posted by funch

Well, I'm not too worried. I've got a Bausch & Lomb binocular magnifier to use, as well as a very pointy tip for my iron, so it shouldn't be too tough.

I want a steady hand!

[joneeboi]

Touché, Russ, touché.

[oicdn]

Nobody able to hack the touch yet???

[joneeboi]

I have looked into it, and it seems like I'm pretty close to solving it. It is one of the tightest fits in the diyMod line up, so that will be one of the stock disclaimers for the diyMod touch. I will have to do some more experimenting before I can say for sure which capacitors belong to the Wolfson chip, but I do have my suspicions. Perhaps I will take some super hi-res photos for the rest of you to look into it. But yes, I am looking into it.

[oicdn]

How did you get it open? I remember somebody having a problem getting their 16g touch open and never got it open.

Also, you'll prolly have to have all the caps external eh?

[joneeboi]

I used this very helpful thread from ipodtouchfans.com. Start opening from the top and work your way down one of the sides. I went down one side with a flat head screwdriver and individually popped off each metal catch. It's not a pretty method, but it is one of the few guides available on the internet.

[Ruahrc]

I have a question- I have been thinking of upgrading my (stay-at-home) listening setup and part of the upgrade includes getting an iPod that is dockable for line-out (my current iPod is a 10GB 2Gen that only has HO). I might be able to get an old iPod mini for very cheap (or free) which means putting a 16GB or 32GB CF card in it (and maybe a new battery) will make for a very cheap dockable iPod with which I can run line-out. While the guts are open, I was contemplating applying the DIYmod to it too as was suggested in the OP.

My question is- although I have seen many people make their own DIYmodded stuff- how come I never see anyone mod an apple remote dock to accomodate caps for small iPods with a tight fit (such as the iPod mini)?

Since internal caps on a small iPod are basically impossible, would not an obvious solution be to mod the apple dock- stealing a couple of unused (or unneeded, as in the case of ipod photo pins or something) pins and wiring them to a couple of caps, then soldering them onto the built-in line out stereo jack on the back? I have even envisioned letting the caps stick out the top of the dock, kind of like vacuum tubes often stick out the top of amps. That would look pretty sweet, no?

Anyways has anyone ever tried this? Is it not popular because most DIYMods are geared towards portable use where use of the apple dock is not practical (hence all the cable-out options)? I'm trying to find pictures of the inside of an apple remote dock so I can even assess how feasable such a project is. I've never seen the inside of an apple dock.

Ruahrc

[iQEM]

Originally Posted by joneeboi

Now might be a nice time to bump this thread.

The diyMod stretches across another brand, with the Cowon D2Mod (naming ideas?). Behold:



This diyMod brought to you by head-fi member Punnisher, who happily supplied me with the internal photos. The sad thing about this player is that the line out is only available through video mode, and there doesn't seem to be any DIY source for the plugs. This diyMod is possible, but I wonder how useful it really is with the software. I'm also not an expert on this player, so if anyone could chime in, that'd be very useful for me and for everyone else.

Enjoy.

so, how was this D2mod going Jon ? how possible is that ?

[no_eye_dear]

Originally Posted by Ruahrc

I have a question- I have been thinking of upgrading my (stay-at-home) listening setup and part of the upgrade includes getting an iPod that is dockable for line-out (my current iPod is a 10GB 2Gen that only has HO). I might be able to get an old iPod mini for very cheap (or free) which means putting a 16GB or 32GB CF card in it (and maybe a new battery) will make for a very cheap dockable iPod with which I can run line-out. While the guts are open, I was contemplating applying the DIYmod to it too as was suggested in the OP.

My question is- although I have seen many people make their own DIYmodded stuff- how come I never see anyone mod an apple remote dock to accomodate caps for small iPods with a tight fit (such as the iPod mini)?

Since internal caps on a small iPod are basically impossible, would not an obvious solution be to mod the apple dock- stealing a couple of unused (or unneeded, as in the case of ipod photo pins or something) pins and wiring them to a couple of caps, then soldering them onto the built-in line out stereo jack on the back? I have even envisioned letting the caps stick out the top of the dock, kind of like vacuum tubes often stick out the top of amps. That would look pretty sweet, no?

Anyways has anyone ever tried this? Is it not popular because most DIYMods are geared towards portable use where use of the apple dock is not practical (hence all the cable-out options)? I'm trying to find pictures of the inside of an apple remote dock so I can even assess how feasable such a project is. I've never seen the inside of an apple dock.

Ruahrc

Try here

[joneeboi]

iQEM:

I talked with Punnisher about that mod, and he couldn't exactly get it to work. After all, the line out is only activated when in video mode, so the D2Mod is only theoretical at this point.

Ruahrc:

Here's a direct link of no_eye_dear's capped dock. I don't personally own an Apple Universal Dock, but I like what you're talking about. I think it's been done in a sense, but not to the specs that you outline. The closest to come to it is no_eye_dear's dock, which you can find at post 905, and he does a pretty clean job of it. I've always wanted to pick up one of those docks, but it seems so expensive for something that I can do for so much cheaper. I actually would prefer to integrate it into some amp docking station with the help of the 15 degree tilted dock (look at PCB mounted docks).

[pcyl]

here is a photo of 5gen solder with silver AWG 32
wire stripping with nail clipper

[iQEM]

Originally Posted by joneeboi

iQEM:

I talked with Punnisher about that mod, and he couldn't exactly get it to work. After all, the line out is only activated when in video mode, so the D2Mod is only theoretical at this point.

oh, i c...too bad it didn't succeed...