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The Apple diyMod: My Take on the Famous iMod [56k killer] Featuring 3G, 4G, 5G and nano 1G! - Page 80

post #1186 of 2514
6/20/08 at 6:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by UglyJoe View Post
So, long story short, no one has reported any other problems other the possible recent problem with the battery?
I haven't had a chance to look into it yet, but I think the charging issue is more iPod related than diyMod. Of course, it does seem like a coincidence that barqy's, Lil' Knight's and my diyMod 4G are acting up in the power management department, but before we panic, consider that barqy's iPod can charge and discharges when it's turned off whereas mine does not seem to charge at all. Again, I don't know for sure, but I just wanted to clarify before any conclusion can be made with any meaningful certainty. It does concern me that these diyMod power issues are arising as they are, so I will have to continue to look into it; I echo the sentiment for others to speak up on their diyMod power issues.
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black (5th Generation)
iPod Nano Headset Music Player
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Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (6th Generation) OLD MODEL
post #1187 of 2514
6/21/08 at 1:12am
My post was skipped http://www.head-fi.org/forums/4361783-post1180.html

Basically I just want to verify that you can take the signal from the DAC and push it into a 3.5mm mini plug outside the iPod nano directly and plug that into an amp (without needing to do/cut/solder anything else). I also realize that there must be a ground wire, where would I get this from? I've seen random wires in CAvanessia's diyMod, but the picture is too small to discern the details.

EDIT: I've read a couple of pages now (up to 30-40), but nobody has been very clear about this way of doing it (basically I want it the same as the RedWineAudio iModded nano).
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post #1188 of 2514
6/21/08 at 1:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by UglyJoe View Post
I simply don't have time. I completely understand the basics of the mod, and don't have any problems with that. I can't see what issues could arise from the mod being used, which is why the battery problem scared me a bit.



Stray DC voltage. I assume (I haven't looked at any schematics or the like for transmitters) that the L/R audio out in the dock are used by the transmitter to broadcast the signal. I figure that either the excess DC voltage will damage the transmitter itself, or the DC offset would be broadcasted along with the signal, making it pretty much useless. Like I said, this isn't a problem really, because the only thing I use the FM transmitter is for charging or listening to ESPN podcasts :P

I'm also assuming that this mod (for a 5.5G ipod) would render the headphone out useless, as the L/R signal from the DAC is cut off from the rest of the circuit by removing the capacitors just outside the DAC. EDIT: Just read this wasn't the case. Nice!

So, long story short, no one has reported any other problems other the possible recent problem with the battery?
None that I recall reading (and I have read the whole thread).

I have an FM transmitter too, I'll have to see if there is any affect on mine. It plugs into the dock port, but it came with a cigarette lighter charger with a mini USB plug on it that works in my cell phone also. I only use it now as a charging adapter, as I use a mini2mini cable and the AUX port on my car.

I need to make a long docking cable for the car I think hehe

Quote:
Originally Posted by barqy View Post
hi,

just to clarify, the DIY imod (4th gen) I have has no problem charging!

It just seems to de-charge (sp?) the battery when the ipod is turned off.

If I unplug the battery after charging it, the battery holds charge fine
Another piece of the puzzle.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 4saken View Post
My post was skipped http://www.head-fi.org/forums/4361783-post1180.html

Basically I just want to verify that you can take the signal from the DAC and push it into a 3.5mm mini plug outside the iPod nano directly and plug that into an amp (without needing to do/cut/solder anything else). I also realize that there must be a ground wire, where would I get this from? I've seen random wires in CAvanessia's diyMod, but the picture is too small to discern the details.

EDIT: I've read a couple of pages now (up to 30-40), but nobody has been very clear about this way of doing it (basically I want it the same as the RedWineAudio iModded nano).
I can't say for sure about those locations to attach the wires as I don't have one of those ipods. Assuming those are signals from the DAC, your plan should work, but remember you need a ground still. You will also probably want some coupling capacitors somewhere between those pads you're soldering to and the amplifier. Some amp have the protection built in and you don't need them, but having them means you can use any amp.
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post #1189 of 2514
6/21/08 at 2:38am
Thread Starter 
4saken:

Technically speaking, you can take the ground from any spot inside the iPod, but I think the best ground to take would be the analogue ground that the DAC uses. It might be tricky taking one of the GNDs near the DAC, as there would be a bunch of wires flying around, so try the internal headphone jack's GND supply. Double check with your handy dandy DMM that the voltages are 0 V and you're set.

As for hooking it straight up to the amp, like Hayduke said, I recommend you do it only if you know that the amp can take DC without destroying your headphones or speakers (unless you're trying to destroy yours or someone else's). Put capacitors in series with the signal unless you know why you can go without. Let us know how it goes.

Cheerio.
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post #1190 of 2514
6/21/08 at 3:30am
Oh I forgot to mention that I already had planned to do that with the Blackgate ones recommended in the first post. The problem now is how to get them to Australia.

Here is the diagram I shamelessly stole and edited from the first post:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...odlikethis.jpg

Where would be the best place to ground it?

And final question before I try to gather all my stuff so it arrives right after my exams, I remove the things labeled "Z" before soldering wires to them, or somehow solder the wires to the sides (there was a bit of discussion I read about this, but to do with the similar, larger yellow ones, so I'll ask again)? I've seen people remove other caps and inductors, and other components when using a line out dock or the headphone jack, this isn't necessary as I bypass them right? I plan to keep line out port and headphone jack functionality perfect (insofar as it does not degrade the quality on my new line out wires)

Cheers.

Also, if somebody could help me get the blackgates to Australia, please PM me
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post #1191 of 2514
6/21/08 at 6:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4saken View Post
Oh I forgot to mention that I already had planned to do that with the Blackgate ones recommended in the first post. The problem now is how to get them to Australia.

Here is the diagram I shamelessly stole and edited from the first post:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...odlikethis.jpg

Where would be the best place to ground it?

And final question before I try to gather all my stuff so it arrives right after my exams, I remove the things labeled "Z" before soldering wires to them, or somehow solder the wires to the sides (there was a bit of discussion I read about this, but to do with the similar, larger yellow ones, so I'll ask again)? I've seen people remove other caps and inductors, and other components when using a line out dock or the headphone jack, this isn't necessary as I bypass them right? I plan to keep line out port and headphone jack functionality perfect (insofar as it does not degrade the quality on my new line out wires)

Cheers.

Also, if somebody could help me get the blackgates to Australia, please PM me
Since your goal seems to be to maintain all the original functionality and add a cleaner line out, you don't want to remove those capacitors.

The diagram looks fine other then I can't confirm the locations you're attaching to. I don't have a 4G ipod.
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post #1192 of 2514
6/21/08 at 9:16pm
Hm thanks. This is what I'm going to do:
I'm attaching the wires to C53 and C54 after removing the "Z" labeled component soldered on the stock iPod nano. I'll drill a hole in the side of the nano and feed these two wires through, and a wire for the ground which I am yet to find. Of the three wires coming out the side of the iPod, the L and R channel will go into the positive ends of the blackgate caps, while the negative ends and the ground will be soldered to a miniplug to be used with an amplifier.

Now I just have to wait for components
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post #1193 of 2514
6/22/08 at 2:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4saken View Post
Hm thanks. This is what I'm going to do:
I'm attaching the wires to C53 and C54 after removing the "Z" labeled component soldered on the stock iPod nano. I'll drill a hole in the side of the nano and feed these two wires through, and a wire for the ground which I am yet to find. Of the three wires coming out the side of the iPod, the L and R channel will go into the positive ends of the blackgate caps, while the negative ends and the ground will be soldered to a miniplug to be used with an amplifier.

Now I just have to wait for components
I think removing those capacitors will disable the docks regular line out.
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post #1194 of 2514
6/23/08 at 3:07pm
ANyone can show me pictures for the mod on an ipod mini 1G. The first post show only one part of the job :'(
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post #1195 of 2514
6/24/08 at 12:50am
Thread Starter 
What you could do, bobby, is send the wires right to the dock. It's pretty much the same as the mini 2G, I theorize. Solder the wire to the inductors and caps around where the mini 2G has it. Check for continuity (zero Ohms between two points) using your handy dandy line out dock and DMM and just poke around near that row of inductors and capacitors. I'm not exactly sure which one it is, but you can easily check once you have yours open. I don't know where ruZZ.il sent his wires, but you're free to send yours wherever you please. That's one of the beauties of the diyMod.

If you need further help, we're always here.
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post #1196 of 2514
6/26/08 at 1:37am
Thread Starter 
I withdrew my sale of the iPod touch. I am not giving up on it so quickly. I emailed iFixit about a guide for opening the touch, and they said they're working on a method that doesn't require special tools, ie. the metal spudger, but just the regular Joe Blow pry tools that we've all come to know and love. He didn't give me a timeline or even an estimate, so I will just keep chugging away at it on my own until they come up with a frighteningly simple method. I saw a replacement front bezel for the iPod touch on eBay for 20 USD + shipping, so I'm not as scared as before about having to crack it open if need be. Okay, maybe I still am, but not as much as before. Then there are the iPhones and the nano 2Gs and classics and Zunes and nano 3Gs I eventually will come to get to know. *sigh*

Help is much appreciated.
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post #1197 of 2514
6/27/08 at 2:25am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrinNutz View Post
Here we are..



I tested the resistance @ each of the 4 pts using pin #14 on the Wolfson chip as ground (labeled AGND on data sheet).


When I put the positive end of my DMM on the "south" end of the closeup image from ipodlinux, with my DMM set to the 2000kΩ position, I get a reading around 600kΩ, for both south ends of each spot. When I move to the "north" end, I get a reading around 160kΩ on the same setting (2000kΩ).
Does the "higher" reading of the "south end" mean that that is where I should solder my wire to for the mod? I feel pretty confident that it is, but would like to double check.. Thanks!
I just want to close this case, as it had always been an open one for me. From early in my head-fi career, I learned of the iMod and its 4G-only policy. I decided then that I wanted to buy an iPod photo and get it iModded. That dream never came to fruition because of funds and my discovery that the 5.5G iPod rocked so hard. So through this whole diyMod adventure, I've had almost all of the iPods featured except for a couple, the mini 1G and the 4G photo. That's why you may notice that the 4G photo section is very sparse.

To my good fortune, a co-worker shared that he had a broken iPod photo that he allowed me to fix. I got to work immediately upon arriving home, and I can finally verify that the image supplied to us by vvs_75 with the location of the lineout pins is correct. Indeed, the DMM shows zero Ohms resistance between the chip and the resistors. It's been a long and arduous process, but it's finally paid off.

I can finally rest at ease now.

So BrinNutz, if you haven't tried it still, diyMod your photo using those resistor locations, which are indeed correct.
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post #1198 of 2514
6/28/08 at 7:03pm
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f43/fs...ineout-337015/

I'm curious about that iMod AND the Ipod Photo. How does the 4th gen photo using the 5.5gen caps in the connector sound in comparison to the "OG" way (caps connected internally to the HP jack)? Any gain in SQ or is it exactly the same, just more "versatile"?
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post #1199 of 2514
6/28/08 at 10:28pm
joneeboi, great techincal article you got there... very informative (and formal)
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post #1200 of 2514
6/29/08 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by joneeboi View Post
I just want to close this case, as it had always been an open one for me. From early in my head-fi career, I learned of the iMod and its 4G-only policy. I decided then that I wanted to buy an iPod photo and get it iModded. That dream never came to fruition because of funds and my discovery that the 5.5G iPod rocked so hard. So through this whole diyMod adventure, I've had almost all of the iPods featured except for a couple, the mini 1G and the 4G photo. That's why you may notice that the 4G photo section is very sparse.

To my good fortune, a co-worker shared that he had a broken iPod photo that he allowed me to fix. I got to work immediately upon arriving home, and I can finally verify that the image supplied to us by vvs_75 with the location of the lineout pins is correct. Indeed, the DMM shows zero Ohms resistance between the chip and the resistors. It's been a long and arduous process, but it's finally paid off.

I can finally rest at ease now.

So BrinNutz, if you haven't tried it still, diyMod your photo using those resistor locations, which are indeed correct.
Sweet, so all my digging around the net did pay off!!!

If I ever get some solder and a decent gun, I'll finish it.

I've now got some wire, caps, and a bigger hard drive, but I think I need a bigger back, because of the hard drive. Anyone know where to get a different back?
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black (5th Generation)
iPod Nano Headset Music Player
Powered by NexTag
Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (6th Generation) OLD MODEL
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › The Apple diyMod: My Take on the Famous iMod [56k killer] Featuring 3G, 4G, 5G and nano 1G!