[PouncePony]

Check out the G2 Mini run times reported at RockBox

The best time posted is 10h:49m, and that is using only 2 albums (vice 50+ songs) and lower bitrates than I used. I have a couple of busted minis on the way (eBay purchases of players with bad drives). I'll probably put together a 16GB version for my wife. I have some batteries on order through an Amazon store front: link



-Pony

 

[darkswordsman17]

After reading about this (someone on another forum mentioned it and my first impression was why, but then after further reading I can definitely see why), I think I'm going to try to source a cheap iPod Mini, and probably try to go the 16GB route (keeping it ~$125 with a new battery, the player, and . Depending on my success/interest, I'll probably wait for higher capacity versions to fall in price and then upgrade.

Anyone happen to know if the guy at this site was ever able to produce the adapter or an alternative was found?

 

[PouncePony]

Apparently, there is an issue with RockBox and IPod Mini CF mod.

MiniCF < Main < TWiki

I haven't had any issues, but per the info page on the A-Data 32GB card "Fully compatible with PC Card ATA specification". So if you've done the mod with a different card and are having RockBox issues, you may want to try and get a patched build.

-Pony

 

[Zephyron]

I have a feeling the others didn't work perhaps due to the firmware size?

I think another user mentioned something in relation to this with regard to the Rio Karma's HDD -> Flash memory replacement process.

That said, you can get the adapter for cheap from DealExtreme here: DealExtreme: $5.30 Toshiba CF to 1.8-inch Bilateral IDE Hard Drive Converter

The adapter used in the iPod Mini should be this one methinks, as this is the very same adapter used to replace the Toshiba HDD inside an iRiver H120 with a CF card.

 

[defsquad]

well, after getting my broken mini in, and getting the extra battery in (cf card coming from newegg will be in tomorrow), i decided to go ahead and open her up. bah the f'n plug going from the click wheel to the ipod's guts is all broken.

*sigh*

i guess whats why it was 35bucks shipped. now i gotta buy ANOTHER used mini to try this again. damn it!

on a positive note, i got my audio technica ck7's in and HOLY CRAP, those blow my vibes out of the water, how could i hvae been listening to those vibes for this long. that's without burning in yet on the ck7's.

anyway, really happy with the IEM's, now i just need a new used/dead mini (but with working plugs)

definitely a gamble, i hate ebay. too bad i sold my 5.5g last night on ebay already, got no DAP until i can win another mini.

 

[PouncePony]

You can pick up replacement click wheel cables off of eBay and elsewhere. iPod MINI 2ND GEN Click Wheel Molex Ribbon Cable 4/6GB - eBay (item 260206690905 end time Feb-23-08 19:43:05 PST)

 

[brotherlen]

that's mod-tastic, good job

 

[ben7337]

Hm this mod looks very interesting, I never tried modding anything physically before but this definitely seems doable, though I hope people don't mind me asking some questions that may have been asked before, that may be stupid, and that have answers in other places just to make sure I know exactly what this mod involves.

First off, I looked at the battery charts and the 2G battery life for the mini seems pretty decent with a good battery, and it seems easy to replace the battery on the mini, a simple plugging in job, but the pictures I saw did not have a cable attached to the new battery and I have heard soldering is invovled in iPod battery replacements so just to verify, is soldering required in iPod mini battery replacements? also what battery did you use to mod the mini, was it rockboxed or standard firmware, and what was the battery life? the pics here show 2 hrs 24 mins with 87% battery on rockbox, is that a 1G mini with the original battery or does rockbox just make the battery life that bad?

One last little thing, CF card use the same connection as microdrives correct? that is how we can unplug the microdrive and cable and just put the CF card into the pins on the mainboard for the mini itself, correct?

also I am sure this is a dumb question and thinking outside the box to further mods but can the iPod's screen be replaced without soldering?would a newer LCD screen be more energy efficient and possibly lengthen battery life? would a color screen work on the mini just with monochrome colors or do they even make monochrome lcd screen anymore? just some thoughts to better the modded mini ideas.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zephyron /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a feeling the others didn't work perhaps due to the firmware size? I think another user mentioned something in relation to this with regard to the Rio Karma's HDD -> Flash memory replacement process. That said, you can get the adapter for cheap from DealExtreme here: DealExtreme: $5.30 Toshiba CF to 1.8-inch Bilateral IDE Hard Drive Converter The adapter used in the iPod Mini should be this one methinks, as this is the very same adapter used to replace the Toshiba HDD inside an iRiver H120 with a CF card.

Hmm, I wonder if thats the same adapter the author of the article says doesn't work (and won't work due to differing pinouts or something, at least in the other non-Mini iPods).

There is no adapter needed for the iPod Mini, as its HDD uses a pin out the same as CF cards (and so you can just yank the micro drive and plug the CF card into the same connector).

 

[Punnisher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkswordsman17 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, I wonder if thats the same adapter the author of the article says doesn't work (and won't work due to differing pinouts or something, at least in the other non-Mini iPods). There is no adapter needed for the iPod Mini, as its HDD uses a pin out the same as CF cards (and so you can just yank the micro drive and plug the CF card into the same connector).

Right. That connector works in players like my X5 (been thinking about this for a while) and similar players with a toshiba 1.8" drive. Although do some research before you buy.

 

[Mr. Tadashi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PouncePony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Apparently, there is an issue with RockBox and IPod Mini CF mod. MiniCF < Main < TWiki I haven't had any issues, but per the info page on the A-Data 32GB card "Fully compatible with PC Card ATA specification". So if you've done the mod with a different card and are having RockBox issues, you may want to try and get a patched build. -Pony

I had installed Rockbox on mine and I came up with the error that that patch should fix using a transcend CF card. The only problem for me is, I have absolutely no idea how to patch a rockbox build.

 

[PouncePony]

I installed the optimized build described by Febs: Link

I'm doing another RockBox battery benchmark test. I'll see if I get better results. It should be done late this evening (Eastern US).

-Pony

 

[defsquad]

can any of you confirm if you've found on the net where a 1st gen ipod mini is good for doing the CF mod? specifically a 4gb 1st gen model?

doh! found my answer after searching one more time. yes the one on geek technique is a first gen, however the 2nd gens have the better battery life increase when switching to flash memory vs. the first gen. models.

 

[Fallingwater]

To the original poster and anyone who may have tried this: how does it play Ogg? By this I don't mean audio quality, but is there any skipping, or does the interface turn into molasses?

 

[Punnisher]

I got my iPod mini today, and though I haven't received my card yet, I wanted to install rockbox for the hell of it.

Well I have bad news. I thought I bought a 2g, and it looks like a 2g, but only the 1g Rockbox will run on it.

Though it does have the laser etched printing on the back. Its a refurb model, and looks and works like new. Is there any reason why 1g firmware would work on a 2g? Or is it possible to have a 1g ipod with a 2g case?