[dr408517]

TeraPod Build - the 32MB 5th gen board

Today I started a build from a 30GB 5th gen ipod with 32MB RAM. Started with the broken iPod, replaced broken LCD. Pulled the old 30GB HD. Replaced faceplate and middle frame with Gen7 aluminum set. Faceplate was scatched and beaten, so I sanded, primed and painted it.



Loaded the chip on my computer, formated to FAT32, loaded it into the ipod and restored in iTunes. Manually loaded BW RB. Pulled chip from iPod, put it back in my computer, and now I am loading 515 GB at once into a newly created music folder.



1GB loads in less than 40s. Chip is in the computer (not in iPod), is warm but very happy. Load says it will take 5hours.

Stay tuned.

 

[cmarti]

TeraPod Build - the 32MB 5th gen board

Today I started a build from a 30GB 5th gen ipod with 32MB RAM. Started with the broken iPod, replaced broken LCD. Pulled the old 30GB HD. Replaced faceplate and middle frame with Gen7 aluminum set. Faceplate was scatched and beaten, so I sanded, primed and painted it.

That's a 1TB card right?
 
Windows wants to format the card everytime I try to transfer files to the card directly from the PC.

 

[davidcotton]

500 gig sd (not micro) announced.  Cost? $800!

 

[dr408517]

That's a 1TB card right?

Windows wants to format the card everytime I try to transfer files to the card directly from the PC.

Yes, 1T Samsung

 

[dr408517]

Ok team, TeraPod 4 complete build and load of 600GB took just under 4 hours total.




The important findings today were: 1. A 32MB RAM logic board works fine with the Samsung 1T. Like all of my builds, I am not databasing. 2. The 5gen board is the key to loading externally. Yesterday, I tried again and computer refused to recognize the chip when I tried to do it with my 5.5gen board instead. Cmarti, I'll bet your board is a 5.5gen!

I have also had several people tell me they can't get the chip to work in the ipod after a format if they are using a USB connection. Ditto for me. I tried every one I had yesterday and all I can get is sad face frustration using a USB to format the Samsung. Anyone having success?

I go straight thru the MB:



Now, if I could only get that darn 2000mAh battery in the POD.

Last, that U2 album is pretty good

 

[beyondwind]

  That's a 1TB card right?
 
Windows wants to format the card everytime I try to transfer files to the card directly from the PC.

5th gen uses standard 512 sector size, 5.5TH gen uses 2048 sector size, as the partition table is non-standard, PC will not recognize it correctly. 
 
Hardware wise 5.5th gen is more power efficient than the 5th gen, normally about 20-30 percent more run time.

 

[beyondwind]

1GB loads in less than 40s. Chip is in the computer (not in iPod), is warm but very happy. Load says it will take 5hours.

 

That's surprisingly slow for SATA drive with a direct connection to computer, something must be wrong.
 
I can get the about 23mb/sec transfer with a m500 SSD in iPOD, with Linux OS, windows is slower though.

 

[cmarti]

I just received this bad boy, a 2000mAh battery to test it and see how it does on my 512gb 7th gen iPod.
 

 

[dr408517]

  That's surprisingly slow for SATA drive with a direct connection to computer, something must be wrong.
 
I can get the about 23mb/sec transfer with a m500 SSD in iPOD, with Linux OS, windows is slower though.

Indeed, after an hour I checked, and the loads were up to 50mb/sec. Connected directly to the computer, and depending on the files, the range is usually from 30 to 90 mb/sec (sometimes faster).  Normally, my transfer speeds into the iPod from USB are in the 20+ mb/sec range - and the chip gets quite hot, so I have to limit the load size to <50GB at time.
 

 

[beyondwind]

  I just received this bad boy, a 2000mAh battery to test it and see how it does on my 512gb 7th gen iPod.
 

Be warned about thermal caused safety issue. The mSATA drive can get hot, and lithium polymer battery's operating temperature should not exceed 60C,
 
I sandwich the battery between mainboard frame and the "green" adapter, so mSATA drive can dissipate heat through the metal back, with some thermal compound in between.  while the green adapter can act as a thermal barrier for the heat. I also use aluminum foil between the battery and the msata drive to minimize radiation.

 

[DMinor]

 
5th gen uses standard 512 sector size, 5.5TH gen uses 2048 sector size, as the partition table is non-standard, PC will not recognize it correctly. 
 
Hardware wise 5.5th gen is more power efficient than the 5th gen, normally about 20-30 percent more run time.

 
Do you know why the Samsung 1TB mSATA formatted via USB won't be recognized by ipod while formatted via motherboard will (as confirmed by dr408517)?

 

[dr408517]

Be warned about thermal caused safety issue. The mSATA drive can get hot, and lithium polymer battery's operating temperature should not exceed 60C,

I sandwich the battery between mainboard frame and the "green" adapter, so mSATA drive can dissipate heat through the metal back, with some thermal compound in between.  while the green adapter can act as a thermal barrier for the heat. I also use aluminum foil between the battery and the msata drive to minimize radiation.

Are you saying you've built an mSata ipod with the 2000mAh battery? Your description is very specific, and I cannot get everything to fit. Maybe I gave up too soon

 

[cmarti]

 
Be warned about thermal caused safety issue. The mSATA drive can get hot, and lithium polymer battery's operating temperature should not exceed 60C,
 
I sandwich the battery between mainboard frame and the "green" adapter, so mSATA drive can dissipate heat through the metal back, with some thermal compound in between.  while the green adapter can act as a thermal barrier for the heat. I also use aluminum foil between the battery and the msata drive to minimize radiation.

I am already using one with no issues, but I think the one I am using is 1500mAh.
 
Edit: the 2000mAh fit perfectly with Tarkan's adapter, mSATA card and thick back cover.

 

[beyondwind]

   
Do you know why the Samsung 1TB mSATA formatted via USB won't be recognized by ipod while formatted via motherboard will (as confirmed by dr408517)?

Assuming the mSATA drive  is stable with the USB adapter, can provide enough current to the mSATA, there should be no difference for a modern USB 3.0 adapter.
It could be the USB adapter didn't write the same partition table to the mSATA drive, GPT VS. MBR table, a dump of the partition table can identify the problem. I suggest strictly follow the formatting instructions on Rockbox wiki, "manual restore", "FAT32 conversion" to correctly format the mSATA drive, there shouldn't be any issue.
Pay attention to MBR, FAT32, and physical sector size.
Rockbox's handling of physical sector size is not standard, it is not a bug but rather a feature, we have to follow the non standard approach by Apple's firmware. 

 

[beyondwind]

 

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Are you saying you've built an mSata ipod with the 2000mAh battery? Your description is very specific, and I cannot get everything to fit. Maybe I gave up too soon

I didn't use the thick 2000mAh battery, it is too thick for green adapter. I use a thinner 1200mAh battery, 3mm thickness,+ 850mAh stock battery, total capacity is 2000mAh+. Battery life is 36hrs in rockbox with MODIFIED crucial 480GB mSATA SSD, similar battery life with apple stock firmware.