Iriver H140 - is it worth fixing?
Mar 7, 2015 at 8:25 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 27
h0race

h0race

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Joining this forum has rekindled my interest in music on the go.
I've just found my old Iriver H140, which I haven't used in years. It still works fine, though the battery is toast so it needs mains power to operate. It's got an early version of Rockbox on it - all in glorious black and white, of course (those were the days).

I remember being stunned by the H140 when I first bought it - a player ahead of its time. It still sounds fresh to my ears.

So, is it worth buying a new battery and fitting it? Is it a difficult fix?

I wonder...
 
Mar 7, 2015 at 9:44 PM Post #2 of 27
I think I've answered my own question: a quick look at eBay tells me that fitting the battery is a good plan (if it's within my limited skills) as the H140 still seems to fetch a decent price.

So at the very least, it could raise some cash towards a newer DAP.

Cheers
 
Mar 8, 2015 at 10:20 AM Post #4 of 27
I agree, bring it back to life, I've heard great players keeping up with today's standards even though a few years old. Google search may help guiding a battery replacement.
 
Mar 8, 2015 at 2:12 PM Post #5 of 27
h0race said:
Joining this forum has rekindled my interest in music on the go.
I've just found my old Iriver H140, which I haven't used in years. It still works fine, though the battery is toast so it needs mains power to operate. It's got an early version of Rockbox on it - all in glorious black and white, of course (those were the days).

I remember being stunned by the H140 when I first bought it - a player ahead of its time. It still sounds fresh to my ears.

So, is it worth buying a new battery and fitting it? Is it a difficult fix?

I wonder...
Click to expand...


Installing a new battery in the H120/140 is a task not for the faint of heart, as it involves nearly complete disassembly of the player, however there is no soldering required and there are numerous online tutorials showing the steps involved. The most difficult part is unplugging the old battery, as the plug is, unfortunately, located in a very cramped location. Also, one needs to make sure that the red and black battery leads are the same on both the old and new battery, as some of them come reversed. Also draw a diagram or take a photo before unplugging/removing components, "just in case"!.

IMO, the H140 with the hard drive replaced with a solid state drive and new battery can still compete in performance with many of the most highly-rated DAPs.

Good luck!!!!
 
Mar 8, 2015 at 7:28 PM Post #7 of 27
Thanks everyone - I'll give it a go.

Have replaced the screen, battery and hard drive in my Ipod Video, so I have no fear (I also have very little knowledge, but have taught myself to approach these things on the basis of 'how hard can it be?').

Now to search for a how to guide online.

While I'm at it, I'll think about replacing the 40gb hard drive with something bigger.
 
Mar 9, 2015 at 5:50 PM Post #8 of 27
The iriver 120 will take a minimum of a 128 ssd drive without modding.  That part I found easy enough.  The battery replacement part was a nightmare and I gave up in the end.  Funny thing is mine still reads as around 6 hours or so on the original battery.  That's better then some 'audiophile' players around today!
 
In case you haven't found one :-
 
http://www.pdainternalbattery.com/iriverinstall.html
 
I still miss my 120 (still got it, but too big for daily use). 
 
Mar 12, 2015 at 8:00 PM Post #10 of 27
OK, I have ordered a battery and will ensure I am left alone so the kids won't hear the swearing as I try to fit it.
Still undecided about the best way to go re the hard drive - a new 60gb drive is a cheap option, but a huge Ssd would be sweet indeed. Heck, might even tempt me to keep the old brick...
 
Apr 12, 2015 at 3:50 AM Post #11 of 27
I just ordered a 128GB KingSpec 1.8-inch IDE CF 50-pin SSD Solid State Disk and a KingSpec Mobile Disk 1.8-inch CF 50-pin SSD Enclosure (for formatting on my PC). Afterwards I can use my old H140-HD and the case as mobile backup-device.
 
I've allready replaced the battery some years ago and I realized that the screw heads aren't very solid. So keep your T-5 Torx tight while unscrewing the top and bottom of the device. Two of the screws are longer than the other six. They're attached to a black piece that prevents the battery from sliding in the case.
 
Good luck!
 
Jun 1, 2015 at 1:36 PM Post #12 of 27
I put a 512gb Crucial CT512M550SSD3  drive in mine.  Works great, use it daily.
 
Steve
 
Sep 29, 2015 at 1:33 PM Post #13 of 27
It's taken me a while to get around to this, but I did the battery replacement yesterday. My word, what a pain in the proverbial it proved to be.
The hard part was removing the battery connector from the board. I feared I would end up breaking it, as there isn't quite enough clearance to pull it out without bending it upwards. In the end, I took a deep breath and went for it. All done now.
I'm amazed that the original 40gb hard drive is still running after ten years. Having done the battery, I can see that replacing the drive is easy by comparison, so will do that next.

The player itself is chunky and retro by today's standards, but I had forgotten how good it sounds.
And wow, the amp in this thing has some real juice behind it!
 
Sep 29, 2015 at 1:40 PM Post #14 of 27
BTW - I don't think I'm ready to spend much money on a new drive, but can buy an MK8007GAH (80gb) cheaply. It would appear to be a drop in replacement, but do I need to format it or do anything else before fitting it?

Thanks
 
Sep 29, 2015 at 2:16 PM Post #15 of 27
i resurrected my old h240 with a new battery and the results are phenomenal. the battery lasts around 7-8 days with continous use.
the sound is LOUD on this dap. I love the UI as it has lots of features including SRS effects.
I dont know whether you can download the original softwre if you format. I would leave it alone and put the better music you like. rockbox looks pretty primitive but also has some neat features.
recently i found a 10gb toshiba dap for $7.00 at a thrift store and dislikedits UI, so i rockboxed it and enjoying its colors with my Sony EX300.
 
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