h-120 with flash memory?

[nexussixdude]

Has anyone tried running a hxxx series using a compact flash card? I removed the Hdd from my h120 and it looks like it will fit with a small amount of modding (remove the hdd location pins) however im not willing to do it yet. I think it would be great to have a 16Gb compact flash card, and maybe a 24Gb or 32Gb when they become available. I know it would be very expensive but i can see a time in the future when it wont be to expensive. So has anyone checked weather this will work in principle?

[Step666]

You could check.

[good_user]

I bought it (1.8' -> CF adapter) on ebay. It cost me 1.5month of waiting and 30$ (first item mysteriously disappeared on the way from Hong Kong).

Good things: it works with 8gb A-Data turbo 120x (bought from ebay for my camera long time ago. I realized that it is a bit too much for my modest Canon 350d.

Bad things: 1. Original firmware does not recognize the harddrive. It complains and just does not work. Period.

Rockbox does. With limitations.
1. You can connect it to PC only if you turn the player on with USB cable plugged. It is in "Bootloader USB mode" in this case. It is recognized as a plain flashdrive. WMPlayer does not recognize it. So, you have to copy your music by yourself.

If you plug USB while player is working - no hope. It does not recognize the player. I suspect, that Rockbox also has some issues with the hdd size. Also, from time to time Rockbox hangs and needs reboot.

For those who are crazy enough to buy the device (30$ + CF (8gb ~ 80$, newegg)).

First, your player should have rockbox loader.
Second, you have to format the card using FAT32 (xp does it for you, once you select "Format").
Third, you have to remove two pins from the adapter. (It has master/slave switch, I tried with both and it seems like there is no difference.) These pins make the construction too high to fit the space. Here is the link to the auction:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=130138988552
Here is the link to the person who is selling this stuff:
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/linuxbeginner/
Even if it does not show there, you can contact him, he can have some.
Fourth, after installation of the card, plug the USB, turn the player on, copy .rockbox directory from Rockbox website, copy music and enjoy.

P.S. I've got this thing today, so my experience is still somewhat limited. Let me know if you have questions.



P.S. No, I am not affiliated by any way with this guy.

[melontracks]

That is Beautiful!

Question though: what would be the benefit (at this time) to making such a mod? I suppose that you would have:

-Faster read/write time than with the slow RPM toshiba drive
-Extended battery life

But you would sacrifice overall memory (for now, anyway) per dollar.

If there were a way to set it up so that the CF cards could be swapped without taking apart the player, now THAT would be awesome. Any ideas?

[good_user]

Originally Posted by melontracks

That is Beautiful!

Question though: what would be the benefit (at this time) to making such a mod? I suppose that you would have:

-Faster read/write time than with the slow RPM toshiba drive
-Extended battery life

But you would sacrifice overall memory (for now, anyway) per dollar.

If there were a way to set it up so that the CF cards could be swapped without taking apart the player, now THAT would be awesome. Any ideas?

You are right, it is a bit expensive. However, at the moment I have started, my HDD was dying and I already had 8gb CF. I was looking for cheaper and more durable solution than buying another HDD.

BTW, after fixing ATA problem, it start working flawlessly.
http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=12330.15

[cricri_pingouin]

Excellent info good_user, I'll definitely consider it if my HDD gives up. Thanks!

[videohot]

I put a 16gb CF card in my Rio Karma, worked flalessy, but that was only because the standard drives are trouble prone. I'd buy another HD since they are readily available until either you can't find reasonable replacement hard drives or the CF cards really DROP. I paid bout 120 for a 16gb card.

[stuffedspacedog]

An alternative is to put a SSD flash drive in... same size as the internal hard drive and also with the same connector (on the Samsung drives), but of course still expensive right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Samsung-1-8-16GB...QQcmdZViewItem

64Gb SSD drives coming later this year!
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/31367/135/

[thermiGR]

Originally Posted by good_user

You are right, it is a bit expensive. However, at the moment I have started, my HDD was dying and I already had 8gb CF. I was looking for cheaper and more durable solution than buying another HDD.

BTW, after fixing ATA problem, it start working flawlessly.
http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=12330.15

I do not understand how to fix the ATA problem with rockbox.
Is it possible to give me your modified .rockbox and your rockbox.iriver files?

[thermiGR]

I can confirm that the 1.8' -> CF adapter from the ebay seller ''linuxbeginner'' : CF to ipod IDE Adaptor, work as 1.8" toshiba Hard Drive on eBay with a KIngston CF card 2GB (50x) works great on my H120 with rockbox.

Without any modification of the rockbox my IRiver works fine. I took recording time about 17.50 hours with internal mic and mp3 mono 64kbps.

The only action was to format my CF card to FAT32 and then replace my HD with the adapter and the CF card.

The USB connection works fine working or starting the player.

The only thing that does not work is the Iriver original firmware that it gives the message 'check the HDD connection'.

my Rockbox version was 060913-1122 with the mmm's REP.

[genax]

this is serious good news! thanks guys

[jeff]

I'm going to give it a go on my 120 with a 32GB CF card from Transcend. I'll report back.

[Mike]

Am so looking forward to the day when solid state card prices have come down and solid state cards are the standard for high capacity players!

[Step666]

That's going to be a long way away still because no matter how great the benefits of flash over HDDs and how cheap they can make the flash memory, they'll keep making HDDs cheaper and cheaper as well.

[Mike]

Apple just came out today with its 32 GB flash music player. Yes, it's $499, but that's the price of my 40 GB iHP-140 when it first came out (and the price of Apple's high capacity player at the time). The time is coming.

[Step666]

Ok, the 32GB flash DAP costs the same as the old 40GB HDD players cost but look at what the 160GB HDD DAPs cost now - HDD is still going to be cheaper so it's still going to be the norm at the top end of the market.

Anyway Apple are hardly the first company to bring out 32GB flash players, so nothing's changed from yesterday.

[Mike]

Give it time. It's changing.

[Step666]

Yes, it's certainly changing, flash is now becoming a viable alternative to HDDs but we're far from the point when manufacturers are going to turn around and discard them altogether.

[Mike]

You're absolutely right. But if the Apple player now had an 80 GB flash drive for that $499, I would be very tempted ...

[Step666]

Well, flash being flash, I doubt we'll ever see 80GB drives - just 64GB then 128GB.

[Mike]

Yep--and I dearly would like that 128GB!

[Step666]

Tell me about it...

This 32GB Touch is really annoying.
I know the View sounds better, is cheaper and doesn't require iTunes but that screen and that UI...

[jeff]

Help!! getting an ATA error: -80

Don't know how to correct or if I need to alter the ata.c file for the sleep mode issue.

[Dunno]

Originally Posted by jeff

Help!! getting an ATA error: -80

Don't know how to correct or if I need to alter the ata.c file for the sleep mode issue.

ignore my suggestion, I have just seen your entry in RB forums.