 |
 |
iPod Shuffle flash storage (technical discussion)
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
Does anyone know what make/model chip Apple uses inside the iPod shuffle? I've looked for images of the insides of it, but I can only find the ones from AppleMatters, and they don't show the storage chip.
I'm just curious because I'd like to know if I can replace it with something larger (yes, I know it will be difficult).
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: In bits and pieces on Cloud City
Status:
Offline
|
|
|
|
|
"Curse my metal body, I wasn't fast enough!"
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
|
(
Last edited by macgyvr64; Mar 13, 2005 at 09:04 AM.
)
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator  Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
Status:
Offline
|
|
iPod shuffle uses Toshiba flash. Besides the fact that you probably can't get higher capacity flash chips, do you have the capability of reworking a BGA (ball grid array) package, which the flash chip probably is to make it smaller? If not, you're out of luck. Also, there's no way of knowing if the shuffle's controller could even access a larger flash chip. This is a lot of work for little benefit. Wait for Apple to introduce a bigger shuffle if you want to do this.
Steve
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by macgyvr64:
Does anyone know what make/model chip Apple uses inside the iPod shuffle? I've looked for images of the insides of it, but I can only find the ones from AppleMatters, and they don't show the storage chip.
I'm just curious because I'd like to know if I can replace it with something larger (yes, I know it will be difficult).
Enough is enough with dissatisfied customers when Apple comes out with something new. I don't mean to be so harsh but if you can't live with what Apple offers out of the box then buy from a different company. It's crazy to go through such lengths to modify a tiny $99 music stick. Is it really worth all the trouble?
|
|
iMac 24" 2.8 Ghz Core 2 Extreme
500GB HDD
4GB Ram
Proud new Owner!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
No, I don't have BGA equipment..just some surface mount tools and a steady hand. I'm just curious what kind of hardware it uses..
It's not that I'm not happy with what Apple offers...I just have a thing for projects. Especially Apple related. I'm actually planning on buying one of the new iPod Minis within a week or two.
And I'm aware that the controller may not support larger capacities...that has yet to be determined.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Dangling something in the water… of the Arabian Sea
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by ibook_steve:
iPod shuffle uses Toshiba flash. Besides the fact that you probably can't get higher capacity flash chips, do you have the capability of reworking a BGA (ball grid array) package, which the flash chip probably is to make it smaller? If not, you're out of luck. Also, there's no way of knowing if the shuffle's controller could even access a larger flash chip. This is a lot of work for little benefit. Wait for Apple to introduce a bigger shuffle if you want to do this.
Steve
Not Toshiba exclusively. For instance, IDC took one apart to find Samsung memory.
The iPod shuffle's flash memory, which was supplied by South Korea's Samsung Electronics in the model examined by IDC, is estimated to be the most expensive component used in the player by far, said IdaRose Sylvester, a senior semiconductor research analyst at IDC.
She estimated the 512MB of flash in the cheaper of Apple's two iPod shuffle models costs the company around $37.50 for each player. That's about two thirds of the estimated total $59 that Apple spends on materials needed to make each 512MB iPod shuffle. The product retails for $99 giving the company a profit of about $40, or roughly 40 per cent.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
Not Toshiba exclusively. For instance, IDC took one apart to find Samsung memory.
Hmmh. Samsung chips seem extremely common in flash media devices. I've seen the insides of several USB flash drives, and they were all Samsung.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: The Tollbooth Capital of the US
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by hldan:
Enough is enough with dissatisfied customers when Apple comes out with something new. I don't mean to be so harsh but if you can't live with what Apple offers out of the box then buy from a different company. It's crazy to go through such lengths to modify a tiny $99 music stick. Is it really worth all the trouble?
I don't think it's all people who are dissatisfied trying to modify. It's more human nature to tinker and see if it can be done.
|
|
"Evil is Powerless If the Good are Unafraid." -Ronald Reagan
Apple and Intel, the dawning of a NEW era.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by typoon:
I don't think it's all people who are dissatisfied trying to modify. It's more human nature to tinker and see if it can be done.
Exactly. I'm not at all unhappy with Apple's offerings. I simply what to know what the limitations of the current hardware are...just like the people that are overclocking their Mac Minis.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: The Tollbooth Capital of the US
Status:
Offline
|
|
DON'T Open the iPod Shuffle This one didn't make it.
Or you could follow the one on this site. It looks like this iPod Shuffle made it through okay.
(
Last edited by typoon; Mar 3, 2005 at 12:31 PM.
)
|
|
"Evil is Powerless If the Good are Unafraid." -Ronald Reagan
Apple and Intel, the dawning of a NEW era.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by typoon:
DON'T Open the iPod Shuffle This one didn't make it.
You had to go and show me that, didn't you :-P I want to know what those extra pins on the USB plug are for now...
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: The Tollbooth Capital of the US
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by macgyvr64:
You had to go and show me that, didn't you :-P I want to know what those extra pins on the USB plug are for now...
Well looks like one company is putting those extra pins to good use.
You know I had to make you wonder what those extra pins are for. 
|
|
"Evil is Powerless If the Good are Unafraid." -Ronald Reagan
Apple and Intel, the dawning of a NEW era.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by macgyvr64:
Just for reference or searching purposes...
512 MB iPod Shuffle:
Samsung K9K4G08UOM
1 GB iPod Shuffle:
Samsung K9W8G08U1M
They use a Sigmatel STMP3550B processor.
This doesn't look like a Samsung Flash RAM to me:
It also, suprisingly, doesn't look like a BGA to me, either.
Although I wouldn't want to desolder it! (I had a hard enough time swapping the dead through-hole capacitors on my Graphite ABS!)
(note: the site says it's a 4Gb flash chip. Don't get too excited! That's Giga bits, not Giga bytes!
4Gb = 512KB.
|
Member of the the Stupid Brigade! (If you see Sponsored Links in any of my posts, please PM me!)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Mallorca
Status:
Offline
|
|
hey does somebody know if the flash memory that's inside the shuffles is any different from the memory that compact flash and other memory cards have?
because if they're alike, i dont understand why the apple has chosen chips with reduced capacity wich are also very slow (compared to many CF, for instance)
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top