Professional Modding Options

[guylhem]

C - never got any clamshell to test tgat
D - no more news from bgfsh. Still waiting for the chips...

[Tom61]

Mods like the 6000 Bluetooth look to me to be really straightforward whether by flying lead or by original component fitting.

I've no idea about Bluetooth or Wifi on a 3100, I've never seen a 3100. I own a 6000, a 5500 and I just bought a C860. The latter purely for the purpose of ripping to bits and messing. I bought the 6000 for that but it proved too much of an addictive article and I don't want to dismantle it.

Swapping a 4gb to a 6gb is a 5 minute hack. Bluetooth is easy - just find a serial port and solder into it. There's one in the 3100 using 3.3V (CMOS) - no big deal, most bt modules can run with either CMOS or TTL. However Wifi on the clamshell is really another story. Basically, you need either a compact flash or a usb port to hook it. You also need a way to turn it on/off - and that without a free gpio won't be easy.

The "easiest" way I can think about is to hook up an internal usb port extender, solder the external usb port to that extender, and the internal wifi usb module to the extender. Then rewire the "Mail" led to a transistor to switch the internal wifi usb module power on or off.

You'll loose a led on the 3100, but this will eat far less power than leaving wifi on at all times. The internal usb port extender could eat some serious power however, and cause problems with mini-b peripherals. (you'll have to check the USB OTG specs)

I think we'd need more informations about the 3100 before thinking about adding wifi.

Guylhem

For wifi and BT, I'd just go with one USB module that has both. Power management is usually built into the module, all you'd need is the software to trigger it, no need to sacrifice GPIOs. I'd likely break contact between the OTG connector and the main board, solder the connections from the motherboard to the Wifi/BT module's hub input, and then connect a likely free USB port from the hub chip (most support four, hopefully so will the chip on the wifi and BT module) to the OTG connector.

Hmm... The client function of the OTG may not work, would that be a problem? devices connected should still work, as if they were going through a hub. I'm guessing most people only use it as a host, and sync using the zaurus connector.

ADF:
The only 802.11g USB module with open-source drivers that I know of is the Zydas ZD1211 chip, which when connected to a USB 1.1 port reverts to doing only 802.11b.

For the finished product, does $750 for the upgraded unit (user provided 6GB drive) seem fair, given everything will be working when you recieve or I fix it free, and for 6 months after that I repair at cost anything in the unit that stops working under normal usage? (i.e. you don't drop it in the lake, or crack the screen)

A note: I'd definately like to work on my own unit before commiting to working on someone else's, or even making a definate statement that I'd do the mods to a unit to sell. Also, it'll be a bit before I could order one for myself. Most likely the first unit that I mod will be auctioned off on eBay.

[DrWowe]

Hmm... The client function of the OTG may not work, would that be a problem? devices connected should still work, as if they were going through a hub. I'm guessing most people only use it as a host, and sync using the zaurus connector.

No problem for me. I only use host functionality.

For the finished product, does $750 for the upgraded unit (user provided 6GB drive) seem fair,

Yes, I would pay that. I'm less concerned about the microdrive, I think I could handle that little swap myself.


BTW, Tom, do you have any thoughts about the 6000 flash issue (quick summary is that there are traces on the motherboard to solder in 2 more flash chips, sounds like easy work for someone with micro-soldering ability, more info in the thread)? Supply of the right flash chips seems to be the current hangup.

[DrWowe]

ADF:
The only 802.11g USB module with open-source drivers that I know of is the Zydas ZD1211 chip, which when connected to a USB 1.1 port reverts to doing only 802.11b.

To add to this, USB 1.1 = 12 megabit. 802.11b = 11 megabit. There's no point in going higher.

[adf]

ADF:
The only 802.11g USB module with open-source drivers that I know of is the Zydas ZD1211 chip, which when connected to a USB 1.1 port reverts to doing only 802.11b.

To add to this, USB 1.1 = 12 megabit. 802.11b = 11 megabit. There's no point in going higher.

encryption. there are nets that require "g" protocols... I realize you wouldn't get the speed, and I personally have no need for g ATM. But there were some people here trying to get on G-only networks recently- I thought I'd look at preempting that issue if feasable

[adf]

approx $200 for initial parts and labor plus warranty? Sounds fair enough.
Of course.... you might have just created a part time career for yourself.

[TRIsoft]

DrWowe,

It would be nice to have some contacts who be willing to do various Z mods for a fee.  Maybe Streamline or Trisoft could partner with someone and offer customized versions.  Of course, the price would be high, but at least they could be "supported" to an extent.

the problem is the pricetag.
A modification in any means will need a new test for
CE/FCC conformity. All in all we're talking about roughly
>$2000 for a medium modification here.
This is OK for every new Zaurus model with a large
quantitiy to be sold, but nobody would pay it for a series
of 10 units.

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[Da_Blitz]

The internal wifi thing dosent need the extra gpio for power. turning off a device or going into the low power state is part of the USB spec, there is currently work for linux to get it wroking 100%.

as for 802.11G on a usb port, might be handy for those doing the hostap stuff but only for things that are handeled compleatly in the usb card itself (becon frames, admin stuff, probely not wifi towifi comms)

[adf]

DrWowe,

It would be nice to have some contacts who be willing to do various Z mods for a fee.  Maybe Streamline or Trisoft could partner with someone and offer customized versions.  Of course, the price would be high, but at least they could be "supported" to an extent.

the problem is the pricetag.
A modification in any means will need a new test for
CE/FCC conformity. All in all we're talking about roughly
>$2000 for a medium modification here.
This is OK for every new Zaurus model with a large
quantitiy to be sold, but nobody would pay it for a series
of 10 units.

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

Er.. wouldn't the modules themselves already BE ce/fcc compliant? They are when they arrive at the door in their retail bubbles... We are talking simply about physical placement in the device. They would be the same usb devices on the same usb bus that already has approval attached to the same Zaurus you already tested. Do you do a $2000 dollar test for every peripheral you sell in every combination?

edit: I'd really love to get this going soon.

[TRIsoft]

Hi adf,

...Er.. wouldn't the modules themselves already BE ce/fcc compliant?
...Do you do a $2000 dollar test for every peripheral you sell in every combination?

a lot of people think that the formula

CODE

compliant part + compliant part = compliant device

will work. Unfortunately it won't

The CE/FCC tests are made with a "worst case" setup. It's not a secret
to tell you that our last test setup was:
SL-C3100 connected to AC via EA-70S with WiFi card setup and running
while playing a movie and having the CE-RH2 headphone/remote on.

So our CE/FCC compliance is valid only for our devices using these
accessories. For example using a different AC adaptor may void the
compliance easily because some tests are more focused on the
external power than to the machine itself (like spikes on AC line).

If you remove the WiFi card or the headphone from this worst case
scenario, you would still have a compliant setup.
But if you add anything internal to a device you always change the
electromagnetic behaviour. For example you would have to start a
new test if you add an internal bluetooth module.

If this would be easier (and cheaper), there would be more than the
actual three suppliers offering CE/FCC conform Zauris

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[jfv]

Marc, are you trying to imply that a guy modding a few Zauruses on his garage and selling them privately here or on Ebay is doing something illegal? That's just nuts.

Felipe

[Tom61]

BTW, Tom, do you have any thoughts about the 6000 flash issue (quick summary is that there are traces on the motherboard to solder in 2 more flash chips, sounds like easy work for someone with micro-soldering ability, more info in the thread)?  Supply of the right flash chips seems to be the current hangup.

The version of the proposed mod where you don't remove the 16MB chip, and just use the empty spot on the motherboard sounds like the easiest one to do. In my thinking, leaving the 16MB chip there would give you more flexibility in what the second chip's capacity could be, as you wouldn't have to modify the bootloader, only the kernel. You'd only need to worry about the physical package of the NAND chip. Adding a SMT chip where there are already traces is fairly easy with the proper tools. You line up the chip, put solder paste across the pins, double check the aligbment of the chip, and then run a stream of hot air across the pins.

approx $200 for initial parts and labor plus warranty? Sounds fair enough.
Of course.... you might have just created a part time career for yourself.

Part time career is fine by me, beats food service while I'm getting my second degree.

[TRIsoft]

Felipe,

Marc, are you trying to imply that a guy modding a few Zauruses on his garage and selling them privately here or on Ebay is doing something illegal? That's just nuts.

no, i'm not (and that would be totally nuts).
But the topic was started with the idea "partner with Streamline/TRIsoft"
and that's the point of view for me.
All in all it's very simple:
If you import a Zaurus from Japan or if you mod your Zaurus or do
whatever you want for your personal needs, you don't have to obey
the CE/FCC stuff. Same if you do a mod or make batteries for a friend.

But it looks totally different if you do it official with a company.
So please see our postings from this side. We love the community and
we're everyday surprised what people do with their Zauris, but we're
not able to sell a modded model for a reasonable price until it's a 300+
series.

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[adf]

so..Tom61... when do you expect to be able to make a "3100w"

[speculatrix]

C - never got any clamshell to test tgat
D - no more news from bgfsh. Still waiting for the chips...

I have PM'd Guylhem because if bgfsh has dropped out, I might be able to help get some chips for the 6000.