iPod Finished 256GB upgrade of 2nd gen iPod Mini (See Pics)

[noodles5666]

Well finally finished my Mini upgrade. Currently have over 15,000 tracks on it and only using my db file is only at 28.5MB. Getting an average of at least 20 hours straight play time.

1 Used 2G iPod Mini 4GB
1 Tarkan CF-SDXC Adapter
1 PNY 256GB SDXC
1 Custom made 256GB 1G iPod Mini housing

 

[studIOS5]

Well finally finished my Mini upgrade. Currently have over 15,000 tracks on it and only using my db file is only at 28.5MB.

1 Used 2G iPod Mini 4GB
1 Tarkan CF-SDXC Adapter
1 PNY 256GB SDXC
1 Custom made 256GB 1G iPod Mini housing

Image

Image

Bravo! That looks fantastic. What alterations did you have to do to the housing to make that work if you don't mind me asking. There's just something great about a bare bones straight to the point music player that just makes sense for some people. The click wheel is just awesome for navigating menus as well.

Great Jon though! And thanks for sharing #

 

[rgarjr]

Nice build.

 

[noodles5666]

Bravo! That looks fantastic. What alterations did you have to do to the housing to make that work if you don't mind me asking. There's just something great about a bare bones straight to the point music player that just makes sense for some people. The click wheel is just awesome for navigating menus as well.

Great Jon though! And thanks for sharing #

I bought a used 2G 4GB Mini off of eBay. I then took the Tarkan CF-SDXC adapter and a PNY 256GB SDXC and replaced the 4GB Microdrive. I also replaced the clickwheel as it was scratched up. I have an issue with my devices not looking like they were new. The only alterations I did to the housing would be the 256GB engraving on the back. The Tarkan adapter is plug and play.

 

[studIOS5]

I bought a used 2G 4GB Mini off of eBay. I then took the Tarkan CF-SDXC adapter and a PNY 256GB SDXC and replaced the 4GB Microdrive. I also replaced the clickwheel as it was scratched up. I have an issue with my devices not looking like they were new. The only alterations I did to the housing would be the 256GB engraving on the back. The Tarkan adapter is plug and play.

Nice! Ill be putting this on the wish list

 

[rgarjr]

I didn't know the Tarkan board can also fit the iPod mini. How much was the new casing?

Did u have to use a different ribbon cable?

 

[noodles5666]

I didn't know the Tarkan board can also fit the iPod mini. How much was the new casing?

Did u have to use a different ribbon cable?

The Tarkan CF-SDXC adapter plugs n play as the Microdrive is the same as it is CF Type II.

----------

 

[rgarjr]

I see what u mean now. You don't need the board just that seperate box which is the CF to SDXC. You using OEM spec battery or more power one?

 

[noodles5666]

I see what u mean now. You don't need the board just that seperate box which is the CF to SDXC

Correct. Tarkan sells just the CF-SDXC adapter for $18.

 

[oneMadRssn]

That looks awesome!

 

[mgipe]

Very nice. < drool >

 

[noodles5666]

Very nice. < drool >

So testing has been done and it looks like the Mini 2G can handle about 25,000 songs and have a 30.5MB iTunesdb file. I am waiting for Amazon to get the Sandisk 512GB SDXC to test it in the Mini with ALAC files. I love the SQ the Mini puts out.

 

[rgarjr]

How much did that 512GB card set u back?

 

[noodles5666]

how much did that 512gb card set u back?

$600

 

[rgarjr]

I bought a used blue one the other day on eBay. Battery is shot, probably the original one. Microdrive also doesn't work, so waiting on some parts to repair.

 

[jruschme]

$600

Wow... you are a true Head-Fi'er.

 

[noodles5666]

Wow... you are a true Head-Fi'er.

???

 

[rgarjr]

I must say, the audio from the Mini really does sound good. Nice and crisp.

 

[jruschme]

???

What's the saying over on Head-Fi? "Welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry about your wallet."

Building a 512GB iPod Mini, even just as a test, pushes it right through Budget-Fi into the upper reaches of Mid-Fi and beyond.

My comment was meant as a testimony to your dedication.

 

[oneMadRssn]

To make it truly head-fi, this is the next step: https://retrosonicfidelity.com/retromod-mini-first-production/

 

[noodles5666]

What's the saying over on Head-Fi? "Welcome to Head-Fi. Sorry about your wallet."

Building a 512GB iPod Mini, even just as a test, pushes it right through Budget-Fi into the upper reaches of Mid-Fi and beyond.

My comment was meant as a testimony to your dedication.

Ah...yeah. I'm going to test it in the Mini but will eventually be my drive for my 7.5G Classic.

 

[Ipod Collector]

Those are some nice fresh mods he's doing there.....

To make it truly head-fi, this is the next step: https://retrosonicfidelity.com/retromod-mini-first-production/

Thanks for posting that link, one mad Russian,
even though now you got mind on more than just
what I already had going on on my end.

Now I want this capacitor/filter done to my 5.5g
motherboard with the 64mb dbfile on it. I actually
already messaged RSF to ask him if he'd like to do
an upgrade to my board for me. I told him I could
do it myself if he'd help me out a bit or I'll send
him the board for him to do himself, whichever
way works for me. But if he's comfortable doing
it himself, I'm more than happy to pay him to do it

Oh, and noodles, nice mod on the mini, that's fresh.
And yes, the mini's definitely have a nice crisp sound
to them, especially when using the dock output on it.

I like to use my ipod at work during the day.
I have a bose dock I use it on. I bought a Kokkia
30 pin dock bluetooth adapter a couple of months
ago and I simply can't get enough of it. It's a little
rough on the battery usage but no biggie, there's
always a plug around to charge her back up.
I'm using a 900Mah battery in it, but with it being
modded to a 256gb SSD and using bluetooth along
with it, I guess I can say I'm pretty happy at getting
10-12 hours worth of play on one charge.
Not too shabby anyways.

I also have another mod I just completed this past week
after I received my SSD adapter boards I ordered from Tarkan.

It's a 7.5G Ipod Classic 256GB mod. (I could have went
the 512GB or 1TB route, but opted for the 256gb for
the time being with this one.)

I did this mod with a gold faceplate, red clickwheel,
gold center button, thick gold U2 back plate, a 7.5G
motherboard (7th gen thin 160gb board), a Tarkan
SSD iFlash adapter, Samsung PM851 256GB SSD,
and lastly a 1900mah battery, (which is why I went
with the thick back plate with this one. With this
battery it's a tight fit, but pretty much a perfect
fit at that.)

Here's some pics, let me know what you all think of it...

 

[Ipod Collector]

Hey all

Hey Noodles,

Nice job on the mini-mod !!

I just wanted to ask a couple questions
about your mods you have done thus far.

Have you used an SD card & tarkan adapter on a 7.5g mb yet ?
If so, what memory size and SD are you using on ?
Are or did you use the same sized factory ipod battery ?
Do you have an idea of how many hours of playtime you
can net off of one full charge on it ? Ever measured it ?

I've used compact flash in the mini's before,
but that's about as far as I got as far as the mini's go.
I honestly think I still have around a dozen or so mini's
around here, most in great to excellent condition.

I bought many mini's back in the day where most only need
a new battery. Eh, I still have a box of around 17 brand new
seagate 5gb minidrives. I think I paid like $22 for a box of 20
of them like 7 years ago. I used 3, and as you already know,
they're pretty much obsolete though ;(

But anyhoo, just interested to know how well the sd cards
work in them and/or how long you've been using it with an
sd card in it.

-------------------------------------------------------

 

[Ipod Collector]

ipod moddin'

This is some of the other stuff I've learned lately from
messing around with these mods. I originally bought 10
of these generic zif to ssd adapter boards on ebay,
I got 10 of em for $46 to use for mods until I ran into
Tarkan.

My first mod was a 5g with a mb with 32mb dbfile.
It didn't dawn on me until after I did a bit more
research about the buffer sizes on em. I had read
about this long but had been some time and forgot.
I pretty much got the refresher course I was looking for.

I used the generic adapter first on this 5g with a 256gb
ssd. It was basically plug and play, it synced and worked.
I think after a couple of times of loading onto it, it got
buggy and more less suffered from PCL (power consumption
loss). This is when I then realized I was running it off of
a 480mah battery, I was like Doh! So I broke out a 900mah
battery, installed it in hopes that it wouldn't break the lcd.
It didn't (whew, that was close) and after restoring it
and reloading, I tested it for about a week. It works, but
sometimes it would still freeze up and I had to do a hard
reboot. This is when I then decided to break out a 5.5g
board with 64mb dbfile in another of the same type of
mod with a 256gb Samsung SSD, generic adapter and
900mah battery. Restored it, synced it and have been
testing/using for a little over a month now without a
single issue. A majority of the time after I shut it down
for the night and use it the next day, it goes right back
on, no reboot necessary. Nice. I've been using it with
a Kokkia bluetooth transmitter plugged into the dock
to a bose sounddock and it's been working great.
I use it at the job and I have some folks that really
love it, not to mention enjoy listening to it

 

[noodles5666]

Hey Noodles,

Nice job on the mini-mod !!

I just wanted to ask a couple questions
about your mods you have done thus far.

Have you used an SD card & tarkan adapter on a 7.5g mb yet ?
If so, what memory size and SD are you using on ?
Are or did you use the same sized factory ipod battery ?
Do you have an idea of how many hours of playtime you
can net off of one full charge on it ? Ever measured it ?

I've used compact flash in the mini's before,
but that's about as far as I got as far as the mini's go.
I honestly think I still have around a dozen or so mini's
around here, most in great to excellent condition.

I bought many mini's back in the day where most only need
a new battery. Eh, I still have a box of around 17 brand new
seagate 5gb minidrives. I think I paid like $22 for a box of 20
of them like 7 years ago. I used 3, and as you already know,
they're pretty much obsolete though ;(

But anyhoo, just interested to know how well the sd cards
work in them and/or how long you've been using it with an
sd card in it.

-------------------------------------------------------

I have another thread for my 7.5G iPod Classic with all my mods.