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Zen And The Art of Nomad Hacking
securitas writes "ExtremeTech just published a step-by-step how-to guide on hacking the Nomad Zen and Nomad Jukebox to upgrade the hard drive in each type of MP3 player. So if a 60 GB hard disk isn't big enough for you (20 GB on the older models) here's how to mod your Nomad."
And oh yeah, thank you for purchasing a nomad...
Management.
Why would I hack nomads? By virtue of being nomads, don't they have dynamic IPS? Screw that, too much effort.
Tools you'll need:
Small Phillips-head screwdriver
Flat-head jeweler's screwdriver
A small finger bowl (a place to put the tiny screws while you're working)
A clean table with good illumination so you can see what you're doing.
A new 2.5" slim laptop hard-drive (9.5mm high).
Enough cash to buy a new one once you f**k up the LCD screen.
Think there's any way to hook my ten disk RAID array up to one of these suckers? ;)
KappaStone
Now I don't have to open my own NJ3 just to see what's inside. I for some strange reason got a compulsion to take apart and put back together everything electronic I have, but now urge is at least partially quenched. Goot thing too, as the damn thing is expensive...
All rites reversed 2010
What next? Let's install the Audigy 2 inside!
be really cool, is if some one hacks Nomad Zen/ iPod so that they can use 3rd party rechargable batteries once the inbuild ones expire.
As I understand the current models can't be replaced once the battery expires in 2-3 years.
And when I spend > 400$ for anything I expect them to last for quite some time.
for the last time people, I am "frodo from middle eaRTH", not "middle eaST".
Don't YOU have anything better to do ?
(Ment in a rhetorical way )
for the last time people, I am "frodo from middle eaRTH", not "middle eaST".
We were careful. We took our time. And we still damaged the unit.
Ah, but damaging is part of the fun. It's all about taking an electronic device and turning it into something totally unrecognizable that does something totally different. For example, I modded my Xbox to play Commodore 64 games, my digital clock to be a sundial, my microwave to be an anti-salesman irradiation device, and my toaster to be a sexual aid.
The coolest voice ever.
Mu.
Hell is not other people; it is yourself. - Ludwig Wittgenstein
If you don't feel comfortable opening up a small device like an MP3 player, or don't have a burning need for more space on your Nomad, do NOT attempt these procedures.
/. newbie to post somthing that has that kind of disclaimer.
WTF? He must be a
From excellent karma to terible karma with a single +5 funny post...
FYI, the title is referencing a classic book:
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
http://kered.org
For the Nomad at least, you can buy new batteries for 50 bucks each from Creative. The player originally comes with one when you buy it, but has space for two if you want to double the max battery life.
Hardly a hack is it?
Open device.
Change drive.
Close device.
Reload software.
Wow! And they still bust the screen..
Why do we have to hack nomads? By hand?
Doesn't Pentagon have bombs and missiles that do this job much better?
I don't need a signature.
Is there still a performance hit? I have one of the older ones and the problem with them is the way files are accessed. There's no file system per se. So if you add a bigger drive and load it up with files, it will take forever to start up each time as it "prepares the library", i.e., builds a list of files from scratch.
I've seen people take apart their iPods with nothing more than a thin, stiff, flat piece of plastic, and putting it back together totally unscathed. Heck, I've even heard of people accidently putting their iPods in the washing machine and then the drier and still turning out fine after leaving it out to dry for a few hours.
So, this should say something about the quality of the devices. Sure, the iPod is more expensive and holds a lot less (10 gb for about $300 compared to 20gb for the same price), but in my opinion, its built a lot better than Creative's player, Nomad Zen, as can be compared from the article above, and this one
Brain surgery looks easy when broken down into little steps. That still doesn't mean everyone can do it... well.
"...it's a good idea to remove the battery so that the patient doesn't inadvertently "wake up" in the middle of the operation."
-Brad
"The truth suffers from too much analysis"
So they overtightened a couple of screws and bolloxed the LCD screen. Big deal. I'm more intrigued by the paragraph on how to disconnect the IDE data cable from the back of the disk. ExtremeTech, indeed.
I did this about a year ago, based on some docs on , and it unfortunately didn't solve a problem I've had where trying to upload songs to the device after it's been filled up to a certain point (currently about 23GB) causes the player to lock up and the transfer to freeze. Oh, and it was remarkably easy to do (on my JB1). I ended up loosening the springs on the battery connector, but that was it for 'damage'.
Goody gumdrops!
I sig for world peace
Anyone know if this would work for the Jukebox 2? I've got the 10gb, and wouldn't mind more space. I don't think there are any major differences between the Jukebox 2 and 3.
"Would it kill you to put down the toilet seat?" -- Maya Angelou
I assume that the battery is a proprietary size and shape, manufactured specifically for the model (yeah, it *is* a dumb approach - but it stops you buying the bastard batteries from anyone else). So when the manufacturer stops supporting it a couple of years down the line, you can't get a new battery, no matter how l33t your dismantling skills are. Going right off-topic, has anyone seen or used the XClef players? There's only one place in the UK selling them, but the price is excellent and they seem to be reasonably well supported. Very little info on the web, though.
[FUCK BETA]
iPod stuff
They have a replacement battery for $60
It's about as proprietary as any other mass produced product, really.
GPL Deconstructed
Here's a mod for the Archos Jukebox. It seems to be the same basic idea, and is probably doable with any HD based MP3 player. Also for archos owners who may not have it yet, Rockbox is a great replacement for the crappy firmware that came with the thing.
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
A warning to wannabe upgraders: all of Creative's players have a limit on the number of tracks you can load onto the player. (The limit isn't actually a fixed number, but a problem arising out of the space allowable for file tag data. If you have a lot of tag data in your files, you'll hit the limit a lot sooner than someone who has barely any tag data.) The Nomad Jukebox 3 and the original Zens both topped out at around 9,000 - 10,000 tracks. The new 60GB Zens have upped the limit to around 16,000 tracks. A future firmware upgrade is rumored to give the older players the same limit as the new Zen, but there is no ETA yet for that upgrade.
and think the headline was talking about the now defunct sega nomad?
Has anybody had any success using the USB transfer on NetMD mini disc players?
I've got a Sony one, and have been trying on and off to find something that allows me to use it under Linux, instead of having to either use a line, or a Windows box, but can't find anything but early development libraries.
I have found the nomad makes a really great little web server with Linux.
There's no Mac support for the higher-capacity Nomad products due to a tiff between Creative Labs and Apple people... and it all started going sour right around the date of release for the iPod. Anyway, if you are a OS X nerd that buys one of these things myself and a few others are trying to get either Gnomad2 or GnomeDAP up and running under Gnome 2.0 using libnjb (current cvs). Wish us luck...
How about a hack to change the proprietary file system on these things. You need third party software to access your files. There are some open tools you can use, but not without a time investment. Classic case of me not doing my research before buying; I'd gladly pay the extra $200 for an ipod now. And I'll never buy anything at CompUSA again...15% restocking fee!?
On the other hand, if you're only using windows, the nomad zen rocks. I highly recommend red chair software's notmad explorer over the included software though ($25 extra).
if someone could show how to install Ogg Vorbis support in the Nomad. Or better, support for MP3 and ogg.
So, I'm not a mp3 player owner. But since I visited the site you'll still prosecute me? And why's that? Because I can read? In my country I still have the right to red you know. As far as I know there aren't forbiden books or words here.
So, go ahead and prosecute me. I'll prosecute you for invading my privacy.
Aren't you ever getting home again, to change some musics? Are you gonna listen them all? Admit it, with a 20 GB hard drive, will put every mp3 you have there, to show your friends. And even the ones you don't like.
20 GB is far more than you'll need. You don't like music that much do you... Come on, admit it!
that's why it is called the Nomad, and not the NoMOD hehe...
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance had absolutely nothing to do with motorcycles?
Sometimes you can almost hear the whoosh as it passes overs someone's head...
Deleted
The Total Drive Space figure should be close to the actual capacity of the drive, but will be slightly less. For example, on the Nomad Zen where we went from a 20GB to a 30GB drive, the Nomad sees it as having 28,595GB.
The 2 sentences and no explanation why it's that way, is enough indication what level of reader this article is aiming at.
What time is it/will be over there? Check with my iPhone app!
Algebra 101...
That's what I wanna know... I wanna pick up one of the cheapy 5 giggers on the used market, and then pop in an 80gig monster drive and put my whole CD collection on it. No muss, no fuss, no expensive mess. (There's no way on this little green planet of clocks that I'm going to spend $400 on an MP3 player...) RS
Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
ZatAoMM actually does talk about motorcycle maintenance, if only elliptically. In this reader's estimation it also contains a lot of mystical hot air. I made myself read it after many years of wondering why so many people find it a life-changing book. I'm still wondering.
I am the Clam I am the Clam I am the Clam
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