Radio dead, should i reflash?

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

So i have this problem since a few days ago. Good thing the ISP guys finally came up today to set up my internet connection here at my granparents too.

I had my computer broken that day, and the MP4 charger wouldn't fit in any of the wall sockets i have here, and i didn't have an extension cord or anything i could use.

The battery on my player was almost gone, no place to charge it from. So i turned the radio on the player on because it eats up much less power, and here are only a few stations (about 14) and the signal is very strong, no static even on this cheapo MP4. There was pretty good music on as well btw. 8)

So i listened to the radio until the battery finally gave up. The next day i fixed my PC and recharged the player. Now when i try to get into the radio, it just displays a blue screen saying "Hard Error" in white text and brings me back to the menu. It must be the firmware fucked up, as i've lost my flash format once because of low battery, "Disk Error" and had to reformat and put all my songs back. But the radio seems to be out for good.

I would try using s1clone, but i have certain doubts about the integrity of the program, as you've seen it adds its signature to the dumped firmware.

I don't want to brick my player. I have money for a new one, but i like this one and would rather spend my money on something else.

So, what do you guys suggest?

[_Odyssey]

Th3_uN1Qu3, It's a possibility that the error isn't firmware but an actual 'hardware error'. As you've figured, at this point flashing the firmware would determine whether it is or not. If only you had it's full firmware.
Perhaps the little radio chip has blown?

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Hmm, i have yet to see a chip blown due to too low power, but when you're talking about Chinese devices anything is possible. :P

[zaks]

i have got yesterday on one player such message: hardware error...
then i have remember myselfe that i put in this player new mainboard, which in base haven't memory chip, display and - radio board !! :-)
when i put radio board (1x1 cm) on blank place on board - error disappeared ;-)
so - i think that is something wrong with your player, radio board (power !) - and not fw..

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Hmm, so it might actually be blown. Well, i didn't really use the radio a lot, i guess i can live without it.

I was planning to buy a RockChip-based player with MicroSD support and Nokia battery anyway, so i think i'll just leave this one alone or maybe sell it.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Well, if you know me well enough you know i wouldn't leave it alone. So i tried s1clone, but when trying to re-flash it said the firmware, size of the chip and blocksize didin't match, although it was obtained from the same device. So i immediately stopped the operation. I discussed this in another topic.

Now for the funny stuff. I changed my playlist a little, so i copied all the files off my MP4, formatted it, changed a few songs and put them all back, so that they are neatly sorted in alphabetical order by artist and not just randomness all over the place. I do use random mode, but some kind of sorting makes it easier to locate the songs you want in playlist browser mode.

Then i tried the radio, just for kicks. To my surprise, the radio worked just fine. It did erase all my saved stations though, but i can store those again.

So in the end it was a flash corruption bug caused by wrong commands issued by the chipset to the flash memory due to low battery. And as the "Disk Error" i got some time ago, it got fixed by a reformat.

Strangely though, as when i format the player the radio stations aren't erased, i think they are stored inside the firmware.

But still, i'm glad my radio works again. 8) Sometimes you just have to believe in miracles.

[zaks]

i think it is some hardware error on player which will be back again...
but in interim - enjoy... ;-)

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Well, you were right, it was a hardware error. And it did come back, but i got the bugger fixed.

The error came back after a while, so i decided to pop my player open and see what's wrong. I removed the top and bottom plastic covers (they were fixed on with double tape :lol and noticed only one screw at the top, which just spinned without giving any signs it would go out. So i just pushed with my finger from the bottom and the guts of the player came out. I have to say, i've seen cheap work and last minute fixes before, but this is the most crappily assembled electronic device i've ever seen. It somehow manages to work though. :lol: I noticed the small battery, which says it's 3.7v 180mAh, i think i'll order an Ipod Shuffle spare as well. Also there was circuitry and free room for an additional memory chip, i have a 512MB one from a dead player, i'll try and solder it on when i get home (i'm now at my granparents), as a 1.5GB player sounds nice.

I took a close look at the radio board and noticed that one solder point to the main board was broken. So i just soldered it properly and voila, my radio's back and here to stay. 8) And coz i was there anyway, i also soldered a piece of wire to the headphone ground to serve as an antenna. It was insulated so i just crammed as much of it as i could inside the player.

I assembled the player back together - and the trickiest bit was by far keeping the control pad in its place while i was sliding the player back in. I then turned on the radio, stored my stations and let the music play.

I have to say that the additional antenna serves its purpose very well, because after the backlight turns off all static disappears and the reception quality of the player is incredible and not dependant on its position anymore. 8)

Now i just feel like shouting "I LOVE MY MP4 PLAYER!!!"

This good stuff came at the right time, as i'm going through a pretty shitty period, and nothing is like it's supposed to be. But now that i fixed my player, i feel much more confident that i can sort things out.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Here's a sample, recorded from my Nano clone's radio with the internal record function.

I was walking home when i recorded this. And yes, i couldn't believe my ears either.

Check it out: http://www.mediafire.com/?9eyi3mrtcrk 8)

[Buzzygirl]

Th3_uN1Qu3: I am always impressed when people fix things on their own, so bravo!!

Just for what it's worth: I am an amateur radio operator, and we are taught by other amateur radio operators to fix things for ourselves-- nowadays, that means learning how to solder, not like the old days where we might have to read schematics to build a whole radio from the start!

I still love to fix things myself, because I spare the expense of having other people fix things for me.