Hello,
I have been really happy with my Z3 thus far (a week into owning it), but one thing that bothered me was that it didn't come with a pair of headphones with a working 3-button inline remote. I previously had a Samsung Galaxy S3 with the 3-buttons, so I was very used to it and wanted that functionality. However, neither the Samsung nor the Apple 3-button headphones I tried worked completely with my new phone - certain buttons worked, but none could use all three.
As I searched, I found that others had a similar issue - there are headphones that are said to work (such as HTC's E242) but I wasn't looking to spend any money. What I found may not be the most elegant solution (I didn't even look into apps) but it satisfied me so I figured I'd share! What I will describe does require some soldering.
My information came from here (new user, can't post link sorry! Google "Galaxy Nexus (and others) headset remote with media controls" - it's an Instructable). I won't reiterate here what is described there, beyond to say that I learned how the 3-button remotes work: each button "shorts" the microphone line to ground through a different resistor. The phone senses this resistance and responds accordingly.
Where I went from there was to test the headphones I had. I was limited in terms of equipment, so I had to make do by testing the resistors by connecting a current-limited power supply to the mic and ground lines and watch the voltage change as I pressed the buttons. I didn't calculate exact resistances but the range was enough for my purposes. What I discovered:
Responses:
-Galaxy S3 headphones:
Play/pause button = volume up on Xperia
Volume + button = volume up on Xperia
Volume - button = volume down on Xperia
-Apple headphones:
Play/pause button = play/pause on Xperia
Volume + button = no response on Xperia
Volume - button = no response on Xperia
-Xperia headphones
Play/pause button = play/pause on Xperia
Resistances:
-Galaxy S3 headphones:
Play/pause button = low
Volume + button = slightly higher
Volume - button = highest
-Apple headphones:
Play/pause button = SHORT (0 ohm)
Volume + button = low
Volume - button = high
-Xperia headphones
Play/pause button = SHORT (0 ohm)
Knowing this, I decided that the easiest thing to do would be remove the play/pause resistor on the Galaxy headphones and short it (I used wire, if you want to be cleaner you can use a zero-ohm resistor). I cracked open the remote on the headphones by running a knife along the seam. I then double-checked the resistors to make sure I was removing the correct one - it was the closest one to the corresponding button. I removed the resistor and soldered in a wire to replace it, et voila, all three buttons now work with my Xperia.
I did not think to photograph the process, but here are a couple of pictures which should explain it. It's not a complicated process, and if you're better at soldering than I am it might be downright easy! As is custom, if you decide to follow these steps please know you MAY ruin your headphones - I didn't, but I can't guarantee anything.
Crack open the headphones. I used an x-acto and started at the corners, running it along the seam and slowly working it open. The plastic feels pretty flimsy so I tried not to be too forceful.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Remove resistor R1 by de-soldering. Sorry there's no picture of this step, but step 3's picture should help locate the resistor; it's also labeled pretty clearly. If you have a tweezer soldering iron it will help you a lot, as the resistor is a quite tiny package. Also, I bumped the plastic casing a couple of times and it melts about as easily as you'd expect, so a steady hand is good.
Where my soldering skill rears its ugly head. Once R1 is off, you want to short the two pads together. The clean way to do this is the use a zero-ohm resistor. I did not have one so I cut a tiny piece of wire and soldered it down in R1's place. I globbed on a fair bit of solder as you'll see, but hey, if it works I'm not too worried about it being pretty.
Close everything back up, and make sure you orient the button cover the right way. I didn't bother gluing the case back together as the snap-fit seems tight enough for now.
At the end of all that, you should have a working three-button inline remote for your Xperia.
In theory, Apple headphones could also be modified to work but this would require modifying resistances (as opposed to shorting) which requires components and would be more difficult soldering.
Hope this helps, I'm happy to answer any questions as best I can!
Hi!
I'm in the exact same boat you were in. Coming to a Z3 from an S3 with the headset and seriously missing the three button headset control. Though I tried apps (to no avail) before coming across this solution.
Is there any chance you could post pictures of the modified headset? I'd love to see exactly how you did it before I risk destroying mine.
Cheers!
Chemacky said:
Is there any chance you could post pictures of the modified headset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've added them to the main post, hopefully that's enough to guide you. Once you get the headphones open things are pretty clear. It's more a matter of having the right soldering iron, and some magnification (a basic microscope or magnifying glass).
Another idea that might work but would make for a more modular solution would be to modify something like this: newbie link"amazon.com/Belkin-Headphone-Adapter-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B002K4GBEI".
Philips used to, and I think they still do give adapters with their headphones even the cheap ones, they have a tag on it mentioning which brands to use the adapter for as well. Wish more companies did that.
chuckled said:
I've added them to the main post, hopefully that's enough to guide you. Once you get the headphones open things are pretty clear. It's more a matter of having the right soldering iron, and some magnification (a basic microscope or magnifying glass).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much!
The problem is that I don't have either of those things most likely. I have an old soldering station where the very tip doesn't get hot enough to melt the solder, only a little way down the tip, which is quite fat an imprecise. Is it possible to short with a fat glob of solder instead of a tiny wire? I realise this will be dirty, but without having to buy new tools, I imagine this is my best bet...?
Chemacky said:
Is it possible to short with a fat glob of solder instead of a tiny wire?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should be possible, yes. There isn't much on the little board with the switches so you have some room to be messy!
abhinav.tella said:
Philips used to, and I think they still do give adapters with their headphones even the cheap ones, they have a tag on it mentioning which brands to use the adapter for as well. Wish more companies did that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that would be really nice. I might have to go looking at some Phillips stuff to see if they still do that!
Another idea maybe to purchase a set Xaoimi Piston 2's all three buttons work with the Z3 and they're very cheap but sound awsome.
Perfect! Thanks for the instructions. I recently got an Xperia Z3+ and got really annoyed about the remote not working.
One question though. Couldn't you basically leave the resistor in place and just solder a jumper wire over it, or even just cover it with a big blob of solder? Desoldering components can be tricky sometimes, escpecially when things get microscopic and you risk over-heating the whole board and melting wire insulators and what not.
prisoner_of_mars said:
PCouldn't you basically leave the resistor in place and just solder a jumper wire over it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see why not, as long as there is space in the plastic casing for it.
Perfect!!
Now, I have best earphone than the sh** that comes along with the Z3 (MH410).
I just bought the Sony STH30's work great with the Z3
Related
hello, i was thinking about this for a while... and i think it would be possible, and quite useful to us: we could, according to this pinout: http://pinouts.ru/PDA/htc_extUSB_pinout.shtml
create a bridge from the extUSB pins, that are responsible for audio, to a 3.5mm headphone box... a case mod for making the whole thing includeable shouldn't be too hard... maybe we'll need to make a piece of software that allows us to manually switch to headphone mode, but in theory, it should be possible, i guess.
what do you think?
There is not a lot of unused space inside these things for modding. have you been inside one before? While it is feasible, you must understand that 80% of the people with these phones are not even able to disassemble and reassemble them, let alone intricately wire in a jack and mod the case to fit it. This is a great project for you to try, and take lots of pictures along the way
hmmm, space shouldn't be the problem
http://img5.imagebanana.com/img/jz19lvt3/CIMG5689.JPG what do you think?
imo, if you do this, make some way to integrate this into a 'fat' back cover (for the extended battery)
would be a great mod imo
there does appear to be room for something but how large is a 3.5mm headphone jack case and wiring? that would be my next question. This would be NICE because i hate the OEM headphones and having to carry around and extra cable sucks.
I've been thinking about this for a while now. It certainly is possible to wire it in, and drill a small hole and make a hardware solution. The problem would be that the phone would always detect headphone mode (or would it?)
I would definately try it. Is there more pictures of the internals of the phone to make sure there is enough space? That was always my concern, and I never really bothered to open it up to check.
I agree with the previous guy, the best way to do this would be with the fat back cover.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Imagine taking that out of it's shell and plugging into the bottom of the phone then wrapping it around to the back side of the phone and mounting inside the extended back case. You would just plug everything into the sides of the back.
Or something like that.
rage2wrath said:
I agree with the previous guy, the best way to do this would be with the fat back cover.
Imagine taking that out of it's shell and plugging into the bottom of the phone then wrapping it around to the back side of the phone and mounting inside the extended back case. You would just plug everything into the sides of the back.
Or something like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought about this awhile back, Not sure how well it would work, if it even would, though.
you shouldn't design your posts as serious as that then.... not funny at all...
anyways, back to topic.... i wanted to check the circuits in order to find a point to solder the 3.5mm box to, since soldering to the usb port is hard as ****. the pins are just too small! don't think anyone knows where those points are on the mainboard... still wanted to post the status...
P.S.: after a while i got so pissed of by checking for that stuff so that i stopped. gonna try again tomorrow :|
the_fish said:
you shouldn't design your posts as serious as that then.... not funny at all...
anyways, back to topic.... i wanted to check the circuits in order to find a point to solder the 3.5mm box to, since soldering to the usb port is hard as ****. the pins are just too small! don't think anyone knows where those points are on the mainboard... still wanted to post the status...
P.S.: after a while i got so pissed of by checking for that stuff so that i stopped. gonna try again tomorrow :|
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i had an idea towards this. tight fit, but it might work. if u tweek everything to size, it might JUST fit. u could connect the adapter on page 1 to the the g1 inside the phone, replace the current miniusb port with the one from the adapter, and then run the headphone jack out near the battery button, or next to the port. im not sure exactly how big the adapter is, but if its small enough (or if u find one small enough) im sure you could get it to fit, and no soldering or extreme wiring required
I use this, it's not bad
If I had a torque that small I'd totally go for it. Wouldn't be that hard. Anyone know the size needed?
the_fish said:
soldering to the usb port is hard as ****. the pins are just too small! |
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's possible. I had to replaced the surface mounted usb port on my old wizard, which is the same size as the dream one. The trick to tiny jobs like this is to drown the whole area in a big blob of solder, then remove the excess with a piece of solder removal wick... However, I don't think putting a 3.5mm socket in the g1 is remotely plausible. From my experience, even the smallest surface mounted socket is too chunky to fit in there. You might just be able to squeeze a 1.75mm socket in, but thats still going to require an adaptor on the end of your headphones.
Um, how would you charge it after said such mod?
How would download items from your computer?
I know some of you guys are super genius but this seems a tad out the realm of possibility.
code72 said:
I use this, it's not bad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey that's pretty cool, where did you get that from?
dkb218 said:
Um, how would you charge it after said such mod?
How would download items from your computer?
I know some of you guys are super genius but this seems a tad out the realm of possibility.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think anyone is talking about removing the usb port...
rage2wrath said:
I agree with the previous guy, the best way to do this would be with the fat back cover.
Imagine taking that out of it's shell and plugging into the bottom of the phone then wrapping it around to the back side of the phone and mounting inside the extended back case. You would just plug everything into the sides of the back.
Or something like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked at this gadget as well. My personal idea was to disassemble it, rearrange the bits, and turn it into a dock. The 3.5mm jack could go almost anywhere that way. The problem is that I have no idea how to cast plastic. I need to dig back through my old MAKE magazines.
-bdto
code72 said:
I use this, it's not bad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where did you get it and how much ?
http://www.usbfever.com/index_eproduct_view.php?products_id=989
google is your friend keke.
bundito said:
I looked at this gadget as well. My personal idea was to disassemble it, rearrange the bits, and turn it into a dock. The 3.5mm jack could go almost anywhere that way. The problem is that I have no idea how to cast plastic. I need to dig back through my old MAKE magazines.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To make a new back cover? Easily done.
Make a mold from the OEM cover using plaster, clay, whatever.
Once you have the mold made, put a release agent of some sort on it. Grease, wax, anything like that to keep stuff from sticking to the mold.
Get some epoxy. Get some thin fiberglass cloth. Make new back cover.
has anyone found a case similar to this but that will fit our tablet and works? would it need to be mini usb or full usb? i also like the stand that the case has.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I heard that ZT-180 cases like this should work, as the sizes are similar -- but that the keyboard ones could have an issue as the side clip might actually block the USB port on our devices (and thus negating the advantage of having that type of case).
I have a non-kb ZT-180 case in flight which I am hoping will work: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...Jc5SMfI%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT
It's not going to arrive until ~Thanksgiving, and will report my results.
thanks, 1 thing I like about the archos models was the kickstand if I can find a case that has 1 that would be great. the keyboard is just a bonus.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
I have a case on the way similair to Roebeet's as I didnt want a keyboard. Mine is coming froim the UK and they said it should be here faster than his as I SPECIFICALLY requested 'faster that Roebeet's' shipping.
If I beat him to the punch I'll post pics and links.
Gosh, so much space in here I dont quite know what to do with the new threads and all?
roebeet said:
I heard that ZT-180 cases like this should work, as the sizes are similar -- but that the keyboard ones could have an issue as the side clip might actually block the USB port on our devices (and thus negating the advantage of having that type of case)
It's not going to arrive until ~Thanksgiving, and will report my results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I modded the case (cutting the clip out with an exacto knife. Moved it down so it sits between the speaker & the headphone jack, and glued it back together. Problem solved
aamon17 said:
I modded the case (cutting the clip out with an exacto knife. Moved it down so it sits between the speaker & the headphone jack, and glued it back together. Problem solved
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
aamon17, how's the durability? Does it seem like it will hold up? The stitching and the edges especially.
dkhilo said:
aamon17, how's the durability? Does it seem like it will hold up? The stitching and the edges especially.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty durable. It's basically two slabs of cardboard/pressed wood wrapped in faux leather & glued together. So the stitching doesn't go all the way through, only on each individual side & then the glue in between. As to be expected, there is a slight warp that kinda lifts the keyboard upwards, almost creating a wrist rest effect. So, that's not too bad. All keys work in text boxes, except the DEL key for some reason. I have a 4-port USB dongle attached holding the keyboard & my bluetooth mouse with runs perfectly on 6.1 beta.
Edges are rock solid. I fully expect the stitching to start fraying over time though.
Pics of the mod attached... The white stuff is the Gorilla Glue that seeped out when it turned to foam.
aamon17 said:
Pretty durable. It's basically two slabs of cardboard/pressed wood wrapped in faux leather & glued together. So the stitching doesn't go all the way through, only on each individual side & then the glue in between. As to be expected, there is a slight warp that kinda lifts the keyboard upwards, almost creating a wrist rest effect. So, that's not too bad. All keys work in text boxes, except the DEL key for some reason. I have a 4-port USB dongle attached holding the keyboard & my bluetooth mouse with runs perfectly on 6.1 beta.
Edges are rock solid. I fully expect the stitching to start fraying over time though.
Pics of the mod attached... The white stuff is the Gorilla Glue that seeped out when it turned to foam.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds good, I guess I'll order one as well. The DEL key makes sense, there's a DEL key on my DROID slide out keyboard, but it's actually a backspace.
Hey, I noticed you have a widget to emulate the physical Search, Home, Settings and Back keys. Which widget are you using for those functions? That looks nice for dark room usage as the keys as you know aren't backlit.
Got my case today, and it's a BUST. It's not a clip on one, even though that's what was advertised. Drat.
I can still use it, but it requires some surgery to make it fit. It will be ugly, but it will work until something better comes along.
roebeet said:
Got my case today, and it's a BUST. It's not a clip on one, even though that's what was advertised. Drat.
I can still use it, but it requires some surgery to make it fit. It will be ugly, but it will work until something better comes along.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ahhhh.. Roebeet, it kills me to hear that. I figured that mine from the UK would have been here by now and now I've lost interest knowing yours isn't' what you'd expected.
I'll figure something out.
Piss
I noticed there are a lot for cases with keyb on ebay for tablets 10.2'...
Anyone has news or has experience with any of those working?
Many auctions only mentions tablet and don't mentions models
They work you just have to modify them a little bit.
seymour_butts said:
I noticed there are a lot for cases with keyb on ebay for tablets 10.2'...
Anyone has news or has experience with any of those working?
Many auctions only mentions tablet and don't mentions models
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Joining in late
Looks like I'm a little late on this thread - but the case does nicely. It's made out of a plastic/PVC intended to look like leather. For the Gtab it takes a slight mod that you can do by:
- pulling apart the left hand side of the top gently. The stitching is cosmetic, and doesn't actually hold the stuff together.
- detach the clip lightly -- it's just a bracket attached to wide metal plate that's glued on the interior of the case lid.
- move the clip down about 1 inch, and use it to score the new location with an exacto knife.
- I put a thick piece of cardboard under the interior piece of the case so I wouldn't cut into the inside of the other piece.
- cut the new notch about a third of an inch deep.
- trim the removed piece to fit the old notch where the clip used to be. It's only about a quarter-inch deep.
- I used tacky spray to reattach the two halves of the top. I'm pretty certain it's the same glue originally used to put the thing together.
It's a very clean mod. Moving the clip frees up the USB / microSD panel, but it will end up covering your speaker grill -- which is fine, since you can still hear it perfectly.
The Windows key will bring up the "menu" selection, so does F1
F4 will put the screen to sleep - as will Fn+END
ESC acts as the "back" button.
Fn+NumLk works as expected
All the "flippy" parts -- like the latch and the stand, secure with strong magnets, so there's nothing flying open.
The stylus that ships with it does nothing for our Gtabs.
The USB cable is a little flimsy, but you might think it's just nice and thin. The USB connector plug secures in place with a strong magnet.
Bottom line -- if you need keyboard and a case - can do a mod that's as simple as PHYSICALLY doing "cut and paste" - and you're picking this up for the 20-30 bucks it can be found for on ebay -- it's awesome!
So I opened up my Nvidia shield tablet k1 today and saw that the internal stylus holder is actually still there. For the reason of budget costs I guess Nvidia decided to remove the "hole" that once let you sheath your stylus there. I havn't found any tutorials online that showed how to cut a decent sized hole to let the stylus rest in. So I guess I'll ask.... has anyone done it before successfully here?
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I've done something similar with a dremel and a couple of files in the past. It's something I plan on doing on my K1 now that I have a brand new device to play with.
Considering the the age of the device, I doubt anyone has tried this out yet.
Drilling a hole in the side of the tablet seems extreme. I have been searching for a case that might be able to hold the styles as well but with no luck. I have flip cover for the k1 and have been trying to think of a good idea as how to stow the styles on to it. For example if I had a piece of stretchy material that I attached to the cover somehow I could slide the styles into the makeshift pocket and it could hold the styles when not in use.
Would I be right in thinking that the back cover of the older model would fit the newer one? Seems like it would be a nicer solution than drilling and cutting. You could possibly even get some of the missing internal components that way. Just need to find a broken 2014 tablet.
If this fails you can always do what I plan on doing in case this proves to be futile. Attach magnets to either like on the Surface Book. On a side note: The back cover already is "precut", as is the whole stylus mounting hole as seen here:
That is really interesting! They kept costs low by using the same molds to create the plastic parts.
A quick question seeing as you've opened your back cover already: is there a button/mechanism in the stylus groove that could potentially detect if a stylus is removed? Just wondering if they still left that in there (hopeful thinking! )
fl4r3 said:
That is really interesting! They kept costs low by using the same molds to create the plastic parts.
A quick question seeing as you've opened your back cover already: is there a button/mechanism in the stylus groove that could potentially detect if a stylus is removed? Just wondering if they still left that in there (hopeful thinking! )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly that module is missing, so no hopes there. The speaker cable is also in the way and has to be taped down or something to the frame if you want to fit the stylus later on.
I knew it was unlikely but thought it was worth checking.
At least there's a place to store a stylus (although after drilling into the tablet).
Guys....I did it. I just used a file and filed away, put the cover back on, and inserted the stylus. It's perfect. I would take a picture but I don't have a camera.
jacobvsmith said:
Guys....I did it. I just used a file and filed away, put the cover back on, and inserted the stylus. It's perfect. I would take a picture but I don't have a camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tablet + Mirror.
Sorry, could not resist pointing out the lack of a camera irony whilst talking of a device with 2 built in.
I will admit that probably wouldn't make come out at a good enough angle to show the work well, but hope you got a quick chuckle.
zarish said:
Tablet + Mirror.
Sorry, could not resist pointing out the lack of a camera irony whilst talking of a device with 2 built in.
I will admit that probably wouldn't make come out at a good enough angle to show the work well, but hope you got a quick chuckle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
post memes and op will give chuckles.
Please teach me how to do dis... Going to buy the stylus soon...
I just read this and thought I'd pop open my K1 to see for myself. Yep. It's there. Wow.
I'd drill a hole in mine too but I have two problems:
1. That cable.
2. Dust/Water etc.
Sent from my SM-G935V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Anyone drilled and try to make use of the stylus slot?
care to share some finished image?
would definitely like to see how it goes.
I "drilled" a hole also, the stylus sticks perfectly, but there was a cable in the way. just som sticky thingy to hold the cable and youre done
http://i.imgur.com/bX0YXMS.jpg
I did that too. Used some files and some crazy glue (for the cable). Works great. I have some pictures here http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet/general/modding-directstylus-slot-shield-k1-t3408090
operative1 said:
I did that too. Used some files and some crazy glue (for the cable). Works great. I have some pictures here http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet/general/modding-directstylus-slot-shield-k1-t3408090
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would probably cover the ribbon with tape to prevent the stylus from sliding on the cable over time. Kapton tape would be the tape to use. How did you shape the notch in the back cover. Also when filing the metal area for the cable did you not worry about filings getting on the mainboard.
mirrin said:
I would probably cover the ribbon with tape to prevent the stylus from sliding on the cable over time. Kapton tape would be the tape to use. How did you shape the notch in the back cover. Also when filing the metal area for the cable did you not worry about filings getting on the mainboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The cable is covered in a mixture of super glue and fine powder. No worries about shavings since I worked under constant airflow from the mainboard side to blow dust and shavings away
As for shaping the notch I used some jewelers files that had the right curve to them.
Stylus sensor can generally be found with 'nvidia shield digitizer' on ebay - sellers currently parting out new original style tablets - not real cheap, but you get a spare digitizer!
Gremlin60 said:
Stylus sensor can generally be found with 'nvidia shield digitizer' on ebay - sellers currently parting out new original style tablets - not real cheap, but you get a spare digitizer!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But why would they leave the whole circuit and components for the sensor if the sensor is not there...
They did 2 things to the main board a radio microcode update and the sensor removed from assembly any capacitors or resistors on the pen sensor circuit should also be left out... In addition they do have 2 different updates for the 2 tablets I imagine the k1 does not have the sensor as an active element...
That said i dont see that there is a whole lot of extra functionality given aside from auto wake on pen removal....
Hello! Once in a while I review products on here, and here comes yet another few minutes of hopefully informative and entertaining reading for you all. This time, we have the Syllable D700 Bluetooth Earphones (http://en.syllable-syllable.com/d700-2017/) which are an updated model for the 2016 lineup. They’re designed to be “sport” headphones, so they’re sweat resistant and made for workouts. This is actually my second pair of Syllable headphones, I also have the G600, which were a tremendous bang for the buck. I liked them so much, I jumped at the chance to review the D700s. For full disclosure, I paid for my original headphones, the G600s, and received the D700s at a discount for an honest review. And I'm going to be honest and nitpick here, so don't expect blind praise.
These are the specs:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
So what should you expect? Let’s take a look, shall we?
First, the packaging is excellent. I’m a fan of nice packaging, and frankly who isn’t? I was expecting a cheap blister pack or clamshell package when I ordered these, so when I opened the shipping container and saw a full color, well designed box reminiscent of the Galaxy S7 packaging, I was pleasantly surprised. The box flips open, with a double magnetic door holding everything together. It displays the product nicely, and gives a good first impression.
and
Open the lid, and what do you find? Earphones, obviously. I mean, what else were you expecting? You also get a short, flat-cabled micro-USB cable and an instruction manual, but you’re going to have to dig for the reading material. I didn’t even realize it was there until I pulled up the plastic holding the earphones a few days later. But hey, it’s a set of headphones. Do we really need instructions here? No, we certainly don’t.
One thing that disappointed me a bit was that the pictures on the website seem to be for the older model, as the design is quite different and a little more Spartan on the model I received. They’re still quite nice, but the design is a little more contoured and the remote seems a little nicer on the website. It’s obviously still functional, and I’m going to bet that most people would prefer black and charcoal color scheme, instead of the black & yellow design on the website anyways. Everything is done up in matte black plastic and charcoal, slightly metallic “concentric circle” texture. It’s not the prettiest thing in my opinion, but it’s certainly not ugly by any means. It’s… Functional. And really, nobody is going to notice these, they’re designed for stealth.
There is a rubber door for the charging port, and I'm not sure if my sample was defective or not, but it just didn't fit right. The rubber "plug" to get it to fit tightly inside the micro USB port was slightly too large, so it kept popping out and just didn't fit right. I finally got to the point where I took some scissors and carefully snipped off a piece of the tab, which got it fitting perfectly. Is this a big deal? No. Would I expect this level of QC in $200 headphone? No. But for $20 and 20 seconds of work, I'll let it slide.
The earpieces are adjustable, by moving the plastic piston up and down in the holder. You can also rotate the ear pieces to put the remote on whichever side of your head that you choose. Initially, they’re not the most comfortable things in the world, but you quickly get used to it. Replacement tips are in the package, in different sizes as well.
There are three buttons on the remote and it’s easy to use, though it took me a bit to get used to it. Volume up and down feels pretty much the same, as you won’t be able to feel the indented + and – on the rubber. When you get used to wearing these, you’ll remember which button is which. They’re also SUPPOSED to skip tracks, but when using it with Google Play Music, it simply jumped back to the beginning of each song I was playing. I’m sure it’ll work perfectly fine with other media players.
The center button is the power/pairing button. Press and hold for power, hold longer to pair, and when you’re using them, tap the center button to answer and end your call. Simple, obvious, not much more that needs to be said here. If I had to nitpick (and that’s what this review is for), the LED is right next to the power button, so when you press it with your thumb you’re covering the light. Makes it a little tough to know when you’re in pairing mode, or if you actually shut the device off or not. Fortunately if you’re wearing these it gives an audible tone in the earpieces to let you know what’s going on.
OK, so we charged up and we’re ready to listen to music. How do these things actually sound? The answer is… Not bad at all! Look, these are $20 bluetooth earphones. You’re not getting the same quality as if you spent $3000, but they’re an excellent bang for the buck, even against $20-30 wired headphones. They get decently loud without blowing out your ear drums, with a fair bit of compression at max volume. Put them at a relatively normal volume level and you’re going to get a fairly realistic musical experience. All in all I wore these for a few hours per day listening to music (classic rock, classical, punk, some older hip hop) as well as some podcasts, and they performed well, with a decent comfort level.
Battery life seems to be SLIGHTLY optimistic at 5 hours of listen listening, but I got a decent 4-4.5 hours of pure listening. I can’t comment on stand-by time, as I haven’t had them long enough to test them accurately.
So yeah, there you have it. You can snag these from Amazon for around $20 at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IR3LBRM
An album link for all of the pictures:
http://imgur.com/a/yIFiU
Hello! Once again, I’m back to review some products for you, so give me a few minutes and hopefully it’ll be worth your while! I’m going to be honest, and I’m not afraid to put the product down if it needs it. With that being said, let’s begin.
Today, we have a couple of products from YCCTeam. First up is a portable Bluetooth Speaker, which you can find here.
So when I first received this speaker, I honestly had a very low opinion of it. It came in a non-descript beige box, with a piece of clear cellophane packing tape on it. No logo, no branding, nothing. I had no idea what to expect, and the first impression wasn’t good. Opening up the box, the speaker was packed securely inside, with a small instruction foldout laying on top of the actual speaker. Removing the speaker, there’s also a micro USB cable and a small 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, both 18” in length. The cables are exactly what you expect, really. They’re soft, feel a bit flimsy, but they work. I personally have never had a micro USB cable go bad on me, but this one doesn’t inspire much confidence. However, I’m sure we all have a ton of cables laying around, and it’s not a big deal to either replace it immediately or wait to see how long it lasts.
On to the important part, the speaker itself… First off, this thing is pretty solid. The outer shell is black painted aluminum, and it feels nice in the hand. For such a small speaker, it has a bit of heft to it, and it actually surprised me. I completely expected a lightweight, plastic shell, and I’m glad I was wrong.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I have to be honest here… I didn’t even look at the instructions. It’s a Bluetooth speaker, how hard could it be, right? Well, there’s no buttons anywhere. There’s a 3.5mm jack, there’s a micro USB port. But buttons? Nope. Then, I looked at the top panel, which is glossy, and barely saw the volume and play controls printed on the top. So I did what I thought was logical at the time; I pressed play. The entire top panel clicked in, and then slowly rose up on a controlled spring release. Immediately, a blue LED lit up the entire speaker, and a voice loudly announced “Power On!” in a British voice. The inside was black metal mesh, and the blue LEDS lit up both the inside and the top panel, illuminating the play and volume controls. Nice. Touch. Color me impressed.
So what we have here is a small upwards firing speaker, putting out sound towards a plastic cone inside the top panel. This cone houses the blue LEDs, and also directs the sound outward in all directions. I have to say, it’s quite nice to have an omnidirectional output, and you don’t get the usual fading sound when you walk around and no longer face the speaker.
I paired my phone to the speaker, and started up the music. I put on my usual at first: A mix of punk, rap and alternative, just to see if it could play some easy music. It’s by no means a bass monster, it’s a tiny 3w, 52mm driver! But I have to say, it sounded pretty good, and it got nice and loud in my apartment for a speaker of that size. It was clear, and there was little distortion even at full volume. I have to admit I expected it to start breaking up at full load, but it held on like a champ. I even decided to put on a version of the Imperial March, which is one of the true tests of a good speaker. Obviously it didn’t accurately produce the bass and highs in the original recording, but it fared very well for what it is. In no way would you feel like you’re missing out, but it obviously doesn’t have the impact of a dedicated subwoofer.
You’re not going to use this for parties, it simply won’t get loud enough. But if you’re home and you want to watch Netflix on your laptop? You’ll be in great shape. Doing some work around the house, maybe some light cleaning, and want something playing in the background? Perfect. Want to listen to music in the shower? You got it. Granted, I don’t think this is waterproof in any way, so don’t blame me if something goes wrong!
By the way, the specs list the frequency response as 15Kz to 20KHz which is complete, total, and utter bull****. Now that that’s out of the way, the rest of the specs seem spot on. There’s a 480mAh battery inside, which says you get about 4.5 hours of play time on Bluetooth, and 6 hours using the 3.5mm cable. In my testing, it’s relatively accurate. I’ll be perfectly honest I had no way of sitting there listening to music for 6 hours straight, but over the course of a few days it seems to be in line with my usage.
So there we have it. This is definitely a solid buy for the price offered, but if you’re looking for something for parties you’re definitely going to want something beefier.