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Perhaps the most bizzare, idiotic question I've ever had the nerve to ask but...
A small thought that came to me about the future.
Naris 2008-04-10, 14:53 #1
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Subject: Perhaps the most bizzare, idiotic question I've ever had the nerve to ask but...
Has anyone here with a decent knowledge of engineering and bravery ever thought of making a new case for their Karma, fitting all the old parts in, and adding a 2.5" HDD to it?  I know that the Karma can take up to 137 GB, and thought maybe a 120GB HDD would fit it.


However, I'd imagine that it might be even easier to just start a new player from scratch.  I know Sigmatel has been sold, but I wonder if anyone ever inquired how much the STMP3600 cost?  I'm almost positive it's beyond my reach completely (not to mention all the design and programming which I have no knowledge of), but they do provide a reference design to build on right? 


What I'm basically rambling about... is wondering if it were possible to independently make a Karma successor.
peter 2008-04-10, 15:52 #2
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What I'm basically rambling about... is wondering if it were possible to independently make a Karma successor.
It wouldn't have made any sense except as a large-scale operation. Sigmatel didn't even sell the chips in small quantities, you'd have needed very competent hardware engineers to do the design, a proper SMD/BGA-capable mass-production OEM for manufacture, and as for the software: even if you had somehow persuaded Sigmatel, before the Freescale purchase, before the closure of the Cambridge office, to sell you the Sigmatel Cambridge reference software rather than the Sigmatel Austin reference software (which, shall we just say, would not have been the "Karma successor" people would hope for by that term) -- then you'd still have needed very competent software engineers to make it work well with your particular hardware.

Peter
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M0tah 2008-04-10, 17:18 #3
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In reply to post #1
Quote by Naris:
Has anyone here with a decent knowledge of engineering and bravery ever thought of making a new case for their Karma, fitting all the old parts in, and adding a 2.5" HDD to it?  I know that the Karma can take up to 137 GB, and thought maybe a 120GB HDD would fit it.
Although a 120GB IDE laptop HDD would fit into the Karma's HDD connector, it wouldn't work (to my knowledge) because all of them require 5v instead of the 3.3v that the Karma gives - you would somehow have to find a way to supply 5v to the drive.  Besides, there are 120GB ZIF drives that you can fit into a Karma without remaking the case too much. ;)
Naris 2008-04-10, 18:58 #4
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Yeah... I kinda figured it would be a bit of an unreachable dream, but I thought I'd ask just the same.


I do hope that sometime in the future we may see some sort of true successor to the Karma though...

Thank you for the replies though.
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RubenNYC 2008-04-10, 19:13 #5
User title: vibez junkie
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Quote by Naris:
Yeah... I kinda figured it would be a bit of an unreachable dream, but I thought I'd ask just the same.


I do hope that sometime in the future we may see some sort of true successor to the Karma though...

Thank you for the replies though.

IMHO, the vibez is a very worthy successor and merits serious consideration for anyone needing to replace a defunct Karma.
Sean Michael Taylor #21 (1983-2007). Thank you for giving it everything you had. Rest In Peace.
epithetless 2008-04-10, 20:59 #6
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Quote by RubenNYC:
IMHO, the vibez is a very worthy successor and merits serious consideration for anyone needing to replace a defunct Karma.

While I agree, and I actually enjoy my Vibez more than I ever did my Karma, it seems capacity is a prevailing concern for the OP...and the Vibez simply can't compete there.
mocelet 2008-04-11, 12:55 #7
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This thread shows that you can use the new Toshiba 1.8" drives into a Karma (electrically and case-wise), and here is a 120GB version of those drives. Yuo may not be able to get/afford it yet, but it is coming...
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M0tah 2008-04-11, 17:38 #8
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Actually, that drive doesn't have a ZIF connector, but rather a 50-pin, CF-like connector that isn't compatible with the method described in that thread.
However, as I mentioned above, Samsung makes 120GB 1.8" ZIF drives.
Naris 2008-04-12, 17:58 #9
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In reply to post #6
Quote by epithetless on 2008-04-10, 20:59:
Quote by RubenNYC:
IMHO, the vibez is a very worthy successor and merits serious consideration for anyone needing to replace a defunct Karma.

While I agree, and I actually enjoy my Vibez more than I ever did my Karma, it seems capacity is a prevailing concern for the OP...and the Vibez simply can't compete there.

Yeah, storage space is pretty much what kills me. 

As for the 120GB HDD... anyone tried that particular capacity with any success?  Thanks.

EDIT: Just looked at the mod.  It seems pretty extreme, but it is nice to know that it can be done.
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