new ipods - rockbox port proposal

[LambdaCalculus]

The hard drives used in the iPod video used ZIF (zero insertion force) connectors. Every generation before them used hard drives with a 50 pin connector.

Seems that Toshiba's new hard drives for the iPod classic are once again 50 pin connectors. But a single platter 80GB hard drive may be more useful for my girlfriend's iriver H320 than anything.

[cormie]

Seems that Toshiba's new hard drives for the iPod classic are once again 50 pin connectors. But a single platter 80GB hard drive may be more useful for my girlfriend's iriver H320 than anything.

Are you saying it would be possible to fit a 160GB HD into a H140/H340? I've been waiting for something like the iPod classic to finally wave goodbye to the H140, but if it's possible to put a 160GB HD in it, then maybe I could hold on to it for just a little bit more:)

[scrollop]

Does this count as progress?
http://www.monroe.nu/archives/110-iPod-Classic-Will-Be-Supported.html

More pics of the insides of the new range:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/09/10/a_peek_inside_apples_new_nano_and_classic_ipods_photos.html

EDIT: sorry, though those pics are posted on a different site, they are the same as those posted earlier in this thread.

[GodEater]

Does this count as progress?
http://www.monroe.nu/archives/110-iPod-Classic-Will-Be-Supported.html

No - it just means you can use 3rd party programs to sync your new ipod, instead of being forced to use iTunes.

[LambdaCalculus]

Are you saying it would be possible to fit a 160GB HD into a H140/H340? I've been waiting for something like the iPod classic to finally wave goodbye to the H140, but if it's possible to put a 160GB HD in it, then maybe I could hold on to it for just a little bit more:)

I'm sure you should be able to fit one in, but I don't think you'll be able to use the whole amount of it. If I recall correctly, Rockbox will only see up to 137GB of the drive.

[AlexP]

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome?topic=BigDisk may help, but I know nothing of the disk controller in the iPods

[LambdaCalculus]

Do you think that some of the devs over on IRC may know a little more about the disk controllers on the iPods and iriver devices?

[GodEater]

What do you want to know ?

[LambdaCalculus]

According to the wiki page BigBambi pointed out earlier, I know that Rockbox doesn't use LBA48 addressing. But the problem is that the wiki page hasn't been updated in quite a while... nine months, to be exact. Plus, most of that info is for the Archos devices, but I'm sure things like partitioning information would carry to all devices.

Since we have made progress with the 5.5G iPod video 80GB, what I wanted to know was if anyone on the dev team has researched the disk controllers on more modern systems, and perhaps found out what their limits on hard drive sizes are, and how they can handle the data for larger hard drives. I would figure, but not state as fact, that provided I can find an H340 backplate, I could upgrade the H320 to 160GB. But would the iriver be able to handle it, and would Rockbox on the H300 series be able to see the data on the partition?

As for the iPod side of things, my dad's had his fun with Rockbox and is thinking about getting the iPod Classic. That means I'll be the owner of a 4G greyscale iPod, but I wanted to know how the older iPod would handle larger drives.

Think of it as looking for insightful information.

[Llorean]

Note: THE FOLLOWING IS PURE CONJECTURE COMBINED WITH GUESSWORK (but I'm reasonably confident of it despite that)

As it says, the addressing is purely a software issue. From that standpoint, I *believe* that >137GB disks are no problem to Rockbox, they're only a problem to the PC, and only if the USB-to-ATA bridge has that problem.

This problem definitely affects the Archoses, as we know. This problem probably will not affect the Software USB targets (Portalplayers, iPods included) because there is no USB-ATA bridge doohicky,  there's just our software. (Yes, I used doohicky, I hate to admit it but I like that word).

For the other targets (h100, h300, x5, m5, gigabeat, etc) I imagine it'll depend on the nature of the hardware.

[GodEater]

According to the wiki page BigBambi pointed out earlier, I know that Rockbox doesn't use LBA48 addressing. But the problem is that the wiki page hasn't been updated in quite a while... nine months, to be exact. Plus, most of that info is for the Archos devices, but I'm sure things like partitioning information would carry to all devices.

Rockbox most definitely does use LBA48 addressing when compiled to do so. This support has been in Rockbox since January of this year.

[LambdaCalculus]

Should've mentioned it being used only when a build is compiled to do so.

But do all builds have to be compiled to use LBA48 addressing, or is this just for the Archos devices (considering what Llorean pointed out earlier)?

[GodEater]

Any build *could* use it - it's just that Archoses were the only DAPs that needed it because they were the only one huge disks could fit in. The 1.8" 160GB drive in the new iPods has changed all that though.

[LambdaCalculus]

The Floating Head of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs understands and brings forth Slack in exchange for that information.  

Rockbox - now with 50 percent more Slack!

[cormie]

Ok, so for those with no technical knowledge on anything that was said above, so therefore doesn't understand what conclusion has been come to:

Is it possible to have a full 160GB hd on the H100/H300/iPod 5.5 or even iPod Classic, with rockbox?