Gigabeat F40 -- Guideance Please!

[ash1977]

I am looking for guideance... I own a Gigabeat F40. I have been reading into this whole Rockbox firmware and have worries that if I install it and something goes wrong..I will lose all 8500 songs I have on my player. I read that you can revert to the original firmware..but that doesnt save the music....suggestions...comments...please help.

[rosco_pc]

Nothing should go wrong as long as you follow the instructions: http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/GigabeatFXPort#Installation_Instructions
(Of course no guarantees given , but I personally never had any problems)

Alternatively you can use the RBUtil (http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/RockboxUtilityQt), but I can not say how that works as I never tried it.

You are aware that the music you have on the player will not be usable under Rockbox? Read the following for how to convert that music if you do not have a copy elsewhere (same page, next section):
http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/GigabeatFXPort#Remove_SAT_Encryption_Optional

[soap]

Rockbox can not read the .sat file on your Gigabeat.

It is this .sat file which contains all your music playable on your Gigabeat.

That being said, Rockbox installation should not harm this file, though it will make it hard for you to use this file, as dual-booting is not an option currently with Rockbox on the Gigabeat F and X series of players.

I do want to stress, however, that (in the eyes of every Gigabeat owner I have talked to (I am one myself)) there is nothing the Gigabeat original firmware offers you over Rockbox except the playing of DRM burdened WMA files.

EDIT:
Nice reply rosco_pc.

[psycho_maniac]

Installing rockbox on the gigabeat is the easiest to install. I recently installed rockbox in less then 5 hours and it was very easy and nothing went wrong.

[Llorean]

Less than 5 hours? Don't you mean perhaps "5 minutes"?

[scharkalvin]

The Gigabeat is an interesting paradox.  Hardware wise, it is a very well designed player.  If it had an FM radio it would be perfect.  (The S model does, but that model has not yet been rockboxed).  The original firmware SUCKS.  However thanks to the players fast cpu and high resolution LCD screen, it can run most any codec and display video content ... with Rockbox.  I can't think of a better target for Rockbox, and one that NEEDS to be running Rockbox at that!  I really like my F40 with rockbox, and I have an F10 that I plan to replace the hard disk with a CF module.  (thread on the HW forum).  

BTW there are currently quite a few F40's and some F20's and F10's on ebay in "A" condition going for less than $100 if anybody is looking for one.

[kellyg]

I have to agree - my rockbox installation was like 15 minutes -- 10 min to read the FAQs and documentation and 5 min to copy the files. Rockbox rocks! I was REALLY disappointed with the F40's Toshiba firmware and gigabeat home software. I hadn't used it in over a year because the software sucked so bad. I'll get a lot of use now. It's like having a brand new gadget. The database feature is awesome and the games are fun. I wish the MPEG player was a little more stable, the JPG viewer scaled images full screen, and the plugins had more consistent use of the nav keys for quit and main menu. Other than that I love it.

[flinchbot]

I bought a 10GB F10 off eBay for $67, including shipping, specifically to turn it into a rockbox player . At some point, I plan on swapping the drive for something like a 100GB model...

But right now, I'm loving rockbox on this thing. I just hacked up someone else's .wps and it's about as cool as can be.


Now, if it could only display embedded .jpg album art...

[soap]

I bought a 10GB F10 off eBay for $67, including shipping, specifically to turn it into a rockbox player . At some point, I plan on swapping the drive for something like a 100GB model...

Note that the F10 needs a single-platter HDD.
Note that the HDD interface used on the F series is being phased out.

[scharkalvin]

Note that the HDD interface used on the F series is being phased out.

I assume you mean that disk drives using the 50pin connector are being phased out.  But these same drives were also used on ALL ipods (except mini) up to the 5th gen, so I would expect spares to be available for awhile.  NO drives >80 gb were ever made using the 50pin connector, and even the 80gb ones are as rare as hen's teeth.  60gb drives are common enough.

The F10 can't accept the 8mm thick drives, but if you can find a back cover from an F40 or F60 you could swap it out with the cover on the F10 and then the larger drive would fit.  The back cover and the disk drive are the only differences between player models.

I plan on swapping out my 10gb drive with a CF card using an adapter.  Some time next year 32GB CF cards will be available, right now the largest you can find is 16GB, and they cost $100-$300+ depending on the speed and make.  The 16GB CF card I'm using is about $104 right now from Newegg.com

[talos321]

Eh actually the regular zif is being phased out now too from what I've heard in other forums for CE-ATA supposedly a 10 pin zif connector. Hopefully someone will make adapter cables or something. I've been asking about adapter cables/board from some of the manufacturers that make like 1.8 Zif to Notebook ATA adapters.


 

[rosco_pc]

Well, the new interface is a serial interface, while the old one was a parallel one (same difference between (P)ATA and SATA on the desktop). While it is not impossible to make an adapter it is much more work than making an adapter for the different parallel versions out there(40, 44, 50,... pins).
Also it will require additional HW, which makes the adapter bulkier and might no longer fit in the player of your choice.