Consolidated X20/30/60 information, including Gigabeat Flashwriter

[burkjavier]

Have a few X-series devices now and have been messing around with them - stuff I've learned etc that might be useful for the few of us that still have these players.

- Gigabeat Flashwriter does seem to work on it.   [EDIT] Link on general details on that plugin:  https://www.rockbox.org/tracker/7505.   

Basically I ran this build on my X-series, ran the flash tool under plugins>apps, did a backup restore and then a bootloader install, rebooted the device and it all worked.   Keep in mind that this is essentially a one-way street without backing up your own firmware first and re-compiling the plugins to allow your backup to be seen as "tested".     Of note that this whole process essentially flashes an F series firmware, with the bootloader change, onto the X as that's the only way to make this work.  Buttons work, the screen works, the touch pad works so far but again consider the risk before attempting please.

Outside of no easy way to go back to the OF, the only con I can see is that the USB and charging icons are gone and just replaced with text.   It boots up fast though and USB mode also connects very fast.

- The X series can actually use an F series cradle, it won't short it out (I assume the pinouts are the same).   Problem is that the F cradle doesn't line up with the X - "DIY" fix in my case is I just removed the plastic top off the cradle and use it that way.    This will NOT work on an S Series, pinouts are different and you will likely damage your S device in the process, if you attempt it.

- Unlike the F series, the X doesn't seem to like CF-based mods at all (same problem the S series has).   I had managed to get an mSATA to work on it but the battery life was pretty bad, and it froze at times so not sure how reliable that solution is.  ZIF-based SSD's work on it just fine. [late 2020 edit : got myself an iFlash Solo recently and, lo and behold, that actually worked on my Gigabeat X].

- X/S/F/V series all : been using a PSP to micro-usb adapter like this one : https://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-USB-Female-To-DC-4-0-1-7mm-Male-Plug-Jack-Converter-Adapter-Charge-For-PSP/362333467192?hash=item545cc1f238:g:H6cAAOSwl5VbC787.   This allows me to actually charge the device via a USB cable to a power brick, no need to carry a bulky AC adapter.   X/S/F can charge through USB but you can't use the player at the same time, but this adapter can since it's using the charging port to charge.

- Wrote this elsewhere but the X series LCD has pretty crappy viewing angles.  If you have an S series you don't mind taking apart, you can swap the LCD's between them and improve the X LCD significantly that way.  It's a bit of doing to take it apart at that level and with the S it's very difficult to put back together.  The X isn't too bad as long as you take the touch pad out also.

Yes, I'm aware that in 2019 there's tons of solutions for a dedicated DAP, with microSD slots.   But this device is small, easy to upgrade the battery and HDD to an SSD at least, and of course it runs Rockbox which is still a big advantage.   And it sounds great.