Rockbox Development > New Ports
Nano 2G
mctubster:
Looks like the new Nano 2G is not based on the PortalPlayer chips
http://www.eet.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193000601
from the article ...
According to the report, the design contrasts with the first-generation Nano, where there were no Apple-marked chips. Wedbush Morgan Securities (Los Angeles) believes one of the Apple-marked chips is Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s S5L8701B05 ARM processor (part #337S3291-8701), occupying the socket formerly supplied by PortalPlayer.
The second mysterious chip is the audio driver and codec (part #338S0310), a socket formerly owned by Wolfson Microelectronics plc. NXP, formerly Philips Semiconductors, provided the power-management chip in the older-generation Nano.
scorche:
Llorean shared this on IRC, and it seems relevant to put here. Sadly, they are more stylish photos than high-res scans, but they do the job (somewhat)
iPod nano 2G Disassembly pics
This (we believe) is the processor:
http://gallery.ilounge.com/ipod/displayimage.php?album=61&pos=29
Sadly, it might be a while before Rockbox will work under these new nanos.
EDIT: I have been searching on Samsung's site for more information (or what little bits I can scrounge up). The chip is not listed under either their ARM7 or ARM9 product list. From this page, we know this about the chip so far:
Large Classification: MOS
Small Classification: L
Feature/Serial Number: 8701
Version: B
Mask Option: 05
EDIT #2: Found dissection instructions. Will be useful if someone (anyone) who reads this and has their hands on one (and the bravery to take it apart) in order to get us some hi-res scans :-)
Link here
Potter:
Jus picked 1 of these up..how long does anyone it may concern suspect it will be before there's a rockbox release for it? I don't dare try since the current builds since the "Compatible Ipods" on this site only lists Nano 1st Edition.
scorche:
Your post was in the wrong place. I have merged it with the correct place for this. Also, please search the forums/read the posting guidelines before posting. :)
That being said, it appears that the 2nd gen Nano uses a Samsung processor, so Rockbox will require some tweaking to get things working. It is not worth trying a current Rockbox build on it.
If you wish to push along the port effort, we still need some high-resolution scans of the internals (disassembly instructions are in my previous post). All that is required is a decent scanner, a shared curiosity of what is inside with us, and the mettle to take apart your new toy (this will not break it provided you are careful). If you are not willing to do this, and if you have a decent knowledge of C, you may have to wait a while, but you can most likely still help. If not, you can sit on the sidelines and wait. ;)
linuxstb:
--- Quote from: scorche on September 15, 2006, 04:35:03 AM ---That being said, it appears that the 2nd gen Nano uses a Samsung processor, so Rockbox will require some tweaking to get things working. It is not worth trying a current Rockbox build on it.
--- End quote ---
It's going to be a little more than "some tweaking" - it's basically a completely new port.
Interestingly, the eetimes article has changed since I read it yesteday. In the first version of the article, they quoted Wedbush Morgan Securities as speculating that the processor was an "SA5B450X03" - which I assumed should have been the SA58450X03, the same processor that is used in most of the current iriver players. They've now edited the article to claim it's an S5L8701B05.
Not that it really makes much difference - both seem to lack any publicly available datasheets, but at least the SA58450X03 has a little bit of information available on Samsung's website:
http://www.samsung.com/products/semiconductor/SystemLSI/DigitalMedia/OpticalASSP/OpticalPlayer/MP3/SA58450/SA58450.htm
So the usual rules for new ports are going to apply:
1) Physically disassemble a player and identify as many chips as possible
2) Disassemble the original firmware in order to find information about the hardware and how to control it.
3) Work out the boot process on the player, crack any encryption that may be in use, and find a safe way to run your own code without risk of bricking.
4) Port Rockbox...
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