I bought an i-opener

crazyshaxs · 12-13-2000, 03:43 AM

Hello Gang,
I bought an i-opener the other day at circuit city. I argued with them for 40 minutes and got 100 buxs knocked off. I guess Circuit City has forgotten to change the website with new i-opener price. At all stores and in their ads they are advertised at 299. I got mine for 199. Well, I got this bad boy opened up and dismantled. Its back together and runs. Now I am waiting on my "modified" parts to come in so I can modify this bad boy (new bios, i-op fan, reversed ide cable). I am currently exploring how i want to mod this thing. I can either to get a laptop drive for in side this bad boy OR I can build a small custom case for the bottom of the i-op where it would house a regular hard drive (3.5 inch) and a small power supply (http://bgm.bgmicro.com/prodinfo.asp?prodid=PWR1002) along with my usb digital sound out device. Can someone check that link to the above supplied link and tell me how exatcly this thing is powered? Do I use a normal computer cord? If not, does anyone know how I could power it? and does anyone know of a small ps unit like that?

So guys, got a poll for you. Should I A) just buy a laptop hard (10 gig for like 120) drive, stuff in it the i-opener, and just have my usb sound out device connected in the back? Or should I build a custom base, put in a small power supply, buy a 3.5 inch (20 gig for like 90) and intergrate the usb sound deivce into the box (custon base)?

Oh yeah, I also plan to add 128 megs of ram to the i-opener in place of the 32. That will give me a 200 mhz with 128 megs of ram which should be fine for mp3s. Maybe I will not even need more ram. We shall see.

So please reply to this message if you have answers to my question or if you would like to suggest to me what to do aobut the hard drive situation.
-Shaxs

blkdragon6 · 12-14-2000, 03:38 AM

The one thing that kept me from buying one is that I heard that the lcd "shadows" when playing dvd's or any type of movie. This is just what I heard so I'm not sure if it's true or not. If you could confirm or disconfirm this that would be great because I would really like to buy one for other purposes.

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www.geocities.com/blkdragon6

crazyshaxs · 12-14-2000, 04:14 AM

Yes,
I cant personaly confirm it, but there are numerous reports that it does. I do not think it is the lcd that sucks, but the built in controller card. Also, dvds arn't going to run that great on a win chip 266 ;P I plan on mking the amd mod to it
-Shaxs

blkdragon6 · 12-14-2000, 03:44 PM

Forgot all about that winchip. Are you doing any other mods besides the IDE connector hack?

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www.geocities.com/blkdragon6

crazyshaxs · 12-15-2000, 02:24 AM

Well, I hope also to do a sound mod so maybe I dont have to buy an external usb sound thing. I want to do the amd mod but I DO NOT know how to solder haha. So, I will see. Still got many ideas planned for this thing and I just got my first credit card (watch out).
-Shaxs

shawn · 12-15-2000, 08:19 PM

Which audio hack do you plan. I have tried two of them. i found the one involving the op-amp to sound much better. Seemed to have a lot of bass compared to the other one.

crazyshaxs · 12-16-2000, 01:32 AM

I don not know. I hope to get some help form someone in my area (Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield) with an audio hack that requires soldering since I DO NOT want to mess up my i-op

-Shaxs

DodgeCummins · 12-16-2000, 07:45 AM

I assume you also read the I-appliance bbs.

Some guy there is selling a simple fix for the audio thing.

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http://www.geocities.com/mr_bubba_zanetti/

crazyshaxs · 12-16-2000, 02:39 PM

Sure Am

Just ordered a 45 giger. I figured, why not spedn the extra 20 buxs to go from 20 gigs to 45 gigs. I am goign to pu the 45 giger in my pc and take out one of my 20 gigers out of my pc to use for my mp3 player. Also ordered my ram for my i-op. Still waiting for my new bios, reverse ide cable, and i-op fan. Hope it gets here soon!
-Shaxs

crazyshaxs · 12-16-2000, 02:45 PM

Sorry for the HORRIBLE typing. I havent spent much time sleeping due to finals and working 40+ hours a week. My work tried to get me to come in today on my day Off and I sell Hell no. That would make nine straight days of working, with finals going on, and I still have christmas shopping..

gizmos · 12-20-2000, 02:23 PM

hey guys, these I-openers sound interesting, do any of you have any good links to sites showing ALL of the mods you can do to them??

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Gizmos' MP3 Car - Check it out
http://gizmos.mp3car.com

FreznoSmooth · 12-20-2000, 04:38 PM

Yea.... www.linux-hacker.net is the place to go and then to the I-appliance bbs link there at the top left...best place in the world for most all hacked I-appliances.. IF you have any more questions about the I-opener please direct them towards me ..Im close to and expert by now

toto3 · 12-20-2000, 05:46 PM

see what i have done with my.. Remote Controled now!!
http://www.geocities.com/sfdav2/iopener/io.html

Meatballman · 12-20-2000, 11:57 PM

I also have hacked mine up as a jukebox. I added RCA audio outs (using op-amp mod), an internal USB NIC connected to the 2nd
USB port, an infrared remote on COM2, plus wireless RF mouse/keyboard if needed.

nice mod toto3...I'm going to see about taking out that lasagne fan and putting my heat sink back on...runs too loud.

Falcon62Travis · 12-21-2000, 01:47 PM

So has anyone put one of these in a car yet?