Flashing the iPod

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 04 April 2007 11:02

Your IT - Home IT

Not content to wait for the predicted flash-based full-sized iPods to arrive from Apple, Mark Hoekstra has figured out how to convert existing models to solid-state memory.

One of Hoekstra's previous projects - converting an iPod mini to from hard disk to flash memory - made a lot of sense as it was an affordable way of boosting a mini's capacity or replacing a failed drive, and it was basically a matter of unplugging the original microdrive and fitting a CF card in its place.

But building an adaptor to allow the use of CF cards in place of a full-sized iPod's hard drive was a more serious matter. The project took him four days including "countless hours" to hand-solder 88 connections onto two connectors.

For those lacking the requisite skills, Hoekstra is planning to have his adaptor manufactured, turning the conversion into a relatively simple task. With the adaptor, a first to fourth-generation iPod can be upgraded with a CF card providing up to 128G of storage.

Apart from the extra capacity, the flash drives are easier on the battery, less prone to mechanical damage, and a bit lighter.

Read the full story at Hoekstra's Geek Technique web site and, if you wish, register your interest in the adaptor.