SanDisk Sansa Connect Disassembly
Of course I couldn’t resist cracking the plastic on this one. However, this disassembly was a bit disappointing in that most chips where covered by soldered-in plates. They look like they could be desoldered from the board but I don’t have the right equipment or knowledge. I do know that the main SOC is made by Texas Instruments.
The main housing is snapped into place on the four corners and on each side. I was able to get into it by using Teflon sticks to pry open each snap connector. Then inside are a few screws to release the main board from the face of the player, which houses the controls and LCD.
Comments
Atrax on May 5, 2007 9:18 PM
Not as spectacular as the ZV:M insides.
aaa on May 5, 2007 10:53 PM
so the little antena was for show after all
kilo on May 6, 2007 2:34 AM
Nice job showing pictures of shielded pcb's. Here are the tools you need: soldering iron, solder sucker, solder braid, solder, and ten minutes time. If you still have the unit cracked open, consider giving that a shot. I bet there are some interesting tibdits beneath.
mkc on May 6, 2007 5:07 AM
Yeah, the 'antenna' is just hollow plastic :S It doesn't even add to the aesthetics, so it beats me why Sandisk would put it there.
Cobra on May 6, 2007 8:23 AM
If you think that this antenna doesn't do anything, then you clearly don't have a clue about how high frequencies work...
KeZzA01234 on May 6, 2007 8:54 AM
"If you think that this antenna doesn't do anything, then you clearly don't have a clue about how high frequencies work..." - Cobra
Could you elaborate? I don't know how a hollow piece of plastic could help any transmittion.
Though you're right, I know nothing on the subject.
knoid on May 6, 2007 12:18 PM
mkc is right in that the case extrusion designed to look like an antenna is hollow and serves no purpose.
However, looking at the PCB, it has what looks like an integrated microwave antenna, which I'm guessing is for Wi-Fi. THe manufacturer's website is here: http://www.antenova.com/.
Could be that they originally spec'd a different part when they designed the case? Dunno.
Ess2s2 on May 6, 2007 2:02 PM
Cobra, I hope you aren't confusing this antenna with waveguides.
For the uninitiated, waveguides are hollow pieces of tubing, usually rectangular in shape, that are typically made out of metal and are precisely machined on the inside surface to minimize signal loss. As their name suggests, they guide waves of high frequency, minimizing or eliminating the need to convert the waves to electrical signals, therefore suffering a loss of fidelity. In many cases, the waveguides are pressurized with an inert gas such as nitrogen to aid signal propagation and help indicate a leak in the waveguide, which, especially with microwave frequencies, can be harmful.
The hollow plastic antenna on the Sansa is by no means a waveguide, or even a propagation medium. While the plastic of the antenna would help to diffuse the signals generated by the RF transmitter, allowing for a more even radius of transmission, omitting the antenna structure and simply having the casing of the phone follow it's original lines would be just as effective.
Righteous Boy on May 7, 2007 5:27 AM
-Bravo to Ess2s2 for an intelligible answer to a complicated question.
-Cobra try helping next time instead of just sounding off like a douche.
firepower on May 17, 2007 4:08 AM
I agree that extra plastic on top is ugly , I thought small and compact was the aim of all mp3 players, flat top looks so much better
cadillac on March 17, 2008 6:24 PM
ballin