Rockbox: Clip Zip

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by anythingbuthappy

*Loading Firmware file not found*

This means that you don't have rockbox, just the bootloader. You said:

Originally Posted by anythingbuthappy

1) extracted rockbox zip (from post 1) to root of clip zip (already on latest OE firmware)

but since the file isn't there, I'm guessing you either extract the wrong file, or maybe it didn't extract properly.

Either way, go back and install a rockbox build. FWIW, I think the build in DFKT's post is ancient, so you probably do not want to use that one.

[anythingbuthappy]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

Please read sections 1 and 2 of the manual before installation if you have not already done so. Please read section 3 of the manual after installation. Please at least take a look at the table of contents for the rest of the manual after installation. And please tell us if you are able to install.

Firstly thanks for the help & suggestions.

The problem wasn't the rockbox file, it was the bootloader, there are two bootloaders in the first post, I tried the other bootloader and managed a successful install.

Then I read the post about that firmware being out of date and followed the advice about using the installer.

Rockbox is installed.

It's outstanding.

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by anythingbuthappy

Firstly thanks for the help & suggestions.

You are welcome. Perhaps this thread should be locked and a new Rockbox Clip Zip thread started.

[anythingbuthappy]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

You are welcome. Perhaps this thread should be locked and a new Rockbox Clip Zip thread started.

I'm not expecting to have quite that many problems....

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by anythingbuthappy

I'm not expecting to have quite that many problems.

Well, it is not that I was expecting you to have a lot of problems. I just thought that it might be a good idea to lock this thread and start a new Rockbox Clip Zip thread, because some of the information in the first post of this thread is now obsolescent for the reasons stated in the last few posts of this thread.

[skip252]

I've checked the first post in this thread and the only thing inaccurate I could find was the link to the manual. There wasn't a manual at the time of the OP so a link to the Clip+ manual was provided as the basics were covered in that. I've redirected that link to the Clip Zip manual.

Everything else in that post works as expected when I used them. The bootloaders install properly on my Clip Zip and the custom build works. I wouldn't use a build that old but some people want the features of the included patches so I'm leaving that.

I don't know what went wrong with anythingbuthappy's installation but it's doubtful it was the bootloader. That works or it doesn't afaik. If they got the error message they did it was what saratoga said, there wasn't a build in place for it to load.

[keyb_gr]

Originally Posted by 7o9

Sorry for the delay, I had compiled both but kept forgetting to upload it.

Find rockbox-sansaclipplus-f5b7134M-130410.zip here.

This is the build of f5b7134 [Wed, 10 Apr 2013 01:07:35 +0200] with a modified FS#9305 applied.

Original had VOLUP, VOLDOWN and PLAY. I added SKIPNEXT and SKIPPREV as keys to not turn on the screen.

Hmm. I used that one for a while but had all kinds of funky issues with it. Were there any major changes in SD code between eaa83bdM (one of dfkt's builds from 120122) and this? 'Cause it appeared that there were major delays accessing the internal (!) flash memory at times. RB would pause for seconds at startup, or take ages to make a new playlist, or just hang sometimes (fixed by popping out the µSD card in one case but not in another), or the player would hang while turned off and need to be revived with a long power button press. Copied it over again, no dice. One time it even complained about an incomplete RB directory. I was already assuming my Clip+ was on its last leg, but now I've gone back to that old build and it works fine.

In case it is of any relevance, I am using a 16-gig Transcend Class6 µSDHC card, bought early April. It appears to be using some sort of speed-boosting protocol hack as some cards do, as I am getting about 6 MB/s out of it in the Clip, vs. the standard 4 with the older 8-gig predecessor of same spec. That one was full and always worked fine, so I figured I'd not take any chances and just buy the bigger version. The Clip accepts it just fine, as does my regular cardreader, one little Sandisk µSDHC cardreader does not though (too picky about the protocol I guess).

My Clip+ is an 8-gigger from early 2011, it is one of those with a RDA5802 radio chip.

[skip252]

I just tried f5b7134M for the Clip+ and I'm not having any of those issues. Playlists load normally, I'm not having any delays accessing either the internal or external memories and making playlist on the player. Transfer speed to and from the internal and external memories averages about the same 3.3 MB/sec it has in the past. I'm using a Class 4 no name card that reports it's a Lexar in USBDeview.

I'd think the thing to do would be to test with the current development build and see if the issues persist. That would let you know if there's some change to the code that affects your setup.

Considering your level of experience I'm sure you know that reporting problems to the Rockbox devs with custom builds won't do any good. If the problem is still there with the dev build and you file a bug report they may be able to help.

[emacsomancer]

All of a sudden yesterday, my "Select" button seems to have started dying. It still clicks as normal, but it's hard to get menus, etc. to respond to it. Anyone else ever had this? Is it just the internals starting to give up the ghost, or is there anything to do about it?

[skip252]

Welcome to ABi

The way to check if it's a Rockbox or hardware problem would be to boot to the sandisk firmware and see if that responds the same way. If it's the same in both it's time to get a new DAP.

[emacsomancer]

Originally Posted by skip252

Welcome to ABi

The way to check if it's a Rockbox or hardware problem would be to boot to the sandisk firmware and see if that responds the same way. If it's the same in both it's time to get a new DAP.

Checked - behaves the same under sandisk firmware. I suppose there's nothing else to be done with it?

[skip252]

Unfortunately I've never read anything about any hardware fixes for the buttons on a Clip. That pretty much means a new one is your only option unless it was bought new less than a year ago and is still under warranty.

[emacsomancer]

Originally Posted by skip252

Unfortunately I've never read anything about any hardware fixes for the buttons on a Clip. That pretty much means a new one is your only option unless it was bought new less than a year ago and is still under warranty.

Thanks. Nah, it's about 1.5 years old at this point. Not sure what happened. I had used it while doing some yard work, so perhaps sweat?

On the bright side, they're fairly cheap.

[saratoga]

Is the default menu font too small on the Zip? I wonder if using a slightly larger font would make sense even if it means a bit more text scrolling.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by saratoga

Is the default menu font too small on the Zip? I wonder if using a slightly larger font would make sense even if it means a bit more text scrolling.

I think it is just right.

[Mo. FryDaddy]

I have a hard time using the zip in my car because the screen is so small, but even so I think having a larger font would look funky, kinda like windows at 640x480 resolution.

[RBX]

I have patched the latest source from today (5a1e697-130530) with the last resynced bl_on_keypress patch that adds the option "Backlight on volume control" to Settings->General->Display->LCD Settings.

This should improve battery life significantly for those people that constantly fiddle with their volume controls on their Clip Zip. This does not contain the modified patch that adds the SKIPNEXT and SKIPPREV. If anyone is interested, I can build that too.

Edit:
Updated to 277d358 (130618) source:
Download here

This will be my last update. My second Clip Zip just died and I am tired of replacing them. Back to the Clip+ for me.

[keyb_gr]

^ One of the most desirable patches IMO. It's too bad that principal changes to backlight handling would seem to be necessary to make this a standard function.

Re: my misbehaving Clip+, I put on a plain vanilla nightly build (130523) and the problems vanished. Save for the hangs when off, that is (especially after cooled down), but those were also present in any other version. What do you know, I popped out and re-inserted the card a few times, and so far, no more trouble. Must have been some sort of contact issue in the slot, or a bad solder joint at the slot or nearby - we all know that soldering quality isn't exactly these players' strongest point.

Hardware problems masquerading as software issues and vice versa are so annoying.

I do wish Sandisk made these devices with somewhat more than bargain basement quality and components. These same internals repackaged in a more hand- and eye-friendly size and with a swappable battery would make a nice player. Shame they killed the old Fuze, even if it had the same sort of quality issues. The Clips are built on the premise that you just buy a new one when the old one craps out. Resources aren't infinite even in China though, even if economists sometimes seem to think otherwise.
Granted, there are far worse offenders - I wonder where loads of tablets and ultrabooks will be in 5-10 years from now. ifixit found over 90 screws and tons of adhesive inside an MS Surface Pro - recycling probably would mean throwing it in a shredder and sorting materials out afterwards. Throwaway devices costing hundreds of bucks - I don't know how much more irresponsible it could get.
[/rant]

[lebellium]

For FM lovers:
Key lock ("hold") is now enabled on the FM screen too, both on Clip+ and Clip Zip

[al3rd]

Originally Posted by lebellium

For FM lovers:
Key lock ("hold") is now enabled on the FM screen too, both on Clip+ and Clip Zip

SUPERB Thanks for the update