Sansa Nation

Check out this article from Brian Dipert, editor of Electronics Design, Strategy, News, about how to open a SanDisk Sansa M250.

Free after $65 rebate, with free shipping. That’s the deal that routed a refurbished Sandisk Sansa M250 from Newegg to my front door last summer. I suspected it’d make a fine Prying Eyes patient, and as it turns out I was right. Let’s see what’s inside, shall we?Removing a small Philips screw at one end of the backside battery compartment, along with jimmying loose a series of plastic tabs along both sides of the unit, enabled me to extract the double-sided PCB inside. This was a far easier task than it appears a dissection of Apple’s first-generation iPod shuffle will be…nonetheless, I also have one of these Sandisk competitors queued up for future Prying Eyes consideration.

Cushioning foam on top of the IC package, with adhesive on one side, protects the system’s ‘brains’ (an ARM9-based and USB2 support-inclusive Telechips TCC770) from collisions with the plastic battery compartment that’s directly above it once the unit is fully assembled. The TCC770 claims to support the Ogg Vorbis audio codec, this particular capability isn’t advertised in Sandisk’s promotional materials. Conversely, Sandisk claims that the Sansa M250 plays back Audible spoken-word content, yet Telechips’ website makes no mention of ACELP codec or Audible DRM support.

The CPU’s ADPCM (adaptive differential pulse code modulation) audio codec support is likely harnessed by the Sansa M250’s built-in microphone for voice recording (and subsequent playback). The Telechips TCC770 also advertises limited-codec image decoding support; JPEG pictures, along with MPEG-4 Simple Profile video clips. The Sansa M250 collateral makes no mention of image file capabilities; then again, the unit’s limited-resolution (128×64-pixel) monochrome LCD wouldn’t really do them justice, anyway.

Underneath another piece of protective foam hides an NXP Semiconductors TEA5767HN FM radio IC for playback-only purposes (i.e. the Sandisk unit offers no support for live recording and later listening). The lack of a discrete antenna embedded within the Sansa M250’s plastic case probably indicates the use of the headphone wire for this particular function. Curiously, European versions of the Sansa M200 series had FM radio functionality disabled, although clever hacks got around the limitation. And speaking of headphones, Texas Instruments’ TLV320AIC23B two-channel codec (i.e. ADC and DAC) and headphone amplifier is another notable IC in this design; however, the chip’s 24-bit maximum per-channel sample size and 96 kHz peak sample rate aren’t fully harnessed here.

From a semiconductor memory standpoint, the Sansa M250 embeds a single battery-backed Elite Semiconductor M12S16161A 16 Mbit (1Mbit × 8 bits × 2 banks) SDRAM, supplementing the 64 kbytes of SRAM integrated within the Telechips TCC770. I suspect that, among other functions, the SDRAM acts as a “shadow” for the direct execution of system code stored in NAND flash memory. And speaking of NAND flash memory, above the SDRAM (and an intermediary piece of cushioning foam) are two Samsung K9K8G08U0M 1-Gbyte (1 Gbit × 8 bit) devices, housed on a double-sided daughter card. This modular arrangement gives Sandisk flexibility to leverage a common primary PCB design across multiple Sansa M200 family capacity proliferations (512-Mbyte, 1-Gbyte, and 4-Gbyte product variants are also offered) as well as to source NAND flash memories in multiple IC density, architecture, and supplier flavors.

To wit, the choice of Samsung NAND flash memory is interesting given Sandisk’s longstanding close business relationship with Toshiba, and in light of the fact that Sandisk’s Sansa M200 Series press release claims that Sandisk’s own flash memory is being used in the players. And somewhat surprisingly, given the substantial bill-of-materials cost pressure in this low-end portable audio player and that the Telechips TCC770 supports ECC (error-correction codes) for MLC (multi-level cell) two-bit-per-cell flash memory applications, the K9K8G08U0M is a SLC (single-level cell) one-bit-per-cell NAND device.

Click here for an interactive diagram to help you pry open your Sansa. Good Luck!

- Geoff

[Source: EDN]

Popularity: 27% [?]

Here is another great article from the Shop Sansa Blog with tips on downloading music onto your Sansa music player, enjoy:

First – the basics

Before you begin, a good idea is to go online and look at some of the download services available. There are literally hundreds of MP3 download sites from which to choose and more are starting up every day. They all offer specific features and benefits.

1. Make sure the sites you choose are approved by the music industry. For a full list of legal music sites approved by the music industry go to http://www.riaa.com/toolsforparents.php?content_selector=legal_music_sites. These sites include both subscription-based and per song services. Rhapsody is a great place for unlimited downloads for just $12.99 per month http://learn.rhapsody.com. Per Song downloads are great for users that want to download just a single track rather than the entire CD and some great places include www.amazon.com and Yahoo music where you can download songs for $.99 each.

2. Before you sign up, browse the site to make sure that they have the music you want. Most allow you to search their listing before signing up.

3. Make sure your MP3 player can handle the music files the sites offer. Most players such as the Sansa e200 series accept in addition to MP3 files, WMV, secure WMA and Audible files. Those that play video usually support MPEG4, WMV, and H.264.

4. Try before you buy. Most sites offer short clips of songs to listen to before you download.

5. For best results, use a broadband connection such as cable or DSL. Downloading audio files on a dial-up connection can take hours and video files even longer.

6. Don’t forget about your current music. You can upload your existing music CDs, vinyl records, and cassettes on to your computer and then download them on to your MP3 player. To upload vinyl and cassettes to your computer go to http://www.worldstart.com for great tips and software.

Ripper and converter software allow you to grab digital audio from CDs and copy the audio digitally — not through the soundcard to your computer. This enables you to make perfect copies of the originals. Free rippers include Audio Grabber, FreeRip and Exact Audio Copy.

Remember, you can only convert music you have purchased and only for your own personal use.

Download photos and videos on your MP3 player, too!

Many MP3 players also allow you to download video and still photos. The Sansa e200 and Sansa View MP3 players utilize the Sansa Media Converter to transfer photos and videos to your Sansa player. These Sansa MP3 players support a variety of still image data files including JPEG, TIFF, PNG, BMP, and GIF. For video they support AVI, MPEG-1 & MPEG-2 MPEG-4 in AVI format, ASF, H.264, QuickTime MOV, and WMV.

Remember the rules for downloading videos are the same as music and must be legally purchased and cannot be shared.

The Sansa Media Converter software is a really great tool and lets you convert photos and videos and then transfer them to your Sansa player. In addition, it allows you to crop, rotate and resize the images as well as the ability to transfer photo and video files to your microSD card.

Tools to record, organize and tag your music.

In addition to the software that comes with your computer and MP3 player, there are great free software tools available online that let you record, organize and tag your music. These Jukebox Programs include Media Monkey, J River Media Jukebox, and MP3 Tagger.

-Ray

[Source: shopsansablog]

Popularity: 17% [?]

Everyone watches videos on YouTube these days, and many more people are watching them on their portable music and movie devices like the Sansa MP3 player. Below is a great write-up on how to add YouTube videos to your Sansa. Enjoy!

It’s easy to add YouTube Videos to your Sansa MP3 player. In addition to your Sansa MP3 player, you will need a computer with broadband Internet access and two software programs – Sansa Media Converter and YouTube Dowloader. Both of these programs can be quickly downloaded – for free!

Step 1. Connect your Sansa MP3 Player to your computer through the USB connection.

Step 2. Download Sansa’s Media Converter at http://mp3support.sandisk.com/downloads/smc-4.236.exe.

Step 3. Download YouTube’s Down Loader at http://www.download.com/YouTube-Downloader/3000-2071_4-10647340.html. This software allows you to download videos from a wide variety of sites including YouTube and then convert the digital file into the video format of your choice including Windows Media Player (that can be used for Sansa MP3 players), XVid and MP3.

Step 4. Go to YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ and select the video clip you want to add to your Sansa MP3 player.
Step 5. Open the YouTube Downloader program and enter the selected video clip’s URL. Then select the first menu button “Download video from YouTube”.

Step 6. The YouTube video will be automatically downloaded on to your computer.

Step 7. After the video download is completed, you need to select the second menu button “Convert video previously downloaded” and find Windows Media Video (V. 7 WMV) in the “Convert to” menu screen. Make sure the URL is still in the top window.

Step 8. Before beginning the conversion, you will get a message screen asking you to select the quality level you want and if you want to cut the video or disable the audio.

Step 9. After the video clip has been converted to V.7 WMV, open the Sansa Media Converter program and click on the “Add Media” button. Select the file you just converted. As soon as you select the file, an image of it will appear in the window. Now select the “Convert” menu button at the far right hand corner of the screen and your YouTube video will be automatically added to your Sansa MP3 player. Sometimes converting multiple videos at the same time causes problems on the Sansa Fuze so if this happens, just convert each video file separately

-Ray

[Source: shopsansa]

Popularity: 12% [?]

Here is another great article from the Shop Sansa Blog on how to extend the battery life of your Mp3 player:

One of the reasons you love your MP3 player is because it allows you to watch a movie, listen to your favorite music, or record a lecture without being plugged in. In the car, at the beach, on a run, wherever you are, your MP3 player can keep you company. Having to plug in your MP3 player to recharge the battery may cramp your mobile style a bit, so why not figure out how to make the most out of your battery life? The manufacturer presents the best-case scenario for battery life in their product specifications. How long you can go between charges depends on a lot of factors.

Most electronic products on the market today, like your MP3 player, use Lithium Ion batteries. They have become popular in these types of products for a few different reasons. They have a high energy density, so you get a lot of power in a small battery. While other kinds of batteries can lose their maximum energy capacity if they are repeatedly recharged after being only partially discharged, the lithium ion batteries do not. They offer a slow loss of charge when not in use too, another plus. MP3 players are known for being portable and lightweight, and the Lithium Ion battery that charges it is also light, especially compared to other forms of batteries.

Some general tips for extending the life of your Lithium Ion battery

• Lithium-ion batteries should be charged early and often. Lithium-ion batteries should not be frequently fully discharged and recharged like Ni-Cd batteries, but this is necessary after about every 30th recharge to recalibrate any external electronic “fuel gauge”. This prevents the fuel gauge from showing an incorrect battery charge.
• Li-ion batteries should be kept cool, but not frozen. The high temperatures found in cars cause lithium-ion batteries to degrade rapidly.

Batteries in MP3 Players face unique challenges then batteries used in other electronics. What is drawing on the energy of your MP3 player’s battery?

• Media Files
  • While MP3 players support different file formats, battery life is usually established with a certain file format in mind. Different formats take MP3 players longer to decode than others.
  • For example, in the Sansa Fuze’s User Guide, you can read that “the Sansa Fuze supports MP3, WAV, WMA, secure WMA, and audiobooks formats” and that “rechargeable battery lasts up to 24 hours of audio playback or 5 hours of video playback.” The guide also tells you that the battery life predictions are based on “continuous audio playback at 128 kbps MP3; video playback at QVGA 512kbps H.264; battery life and performance may vary depending upon usage and settings”.
  • Read up on your specific MP3 player’s battery life calculations and know how to make the most out of your battery!
• Habits
  • Are you a serial skipper? Do you only get through about half of a song before skipping on to the next? Do you browse photos while listening to music, or watch videos as brightly as possible? Think about how you use your MP3 Player, and how that use affects your battery life. Multi-tasking may be a skill, but it can be pretty taxing on your battery’s charge. When you’re going for long time spans between chargers, think simplicity.
• Earphones
  • Some headphones come with efficiency ratings. The more efficient your headphones, the less likely you are to have to pump up the volume. Personal preferences come into play when choosing an earphone, the best bet for your battery is to get a pair of earphones that you can use with the lowest level of volume and still get the right sound quality. Check out the note on volume below.
• Non-Essentials
  • Brightness
    • 1. Scroll down to Brightness and select it.
    • 2. Use thumbwheel to adjust the Brightness level. The brighter the screen, the more energy you’re using.
    • 3. Press the Select button to accept the changes.
  • Volume
    • The louder you listen to your music, the worse it is for your hearing, and your battery. Be kind to your ears, and your battery, listen to your media without blowing out your eardrums. Check your user guide, either the one you got with your product, or online at the Product Support site, and read more about safe hearing levels. (Just select your model, and click on the User Guide in the right menu.)
  • Backlighting
    • After idling for predefined seconds, the player will trigger the timer automatically and cease the backlight. You can press any button to wake the backlight up. The longer your backlight time, the more battery power you use.
    • Scroll down to Backlight and select it.
    • Use thumbwheel to select desired backlight timer (from 5 seconds to always on).
    • Press the Select button.
• Bonus tips to maximize your battery’s life
  • Power Saver Option
    • You can set the timer under Power Saver to automatically turn off the player when the music is paused or when there is no activity.
    • Scroll down to Power Saver and select it.
    • Use thumbwheel to select desired timer (from off to 120 minutes).
    • Press the Select button.
  • Hold Button
    • Utilize your device’s Hold button, so that you don’t accidentally switch songs or even turn it on when you don’t want to. This will save some accidental power use when storing your MP3 player in your pocket or bag.
  • Where are you charging?
    • Some low-power USB ports may not provide enough power to charge the Sansa player. If the device does not charge, use the USB port located at the rear of the computer.

Getting to know your MP3 player is the best way to figure out how to extend your battery life. Look to your user guide for tips, and be conscious of how you use the player. All these tips may not apply to you, but you’ll figure out the most practical and convenient ways for you to stretch out the time between recharges. After all, the convenience and mobility may be why you purchased an MP3 player, but your files and how you use it really make it all your own. Figure out which of these tips work for you, and maybe you’ll discover some tricks of your own!

-Jameson

[Source: Shop Sansa Blog]

Popularity: 19% [?]

SanDisk, the company responsible for bringing you the Sansa MP3 player line, is pledged to making all of their products as environmentally friendly as possible.  Going with this pledge, they have provided a list of ways to make the way you live as environmentally friendly as possible.  Being environmentally friendly is a big undertaking, but only requires small steps from everyone to make a difference.

• Through regular inspections and verifications of products, both existing and new, they comply with the restriction of hazardous substances directive.
• By limiting waste and promoting recycling within the company they prevent pollution.
• They voluntarily obey all legal and environmental regulations, which relate to environmental aspects of their activities, products, and services.
• Reviewing and setting sound environmental objectives and targets allows Sansa and SanDisk to work towards continual improvement in their reduction of the environmental impact of our products and activities.
• They offer internships and jobs within their Environmental Management System team, supporting new Green policies.
• By reducing product volume and weight, they reduce their transport-related energy consumption.
• Through improving the product and packaging design they lower their use of natural resources.
• They have removed all banned and restricted substances from products.
• When designing their products, they keep the final product disposal in mind, focusing on how their products will have an effect on the world in the long run.

-Jameson

Popularity: 10% [?]

From the Shop Sansa Blog:

The ability to download music is one of the great advantages of owning an MP3 player. You no longer need to go to the store and pay for complete albums when you may only want just a song or two. You’re also not stuck with piles of discs that need to be organized and stored.

Downloading is a faster, easier and less expensive way to get the music you want. And, you’ll soon find you have an incredibly wide choice of music from which to choose. There are a lot of MP3 download sites that offer all types of music.

Each download site offers specific features and benefits. When you’re searching for the online source that’s right for you, however, it’s important to make sure the site has been approved by the music industry. A good place to get a complete list of approved sources is at the web site for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). They represent the U.S. recording industry with the mission of fostering a legal climate that supports and promotes their members’ creative and financial vitality. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States.

For a complete list of RIAA approved download sites for your Sansa MP3 player, go to http://www.riaa.com/. Here you can find all the latest and greatest songs, music videos, classic oldies, a wide variety of jazz and classical standards, plus broadband radio and TV shows.

Choose between a subscription-based or per song approach to downloading.

When you begin to investigate what different sites have to offer, you’ll soon see that they really do fall into two categories. Some sites ask you to subscribe to their service on a monthly basis while others simply ask that you pay per download. Here are a two of each type to get you started:

Subscription based sites:
Napster
You can try Napster for seven days for free. If you like their services, you can get unlimited music for as low as $12.95 a month. They offer more than 5 million songs with new releases every week including pop, hip-hop, rock, country, jazz, classical and more. Their discovery tools make it easy to find old favorites or explore new music.

Rhapsody
Rhapsody also offers unlimited downloads and charges only $12.99 per month. You can search their massive music catalog by artist or genre, tune into Rhapsody Channels, get personalized recommendations and more. You can also just drag and drop songs to make your own playlist and then share it with friends.

Per song sites:
Amazon.com
This site offers a wide array of genres including alternative and classic rock, blues, Broadway musicals, children’s music, Christian/gospel, classical, country, dance/DJ, folk, jazz, Latin, international, pop, R&B, soundtracks and more. They also provide a list of top songs and artists. The basic charge is $0.99 per song but they also showcase some free downloads as well as albums – some at great discounts.

Yahoo Music
Yahoo Music also charges $0.99 per song but they also have an $8.99 a month subscription. (You can save even more if you go with the annual program of $71.88.) Subscribers pay just 79¢ per song to keep the music they like forever and burn it to a CD. In addition, they offer a 14 day free trial period. Any way you go, you’ll get access to more than 2 million songs and more than 120 CD-quality, commercial- free radio stations 24 hrs a day.

Don’t forget about your current music collection!

You can easily upload your MP3 from the music you already have on your computer, your compact disc collection and even all those vinyl records and cassettes you’ve saved over the years.

To move your music from a CD to your MP3, you need to go through your computer with what is called a “ripper.” A ripper is actually a software program that converts the full CD tracks into a condensed MP3 format. Here are just two web sites that offer such programs:

NCH Swift Sound Express Rip CD Ripper is a free program for Windows that lets you extract digital audio tracks directly from audio CDs to wav and mp3 audio files. By using direct digital extraction, pure audio quality is maintained and Express Rip is the fastest CD ripper in the world using proprietary optimizing systems. This site offers this program for free in hopes that you’ll consider purchasing their Express Rip Plus with additional features.

SmartSoft CD Ripper This easy-to-use software lets you directly extract audio tracks from your music CDs to computer files such as MP3. All you really need to do is insert your CD and click “Rip.” The standard version is $19.90 and the pro version with added features is $29.90. They offer a free trial for both.

To move music from your vinyl record or cassette collection requires a little more work. To do this, you’ll need the cables to connect your computer to your stereo system plus the software to make it all work. A good place to get a step-by-step approach to this is at WorldStart.com.

-Jameson

[Source: Shop Sansa Blog]

Popularity: 10% [?]