[Open Discussion] Soldering in Micro sd card reader to Nexus 7/ build log

98802 Views 91 Replies 33 Participants Last post by Natelion65, Aug 31, 2014

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

5

Ok so heres what I got so far. This will be a work in progress since I need a collaberative effort so I don't destroy my new N7.

So what are we starting with? a 8 gig N7

The goal? internally install a micro Sd card 32 gb with upgrade to 64 gb in th future.

Why? Because I can.

Questions i need answered,

Will it charge? It's a tough call, i need more hardware info first

Will this void warrenty? you betcha

Will this risk destroying my tablet? OHHHH yea Experts only!

Do you need drivers? No , This should work just like OTG but internal, using the App Stick Mount.

My background is a huge collection of controller building modding, console building and so on.

So what's the game plan? Take a micro sd card reader, strip it then solder it into the Usb plugs data and power connections. By doing this I feel I would bypass any jumper needs for charging or switching since the card will not physically occupy the slot.

So drop your thoughts below, Scroll down fro pics on progress and thoughts.

From IFixit, the usb micro port i need to solder into.

Update 7/28::

Did you think this was dead? NAhhhhhhh

I been busy getting my health in order and waiting on my OTG for testing

Progress::

Heres some of the biggest issues i have been figureing out and i've solved just about all.

I've decided on Cat 5 ethernet type of wire for my solder joints, this should keep everything thin since there is no room inside for anything extra.

I've decided to place the sd card just behind the audio jack, this should provide enough room without damage to anything.

forum member Snow02 has been a big help so far in testing mounting and charging configurations, it looks like the Sd card will mount but not charge while mounting, but unmount qand it charges, this works fine for me since i don't plan to be ever plugged in with the sd mounted. I won't fully know till I solder in it. This could be a kernal issue that can be solved with software i'd have to assume, I'm not a Dev so I can't be sure.

Also i'm trying to find out if you can force apps to install to a stick mounted Sd card, it be a great help if someone can input on this since it's my final hurdle.

Once this is solved i can up the 8 gig nexus to a whoping 32-64 gig permantly.

Stay tuned !

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drose6102

· #21 · Aug 10, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

I wonder if it's possible to solder on the 64g chip to the mother board and everything work. Anyway you can provide a picture of the internal memory?

I have some soldering skills but would like to see what I would be working with

Edit: never mind this idea is just crazy. The new Samsung 64g internal chip just went into production and who knows if the chip would be compatible with the 7

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

networkproblems

· #22 · Aug 10, 2012

looking forward to your next attempt!

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #23 · Aug 11, 2012

drose6102 said:
I wonder if it's possible to solder on the 64g chip to the mother board and everything work. Anyway you can provide a picture of the internal memory?

I have some soldering skills but would like to see what I would be working with

Edit: never mind this idea is just crazy. The new Samsung 64g internal chip just went into production and who knows if the chip would be compatible with the 7

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I've stated this earlier, you can't mess with the memory chip, i'ts surface mount. you WILL kill the N7 trying to mess with it. You need special machines that do a process called solder flowing or reballing. in the simplest form i can explain, it's like having a river of molten metal or solder, the part rides above it as the componets that need to be soldered touch and travel up the part bonding it to the circuit board. it's like tryinng to add more memory to a onboard chipset on a motherboard. it's next to impossible. the next problemis software, firmware and so on are all configured to that chipset in there. you can't just ad memory. lastly the goal is to com up with a way to do this that normal people on here can do or have other people do for them. in basic terms, a quick down and dirty way to add memory. i want to get in and get out without breaking the unit. i beeen looking into a way of modifying N7's configuration forcing it to install from the play store to the memory card. i saw a few xperia articles with ADB command re routing the install directory to the memory card auto matically. so i may have a way to make it treat it like expandible memory. I do have pics of my solder attempts btw but I wanted to upgrade my N7 and post a collection all t once instead.

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Thorn11166

· #24 · Aug 16, 2012

would it be possible to make a switchable cable that could operate as an otg cable/charge cable extension? if so someone could build that into a case, sure it would have a little more length at the bottom bezel but it would be pretty sweet to have a usb port built into a case.... just pondering

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #25 · Aug 16, 2012

Thorn11166 said:
would it be possible to make a switchable cable that could operate as an otg cable/charge cable extension? if so someone could build that into a case, sure it would have a little more length at the bottom bezel but it would be pretty sweet to have a usb port built into a case.... just pondering

This is actually super simple. There is essentially 4 wires for usb and the otg adds a extra ground so it's detected like it is. You have 2 options, a double pole throw switch that severs the data connection or a single pole throw switch that disables the secandary ground, ether one wuld reseult in a switch for charge and a switch for data. the problem here is a the case. cyurrently I have not seen a case that has space to hide a otg cable.

Quick update, I been tracking down my 16 gig, i finally got a order n at gamestop then they got backordered till August 31st. So now I'm on the hunt , then staples came instock with free shipping so i ordered it in i will have mine by friday. I miss my tablet dearly. So in 24 hours i went from my Galaxy nexus to a Razr maxx to a Galaxy S3 then purchased a N7. Talk about trading up.

throwbot

· #26 · Aug 16, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

Man it really sounds like you know what you're doing, and if it can be done it seems like you're the man for the job.

I gotta come out and say it, tho- I was wondering how quick you'd be to crack open that nexus and risk its life, lol. I'm not blaming you for holding off til you're ready- hell I wouldn't even think of risking mine.

But I'd love to see this idea come to fruition. Good luck on your mission.

I did not mean for that to rhyme. I'll try not to do it next time.

Edit: nyuck nyuck. Sorry, its really early and I'm sitting in my car bored to death.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

sonofskywalker3

· #27 · Aug 16, 2012

Have you considered just using a usb drive instead of a microsd reader? They make some very small usb drives, like the verbatim tough and tiny. 32 gigs, and the chip itself may actually be smaller. Just a thought.

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #28 · Aug 17, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

sonofskywalker3 said:
Have you considered just using a usb drive instead of a microsd reader? They make some very small usb drives, like the verbatim tough and tiny. 32 gigs, and the chip itself may actually be smaller. Just a thought.

I think you're missing the point i'm stuck at. To put things in perspective, the N7 has no room for anything, you can't run wire even under the back cover, there is just no room. the only gap is between the audio jack and case. there is enough space to fit a micro sd reader. There are 2 goals by going this route. you don't need to resolder to upgrade the chip in the future. 2 you will never make a usb drive as thin as the reader is, this reader all flattened out is almost thinner then 2 micro sd cards layed on top of each other. that's pretty thin.

On to the hurdles i'm stuck at. a viable Data point to tap into , i'm going to use the power pins or pogo type plugs for power, i need to find a better data connector point though. then it's solved.

To answer about how long before i go under the hood. well maybe a week after i get it, should arrive friday. my biggest thing is digging for schamatics and pinouts to accomplish the goal. then i'll go diving in. also i don't want to rip out all that glued down copper shielding , i'm sure it would be a nightmare to re assemble. This is becoming more of a pet project though. I'm famillar with backwards re engineering when i put a wii controller inside a snes controller, that took a long time to figure out due to space constraints. but i built it. it's just a matter of finding a soloution then simplifying it and making a practicle use. so that anyone can solder one in with practice.

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number5toad

· #29 · Aug 19, 2012

I love this idea, but I couldn't trust myself to open my baby up and mess with her intestines.

now if you were to tell me how to replace the USB end of an SD card reader with a micro USB plug for USB OTG use....I'd pay very, very close attention.

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #30 · Aug 20, 2012

so you want the male end of a usb card reader to go to the male end of a mirco usb plug? like a otg adapter but hardwired to a reader?

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #31 · Aug 20, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

this guide answers your question. http://forum.xda-dev...d.php?t=1092493 it's fairly simple, u just use the reader in place of the usb cable. You will need to figure out your sd card readers pin out and which is positive or negitive. this can be achieved by figureing out wich way it plugs into the usb.

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number5toad

· #32 · Aug 20, 2012

pretty much exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #33 · Aug 21, 2012

Np, quick update : i been going through helll trying to get a good N7 It's sold out damn near everywhere till the 30th or so. I got my hands on 2 one from stables but it had a loose screen and massive light bleed. I canceled a preorder at gamestop to wait for that crap. So gamestop sold mine and i found a 16 gig at walmart. I picked it up and as i'm opening it in the car, sealed stickers and all the damn thing has fringer prints under the plastic on the glass, looked like someone ate a doughnut and played with my N7 I was pissed. So the back even had glue residue like a sticker was stuck to it. I powered it up , all looked good but when i activated at home i found a defect in the very tip top right in pitch black lifht. it's like someone put a flaw in my Lcd. it's not noticible in normal use but noone has one, so i'm stuck for a little while, I'll continue my research though and hopefully have a answer soon. Asus make more of these things, wear gloves , eat less dougnuts !

iAppleDev

· #34 · Aug 23, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

6

Just have to find power and data (maybe the rear camera data's & power?)

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Zane_Grey

· #35 · Aug 24, 2012

That looks great! What did you use to cut the hole?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

iAppleDev

· #36 · Aug 24, 2012

Zane_Grey said:
That looks great! What did you use to cut the hole?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Just an Razor knife and pocket knife

thx

iAppleDev

· #37 · Aug 24, 2012

Anyone know the pinout of Con3?

ashclepdia

· #38 · Aug 24, 2012

iAppleDev said:
Just have to find power and data (maybe the rear camera data's & power?)

What rear camera??
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Kpa2727

Discussion Starter · #39 · Aug 26, 2012

Very nice and clean, try tapping the pogo pins for power then maybe u could try tapping data theough the usb. I been working long days as lead tech so i havent had any free time. great progress though.

ED2O9

· #40 · Aug 26, 2012 (Edited by Moderator)

2

I tried a similar arrangement with my Nexus 7, but opted to put the microSD card reader where the rear camera would have gone instead of the space beside the headphone jack (my second choice). I have a 64GB microSD and since the back cover is easily removable, I decided that I didn't need to cut a hole in the cover. I also wanted the Nexus to look completely stock. I was able to solder a small ribbon cable from an old laptop to the pins on the back of the microUSB port, which connected to my microSD card reader. Using a Dremel, I had to grind away a small part of the mid-frame around the rear camera hole to fit the reader, but was able to close the cover with everything in place. Unfortunately, I ran into the same problem with the OTG setup not working when the power cord was plugged in. So I've been looking for an alternate 5V source.

I checked the Con3 pins with a multimeter and found the following:
There are 24 pins on Con3, and pins 1,4,7,11,13,19,20 and 23 are grounds.
Pin 2 and 3 are 1.77V and pin 24 is .11V.
There is no 5V source.

I'm considering simply tapping into the 7.4V lead from the battery and using a 5V voltage regulator like this one:
http://www.radioshac...oductId=2062599
The downside is that is would draw a small amount to power, even when the tablet is turned off. There's also the issue of finding the space to fit the regulator. My other option is just to keep checking pins for 5V.

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