Pandora in Pieces

[urjaman]

Hi,


So i took my pandora into pieces (this is the first time I got it totally into pieces, so thats why I'm sharing this now), here's an overview:

Note: the camera is an awful webcam, it's not good from this distance, but...


Here's something I think you havent seen before:

That is the hinge unit.


All the pics I took are here:


http://urjaman.dyndns.info/pandora


Listing follows.


Number: Thing


0-3: Hinge


4: Mic (broke off)


5: Mic cover


6: Overview


7-8: Screw types used in the pandora


9: Power/Hold switch


10: X-button


11-12: B-button


13: A-button


14: Y-button


15: light pipe


16: Pandora serial number


17: Board serial number (propably)


18-21: Nubs (tried to show their solder points)


22: Factory leds vs my added leds


23: Hinge removal illustration


24: Screwdriver used to remove hinge


So, anything to snap pictures of before I put it back together?


I'll propably put it together after getting some sleep, etc so not that much in hurry.


EDIT: Added some more Images of various macro imaging targets I found a bit interesting. Will edit listing later.


EDIT2: Edited listing to include new pics.


EDIT3: Added some more pics, incl. nubs as per request by asimov-solensan.

 

[Orion4874]

Do you think there is anyway to mod the hinge to have two locking points instead of one?

 

[MarkoeZ]

Wow, you've got guts, i would not dare take my pandora apart that far. Thanks for sharing though


And i think what a lot of people are curious about: Do you see space anywhere for mod additions? Not that im going to attempt that in the near future, but i got curious as well


Cheers!

 

[urjaman]

Do you think there is anyway to mod the hinge to have two locking points instead of one?

The hinge unit locks every 180 degrees (Think of two balls, 180 degrees apart in a circle rotating on an another circle with potholes 180 degrees apart). I dont see a way around that apart from a totally new design.

 

[007jaws]

Do you think there is anyway to mod the hinge to have two locking points instead of one?

The hinge unit locks every 180 degrees (Think of two balls, 180 degrees apart in a circle rotating on an another circle with potholes 180 degrees apart). I dont see a way around that apart from a totally new design.

wow the furthest i had gone was just the back cover to fix the shoulder buttons, you beat me for sure, can i ask what was your reasons for the strip?, anything you wanted to fix or was annoyed about or did you just wanted to get to the bottom of it?


now you can colour or spay your case and have a limited edition pandora ha ha also you need some strong glue for the screen bezel also was there Craigs or ED special signiture on the board, you know the special signiture marks


bye


007jaws

 

[Vitel]

Do you think there is anyway to mod the hinge to have two locking points instead of one?

The hinge unit locks every 180 degrees (Think of two balls, 180 degrees apart in a circle rotating on an another circle with potholes 180 degrees apart). I dont see a way around that apart from a totally new design.

Hmmm. Interesting. What about changing lid locking angle?

 

[urjaman]

can i ask what was your reasons for the strip?, anything you wanted to fix or was annoyed about or did you just wanted to get to the bottom of it?

This pandora has:


- originally one-nubber, now zero


- lcd cable fail


- various small case damages caused by my escapades


- white leds added to the extra led positions (just had to test the free pads provided by Mr. MWeston)


- now MIC busted because I was stupid*,


so in the end I had little to lose and I was curious. I will propably get an another unit when I get the cash to have one 100%-condition unit on the go and one moddable at home


* I opened the upper half to adjust the LCD cable (yeah, it has full colour if I boot it like that (in picture) without any bends), so its a bit tunable), then noticed the hinge and remembered reading on the forums that you can actually drive it out with a screwdriver. Had one in my hand and got a "lets test"-feeling. Results: Yeah you can drive the hinge out safely, but one really should take the PCB out first, otherwise you will bust your MIC

 

[urjaman]

Hmmm. Interesting. What about changing lid locking angle?

Hmm, the hinge unit locks into the grooves in the base and in the bottom of the top half, and you can only enter it in two positions (180* apart so it doesnt matter.) The about 175 (or whatever) degree open lock seems to have been created by tilting the groove positions in the top half case mold a bit. Also, changing the mold more would propably make the hinge not lock into the closed position.

 

[Viking]

How could you do this ? Are you mad ar tou just stupid? ou'd payed 5000000000000 dollaard for thiss wonderfulld piece of wark adn you wrkeck it!?


I cant beliv this, going to bed, Viking report oiut


night <5


EDIT: Wow, Alcohol + internet is a powerfull combination!

 

[urjaman]

^ IIRC 300-something euros at the time I paid for that, and yeah I can put it back together (not the first time I opened it in some fashion ) so whatever. But sounds (text sounds? wtf? ...) like you need the sleep anyways, so night

 

[WizardStan]

Do you think there is anyway to mod the hinge to have two locking points instead of one?

The hinge is actually very similar to the one in the DS. It may be possible to simply swap them out, possibly with some minor shaving. I haven't done it yet, but it's definitely on my list to try.

 

[Link]

W O W :blink:

 

[asimov-solensan]

Hi urjaman, I'm in the same situation, a one nubber with no nubs. I'm thinking into replacing them by myself, if I can buy them spare. I wanted to ask for an image of the back of the board and specially the soldering points of the nubs.

 

[Viking]

Maby been asked before, I wonder if it's possible to mod the hinge to make it turn 180 and then put down the screen so you can hold it like a table pc?


PS: Sorry for last night, I've may been a bit affected by alcohol which made me write that ridiculous stuff

 

[urjaman]

Added some pics (nubs & leds), edited first post accordingly.

 

[dgame]

<snip>


* I opened the upper half to adjust the LCD cable (yeah, it has full colour if I boot it like that (in picture) without any bends), so its a bit tunable), then noticed the hinge and remembered reading on the forums that you can actually drive it out with a screwdriver. Had one in my hand and got a "lets test"-feeling. Results: Yeah you can drive the hinge out safely, but one really should take the PCB out first, otherwise you will bust your MIC

Thanks for the pics urjaman!


Could you please describe how you safely knocked the hinge out?


The lid is screwed together, aligned to the base, and then the hinge is pushed in (from the right) so how did you safely get the hinge out?


How far did you open the lid with the hinge still in? Did you push the screwdriver between the attached (and opened) lid to remove the hinge?


What size screwdriver did you use?


With the board removed where (and how) do you push the screwdriver to remove the hinge?


Big render of Pandora Base Parts:

Spoiler

Big render of Pandora Lid Parts:

Spoiler

Thanks again!!!

 

[urjaman]

Regarding "safely" - I still cant provide any warranty for the method used


Anyways, added these pictures for reference:

Basic idea-picture of removing the hinge. Obviously you will still have the LCD in there when you remove the hinge. I just picked up the objects in picture and applied a some "punch" to the screwdriver.

Picture of the size of the used screwdriver vs a 50 cent coin.

 

[Orion4874]

Do you think there is anyway to mod the hinge to have two locking points instead of one?

The hinge is actually very similar to the one in the DS. It may be possible to simply swap them out, possibly with some minor shaving. I haven't done it yet, but it's definitely on my list to try.

Someone started a new thread asking about the DS hinge. They do look very similar, I'm thinking it might just be possible. If you give this a try let us know the results because if it works this will be one of the first things I do when I recieve my Panda!

 

[cosurgi]

someone get him a better digital camera, quick! Before he disassembles it too

 

[dgame]

Regarding "safely" - I still cant provide any warranty for the method used


Anyways, added these pictures for reference:

Basic idea-picture of removing the hinge. Obviously you will still have the LCD in there when you remove the hinge. I just picked up the objects in picture and applied a some "punch" to the screwdriver.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Picture of the size of the used screwdriver vs a 50 cent coin.

Can the screen bezel come off while the left-side pivot and right-side hinge are still in?


How did you remove the screen bezel with the left pivot point and right hinge still in the base?


Thanks!