EeePC with Every Hack Possible GPS, Bluetooth, 802.11N, Airplay FM transmitter, SDHC card reader, Corsair VoyagerGT, Conexant Modem
This has been my little project the last couple of weeks. A massive internal modification to my Eee 4G.
It includes the following:
● 2x USB hubs
● Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
● GPS module with antenna
● Voyager GT 4 GB flash drive
● SDHC card reader
● FM transmitter
● Draft-N wireless adapter with a third antenna from a Wii.
● Everything connected via a dip switch
It's quite weird that Asus decided to leave that much free space unused in the Eee. The Eee could be slimmer and thinner if they really wanted to.
Anyhow, let the pictures tell their story. I've created a Wiki page with all the nitty gritty details.
USB hubs
The first USB hub mounted next to the memory bay:
Second USB hub over SSD drive:
GPS
GPS DIY kit from Ebay stripped down to only the necessary parts:
GPS antenna mounted on the left-side of the display. I had to remove 4 plastic stubs to make it fit:
GPS module mounted over the ethernet and audio chip:
Bluetooth
Bluetooth adapter mounted under the GPS antenna on the left side, for good reception:
SDHC card reader
SDHC card reader placed over the wireless adapter:
But kicker is that there is a gap in the memory expansion bay to fit a SDHC card that can actually be removed after the machine is put together again:
Flash drive
Fast Voyager GT 4 GB flash drive used as a second OS boot drive. The controller is from Silicon Motion, the same vendor as the SSD-drive, and uses the same type of NAND flash chips as well:
Flash drive mounted on top of the wireless adapter:
FM transmitter
FM transmitter to wireless transfer audio the any FM radio in the vicinity of 5 meters. Should be great for roadtrips:
FM transmitter mounted nicely in the space between the DC-jack and ethernet/modem-ports. Ttight space, many wires. Wires for audio, antenna, power and buttons to change frequency (buttons in expansion bay):
802.11n wireless adapter
New Intel draft-N 300 MHz wireless adapter:
Power switch
I don't like to trust the USB devices to conserve energy when they're idle. Therefore I've installed a DIP switch in the expansion bay to make it easy to switch off the devices I don't use. The power switch is mounted with double-sided foam tape and can easily be moved to remove the RAM module if needed. For power and ground 26 AWG and signal 30 AWG Tefzel insulated wires (from Habia). Multi-stranded wires for the audio cables.
This is the complete installation. Showing the bottom of the motherboard were most of the free space can be utilized.
Top view of the display and top motherboard without the front panels. FM transmitter and third draft-N antenna on the right.
For a few more detailed pictures, check the wiki page mentioned above.
I summarized the costs and it turned out to be 454.38 USD - including 2 GB RAM upgrade, 8 GB SHDC card, and shipping to Europe, details on the wiki page.
Future projects include desoldering the NAND flash chips and install new chips taken from Voyager GT flash drives, install HSDPA 3.6 Mbit/s modem in expansion bay, new custom made copper cooling elements, and probably some smaller tweaks to the current mods.
USB hubs - 11.20 USD
GPS module - 36.70 USD
Bluetooth - 5.65 USD
SDHC card reader - 6.45 USD
Adata SDHC 8 GB - 74.50 USD
Corsair VoyagerGT 4 GB USB drive - 90.94 USD
Switch + Prototypingboards - 2.66 + 30.10 USD
Intel Wireless adapter - 62.69 USD
Airplay FM transmitter - 14.98 USD
Conexant Modem - 11.89 USD
Crucial 2 GB DDR2 module - 106.62 USD
The practicality of these hacks is a little questionable, as it did cost the hacker an additional $454.38 on top of the $399 EeePC ticket price. However it serves as a pretty great proof of concept as to just how expandable to EeePC actually is.
It includes the following:
● 2x USB hubs
● Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
● GPS module with antenna
● Voyager GT 4 GB flash drive
● SDHC card reader
● FM transmitter
● Draft-N wireless adapter with a third antenna from a Wii.
● Everything connected via a dip switch
It's quite weird that Asus decided to leave that much free space unused in the Eee. The Eee could be slimmer and thinner if they really wanted to.
Anyhow, let the pictures tell their story. I've created a Wiki page with all the nitty gritty details.
USB hubs
The first USB hub mounted next to the memory bay:
Second USB hub over SSD drive:
GPS
GPS DIY kit from Ebay stripped down to only the necessary parts:
GPS antenna mounted on the left-side of the display. I had to remove 4 plastic stubs to make it fit:
GPS module mounted over the ethernet and audio chip:
Bluetooth
Bluetooth adapter mounted under the GPS antenna on the left side, for good reception:
SDHC card reader
SDHC card reader placed over the wireless adapter:
But kicker is that there is a gap in the memory expansion bay to fit a SDHC card that can actually be removed after the machine is put together again:
Flash drive
Fast Voyager GT 4 GB flash drive used as a second OS boot drive. The controller is from Silicon Motion, the same vendor as the SSD-drive, and uses the same type of NAND flash chips as well:
Flash drive mounted on top of the wireless adapter:
FM transmitter
FM transmitter to wireless transfer audio the any FM radio in the vicinity of 5 meters. Should be great for roadtrips:
FM transmitter mounted nicely in the space between the DC-jack and ethernet/modem-ports. Ttight space, many wires. Wires for audio, antenna, power and buttons to change frequency (buttons in expansion bay):
802.11n wireless adapter
New Intel draft-N 300 MHz wireless adapter:
Power switch
I don't like to trust the USB devices to conserve energy when they're idle. Therefore I've installed a DIP switch in the expansion bay to make it easy to switch off the devices I don't use. The power switch is mounted with double-sided foam tape and can easily be moved to remove the RAM module if needed. For power and ground 26 AWG and signal 30 AWG Tefzel insulated wires (from Habia). Multi-stranded wires for the audio cables.
This is the complete installation. Showing the bottom of the motherboard were most of the free space can be utilized.
Top view of the display and top motherboard without the front panels. FM transmitter and third draft-N antenna on the right.
For a few more detailed pictures, check the wiki page mentioned above.
I summarized the costs and it turned out to be 454.38 USD - including 2 GB RAM upgrade, 8 GB SHDC card, and shipping to Europe, details on the wiki page.
Future projects include desoldering the NAND flash chips and install new chips taken from Voyager GT flash drives, install HSDPA 3.6 Mbit/s modem in expansion bay, new custom made copper cooling elements, and probably some smaller tweaks to the current mods.
USB hubs - 11.20 USD
GPS module - 36.70 USD
Bluetooth - 5.65 USD
SDHC card reader - 6.45 USD
Adata SDHC 8 GB - 74.50 USD
Corsair VoyagerGT 4 GB USB drive - 90.94 USD
Switch + Prototypingboards - 2.66 + 30.10 USD
Intel Wireless adapter - 62.69 USD
Airplay FM transmitter - 14.98 USD
Conexant Modem - 11.89 USD
Crucial 2 GB DDR2 module - 106.62 USD
The practicality of these hacks is a little questionable, as it did cost the hacker an additional $454.38 on top of the $399 EeePC ticket price. However it serves as a pretty great proof of concept as to just how expandable to EeePC actually is.