Mp3 Player Modifications

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These are some different modifications you can do an mp3 player. Some of them can only be done on hard drive based mp3 player, however im not sure if this can be done to a micro drive. The instructions are going to be pretty general because of the different types of mp3 players out there.

I started doing most of these because I crave being different. Not only was I not going to be one of the mindless millions who bought ipods (I am the anti pod) but I was going to have a mp3 player completely different from anyone else's.

The mp3 player I modified was a Creative Zen Nomad 20 gig.

Step 1 Duct tape sleeve

The first mod (this is more of an accessory, but whatever) I ever did was make a duct tape sleeve for my mp3 player. I wanted a sleeve that I could slip my mp3 player in and out of. I probably could have just duct taped directly on to the shell, but wheres the fun in that

All you need is a roll of duct tape, scissors, a razor, and some parchment / wax paper. I started by making a sheet of duct tape that was slightly more then twice as tall as my mp3 player and about 2 and a half times as wide. The basic idea is to have a sheet that if folded around your mp3 player would be able to cover all of its faces.

To make the sheets you will cut strips of duct tape as long as the double height length. So if your mp3 player is 3 in. tall you will want strips 7 or 8 in. tall. Place one strip face up on the wax paper, then place the next strip face down on the first one, so that half of it is on the first strip and half of it is on the wax paper (look at the picture if your confused). Flip the piece over and then place a third strip down half on the exposed sticky tape, and half on the paper. Repeat this process until you have a sheet wide enough to use.

This method of making duct tape sheets can be applied to anything that you want covered in duct tape, but that you dont want to get sticky or that you want to be able to remove it.

When you are done making the sheet fold over the remaining sticky edges. Place your mp3 player in the middle of the duct tape and try to figure out the best way to fold it on. You will probably need to cut at least 2 sides to get the right folds. I cant really give instructions for every mp3 player, so just do it to the best of your abilitys. If you have a somewhat rectangularish mp3 player like mine, you can cut out the corners of the duct tape sheet, so you are left with a piece somewhat resembling a cross, and then fold up each face, to cover each side of the player. Then use extra pieces of duct tape to seal the different faces together around your mp3 player.
Use the razor to cut out any buttons and the screen through the duct tape. Make sure you take your mp3 player out first, so you dont scratch it with the razor.

Comments

[junits15]

Is that Mp3 using a full 3.5'' ATA hard drive?

[Ammosmoke]

YES! I hate ipods too!

[zack247]

how is it supposed to read the hard drive? it looks like all you did was attach the mp3 player to the back, and you didn't mention anything about connecting extra cables. and the hard drive needs somewhere around at least 9V to spin at a decent speed, much more than the mp3 player's battery can put out. please explain how this works

[kallisti5]

A cheap sheet of acrylic from the hardware store is 100x's better. cd case plastic cracks easily. also using a can of duster air is a good idea before you seal it up.

[mazeka.14]

I love ZEN :)

[mimesis7803]

you do realize on your notebook you have someone's phone # wrote down don't you?

[shikaku]

it almost seems too convenient tho, like he wants us to call it

[jimmydean]

And who is Joanne?

[mimesis7803]

just figured i'd tell you, it might make someone upset if they started getting prank callers. XD

[Neodudeman]

I dare you to call it.

[!Andrew_Modder!]

if you give me a dollar =D

[wolf555hound]

hmmm call it, or dont call it......

[Derin]

*dial* beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

[fkuk]

i dont see what you have done here have u modded the mp3 player to accept the hard drive or what if it is ment to be that where are the instruction

[cotton]

the hdd is dead becuse it is scratched and someone toughed it killing it and the music

[z3ro_infinite]

hey man ur things are amazing i have a zen creative 30 gbs but im not sure i wanna modified it yet skill thanks u gave me a great idea

[dannydutton]

I've realized something after readding your many instructables. You have the best damn written ones I've ever seen on this site. There are many without photos and some without proper descriptions when giving instructions. I have heard people say "This is my first instructable, so don't make fun of it" and it will be missing or lacking proper grammer and desriptions in steps and containing poor pictures. That is one of the worst excuses you can use. If someone has been on this site long enough to realize that they want a username, then they must have enough decency and common sense on how to write a good instructable.

[mikesty]

I like the hard drive one the best. That's pretty weird. Must be kinda heavy.

[MadMechanicMike]

why would it be heavy? all he does is remove the back of the mp3 player and put a clear cover on it.

[Tetranitrate]

Actually that was one of the reasons I decided to skin it, because it was somewhat heavy. So I took off the case and it slimmed down somewhat.

[mazeka.14]

who's # on the note pad??

[jimmydean]

Put it on Jenny Craig!

[benhudson]

Haha, I love it :) I'll try it in a few years when all my stuff is obsolete. Well written instructable by the way.

[oryx]

yes! great idea. so tired of not having cool accessories for my creative vision:m... i'm going to make this for mine. i was going to sew a case, but i like this idea better. you rock.

[manimawesome]

ahh. I like the duct tape. mindless millions?? iPod's are the gold standard. it's because they're so awesome people have them, not because everyone else has one, effectively disarming "mindless". GEEEZ. it's not like their cigarettes, or something.

[crapflinger]

ipods are the gold standard because they have the best marketing campaign...not because they are mechanically/physically/or in any other way better than the other MP3 players...it's not like they're the first people to make the things...IMO they're pretty crappy...they break alot...and itunes is the biggest peice of junk ever forced upon the world (since windows ME that is)...but enough about that i like the HD window deal...but...that's EXTREMELY dangerous to the health of the drive...but...if done correctly can be really nifty

[Tetranitrate]

Yeah I know Im unfairly harsh on the iPod, they have improved it a lot. Its just that it used to be extremely expensive crap, now its just extremely expensive. The only reason that people would buy them was because they were what was popular, despite there being better cheaper products on the market.

[CanDo]

My ipod recently broke (a tragic collission with a conch shell). Now, I'm curious. What product of the same size (physically and storage) plays music and video, and is cheaper or better quality?

[kjrviking]

new creative zen 8gb (same as 4gb)$150

[LinuxH4x0r]

New creative zen 4gb (mp3, photo, video, sd slot) $130

[obstructio]

I had my iPod long before it was a household name :)

[trebuchet03]

Its still okay to be harsh on the iPod... and especially iTunes... Even if the sole reason is the DRM not allowing you to play your bought iTunes music ONLY on an iPod unless you burn and rip (which the RIAA has clasified as illegal)... At least France has the right idea -- they recently made this type of DRM illegal in their country. But really, do I fear social interaction during my walk/ride to work? Or while walking to a class? Nope... So set down your ear bud shackle weights and (oh my gosh) say hello to your fellow beings :P Apple was simply the first to market for a simple to use interface... but more importantly, a well marketed simple to use interface. So just like AOL sucks in its unknowng users into their own software (which makes switching off more difficult for many), Apple has done the same with digital music players. BUT, I do find it hilarious that the US president had certain artists (like The Beatles) on his iPod -- artists that do not have contracts with iTunes... Which means the music was illegally ripped (according to the RIAA).

[zachninme]

Amen!

[Ian01]

Are you saying that it's illegal to put any music on your iPod if you didn't buy it through iTunes? :O

[JordanZed]

No, he's saying it's illegal to remove the DRM on iTunes purchases.

[Scurl!]

i have to agree, there's much better products on the market and upwards of 85% of people buy the ipod because of its "name" and the fact that everyone else has one. i also agree they've gotten better, but still not worth it. if you want video and music get a gp2x or something, or i don't know, use your cell phone. quality is about the same. of course i own an ipod(mini....HA), but my gf won it so i don't feel so bad. and i haven't used it in months. i got a sirius radio.when the two mix, yeah, maybe i'll buy a stinkin' ipod, but only because ipod has the clout to get the deal with sirius, not because it's the best product. did i just rant? i think i did...uhhh....i am the night...(whoosh)

[JordanZed]

You might be right about some people, but I like my Shuffle because it's inexpensive and tiny. But yea, sat radio is rad.

[zachninme]

Someone should make a "Non-Ipod Mods" group or something.

[hivoltage]

thats pretty cool. i've been wondering what to do with my old zen jukebox NX. those old players actually used a laptop sized HD

[hivoltage]

i had that mp3 in the instructable! i recently upgraded to a zen vision M, and would highly recommend it over the iPod. i mostly got it because transferring music from my old one to an iPod with itunes would have sucked, but it took like five minutes with the zen vision.