Introduction: Belkin Tunecast II FM Transmitter Mod
Belkin is a popular manufacturer of cheap and cheerful computer accessories, having singlehandedly made the USB hub sexy! One of their more popular product hitching the iPod popularity ride, is the Tunecast II FM Transmitter.
It is only earlier this year (2007) that FM transmitters like these became legal in the UK, ignoring the fact that savvy netizens have already brought theirs from eBay.
This modification improves the transmission range and remove the 'feature' of auto-power down when no audio signal is present. It certainly sets you up as resident pirate radio DJ of your block and allows you to jam the loud radio listener on a bus or train!
Please note that this is a rehash of something that was done before 'instructable' came along. No more the delay now for the good stuff!
Product link:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=263200
Step 1: How to Gut the TuneCast
Those ever efficient Taiwanese manufacturer manage to secure this piece of gadget with just a single screw, if you're handy with a screwdriver, that's the job done!
The first image shows the location of the screw (ignore the switch for the moment, that comes later), the second one shows where to a gentle pry will open it, note the plastic latch.
Step 2: The Anatomy of a Belkin TuneCast II
Here's the back of the TuneCast, the IC is a FM transmitter from Rohm, a Japanese semiconductor company.
Step 3: What You Would See in Your Brandnew TuneCast, the 'Before'
Here's a series of photos of the same TuneCast, thankfully with everything still attached.
Step 4: How to Boost the FM Transmission Power
Well... Not to boost the power, more like removing the attenuation.
This step involves a bit of handy soldering which may be a bit tricky.
Should you dare proceed, the procedure is easy enough, simply bypass the tiny inductor. If you refer to the previous step, you would have notice a blue wire soldered to the PCB via hole, conveniently labeled 'ANT', remove this and stick it directly to where the black wire is on the photo below, the inductor can be left connected to one end, just in case you wish to revert the changes.
An adequate length of this black wire for the antenna can be a quarter of the transmission wavelength, in this case, a minimum of 3e8/108e6 * 4 (c = f * lamda), about 70cm.
Now if you wish to take it further, get a telescopic antenna! I have devised a neat way of attaching the antenna, see second photo.
If you live in the UK, Maplin Electronics (www.maplin.co.uk) has a selection of antenna for CB radio
Step 5: Hmm... How About a Longer Audio Cable?
Yup, the TuneCast has a really weedy short audio cable, not very nice if you decide to place the FM transmitter by the window, so your neighbor 4 floors down can listen to your collection of the latest break-beats!
The solution is to replace the stereo plug with a plug that is small enough to still fit the TuneCast package.
The photo below shows the new stereo plug add-on feature, if you're doing the modification, do note the correct channel, refer to the photo in step 3 for the correct connections.
A brief description:
The white wire is the 'tip' of the plug, which is the left channel, the yellow wire connects to the 'ring' or middle bit of the plug, which is the right channel, the black wire is the ground.
Suitable stereo socket can also be found in Maplin Electronics.
Step 6: Now to Remove the TuneCast Auto-power Down
Basically the TuneCast automatically power down when there's no audio signal for about a minute, this is great since the number of transmission channel is limited, not so great when you are flipping through your 60GB of music selection looking for right song and then a blast of static comes on! Ouch!
This step is a bit trickier, it involve adding a switch, a resistor and some wiring.
The idea works by biasing up the bit that turns on the TuneCast when a audio signal is present. Although the transmitter is battery powered, many of the ICs on the device requires a higher operating supply voltage, this is done with a boost converter, boosting its internal supply to around 5V, where it is kept permanently 'on', which partly explain why your TuneCast is dead after a few days even if you're not using it, pretty dismal, but great for this modification!
Note on the photo below, the two point in which the wires are attached is where you need to modify ( incidentally, this is at the top right end of the PCB, on the LCD side) . I choose to use enamel wire, which has a coat of thin insulating enamel/plastic, simply scrape the ends to allow soldering.
The second image is a drawing of the circuit connection.
As promised, with this feature allows you to 'swamp-out' a typical commercial FM station within 2 to 3 meters of the transmitter and enjoy the peace and quiet. Not dramatic but enough to convulse the listener into fiddling with the radio tuner. ;)
Step 7: Modding the Case to Fit the Switch
Now that you have done the tricky bit, here's the horrible bit! Wedging a tiny switch into the TuneCast casing. Any kind of on/off bistable switch is suitable, except for momentary monostable push switch, of course the smaller the better, the one I use is massive, but you do with what you have.
With a fair bit of filing and drilling, the end result is show in the photos below.
Step 8: Just to Prove That Everything Still Works and Fits Snugly !
What you would have done if you had dare ventured! It's alive!
Step 9: Finally! the Finished Product!
To take it further, you can make a plastic clip mount with a mini-camera tripod and you have your own FM base station!
180 Comments
9 years ago on Introduction
I know it's a bit late for asking something about your tutorial. Thing is they have released a new version of belkin tunecast transmitter II and it seems that they have removed the BH1415F. I am trying to find which pin is source of the antenna but I have no good results. If someone could help with the photos I have uploaded it would be awesome !
Thanks
Daerken
Reply 3 years ago
I managed to extend the range to appr. 5 meters by adding an antenna. Anyone who knows to extend it even more?
Reply 1 year ago
Looks like this one has a QN8007 which is a very good IC chip (https://youtu.be/i8re0nc_FdY). I think it's pin 9 for the RF Output.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Hello Daerken,
Did you find any solution
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Hello,
As I said I just replace the wire that were used as an atenna by a real one (of about 70 cm) which gave me a signal significantly better. However I did not find the attenuation component. Today you can find very cheap and powerful fm transmitter on Internet from different countries where they have no law on fm transmitter power. Unless you really want to touch to the electronic which is not easy, you will gain time and have a way better fm transmitter by bying a cheap new one.
Ciao,
Daerken
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
OK. I tried that by just contacting the antenna by a wire ( from an unused ethernet cable), but I can not hear any difference in signal quality.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Daerken, I'm having the same problem as you. Have you found a solution? Please let me know!
Thanks,
Luc
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Hi HefLuc,
I soldered an antenna to the output (blue wire on my picture) and it works way better now but only because the default "antenna" is very bad. However I did not find the resistor that reduces the signal...
If someone does, please share it !
Daerken
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Hi,
Did you find the resistor that reduces the signal in the revision 1.02 of Belkin Tunecast 2?
Mine transmitter looks exactly the same like in the pictures attached by Daerken.
Thank you for help:)
1 year ago
Thanks everyone here for their input, which led to me make enhanced mods. I used Darkcobra0 mod by using the DC positive pin to the Transistor using a 1M ohm resistor, be careful as you can burn the LCD ribbon easily which I did. Also, took lhj734017 recommendation but used a 4-conductor panel mount (TRRS) 3.5 jack to use a 4-conductor (TRRS) 3 ft. audio cable of my choice and extend the antenna signal within the 4th conducting wire of the audio cable. I had to dremel a bit of plastic to fit the jack and used a bit of hot glue to stop it from rotating. And of course, used 26 gauge magnet enamel wire to connect the bottom, right-most output pin of the IC chip to the underside of the Antenna contact area, skipping the attenuator completely. Then I purchased a USB 5V to DC 12V 3.5mm x 1.35mm Barrel Jack adapter to infinitely power the module, (https://www.ebay.com/itm/144210534212?var=443505792982) all integrated within the USB area.
8 years ago on Introduction
Why we can't use the old blue cable? have to use the new one.
9 years ago on Introduction
http://obaidkakar.blogspot.com/2014/01/fm-transmitter-from-car-mp3-player-6.html
12 years ago on Introduction
The Corrugator, this is a great Instructible!
I used a different method to boost the output power, which will work not only for the Belkin Tunecast, but for ANY transmitter which uses a BH1415F, or even any other Rohm FM transmitter chip. Instead of trying to figure out what components were involved in the filter/attenuation network, I used a soldering iron and a toothpick to lift and disconnect BH1415F pin #11 (RF output) from the board. Then I soldered a quarter-wave wire antenna directly to the pin, which gives direct access to the maximum possible output power. Make sure the wire is secured so an accidental tug won't rip the pin off the IC; I used a generous application of super glue to attach the wire to the board near the connection. If a transmitter uses a different Rohm FM transmitter chip than the BH1415F, look up the datasheet to find out which pin is RF output.
The real gold in this Instructable is the auto power-off disable. I've been using this transmitter to listen to music from my computer anywhere in the house, and have been looking for a good way to disable the auto power-off. Up until now, I've been doing it by running a separate copy of Winamp that plays a subsonic or ultrasonic burst for two seconds, every 30 seconds in a loop. It worked, but on some radios you could hear a slight distortion when the burst played. This may still be a useful option for people who aren't comfortable soldering, or who have a different transmitter.
I just performed your auto power-off disable mod, and it works great! Though I did make one change. The pad you're getting power from appears to be active only once the transmitter is powered up, which still requires an initial audio input. So instead, I connected the transistor pin through a 1M resistor directly to the positive pin of the DC power jack. If you're looking at the board from the LCD side, with the power connector on the bottom, it's the second pin from the left between the large SMD capacitor and the LCD (verify it with a voltmeter if you're unsure you have the right one). The transmitter now turns on immediately when power is applied, and stays on indefinitely; regardless of audio input.
Finally, one more tip. Loop the power and audio input cables a few times through a ferrite toroid filters out hum and hiss. You can use one toroid, but it's easier to use two, one for each wire. The more loops, the tighter the windings, and the closer to the transmitter, the better it works. A clamp-on style ferrite should work almost as well, though I haven't tried. Obviously, don't loop your antenna through a ferrite, as this will attenuate the signal. If you haven't added your own separate wire antenna, skip the toroid for the audio cable, as it contains the antenna.
With these changes, I'm very happy with the performance of this transmitter; and its range and quality rival any consumer or kit transmitter I've tried for less than $100.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
I was wondering, will the mod you did work at 300 feet? I am wanting to build a transmitter that will work at or over 300 feet and transmitt through the whole house.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I've tried this variant on two tunecast II's and the results are wonderful. Thanks both to you and the instructables parent.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Wow, thanks for the generous updates and mods! I am sure somebody will find it useful too.
A bit about the Rohm FM chip... Before these iPods, many FM transmitters came in kit form, and the Rohm chip was the first to be highly integrated and made it easy to build these. And I think you could get single chip (with earphone amps) FM radio tuner too.
It is a great little FM transmitter isn't it. In terms of fidelity, if you get it right, FM transmitter still kind of sound better than Bluetooth speakers. Heh, kind of please there's still a purpose for this old instructable. Cheers!
9 years ago
What's the range on this hacked transmitter? I am looking to start my own pirate radio station and I need to do it cheaply.
10 years ago on Introduction
Hello i am jamesmount
According to me if u want to increase the power for transmitting the signal.for this we decrease the frequency... because frequency is inversely proportional to wavelength, i hope if we are working in this principal your problem will be solve as soon as...
for more information visit http://www.broadcastdepot.com/
11 years ago on Step 9
if you increase the voltage to the unit using lets say a 9 volt battery, will that increase the effective range of the transmission?
11 years ago on Step 3
Won't let me post pictures - trying again...