Database Users

Adding things using the miniPCIExpress. SSD? External GPU???D-rom? Moar?

Hey all,
I had to open up my TPT today to resolder/enforce some points (the dreaded broken power button problem) and was a bit surprised how much room there is to work inside the case. Put me in the hardware modding mood. So....
I know of the work people have done to add WAN cards using the mini PCI express slot that is just sitting there, but my data plan sucks to much to use it heavily. What else comes in mini PCI express that we can play around with? Any ideas? I've only used this slot on a laptop once for a cd-rom, and I know of solid state drives in this format. Or how about this :
http://www.techchee.com/2010/05/26/msis-first-external-graphic-card-for-laptops/
Nice miniPCIe -> whatever adapters for more possibilities:
http://www.hwtools.net/
If anything it could be an easy usb port.
edited: second link addition

There's just something about cracking a case and seeing all that virgin territory that makes me want to start adding in and swapping out, too. I really like the idea of an SSD. Or maybe later I will slug in a wwan card and donate more money towards my cell provider's latest hot, expensive vehicle.

miniPCIe SSDs require a special type of miniPCIe slot. You have to have a SATA compatible version for SATA SSDs, PATA for PATA SSDs. I remember from when I was getting a mPCIe SSD for my dell mini 9.
I doubt android has the drivers for it anyways. The WWAN is probably the only option.

gallahad2000 said:
miniPCIe SSDs require a special type of miniPCIe slot. You have to have a SATA compatible version for SATA SSDs, PATA for PATA SSDs. I remember from when I was getting a mPCIe SSD for my dell mini 9.
I doubt android has the drivers for it anyways. The WWAN is probably the only option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've read that, and I'm not to sure on the rarity of those compatible ports. There weren't any good markings on the board itself. Here's a crop of an image I took for reference:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Unfortunately I already closed it back up, so sometime later I'll separate the board from the case to inspect the back, or fish around the stock kernel to see if it just so happens to support it already (though I'd be amazed if so). For now I'm trying to scavenge anything that I can plug into this port to start testing with. My touchpad didnt have anything to offer, but I think I have a netbook laying around This USB adapter looks really interesting:
http://www.hwtools.net/Adapter/PM3U.html
But last time I ordered from a site like this, the USB drive didnt fit into any of my ports...

After some more reading, it looks like we'll be fine with the port. Getting the drivers is another issue, but there are SSDs for both mSata and mPCIe. There was even work on the joojoo converting a SSD to support the other protocol. Hopefully my scavenging doesn't end up needing this though.
Edit:
I ended up buying this mPCIe to USB/SATA adapter from amazon. Cheap option so I can start messing with available hardware to see what we can get away with. There were cheaper boards available over seas for ~$3, but I'd prefer to pay the extra money to get it delivered in 3-5 days rather than 14-armageddon days. I ordered a 15 cent usb stick from hong kong that never arrived (though a 10 cent one did!).
Also, there is no 5V pin on the pci specifications. So I'm not sure if my previously linked usb adapter had a circuit off of the 3V or 12V or just gave you either of them raw. If someone ends up buying it I'd check it with a multimeter first. I guess you can tell I'm really wary of these companies.
Updates in a week's shipping!

Anapmac said:
...
Also, there is no 5V pin on the pci specifications. So I'm not sure if my previously linked usb adapter had a circuit off of the 3V or 12V or just gave you either of them raw. If someone ends up buying it I'd check it with a multimeter first. I guess you can tell I'm really wary of these companies.
Updates in a week's shipping!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking at the pictures for the hwtools adapter, it looks like there is a voltage regulator (circled below) on it that probably brings the 12 volts down to 5. The Amazon adapter probably has something similar but I can't see much in the Amazon pictures.

Zidoo X6 PRO TV Box Review

Zidoo X6 PRO TV Box Review
​
X6 is certainly a very powerful tool for your TV/monitor. But is it powerful enough?
Don't rush it! Let's inspect it the right way. The package that we received is very elegant and it gives you a premium feeling. It's minimal design in combination with it's durability makes it the perfect packaging for any product.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
As we walk our way inner we find the device itself, sitting in it's own carton box and further at the bottom we find the accesories box. There's the remote, the power adapter, the HDMI and all the paperwork. Again premium packaging.
Accessories
The remote control, has a great size and design. It's quality is far better than the majority I used. There's an issue for me on it though: As a PC user I'm used to a specific numpad, and that remote has a completely different numpad layout. It's frustrating. And another thing was bizzare, too: It didn't include 2xAAA bateries. I know, minor details, but they do make the difference. Also another thing is that you will find it difficult to actually write something. The best thing you could do, is to buy a cordless keyboard with bluetooth or WiFi.
Design
The X6 is made of aluminium alloy and plastic. It's design is just perfect: little, elegant, gorgeous. At the front there's the IR receiver for the remote's signal. At the left-side it has 2xUSB 2.0 ports and a Micro SD slot (it supports up to 32GBs). You can use one of the USB's as an OTG port. That transaltes to "you can power an external device from that" (such as a hard drive). At the rear side you can find: The Power adapter DC/5V, a CVBS port, an Ethernet, a HDMI 2.0 ( provides up to 4K resolution at 60fps) and an Optical connector.
Benchmarks and specs
It's packing an Octacore Rockchip RK3368 64bit clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GBs or RAM, 16GBs of internal storage, GPU SGX6110, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, Ethernet and Android 5.1 Lollipop.
The RAM and the internal storage are more than enough for everyday use. Also the GPU performs real good for video streaming (up to 4K).
See the video for Zidoo X6 PRO's capabilities on video streaming, gaming experience and more.
The Rockchip RK3368 is a 64bit, Octacore chip and it's clock speed can reach the 1.5GHz per core (so Zidoo says so). I ran a few benchmarks with GeekBench and as it turned out it's clock speed were 1.2GHz instead of 1.5GHz. At average it scored 2,394 and 641 single core. It's a pretty decent score for a CPU clocked at 1.2GHz. Actually it scored better than the Snapdragon 615 @1.5MHz (2,371 overal & 638 single core).
During the benchmarks I figured out that when I had mouse & keyboard connected the performance got worse.
Conclusion
The Zidoo X6 PRO has surprised me very positively. It's performance in addition with the Android Lollipop and it's design makes it one of the top TV boxes out there. If you are looking for a powerful little machine with wonderful skills of camouflaging in your living room then the Zidoo X6 PRO is the way to go.
It's retail price on geekbuying.com is 88.45€ (or 99$). Buy it now here with free shipping.
Positives
+ Design
+ CPU
+ Android 5.1
+ Built in Google Play
+ Pre-installed Kodi Isengard
+ Better than cheap Smart TV
+ Value for money
Negatives
- 1.2GHz instead of 1.5GHz
- Remote control's numpad
- Doesn't include 2xAAA batteries
- 3rd party Youtube app
more info at: www.aicompare.com

Does zidoo X6 support passthrough on kodi?

there's tons of lipsync issues with this product.

Few questions about OP5.

1. Camera has 1080p/60fps? (with EIS possible?)
2. Is this device somehow waterproff? I can't believe that high-end smartphone don't have any protection.
3. How to root this thing? It will be my first OxygenOS phone
4. It have SDcard slot? (128GB version)?
5. How can I get something like silicone case? I'm living in the EU/Poland
I should receive it this friday

KamilKiri said:
1. Camera has 1080p/60fps? (with EIS possible?)
2. Is this device somehow waterproff? I can't believe that high-end smartphone don't have any protection.
3. How to root this thing? It will be my first OxygenOS phone
4. It have SDcard slot? (128GB version)?
5. How can I get something like silicone case? I'm living in the EU/Poland
I should receive it this friday
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://oneplus.net/5/specs

Oh, my bad! I didn't saw that expanded specification.
So only 3 and 5 questions left! About root and silicon case.
Thank you @SysAdmNj
Also! Will OP5 charge on this charging pad that left after my S7?
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}

KamilKiri said:
Oh, my bad! I didn't saw that expanded specification.
So only 3 and 5 questions left! About root and silicon case.
Thank you @SysAdmNj
Also! Will OP5 charge on this charging pad that left after my S7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. Root should be available shortly, just stay tuned to these forums. Same way we've rooted previous oneplus devices.
5. Right now, you either have to wait for oneplus to get them back in stock or keep searching amazon until silicone cases start showing up.
I'm also looking for a case like that but they arent out yet.
No wireless charging.

I read on some reviews that OP's CEO said that it can resist water splash or even some immersion, they just didn't spend money to certificate that

I wouldnt buy this phone, so overrated and now they cheat in benchmarks,,,
Good points
Sd835
Dual camera
Slim design
LPDDR4X RAM
UFS 2.1
Decent price ($300 less than iPhone )
Bad points
Smaller battery than OP3T
Low resolution display compared to flagships
Huge bezels
No waterproofing
No stereo speakers.
No OIS
No 3D touch
No wireless charging ( also absent in iPhone 7)
No expandable storage (64 GB would be too less in 1-2 years)
They should have priced it at $400 then it would be super hit all over the world.

mortuus82 said:
I wouldnt buy this phone, so overrated and now they cheat in benchmarks,,,
Good points
Sd835
Dual camera
Slim design
LPDDR4X RAM
UFS 2.1
Decent price ($300 less than iPhone )
Bad points
Smaller battery than OP3T
Low resolution display compared to flagships
Huge bezels
No waterproofing
No stereo speakers.
No OIS
No 3D touch
No wireless charging ( also absent in iPhone 7)
No expandable storage (64 GB would be too less in 1-2 years)
They should have priced it at $400 then it would be super hit all over the world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't really compare to an iPhone... You're better off comparing to another Android phone.
64gb is way plenty for most people (they have a 128gb option) I have had a oneplus one for 3 years with 64gb and have barely breached half that (with many apps/music backups, etc)
Smaller battery (barely) but better battery consumption.
The only real letdown is the screen resolution imo

OPPO Find X5, Step 2: The Unboxing + Surprise

Hello Everyone, XDA,
Here we come. I've just received my OPPO Find X5 as an OPPO Product Ambassador.
You will find the previous thread about Step 1 here: A new journey: The OPPO Product Ambassadors, Step 1
I could have gone for just some pictures here and there for the unboxing; however, I decided to pay it unsafe and make a video of it.
Any critics are good for me and will help me to improve, so don't hesitate to comment and tell me your thoughts.
And yes the surprise is the MariSilicon X NPU Chipset itself sent with the OPPO Find X5.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
The Box:
Let's start with what is in the box:
Phone x 1
Charger x 1
USB Data Cable x 1
SIM Ejector Tool x 1
Safety Guide x1
Quick Start Guide x 1
Protective Case x 1
USB Dongle (Type-A to Type-C) x 1
Exclusive Service Card x 1
The box weight is around 623g. Meaning you will find inside the Charger 80W SuperVOOC and the Smartphone, USB cable, and the protective case (TPU)
The packaging is nice with only two colors, dark grey and black, premium colors. You can see a big 5 in front with the name of the Smartphone and a Silver 5G for showing its compatibility with the latest connectivity.
On the left side of the box, only the famous H logo for Hasselblad. On the right, OPPO and Hasselblad, both together, are presently showing their partnership.
Only the Android Robot with "Easy to access to the Google apps you use most" is present on the back.
I'm a little bit disappointed not to see a logo of the SoC used in the phone (whatever Mediatek or Snapdragon, it would have been nice to have them) as well as the mention of the MariSilicon X NPU.
On top of it, the classic information is IMEI, Product number, variant, SN, and Gencod.
I didn't see any Recycle logo. Quite the opposite, the "don't trash it" and "Contains SOYOIL." Theoretically, Soybean oil is one of the most sustainable, bio-renewable, abundant, and economical materials capable of competing with petroleum-derived products.
Except that, nothing more is visible from the outside.
Let's open it.
Inside the Box:
You will first find a black sleeve with the logo OPPO, black on black, containing the protective case, the safety guide in multiple languages, the quick guide and the SIM ejector tool, and the exclusive service card with a QR Code on it.
After removing it, you will find the Smartphone itself, wrapped in its plastics (seems like recycle one, and recycle logos are present, as well the indication where the wireless charger and the fingerprint sensor are located)
There is already a protective film on the screen.
After removing it, you will find another layer of protection, a simple carton with the shape of the smartphone rear.
Under it, the rest of the accessories are the charger, USB Data Cable, and USB Dongle.
And that's all.
Yes, not USB-C to Jack adapter somewhere. The Quick Start Guide is full of Hi-Res Audio, but the Smartphone doesn't have any jack. With the progress made in wireless audio; it might not be an issue for a majority of consumers in 2022. However, if I have a device with this capability, I will use my wired headphones.
Another thing that bothers me is the size of the charger, and its USB port. Its weight is around 106g, which means a lot when you are used to a GaN charger. I'm still wondering why in 2022, no more OEMs integrate chargers with this technology. We will be able to save a maximum of 40% of the space and the weight. And this charger was sent me back years back, especially with a USB Type-A port on it.
The phone:
It's small in my hands, well balanced, and the camera bump is way less than I imagined after saying the Press photos of it. The screen is slightly curved, and the bezels seem thin and symmetric. We can see the partnership between OPPO and Hasselblad on the back.
The color is nice, mat, with some glimpse of glitter depending on how the light reflects. One of the good points is that it would be difficult to see the fingerprint on it.
One thing, or detail, I like is the OPPO green color insert in the power button.
The OPPO Find X5 is still thin and feels great in hands with the protective case. The total weight of the Smartphone and the protective case is around 218g, but as I said, it is well balanced, and I don't really feel it. I even thought it was way less.
And here we are, at the end of this unboxing. Again, thank you OPPO and @OPPO Ambassador Team for this opportunity.​
It is time to conclude this step 2 for this journey.
Don't forget to subscribe to the thread if you want to receive notifications.

Amazing Unboxing Brother

abhishekyadavphotography said:
Amazing Unboxing Brother
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the support I like yours too. Great inspiration for the next ones

Modify PSU

Hi,
Im building a small factor PC as a projekt/hobby. Its for fun and Will be sold or given to a relative when finished.
The case is an old Packardbell with the measures: 35cm x 25cm x 9cm. In it ive put:
Mobo: ASUS H81M-R mATX
CPU & Cooler: i7-4770, Arctic Alpine CO
CD/DVD reader: old HP standard size.
Ram: 2 x 8GB Samsung 1600MHz
Storage: 500GB Seagate Barracuda 3.5 Inch (thin modell) and 480GB SSD Toshiba 2.5 Inch.
GPU: MSI GTX 1050 Ti Low profile(on its way)
Ive tried fit everything in the case(Still waiting om GPU). Yes it all fit after some Magic(cussing involved).
The real problem comes with the PSU. The original PSU for The case is 220w which is insufficient. Ive figurer i need at least 350w which ive found. However it sound like an jet engine.
This PSU i a ACBEL API4FS40, measures: 30cm x 8cm x 4cm so it fits perfect. It has two fans, One intake and One outtake. Three fans has an CFM of 18,67.
Now to the problem. I want to chance these fans for something quiet. Noctua 40mm is what came to mind BUT these Noctua fans only have a CFM of slightly over 5.
Will this chance work or are the Noctua fans simply to weak?
I think this PSU originally is a server PSU and thus the extrem cooling. Would it need the the same amount of cooling for desktop use?
I can upload som pictures of the build itself if it intresse you. All thoughts or experties is welcome.
Sincerly
Nathan

Neiten said:
Hi,
Im building a small factor PC as a projekt/hobby. Its for fun and Will be sold or given to a relative when finished.
The case is an old Packardbell with the measures: 35cm x 25cm x 9cm. In it ive put:
Mobo: ASUS H81M-R mATX
CPU & Cooler: i7-4770, Arctic Alpine CO
CD/DVD reader: old HP standard size.
Ram: 2 x 8GB Samsung 1600MHz
Storage: 500GB Seagate Barracuda 3.5 Inch (thin modell) and 480GB SSD Toshiba 2.5 Inch.
GPU: MSI GTX 1050 Ti Low profile(on its way)
Ive tried fit everything in the case(Still waiting om GPU). Yes it all fit after some Magic(cussing involved).
The real problem comes with the PSU. The original PSU for The case is 220w which is insufficient. Ive figurer i need at least 350w which ive found. However it sound like an jet engine.
This PSU i a ACBEL API4FS40, measures: 30cm x 8cm x 4cm so it fits perfect. It has two fans, One intake and One outtake. Three fans has an CFM of 18,67.
Now to the problem. I want to chance these fans for something quiet. Noctua 40mm is what came to mind BUT these Noctua fans only have a CFM of slightly over 5.
Will this chance work or are the Noctua fans simply to weak?
I think this PSU originally is a server PSU and thus the extrem cooling. Would it need the the same amount of cooling for desktop use?
I can upload som pictures of the build itself if it intresse you. All thoughts or experties is welcome.
Sincerly
Nathan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This PSU is designed for high air flow due to its compact size. I would not recommend to change the fans to weaker ones. But maybe you can install another PSU?

strongst said:
This PSU is designed for high air flow due to its compact size. I would not recommend to change the fans to weaker ones. But maybe you can install another PSU?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is to fund One that fits. I only got clearence for maximum of 30cm x 9cm x 5cm

Ive now realised that it does exist a ton of PSU with the right measurements. BUT they all have 40mm fans.
I din a calculation with the formula:
P = p*Cp*q(T1-T2)
If i use these assumptions:
PSU efficiency is 80% then it generates 70w heat.
The intake temperture to be 30 degres Celsius.
CFM of slightly higher then 5
I get that under full load, the Noctua fans Keep the PSU at 54 degres Celsius.
That should be enough right?

Neiten said:
Ive now realised that it does exist a ton of PSU with the right measurements. BUT they all have 40mm fans.
I din a calculation with the formula:
P = p*Cp*q(T1-T2)
If i use these assumptions:
PSU efficiency is 80% then it generates 70w heat.
The intake temperture to be 30 degres Celsius.
CFM of slightly higher then 5
I get that under full load, the Noctua fans Keep the PSU at 54 degres Celsius.
That should be enough right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The form factor does not allow other fan sizes hence all is designed with those fans and the defined air flow due to the fact, that nobody sits next to the PSU like the ones for PC 's
You can try of course. Either the psu will throttle down or components will be damaged.

strongst said:
The form factor does not allow other fan sizes hence all is designed with those fans and the defined air flow due to the fact, that nobody sits next to the PSU like the ones for PC 's
You can try of course. Either the psu will throttle down or components will be damaged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it should be enough. What ive read it seems that server PSU tries to have a Stable temperature between 20-40 degres Celsius. Probobly becuase they have several in a small space right next to eachother.
Ill update when ive built and stresstested the PC.

those fans and the defined air flow due to the fact, that nobody jiofi.local.html sits next to the PSU like the ones for PC 's

Late reply but it worked out fine had it sitting for about 30min with Furmark and CPU burner to stresstest the pc and the maximum wattage drawn from the outlet was 122.
Sold it to a friend of mine who is pleased. Yes we were gaming for a while when i dropped it off to try it out and he has now had it for a couple of months, no issues has accurd.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}

Theres a dvd reader that took up al the space left in the first picture and i had to do a cut out on the top for the gpu.