Modding Clapped Out Zen Micro

Ok, somy Creative Zen Micro is pretty much dead now in that the head phone socket gives really bad sound and you have fiddle around to hear anything and it also drains the battery when it is switched off. So I am going to get a new MP3 player, however I could still have use for my old one as it works. What would I need to do to connect it straight to some speakers w/o the headphone jack and build it into my own mini pre-docked docking station?

 

Take it out of its casing and fix the headphones jack/solder a new jack on.

Unlike the iPod range, there is no line out on the docking (usb) port on the Zen so teh headphones connector is the only way to get sound out.

 

Yeah, I found a thing on where to put a bit of solder that should hopefully get it working. Anybody know how to stop it from draining the battery when switched off?

 

check that it really is switched off - dodgy switch? check for short-circuits.

 

sorry if this sounds like "sucking eggs 101" but have you the latest firmware? it was released as a bug fix for this very reason, it's improved but its still not the greatest... all to do with the standby function, it never really turns itself off unless the battery is removed...

 

HMMMM, perhaps that is the problem on that front. But I never had the problem before.

 

don't be too hasty!

this is a known bug with Zen micros.

There's a relatively simply fix too, simpley open up the Zen, until you've got the circuit board with the headphone jack on, remove the small metal casing around the jack.

Now here's the fun part, fold up a small piece of paper and put it on top of the headphone jack, screw the metal casing back down so the paper pushes the headphone jack firmly to the board.

ta daaaaa....you no longer have to fiddle with your jack to get decent sound output.

I did this for both mine and my girlfriends Zen and neither have had problems since.