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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: hexyjones on February 13, 2005, 12:08:00 PM

Title: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 13, 2005, 12:08:00 PM: Not sure why...but just to see whats inside this cheap thing.

Well - easier said than done...

Im not sure I've ever seen anything put together this well...

Im not sure I can actually get it apart...!

It's totally soldered shut...and when I got as far as pic - the board is soldered to the case - like 2 inches of seam - all solder...

I used some solder absorbing braid - that worked well...Incredible they used so much solder in this thing...

Should I go any further?
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 13, 2005, 01:57:30 PM: Ok cracked it open...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 13, 2005, 01:58:41 PM: The chip is Toshiba

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/datasheet/pdf/62/62041.html

Doesn't look so hot...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: dklein on February 13, 2005, 10:48:51 PM: no, it doesn't but I always like seeing stuff opened up ;D +t
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: Sanjay on February 22, 2005, 06:43:01 AM: Thanks for showing us the insides, its a shame that this thing isn't better a/d quality with the type of construction and size, it could make a nice a/d. Is it possible to switch out the toshiba chip for something more suited to our needs? I don't know much about that just throwing out the idea.
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: JackoRoses on February 22, 2005, 06:58:46 AM: Quote from: sirchek on February 22, 2005, 06:43:01 AM
Thanks for showing us the insides, its a shame that this thing isn't better a/d quality with the type of construction and size, it could make a nice a/d. Is it possible to switch out the toshiba chip for something more suited to our needs? I don't know much about that just throwing out the idea.
That is a great idea, if you could stick a brown burr A/D chip in there it would be a dramatic improvement in quality.
+T for taking stuff apart
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 23, 2005, 10:23:34 AM: Hold tight - Im gonna hafta break out the jewlers scope - they eyes can do that anymore...!!!
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: F.O.Bean on February 24, 2005, 03:49:44 AM: is it an a/d converter or a digital signal converter like going coax>optical
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: Sanjay on February 24, 2005, 05:23:04 AM: Quote from: Bean on February 24, 2005, 03:49:44 AM
is it an a/d converter or a digital signal converter like going coax>optical

a/d, rat shack carries both
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: F.O.Bean on February 24, 2005, 05:42:37 AM: Quote from: sirchek on February 24, 2005, 05:23:04 AM
Quote from: Bean on February 24, 2005, 03:49:44 AM
is it an a/d converter or a digital signal converter like going coax>optical

a/d, rat shack carries both

nice, +T sanjay, i had no clue they actually sold an a/d converter ;)
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: Sanjay on February 24, 2005, 06:13:48 AM: Quote from: Bean on February 24, 2005, 05:42:37 AM
Quote from: sirchek on February 24, 2005, 05:23:04 AM
Quote from: Bean on February 24, 2005, 03:49:44 AM
is it an a/d converter or a digital signal converter like going coax>optical

a/d, rat shack carries both

nice, +T sanjay, i had no clue they actually sold an a/d converter ;)

stumbled across it one day on sale for 9.99, lost it in the move over here though so I never had a chance to try it out.
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: jk labs on February 27, 2005, 02:17:10 PM: Quote from: corkscrew on February 23, 2005, 10:23:34 AM
Hold tight - Im gonna hafta break out the jewlers scope - they eyes can do that anymore...!!!

hrmmmmm...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 27, 2005, 03:21:08 PM: How's this...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: tms on February 28, 2005, 01:37:28 PM: Is all of that shielding to protect from RF noise?

Quote from: corkscrew on February 13, 2005, 12:08:00 PM
Im not sure I've ever seen anything put together this well...

Im not sure I can actually get it apart...!

It's totally soldered shut...and when I got as far as pic - the board is soldered to the case - like 2 inches of seam - all solder...

I used some solder absorbing braid - that worked well...Incredible they used so much solder in this thing...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: tms on February 28, 2005, 01:38:34 PM: This link doesn't open for me.

What specs do you see that aren't so hot?

Quote from: corkscrew on February 13, 2005, 01:58:41 PM
The chip is Toshiba

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/datasheet/pdf/62/62041.html

Doesn't look so hot...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 28, 2005, 02:00:00 PM: Quote from: tms on February 28, 2005, 01:37:28 PM
Is all of that shielding to protect from RF noise?

Quote from: corkscrew on February 13, 2005, 12:08:00 PM
Im not sure I've ever seen anything put together this well...

Im not sure I can actually get it apart...!

It's totally soldered shut...and when I got as far as pic - the board is soldered to the case - like 2 inches of seam - all solder...

I used some solder absorbing braid - that worked well...Incredible they used so much solder in this thing...

I think - it also has a video in and will output a S-Video signal...I assumed there would be some shielding due to the video - but not that much...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on February 28, 2005, 02:02:28 PM: Quote from: tms on February 28, 2005, 01:38:34 PM
This link doesn't open for me.

What specs do you see that aren't so hot?

Quote from: corkscrew on February 13, 2005, 01:58:41 PM
The chip is Toshiba

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/datasheet/pdf/62/62041.html

Doesn't look so hot...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: jk labs on February 28, 2005, 03:17:08 PM: Quote from: corkscrew on February 28, 2005, 02:00:00 PM
Quote from: tms on February 28, 2005, 01:37:28 PM
Is all of that shielding to protect from RF noise?

Quote from: corkscrew on February 13, 2005, 12:08:00 PM
Im not sure I've ever seen anything put together this well...

Im not sure I can actually get it apart...!

It's totally soldered shut...and when I got as far as pic - the board is soldered to the case - like 2 inches of seam - all solder...

I used some solder absorbing braid - that worked well...Incredible they used so much solder in this thing...

I think - it also has a video in and will output a S-Video signal...I assumed there would be some shielding due to the video - but not that much...

Thanks for the detailed information on the parts used, their location as well as color!

Shielding has to be complete to be effective. If you look inside an old TV or VCR you see the same thing: only very small holes are allowed in the RF stages. Modern PCs as well: the enclosing shell is conductive and only small holes are allowed in the shell. This prevents RF from leaking out.
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: Rleeee on March 19, 2005, 10:40:07 PM: Would this thing be better than the A/D in the JB3?
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: hexyjones on March 19, 2005, 10:47:41 PM: No...
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: §†∑∫åµÞ≥¥ on March 21, 2005, 12:04:22 PM: Would a Burr Brown chip fit in this thing? Would it even make a difference?
Title: Re: Dissecting the Radio Shack A/D converter...
Post by: sml42 on March 24, 2005, 11:57:15 AM: I just stumbled across this thread. I actually took one of these apart almost 2 years ago. If memory serves the two main chips are an ADC and a S/PDIF driver. I had the opportunity to listen to this through a high-end audio system, and I can confirm it is utter rubbish (or at least, it sounded trash through the system we had hooked up). In this case, you definately get what you pay for.

best regards,
stephen