Mp4 player chip. Help needed

[etts]

Hi, I've been reading these forums for a while now..i'm a total noob in these kind of things and decided to register. Anyways..got this mp4 player chip and was thinking if someone could help me to learn something of it.Here are the pictures:

EDIT: clear pictures
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/6032/28623653.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8744/80020244.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


So what i wanted to ask is: How to make it work? (if possible at all ), When i connect it to my laptop via USB, it doesn't recognise it as a USB storage, but i can hear the speaker soughing and when i press the middle button it starts making this silent high pitched noise.
Basically, any information would be helpful.
Thanks.

[timmeh87]

Well here is what I can observe:

1) It was made in an asian country and is of poor quality
2) There is a sticker covering the chip that would identify the hardware
3) The crystal (slightly down and left of center) looks like its shorting out some of the pins on the chip. Its actually bent completely the wrong way (goes inside white rectangle).

[etts]

I've put it back, so it won't touch anything. Nothing changed.
Something must be working on it if it's making those sounds.And any idea why doesn't my laptop recognises it?

[timmeh87]

Cause it sounds pretty broken.

If its only making a high pitched noise that doesn't mean its working... it just means its making a high pitched noise. To me that makes it sound broken.

[DukDog]

I'm not saying that this is impossible to resurrect. But from one NoOb to another I would shelve this project at least until I'd had some serious experience under my belt.

Two things that catch my (granted untrained) eyes right off are...

1-LCD cracked and broken in several places. This poor thing must have been stomped on. Until you can find the manufacturer so you can buy a replacement LCD with correct wiring I doubt you'll be able to watch any MP4s.

2-There are at least two points to the right of the top switch, three or four points under the speaker's wire, and one more on the side with the LCD in the upper right hand corner where it looks like somebody has already gone to town with a soldering iron (some of which appear to be surface mount components). Judging by the globs of solder I wouldn't be surprised if a connection or two are shorted or lacking continuity. I myself try to avoid any surface mount soldering as my current skill with the iron isn't to the point where I'd trust myself.

Considering you can find what I would assume to be similar quality MP4s for easily $20 or less off ebay you might want to just turn this thing into a practice board to hone your soldering skills, providing they need honing.