NookColor Salting
From NovaPorts
Contents |
What is salting a Nook?
Salting refers to a destructive teardown of a device. It involves unsoldering every chip, removing every shield and then using a tone device to trace the connections in the board from one point to another. Once this has been done, the device is as dead as a slug you poured salt on.
Results
The Photos of the process and comments about results can be followed at the Novaports Gallery.
Why?
The Nook Color has a radio chip which can do Bluetooth, Wifi and FM Radio, but only the wifi was enabled by B&N. It is possible that the Bluetooth radio may, or may not have power. The only way to tell for sure is to open the Nook up, and see if the power pin for the BT radio has +5v. There is no other way. Same thing for FM. Similarly, there are questions about the power connector, the microphone, usb, etc etc. We need this.
How?
After basic disassembly, the board will be heated in an oven to melt all the solder connections on the board.
High resolution photos will be taken.
Finally, a tone generator will be used to verify traces and connections from one place to another on the board.
Status
29Dec2010 - an NC has been ordered for salting.
3Jan2011 - The NC for salting arrived.
6Jan2011 - First results posted to the gallery
