[Android Head-Units] kaween:
from your reply it sounds like i'm most likely SOL unless i re-flow unless i'm mistaken. I'm definitely not equipped to do this, nor am i entirely sure what it even involves (i'm guessing bringing it up to melting point so the solder re-establishes contact, like the old xbox 360-in-a-towel trick to fix a RROD?

Correct. But the towel trick was no soluton in the long run : "mileage will vary".

Sounds like the easiest solution for me is to just order a new board and be done with it, however if heat is an issue, wouldnt the replacement board i purchase just end up with the same fate 8 or so months later? (barring another collision)

Hmm. No. Yes. Don't know. :)

I've got a couple of degrees in electronics and digital system design. Not saying that makes me smart, far from it, but you do develop a "gut feeling for design and their inherent issues".

Here, my gut feeling is saying : these cheap designs are not meant to last forever. Does such a modification garantee you won't ever have some failure ? No. Does the non-execution of this mod means your unit will die prematurely for sure ? No, it does not. Are there enough examples of prematurly dead droid units on this forum alone, spanning several brands and different designs ? Absolutly.

When a cpu runs at 60°C centigrade outside of the rather punishing conditions in a car (simply on my test bench in my basement, with the board open in the air) and without any real load, you can bet your sw*** a** it will be a LOT hotter when it's sitting there all comfy in your dashboard, with no natural airflow to speak of. I THINK I remember the MST789 becomes very uncomfy starting 85°C.

Now if the cpu gets to 60°C in a 20°C ambient temperature, what do you think it will turn out to be when it's 40°C in your car, full sun blazing, AND it has to work at full loads ? Also don't forget, switching on your A/C will make your cabin cooler, but it won't really do wonders for the temperature in the inside of your dash, now will it ?

I know for example the Huifei's have a tendency NOT to boot in these situations for example, and that is considered to be "normal".

Look at this concept from a "better safe than sorry" perspective, and know that ALL these droid units are prone to heatissues due to their design. The AN21 isn't an exception here.

So when you already have opened the unit, why not go that extra mile to try and prevent problems in the future ?

Is it necessary to do such cooling mods to keep these units running long term?

Maybe not. But it won't hurt either. :cool:

I'm sure i could probably work out what you showed with the heat sync mod, though mods like that take a ton of time and i'm afraid i dont have the many tinkering hours in me like i did in the past w/my 2 jobs and family etc. =( I remember my old xbox modding days... i could easily spend 12 hours straight just messing with a hardware mod.

You underestimate your capabilities, and overestimate the time you need. The main problem would be to find a cooling block that's ready for use and has the correct measurements.

And since I'm such a bad person, I'm offering to make one for free for you and ship it out to you.

I can't install it for you as I'm probably roughly 10.000km away from you, but this should already take a lot of your fears away.

To be honest : with that little guide I made as example, you're looking at 5 to 10 minutes to rip the unit apart (you do NOT need to disassemble the complete unit : just the screen assembly (problably 4 screws), 2 screws keeping the base plate in place, 6 screws that secure the rear plate and 2 longer screws that keep the rear plate connected to the AMP chip.

You lift the complet top-half of the unit with the DVD station still hanging in there and flip it to the side, unhook the flatcable of the DVD unit, and after that there's only 4 screws that keep the board in place.

Stick the cooling block in place, screw the block + mainboard back on the base plate .... and reverse the disassembly. Any idiot can do it. I'm should know. :silly:

Is there some upgraded unit out there that makes the AN-21 u unit last gen that is more stable? If you think just popping in a replacement board would be the solver of all my issues (given the fan is not broken) without the need for a location/milling/attachment of a custom heat fin setup, i may just go that route.

I don't think so. I've only recently repaired another AN21 which had a failed board (not temperature related, guy switched + and - when he was mounting his unit and the results .... well, a smoke and a puff).

I ordered a replacement board at those guys I put up a link to and altough newer in design and coming with the newest 2.8.8 version, the basic hardware design has not changed at all in terms of cooling.

Since you got yourself a ticket for a free cooling block from me anyway, that shouldn't be an issue anymore.

Hope that takes care of you getting cold feet at the prospect of doing this job.

PS : and now I'm of to bed. Just got a complaining cat sitting next to me, agressivly escorting me to the bedroom as it's 1:30AM now and I'm off to work at ... 7AM. :eek: