Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[MoeXzl]

In EU the selling prices are around 4-500€, so modding prices are also over 100€

I also make around €1** with an OLED
However, the chip is already included. The tax office has its eyes everywhere

 

[Asia81]

Edited...

 

[deeps]

I timed myself today during an oled install from scratch, with checkpoints for important steps. I figured the numbers might be helpful to someone. Note that I am doing the emmc-mitm-adapter with reball which is a bit more time consuming than most installs.

00:00 start. virgin oled, rp2040-zero, resistors and mosfet on the table. starting chip preparation
11:42 rp2040-zero flashed, buttons/usb/ldo removed, resistors soldered. starting mosfet preparation
21:25 wires of appropriate length and curvature soldered onto mosfet. starting switch disassembly
31:07 switch disassembled, mainboard in pcb holder. starting removal of emmc
46:51 emmc removed, emmc and mainboard solder wicked and cleaned. starting reballing
1:00:25 emmc-mitm-adapter and emmc reballed. starting emmc reattachment
1:14:45 emmc-mitm-adapter reattached and important points measured, emmc reattached. starting mosfet soldering
1:29:28 mosfet soldered, apu shield cover reattached. starting chip wiring/soldering
2:00:20 chip and all wires soldered and measured. starting reassembly
2:17:54 reassembly complete, hekate running. done!

 

[ItzMeGab]

Its RP2040-Zero and looks like I have accidentally removed the small component here, will the picofly still works without that?

 

[deeps]

Its RP2040-Zero and looks like I have accidentally removed the small component here, will the picofly still works without that?

It's a capacitor for the LDO which is only used when you use the usb port. If your chip is flashed already you're good

 

[deesil]

Thanks, i test this today and it work.... thanks a lot !!!


Thanks to u again, i have a debug led on the chip !!!

i can now use my Tiny chip

Post automatically merged: Dec 26, 2023

Thanks, i test this today and it work.... thanks a lot !!!


Thanks to u again, i have a debug led on the chip !!!

i can now use my Tiny chip

Post automatically merged: Dec 26, 2023

I also have the clone boards. I bought them not realizing there's a difference here. I've managed to remove the 10k resistor, and then I bridged the pads using just a solder blob. I've checked for continuity between the 3.3v rail and the two left pins on the LED. I get continuity. When I transfer the 2.73 or 2.75 firmware I don't see the LED light.

Any idea what's going on? Any tips for how to proceed? Happy to provide more info. How critical is this LED lighting? Is it just for debugging? Can I proceed without it?

some context: I bought about 10 of these boards. I might just order the waveshare ones and make my life easier.

Calling out to @psycho-neon as well as they provided great help to @chronoss

 

[karatefeet]

I timed myself today during an oled install from scratch, with checkpoints for important steps. I figured the numbers might be helpful to someone. Note that I am doing the emmc-mitm-adapter with reball which is a bit more time consuming than most installs.

00:00 start. virgin oled, rp2040-zero, resistors and mosfet on the table. starting chip preparation
11:42 rp2040-zero flashed, buttons/usb/ldo removed, resistors soldered. starting mosfet preparation
21:25 wires of appropriate length and curvature soldered onto mosfet. starting switch disassembly
31:07 switch disassembled, mainboard in pcb holder. starting removal of emmc
46:51 emmc removed, emmc and mainboard solder wicked and cleaned. starting reballing
1:00:25 emmc-mitm-adapter and emmc reballed. starting emmc reattachment
1:14:45 emmc-mitm-adapter reattached and important points measured, emmc reattached. starting mosfet soldering
1:29:28 mosfet soldered, apu shield cover reattached. starting chip wiring/soldering
2:00:20 chip and all wires soldered and measured. starting reassembly
2:17:54 reassembly complete, hekate running. done!

How reliable has the emmc adapter been for you? With the 5 that I've installed, 4 have come back and I've had to removed and replace with a wire to the dat0 point. The oleds would stop glitching although my diode measurements for the 3 points were all within spec. I'm sure it's probably my reballing of the adapter so would like to learn what you and others do to get a good reball. I use my magnetic stencil and kinda just fit the stencil over the adapter but it doesn't sit flush obviously. I loved using the adapter but unfortunately it's not reliable for me.

 

[deeps]

How reliable has the emmc adapter been for you? With the 5 that I've installed, 4 have come back and I've had to removed and replace with a wire to the dat0 point. The oleds would stop glitching although my diode measurements for the 3 points were all within spec. I'm sure it's probably my reballing of the adapter so would like to learn what you and others do to get a good reball. I use my magnetic stencil and kinda just fit the stencil over the adapter but it doesn't sit flush obviously. I loved using the adapter but unfortunately it's not reliable for me.

I've done about 25 and it's been working 100% for me, no returns. are you cleaning/wicking your emmc+adapter well enough beforehand? what kind of paste are you using?

 

[karatefeet]

I've done about 25 and it's been working 100% for me, no returns. are you cleaning/wicking your emmc+adapter well enough beforehand? what kind of paste are you using?

hmm ok that might be my issue. So you're wicking both sides of the adapter then reballing the underside? I'm using mechanic 183 c paste. Also are you using a magnetic stencil?

 

[deeps]

hmm ok that might be my issue. So you're wicking both sides of the adapter then reballing the underside? I'm using mechanic 183 c paste. Also are you using a magnetic stencil?

I am wicking the emmc, both sides of the green adapters (if they come with balls) and also the mainboard. Then I reball the underside of the adapter and the emmc. Then add a small amount of flux to the mainboard, align adapter on top and attach it (heat 160 for a minute, 260 for a minute, 360 for a minute), then add a small amount of flux onto the adapter, align emmc and attach it (heat 160 for a minute, 260 for a minute, 330 for a minute). I use sn63/pb37 paste, probably same as yours. I'm not using a magnetic tool, I just put the emmc/adapter on a piece of toilet paper (for movement resistance) and align stencil on top

 

[karatefeet]

I am wicking the emmc, both sides of the green adapters (if they come with balls) and also the mainboard. Then I reball the underside of the adapter and the emmc. Then add a small amount of flux to the mainboard, align adapter on top and attach it (heat 160 for a minute, 260 for a minute, 360 for a minute), then add a small amount of flux onto the adapter, align emmc and attach it (heat 160 for a minute, 260 for a minute, 330 for a minute). I use sn63/pb37 paste, probably same as yours. I'm not using a magnetic tool, I just put the emmc/adapter on a piece of toilet paper (for movement resistance) and align stencil on top

Ok we are using the same paste sn63 pb37. Did you order from jclpcb like me? My adapters didn't come with balls so didn't think I needed to wick.

 

[deeps]

Ok we are using the same paste sn63 pb37. Did you order from jclpcb like me? My adapters didn't come with balls so didn't think I needed to wick.

I have been using aliexpress-adapters (that come with balls) before. The solder balls were uneven/low quality though, so I wicked and reballed them anyway. Now I am using abal1000x's adapter from jlcpcb, no wicking necessary there. You should always wick your emmc+mainboard though, since some balls will stick to the emmc and some will not when you lift it off, leading to differing ball sizes when you add the adapter into the mix.

 

[Asia81]

Hello, both my oled came back with installed picofly, modder seems to have done a good job.
I'll send later all the pictures he sent me during the installation.
He is in france, if you need someone to do it for you (he ask for 130€ for oled) I can send you his informations.

Here are all the pictures he sent me during the installation, what do you think about these?

 

[karatefeet]

I have been using aliexpress-adapters (that come with balls) before. The solder balls were uneven/low quality though, so I wicked and reballed them anyway. Now I am using abal1000x's adapter from jlcpcb, no wicking necessary there. You should always wick your emmc+mainboard though, since some balls will stick to the emmc and some will not when you lift it off, leading to differing ball sizes when you add the adapter into the mix.

I am also using abal1000x's adapter made via jlcpcb hence I didn't wick. Always wicked the mainboard and emmc. Hmmm will need to practice reballing the adapter more and perhaps use your temp stepping method.

 

[QuiTim]

Here are all the pictures he sent me during the installation, what do you think about these?

Nice clean soldering but....
1. He is using a dat0 adapter :/
2. There is no need to cut the shield in Oled.
3. Why the f*ck would he drill a hole in back cover?!?! The led is perfectly visible (from bottom) if you place the Tiny in the right position.
That being said, for the work he has done (the way he did it) 130€ is to expensive in my opinion.
But it should work OK so no worries there

 

[deeps]

Here are all the pictures he sent me during the installation, what do you think about these?

Looks good, except that he cut the shield which isn't needed on oled - just put the chip a bit further down and it'll fit nicely under the shield. Interesting idea to make a hole in the plastic to see the chip led - but ultimately pointless, since you can see the led anyway if you just look at the switch from the bottom

Post automatically merged: Dec 26, 2023

Nice clean soldering but....
1. He is using a dat0 adapter :/
2. There is no need to cut the shield in Oled.
3. Why the f*ck would he drill a hole in back cover?!?! The led is perfectly visible (from bottom) if you place the Tiny in the right position.
That being said, for the work he has done (the way he did it) 130€ is to expensive in my opinion.
But it should work OK so no worries there

I think the only ones who don't use the dat0 adapters are us elitist nerds in this thread

 

[QuiTim]

Looks good, except that he cut the shield which isn't needed on oled - just put the chip a bit further down and it'll fit nicely under the shield. Interesting idea to make a hole in the plastic to see the chip led - but ultimately pointless, since you can see the led anyway if you just look at the switch from the bottom

Post automatically merged: Dec 26, 2023

I think the only ones who don't use the dat0 adapters are us elitist nerds in this thread

I understand doing your own switch with adapter since it's waste of time and money to get the equipment and learn to reball (for most people at least), but if you are doing this as a business there is no excuse.
As someone said way back on this thread (I think it was Dee87) "If you are going to take money from people you should do a proper job".
There is also that satisfaction in being able to do that first reball where you don't screw anything up (which is worth a hell of a lot more) but I guess thats just for us "elitist nerds" as you said

 

[deeps]

I understand doing your own switch with adapter since it's waste of time and money to get the equipment and learn to reball (for most people at least), but if you are doing this as a business there is no excuse.
As someone said way back on this thread (I think it was Dee87) "If you are going to take money from people you should do a proper job".
There is also that satisfaction in being able to do that first reball where you don't screw anything up (which is worth a hell of a lot more) but I guess thats just for us "elitist nerds" as you said

I agree with you (and Dee87), but I haven't heard of any installer who isn't active here doing anything other than dat0 adapters

 

[Asia81]

Well, as long it's kinda clean, working, and I'm happy with it, I think it's fine

 

[chronoss]

Post automatically merged: Dec 26, 2023

Post automatically merged: Dec 26, 2023

I also have the clone boards. I bought them not realizing there's a difference here. I've managed to remove the 10k resistor, and then I bridged the pads using just a solder blob. I've checked for continuity between the 3.3v rail and the two left pins on the LED. I get continuity. When I transfer the 2.73 or 2.75 firmware I don't see the LED light.

Any idea what's going on? Any tips for how to proceed? Happy to provide more info. How critical is this LED lighting? Is it just for debugging? Can I proceed without it?

some context: I bought about 10 of these boards. I might just order the waveshare ones and make my life easier.

Calling out to @psycho-neon as well as they provided great help to @chronoss

For led, see this post below...

It will be this if its following the same schematic as the waveshare one. Just measure. The line is going through gpio16

All for my Tiny work well now !!!