Installing an External USB Socket on the IR100

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Preparation

This page describes how to install an external USB socket on the IR100. Note that this involves taking your radio to pieces and cutting the box, it also may involve some soldering, depending on which USB hub device you can find.

OPENING YOUR RADIO IS AT YOUR OWN RISK, AND WILL INVALIDATE YOUR WARRANTY
Installing an external USB socket on the IR100 (Click for a full-sized version)

For alternative cheap 4-port hub which fits without removing its external case, see illustrations in Moving the USB Wi-Fi dongle on the IR100

  • You will need to find a USB hub, preferably one which has sockets on more than one side as it will allow you to offer one (or more) of the ports directly up to the back of the radio whilst keeping the USB wifi adaptor internal.
  • A word of warning - as many people have experienced, the IR100 is very susceptible to interference. There were a number of devices returned because of crackling problems on the speaker. The placing of the adaptor inside the radio is important, as is the routing of any cables. Make sure you do a dry run before potting or bonding anything down.
  • In my case, the USB adaptor was too long to fit into the box tidily, so I removed the input connector, and soldered the cable directly onto the pads. Following a test of the hub, it was then potted this with epoxy resin (2 & 3).
  • Here is a hint to work out which wire is which. Before you start removing the USB socket from the hub, cut the USB cable in half. Plug the half that belongs at the hub into the hub, and use a multimeter to identify which colour wires are connected to which pad.
  • The hub needs to be put back into the back of its box, In my case, I glued it to the end of the box with epoxy resin. (4)
  • The WiFi dongle was then held in place with electrical tape (making sure to insulate the back of the wifi dongle from the USB hub.
  • You will need to cut a hole in the back of the radio, that lines up with the socket. Note that the hole needs to be larger than the socket, as the body of the USB device needs to go into it.
  • Finally, re-assemble the radio(5)
  • To take advantage of the external socket (using a memory stick, for example), you will need login access to the radio - please consider joining the Sharpfin project !