Hi everyone.
First of all, let me say right off that I know that this is an ambitious project. I also know that I probably shouldn't make the attempt without learning a heck of a lot more information. This all being said, I have a project in mind and have devised a method to go about accomplishing it. What I'm asking for here is simply if my methodology seems sound and any advice that can be offered on this project. Please keep in mind that, success or failure, I will be doing this project despite being a noob if for no reason than (if it fails) to try it. I have all the necessary tools at my disposal to do this project (including a wave table). I'm wanting to do it open source too if anyone would want to help.
So. I was given a crap-ton of logic boards from an old phone. They are all the same model demo phone and they all worked when removed. They were going to be utterly destroyed but the company in charge of them gave to me instead to play with. It was all done above board so no worries there. Also: YAY for not creating more ewaste!
So now I have 6 demo boards from an LG G7 THINQ with maxed out RAM, snapdragon 845 (for which I have the data sheet directly from Qualcomm), and 64GB onboard storage. They are only missing the LTE modem which I can purchase from someplace else (and the logic boards have the solder points for the LTE modem).
Right. I want to use these boards to work on my near nonexistent hardware design skills by using the components to design and build a custom SBC with custom firmware. Now about my plans:
I was thinking I would take high resolution images of the board both front and back.
Then desolder the components and take more images of the bare PCB.
Draw out the traces I can workout.
Sand off the solder mask and continue drawing out the traces.
Continue sanding down the 4 layer board and drawing the traces until I am confident that all traces are known.
Reconfigure those traces in a PCB design program to be the shape I want rather than the ugly one of the logic board.
Rework some of the systems to add in features supported by the processor but not included on the phone.
Alter the display system and any other required bits to allow for a more robust selection of parts (the screen connector is the same number of pins and the same type as the one I want to use but a different connector type).
Increase the RAM to the highest capacity supported by the processor (I will have enough chips provided I don't kill them but the design will need to be altered to accommodate this).
Have a prototyping board manufacturer like JBL turn my new layout into a board.
Re-solder the components to the new board layout out and make an SBC that I will eventually turn into an emulation handheld.
I know that this is ultimately the hardware equivalent of tracing an image in a coloring book and altering it slightly to suit your own needs but I'm just doing it, first and foremost, for fun, and secondly, to just learn about the hardware and software workings incorporated into the undertaking (like using the design software and the hardware itself).
Finally, as stated, I'd like to make my own firmware or operating system for this thing. I have already had some practice in this as I made a custom version of RockBox to use on my iPOD Classic back in the day. I doubt it'll be that simple but meh, what worth doing is simple? And I could start with the open source Android kernel and go from there, right? Meh. This will come much later.
So!? What do you all think? This is a sound thought process? Do you all have any recommendations or suggestions? Is this a stupid idea? What else could these boards be used for if not for this?
The resulting emulation handheld would have maxed out RAM to the processor, a Snapdragon 845, Wifi and Bluetooth, and LTE access. I think it would be a cool thing to play around with. I'm worried that my thought process is flawed. Would anyone out there want to help or be interested for this to be done open source?
Thanks,
Jim
