>> Seeing as how 340 Webplayers are about to be unleashed on hackers through the coop, and more people will be considering riskier modifications, I thought I
>> might pose some ideas I just started considering myself. I'm getting a second WP through the coop for myself and will be willing to consider risking
>> hardwarealterations on the spare.
I'm already doing so 
>> I know that there are locations on the webplayer MB for a floppy cable connector, a VGA video out connector and an as yet unknown 10-pin connection. Can
>> anyone discern whether the MB is populated for these connections. I think I recall someone saying the floppy controller was populated, but simply lacking
>> a connector.
If the floppy connector is there, you only have to connect your laptop floppy, activate it in the CMOS setup and you're ready to go.
If it isn't there then it is also lacking a fuse. Without this one you don't have power for the floppy. I just soldered in a wire and it works.
>> If that's the case I'd love to solder the connector from my old controller card onto the webplayer MB and connect a floppy. While there is a location
>> where one could solder on a VGA connector, it looks to me like there aren't any traces connected to these solder points and thus adding a VGA connector
>> would be pointless. Can anyone offer an educated opinion on that?
You're right. The board is lacking some components to use the VGA CONN. I'm going to try to let it work in some way.
>> As to the unknown 10-pin connector location, is it possible this is for a serial port using a non-standard MB connection?
If you mean by this CN20 near to the VGA CONN you are far off. It feeds the VGA signals directly without filtering or buffering.
I managed to connect a CRT display and it works!
>> I know it is easier to ask the questions than to find the answers but I've got no practical soldering or electrical experience.
In this case I advise you to be vary carefull when you start with your solder iron.
>> If someone can figure this out, it could be open a whole new level of functionality for the webplayer. A floppy would mean simple transfer of word
>> processing and similar files. While I'm not particularly interested in the video out, I'm sure some people would love it. The serial connector would
>> allow a whole host of add-ons not currently possible. I have in mind things like a touch screen add-on that requires a serial port
The serial ports are there and active but not real RS-232 compatible because it is lacking the needed voltages. So in this case you would need serial port
driver chip and that one needs a 12volt supply which isn't available in the webplayer. I thought there are solutions and I'm getting into that.
>> Do these ideas fire anyone's juices?
Yes it did and you can read some results here:
K-Ray -- The Journals
