If you’re reading this, chances are you already own a netbook, or are considering buying one. In all likelihood though, you’re browsing just out of curiosity, because the prospect of messing with a brand-new netbook isn’t even remotely appetizing. Fair enough. Dissecting an expensive gadget with your hard-earned money, obtained after slogging for months on end, isn’t easy for anyone. Not even for me, despite all my modding experience. Then again, someone’s got to man up and take on the demons of uncertainty and apprehension to pave the path for the rest. So here I am, your self-styled knight in shining armour, putting my spanking new netbook on the line for your modding pleasure. I’m sure your mind is teeming with a motherload of questions by now, so before we take up this endeavour, an FAQ would be in order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why mod a netbook?
Because you can. This simple fact has driven people to do crazier stuff, such as bolting a jet engine onto a production motorcycle, for example. This mod, on the other hand, makes your netbook do things it isn’t supposed to — added functionality that would otherwise require you to shell out more dough for bulkier, power-hungry alternatives. And finally, because it’s fun.

What does this modification do?
This mod enables your cheap netbook to run full-HD (1080p) content without taxing your processor and IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor), by the means of adding the Broadcom Crystal HD decoder to the netbook’s mainboard.

What is the mod good for, besides playing full-HD content?
It significantly improves battery life, which is the raison d’être of a netbook. The Diamondville platform (Atom N270 or N280 + GMA 950 IGP)  has a total kit power of 12 Watts. The Atom processor accounts for 2 Watts of total power draw, while the GMA 950 has a TDP (Thermal Design Point; or simply put, typical power dissipated while running normal, real-world applications) of 9 Watts. The Broadcom Crystal HD decoder frees both the CPU and IGP of the video rendering load. Since the decoder itself has a frugal TDP of just 2 Watts, it considerably reduces power consumption by bypassing the IGP; the weakest, most power-inefficient link in the Atom platform. More importantly, it frees up system resources for multitasking, allowing smooth video playback even if the CPU and IGP are being utilized at 100% by other applications. In simple terms, you don’t have to turn your Torrent client off every time you want to watch a movie.

Wait a minute. Won’t this void my warranty?
Not if you’re opening up either HP or Samsung’s netbooks, as they do not have tamper-proof stickers or anything else that’ll prove you’ve taken them apart. This may be because unlike larger notebooks, these devices have user-serviceable components, such as the hard drive, hidden deeper into the chassis due to space constraints. This may also be the case for other netbook models, but since I haven’t opened up all of them, I cannot vouch for it. Your notebook may vary.

What will I need for the mod?
A netbook with a free mini PCI-e slot, a Broadcom BCM970012 Crystal HD Decoder, drivers, a DirectShow filter-friendly media player, dual-sided tape (optional; ask for “double tape” at your local hardware store — of the non-PC variety), two Phillips M2 x 4 mm screws, a flat-headed screwdriver (also called “slotted head” or “minus” in local shops), and a Phillips screwdriver (called “plus wallah screwdriver” locally) with the PH00, PH0, and PH1 bits.

Which netbooks have a free PCI-e slot?
The HP Mini 110 \ 210, Dell Inspiron Mini 10, Sony Vaio W series, Samsung N series, ASUS Eee PC, MSI Wind, and Acer Aspire One have at least one free mini PCI-e slot with support for the Broadcom decoder. The Lenovo IdeaPad S series is incompatible with the decoder despite having a spare mini PCI-e slot. Then again, it’s no biggie since the laptop’s such a piece of junk anyway.

I already have a netbook, but it doesn’t have a free mini PCI-e slot. Help!
All right, don’t get your panties all tied up in knots. You can always yank out the Wi-Fi card to make way for the decoder, and substitute the former with a USB Wi-Fi adaptor\dongle. At the end of the day, it’s your call whether you want to sacrifice wireless networking convenience for full-HD playback capability.

What’s the point of playing HD content on netbooks with 576p screens?
While it’s true that playing video content having a size bigger than what your display supports is futile, this is more about compatibility and performance than quality. Most modern high-quality video content is encoded in the 720p or 1080p format, which a regular netbook cannot handle. Moreover, HD content is generally encoded at a higher bit-rate, so the quality is anyway better than most SD-encoded (Standard Definition) content. Let’s not forget that regular netbooks are still going to crawl when faced with very high bit-rate SD rips. All of which can be remedied by this mod. Having said that, HP and Dell stock netbooks with optional HD screens (1366 x 768), which is optimal for this mod. The Sony Vaio W series comes stock with an HD screen. If you haven’t purchased a netbook yet, you can always consider these options.

Where can I purchase the Broadcom Crystal HD decoder?
You can either buy it from LogicSupply.com for $44 (Rs 2300 approx) + shipping as of this writing, or from eBay.com. I got mine from a Hong Kong based retailer on eBay for $22 (Rs 1000 approx) with free shipping, and it was delivered in 13 days.

I’m a total loser and coward. Is there a simpler alternative to this mod?
Yes, there is. You can wimp out and purchase a netbook based on NVIDIA’s ION platform.

So why shouldn’t I just buy a netbook with the ION chipset?
For starters, these netbooks are quite a bit more expensive, which defeats the very purpose of a netbook. The ION platform with its GeForce 9400M IGP has a TDP of 20 Watts, so it isn’t exactly power-efficient by netbook standards. In short, you pay more for the same functionality offered by the Crystal HD decoder, while losing out on battery life. In all, a bad idea.

Isn’t that against NVIDIA’s interests? Will they send ninja assassins to stop me?
You’re right. Being Japanese, NVIDIA has elite ninja assassins on its payroll, whose sole job is to eliminate all competition. Them ninjas won’t just stop you; they’ll set you on fire and piss on you to douse the flames — after you’re dead.

But NVIDIA isn’t Japanese!
Okay, NVIDIA’s actually Taiwanese. So what?! They’re all, more or less, tiny Mongoloids with small Wiis, so that’s close enough. It’s prudent to watch out for NVIDIA’s ninjas, or you could be modding netbooks one moment and have several katanas shoved up your butt the next.

Why haven’t the ninjas killed you yet?
Professional courtesy.

Yeah, right. How much will the entire mod cost me?
In my case, the damage came to Rs 16,589 for the HP Mini 110 netbook with the optional HD screen and Rs 1000 for the Broadcom Crystal HD decoder. That’s Rs 17,589 in all. Your cost may vary, so don’t hold me to this figure. Of course, I haven’t counted the cost of the screws, double-tape, etc, since the whole thing can be bought for less than Rs 50. If you don’t have a screwdriver and are a cheapskate, you can always borrow one from your neighbour.

Which netbooks does this particular mod pertain to?
This is applicable to all the netbooks mentioned a few questions above, but the exact procedure pertains to the HP Mini 110, the netbook model being disassembled in the photographs below. Most netbooks require, more or less, a similar technique of disassembly, but it’s a good idea to refer to the service manual of your particular model. This isn’t always foolproof though, because the service manual of my netbook is deliberately confusing and has even left out few crucial screws, so a careless modder may even end up breaking stuff. Don’t blame me if that happens.

How difficult is the mod? Will it involve any cutting or soldering?
Rest assured, this is as easy as falling off a bike. It doesn’t require any cutting or soldering. It does involve partial disassembly of the netbook’s lower chassis, but it’s a simple process, if you follow the step-wise photographic instructions and use some common sense.

Who’s responsible if I end up breaking something?
Your parents, for polluting the gene pool by birthing you.

Better Safe Than Sorry

Before we get down to business, here are a few basic tips to help you not mess up. Work on a flat and firm surface. Keep your work area clean and uncluttered. Close the windows and switch off the fan to prevent dust and lint from settling down on the electronics. Wear loose-fitting cotton clothing, as synthetic materials such as polyester generate a lot of static electricity. If possible, avoid footwear and carpeted rooms, as these contribute to immense static build-up. An anti-static wristband is your friend.

Do not touch any contacts with your bare hands. The natural oils secreted by your skin tend to insulate contacts and hinder conductivity. Wearing latex gloves doesn’t hurt (not to be taken out of context). Use the Phillips screw bits of the right size to prevent damaging the screw head. Keep track of all screws you remove by placing them in separate and labelled cups. Remember, we’re working with consumer-grade plastics here, so be gentle. If it requires more force than usual, there’s a good chance you may have missed a screw or retention tab. Always double-check this before disassembly.

Ninja Proof It!

The basement is the most preferred work area, because a single window is all it takes for a ninja to turn you into a pincushion with his poison-tipped arrows and shurikens. Rid the basement of all unnecessary stuff, as an average chair is statistically proven to conceal up to four ninjas. After you’ve cleaned up the place, empty a couple of Uzi clips in all directions, just to make sure you get any hidden ninjas.

Don’t inadvertently hit the Ceiling Cat.

Mind you, it takes more than 9 mm parabellum rounds to stop a ninja, so fix a mirror in front to watch your back. Fix another mirror behind you, so you can cover your front while you watch your back. Clever, I know. Just to be safe, booby trap the basement door and all air vents. This should give you a 14% probability of surviving a ninja assassination attempt. You can’t get better odds than that.

Step I

Glance over your shoulder for ninjas. If there aren’t any, which is generally confirmed by the fact that you haven’t been impaled by a katana, turn the netbook upside down. Slide the battery retention tabs towards each other and remove the battery pack by pushing it away from the chassis. This will expose two of the three screws anchoring the keyboard to the chassis. Their positions are marked by arrows in the image below. The subsequent image reveals the position of the third and final screw, hidden deep within the recess meant for the battery contacts, at the <ESC> side of the netbook. Turning the screw anti-clockwise loosens it. If you didn’t know that fact, you probably shouldn’t be attempting this mod.

Step II

Open the netbook lid to 90° and place it on a soft surface with the display hinge facing you. In the same recess for the battery contacts, you’ll see a chavanni-sized hole in the plastic casing revealing the exposed aluminium underbelly of the keyboard chassis. Make sure nothing is placed beneath the keyboard, because we’re going to apply pressure on the hole to pop the keyboard free from the retention tabs on the chassis. There’s no cause for alarm though, as the keyboard is designed to bend and free itself from the retention tabs. Now would be a good time to protect the display with a cloth, lest the falling keyboard end up scratching it. Use a soft, slender tool, such as the rubberized end of a toothbrush, and not your screwdriver, to pop the keyboard out. It should free itself with a firm click. The keyboard isn’t completely loose yet — don’t yank it off, as it’s still tethered to the motherboard with a cable.

Step III

Hold the keyboard and turn the netbook right side up. With the bottom edge resting on the chassis, hold the top edge and swing the keyboard towards you, as shown in the photograph, to reveal the keyboard cable.

Step IV

What you see in the photos below, is an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) attached to a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) connector, which when translated from Klingon means that yanking on it is going to do nothing but damage the cable. Swing the black locking mechanism, denoted by a white arrow in the first photograph, upwards by 90° to release the cable. Do it right and you’ll expose the blue contact lining of the cable, as it appears in the second snap. It’s now safe to pull out the cable and stash the keyboard away.

Step V

If you’re feeling a certain dizziness set in, it would be a good idea to check for arrows or shurikens sticking into you. Ninja poison is known to be laced with powerful sedatives that make you oblivious to the delivery mechanism. If you’re still in good enough shape to continue, the keyboard makes way to reveal eight screws securing the lower chassis. The arrows in the image below mark the locations.

Step VI

Shut the lid and turn the netbook over. Pry out all four rubber feet to expose the screws underneath. Although not necessary, I recommend scraping the glue off the rubber feet and using dual-sided tape instead when reattaching them. You don’t want any of them falling off, which might result in balance and ventilation issues.

Step VII

You have to expose the memory before you can get to the last screw anchoring the lower chassis. Remove the two screws securing the memory shroud and heatsink, as depicted in the image. The final screw is hard to miss once the memory shroud comes off. Do not try to unscrew it all the way or otherwise force it out of the socket, as it’s held in place by an e-clip at the other end. Doing so may make the clip fall off the screw and onto the motherboard, posing a short-circuit hazard.

Step VIII

Open the lid by 20° and locate the two chassis retention tabs inside the battery recess. Use a flat-headed screwdriver to depress and then slide them from under the notches. Disregard the screw in the photograph — it’s just a continuity error.

Step IX

Open the lid all the way to the limit and pry off the top half of the lower chassis. Start with the edge nearest to the display and make your way downwards. Remember, we’re dealing with a snap-in assembly, so be gentle, yet firm while exerting pressure to open the chassis. Do not use a flat-headed screwdriver or hard object to wedge open the chassis, or you might permanently damage the plastic. Just like the keyboard, the top half of the chassis houses a touchpad, which is attached by an FFC to a ZIF connector on the motherboard, meaning you can’t pull it off the motherboard just yet.

Step X

The fact that you haven’t seen a ninja yet is by no means cause for celebration. You are (relatively) safer when you can see a ninja, because he wants you to see him. It’s more of a warning than an assassination attempt. However, when you cannot see one, you may be moments away from death. Keeping this in mind, removing the FFC from the ZIF connector as described in Step IV. The only difference is that the locking mechanism is white in this case.

Step XI

Witness your netbook in all its naked glory! The Broadcom Crystal HD decoder goes into the mini PCI-e slot in the lower right hand side of the motherboard.

Step XII

Insert the decoder into the mini PCI-e slot at a 45° angle. Press it down and screw it into place with a pair of Phillips M2 x 4 mm screws.

Conclusion

As the popular service manual saying goes, “Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure”. In other words, follow these steps in the reverse order and you should be able to put your netbook together with no sweat. If you’ve reached this far, congratulations; you have survived a ninja assassination attempt and successfully modified your netbook!

Install the Crystal HD drivers and the media player linked to in the FAQ. The two screenshots below taken during the playback of a 1080p sample video should give you an idea of the decoder’s capability. The first one clearly shows the GMA 950 IGP choking the system with over 50% CPU utilization, and even then providing an unacceptably low framerate. The second screenshot of the decoder in action registers a low CPU utilization of just 13%, while churning out liquid-smooth framerates, leaving more than enough resources for multitasking — something that’s normally unimaginable for a netbook playing full-HD content. Yay!

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