Hacking the Sony Ericsson MDS-60 speakers (part 2): going full wireless

Getting rid of that old-fashioned AC power supply

On part 1, we managed to give the MDS-60 a bluetooth input. Now we want to completely remove all cabling and give this old gem a portable power supply for limitless, untethered fun.

It’s quite simple, actually. There is more than one way to accomplish this. We’ll choose what I believe is the easiest one: through the AA batteries power input.

4 x AA batteries input

Sure, we could just use 4xAA batteries to power up the speaker, but we would still need to supply power to the bluetooth adapter. Let’s provide a single, long-lasting and friendlier power source for both: a micro USB rechargeable “power bank”. The same kind you use to charge your mobile phone on the go.

Full list of materials needed is the following:

• Soldering iron and solder.
• 4 insulated wires. About 10 cms (4 inches) each. You can get them from any spare network cable you have laying around, for example.
• Micro USB power bank. Let’s say a 10000 mAh one for long duration, although any energy rating will do.
• Female micro USB breakout board.
• Female USB breakout board.
• Hot glue gun and glue stick.
• Your tool of choice to carve “precision” shapes on plastic (files, drill, Dremel, hot metal, etc.).

Positive (red) and negative (black) battery terminals

Let’s start by soldering 2 wires to the positive (red) and negative (black) battery terminals. Solder the other end of each cable to the corresponding terminals in the micro USB breakout board. Positive is typically labeled V+, VCC, VBUS or+5. Negative should read GND or V-.

From the micro USB board extend the positive and negative connections to the USB breakout board. You should end up with a circuit like this:

USB and micro USB breakout board connecting to +V and GND lines

We will hide the connectors in the battery compartment. I drilled small holes on the plastic cover as guide and then gently used files to give the final shape, but your method may vary.

Microscopic precision not needed. Or that’s what I say to myself, at least.

With shapes big enough to expose the connectors, glue the breakout boards from the back.

And that’s it. Just close the cover, plug the power bank to the micro USB input, the bluetooth adapter charging cable to the new back panel USB connector and enjoy your upgraded Sony Ericsson MDS-60.

In case you are wondering, the MDS-60 expects a 6 V input (4 x AA batteries), but 5 V will work just fine.

All-new wireless Sony Ericsson MDS-60. I am calling it the MDS-60w. The w is for wow!.

Now enjoy that music!