R36 (Internal) Microphone Mod
Yup, it’s time again: Another ‘XNL R36 Mod’😂
This time I’ve discovered a way to built-in a microphone into the R36 (both the R36S and R36H btw). I do have to state that I DO NOT know if it will also work for all the other (absurd amount of) variants of the R36, so that is something you would have to try yourself. Initially I had plans to “just get THE other model” also when it was just the R36S Max for example. But now they are releasing such an absurd amount of “R36” units with different names and just small changes compared to the original, while they (often) still use the same RK3326 but with different display panels, button layouts and what not, that it’s just becoming a ridiculous cash-cow-show to be honest (and an absolute HELL to make a single distro properly compatible with all of them). So I decided to just ‘bail out’ and only stick the the real R36S and R36H, the others are just ‘non-existent to me’ 😂.
TIP: I have made a full video where I show how I installed mine, I demo the audio in the video and also discuss several additional details about the static which could be heard in recordings in this video.
This mod (especially compared to my “XNL R36 ModChip“) is extremely simple. All you need is a basic electret/deilectric microphone, your R36 a soldering iron and my XNL R36 MemoRecorder application to test/use it.
The type of microphone I’ve used is just one of these basic ones which you can find in nearly any toy which uses a microphone. Almost any cheap old Android tablet has a small version of it inside. And you can find them on nearly any website for just a couple cents (including but not limited to AliExpress, Ebay, Amazon etc.
I honestly don’t even know which the two types (a smaller and a larger one like shown on the left here) I have used for my mods, because mine where harvested from other recycled gear months (of not years) before. And the smaller one which can be seen in my video has back in the day been yanked out of an cheap broken Android tablet.
The Pinout
The pinout to install the microphone is also super simple to install, and only requires soldering two wires to two of the terminals of the headset jack connector. I’ve made an additional illustration below which might be desired by some instead of the video, keep in mind that in this still-shot you should see this as the R36(H) laying face down in front of you with the connectors facing away from you
Recommended to watch the video
I however strongly recommend to watch the video before starting with this mod, so that you have a clear picture of the possible result, what to expect and possible “issues” with the original design of the R36 and it’s (incorrect) implementation attempt of the microphone.
