(noob) DIY non-standard USB data cable of an MP3 player

[sledge]

Hello everyone!

I am a complete noob in this field, but show an eager will to learn hard. Here is my jump-start challenge project:

I have lost the data cable of Roadstar MP3 Player, MPR-3030. It looked simple, no electronics in between.

Pinouts of this 8?-pin connector: http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6765/roadstarmpr3030female.gif

Can be, that pins 1-5, 2-6, 3-7, 4-8 correspond to the same contact (will probe this evening), but on the first glance it seems that there is a plastic separator between those two lines of pins (maybe just a reassuring solution for the 4 pins connector?)

I want to reverse engineer its interface and create a cable on my own (don't suggest to go and hunt out for that cable pls :))

How could I blind-probe with needles and pins to determine, which are the USB pinouts (VDC, Data+/- and GND)? -- without frying the player. What should I avoid touching in order not to fry it?

I don't have the tester yet, so I start it the hard-way. Tell me if it is doable (brute-force probe all pins until i get the connection on my laptop, or fry the player or both)

Thanks for all,

-- 
sledge

[sledge]

Here are actual images of the female connector:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8703/fromfront.jpg
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/3711/fromabovef.jpg
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3314/frombelow.jpg

It seems like it pins down to the 4-pin connector, with a shield connector at the bottom.

I still cannot test, whether pins 1-5,2-6,3-7,4-8 are the same contacts, because I don't have a tester around. <noob-omg>And using a AC2DC adapter to shorten those pins and see if the LED of the adapter goes dim</noob-omg>, can fry the whole thing, if it's actually an 8-pin jack... 8)

--^nbsp;
sledge

[tester]

Brute force testing is never a good idea, you should have tried all other options before you even think of that.. If however you come to a point where you have no other options.. remember to read your USB pinouts on the PC and use if possible fuses on all cables.. to give a little bit of protection..

[tester]

BTW. I have the exact same problem.. so If I find a pinout I will post it here..