iPod Revival

published on 2024-5-31 by Contributors To The Counterforce
tags: How Tos Issue 2

Contributed by Harry Yams

I got reacquainted with iPods right around the pandemic. I was working construction and so many times I would have my headphones in, high-up in a scissor lift, hands in awkward places or covered in something nasty. I would be listening to whatever late 90s / early 2000’s punk and Spotify would be like “oh you like this? Have you heard SCREECHING WEASEL?” It felt like the most punishing co-worker trying to relate musically but missing the mark. “Oh not that? What about PENNYWISE / VOODOO GLOW SKULLS?”

Subsequently I got a new phone and it would no longer connect with my 2011 Macbook Pro. All of my friends' crappy Bandcamp MP3s wouldn’t transfer over. I don’t remember exactly but I stumbled across a YouTube video of someone “modding” an iPod and I quickly found a used black 5th Gen on Craigslist for $30.00.

Modding an iPod or “flash modding” means opening up the device and replacing the old spinning disc hard drive to a modern solid-state storage option. Like a SD / Micro SD found in a digital camera or other devices, these can increase the storage from 4-20GB up to 256GB-1TB. Reducing the moving parts theoretically increases the iPods lifespan. The beauty of this mod is that there is no soldering involved. Most parts of the iPod have a push-in / locking connector on the motherboard (screen, click-wheel, HD, battery, etc). Each generation is a little different. The iPod Touch and Nanos cannot be altered, while the iPod Mini (2004-2005) is more labor intensive but has an easier storage swap (just using a full size SD, it has the same pin configuration). I’ll be mainly referencing the iPod classic (generations 3-6). These seem to be the most bomb proof and come apart into two halves with its very visible side seam. The classics all require an adapter to get flash memory into it. There are cheap routes on Ali-express, but the go-to in the “iPod community” (yes, it's a thing, a little brutal, but helpful no less) is the iFlash adapter. They have many options, but for the most part the SD card goes in a slot on the iFlash board and the existing iPod HD ribbon cable connects at the bottom.

While the device is open, it’s also recommended to replace a few other things. The battery is simple to replace again with a locking connector and no soldering. You can now get modified Nokia 3000mah batteries with the iPod connection on the end. The headphone jack is also easy to replace. These tend to wear out over the years of heavy use. Folks have now figured out how to splice in a Bluetooth transmitter to the headphone leads. Although its considered a mod, this takes a bit of skill with solder and wiring (but it’s doable).

If you’re a millionaire, Moonlit Market now makes a retrofit back that includes Bluetooth, USB-C, flash drive, and a large battery for $329 CAD.

There are a million detailed guides and videos out there for modding, so this is just an idea of what can be done.

Acquiring Music in 2024

Soulseek - is still running and operational. For the folks unfamiliar, it's like Napster, a peer-2-peer connection for downloading music and used heavily by music nerds. I’ve often found old obscure Vancouver Island bands on it that I thought were lost forever.

Bandcamp - Obviously a great resource. With its recent sales to Epic Games and Songtradr, and its lack of advertising, I have trust issues that it will exist forever, similar to CBC radio 3 or New Music Canada[?] that hosted DIY music in the early 2000’s. Or even Myspace for that matter.

Blogspots - There are a slew of folks posting about their music collection and either ripping them onto a file-sharing website or showing you where to go. Terminal Escape is still going! While others like Remote Outpost’s aren't, they still contain a massive back-catalog of music to check out.

Trade USB keys - they are cheap and you can probably figure out how to get USB-A onto whatever computer you are using. Your friends probably have weird gems in their collections, and if you are reading this, then you know Martin does.

Torrents - still work. I often find if there is something you want that exists in a torrent then it's probably popular enough to find elsewhere.

YouTube rippers - I haven’t tried this yet, but it's commonly recommended in the iPod forums. I think they mount on a web-browser and convert YouTube video-audio into an MP3 file.

Connecting an iPod to a computer is still the same. If you are running a modern Mac, a finder window appears, similar to the original iTunes when you connect an iPod. If you are using Windows or Linux, there are various applications that still work.

Alternatively, you can now run Rockbox on the iPod itself and manage your MP3s in folders? Rockbox is an open-source software replacement that runs on a variety of MP3 players and portable music devices. I have yet to try Rockbox, due to my old Mac working with the device just fine.

There is also software to get music off an iPod. I have had varied success with these programs, but it can be done.

Getting an iPod in 2024

cartoon of an ipod with a hand turning the volume up, the volume bar has broken out of the ipod

Sadly with its new gained popularity, the price of iPods has gone up. Even on Ebay or in the thrift an iPod classic can go for $100. For me, that is what has led to the weird “hunt” that I guess other collectors appeal to in their weird obsessions. If I find one on Craigslist sub $30 I will try to get it, or it’s something I keep an eye out for at yard sales.

It’s neat finding one and seeing what someone was listening to 20 years ago, or who’s name is engraved on the back (such a weird option). Or finding the black and red U2 edition iPod (2004-2006) - years before they forced that album on your phone (2013).

Collecting a few has led me to make themed iPods, some only containing sappy pop-punk, or crappy-crust, or the entire collection of a very niche podcast. Each on their own separate device. It’s also the perfect machine for taking on such dorky conquests such as The MOTORHEAD Challenge.

There are downsides to all this of course. Downloading music, organizing and transferring it, using a 30-pin USB cable, and then using wired headphones isn’t always appealing. It’s more time consuming than just typing something into a search bar. It sucks buying a “damaged iPod” off eBay, only to find the motherboard has been destroyed and is useless. Or setting out on your day only to find you forgot to charge yet another device. There are drawbacks for sure.

I enjoy using an iPod in 2024 for a few reasons

First, and I’ll try not to be too gatekeep-y, there is a lot of stuff I like listening to that’s not on Spotify or Apple music. The debut albums from THREE INCHES OF BLOOD or HOLDING HANDS, a lot of Bandcamp artists, even NEIL YOUNG for a minute (and who’s to say he won’t do it again).

Having control over “my music” is something an iPod is great at. I like listening to GREEN DAY’s “Dookie” but I don’t want that to lead into the “Father Of All…” album. It’s nice on an iPod unintentionally choosing these limits. Albums on Spotify also get their tracklists rearranged similar to the Star Wars movies getting re-edited, which I hate. Contrarily, if I wanna listen to JUDAS PRIEST’s “British Steel” but hate when "Red, White, & Blue" comes on, I can just leave it off.

I like the simplicity. I often get overwhelmed and distracted with Spotify. I can’t remember how to find what I wanted to listen to, and put on what I was playing last. I usually just want to put on music I like and not think about it. Using the iPods that are just text I find less distracting. I can just spin the wheel in the artist menu and it will usually land on something I want to listen to or I’ll see a name that I haven’t thought about in a while. It feels like folks are starting to notice having access to every movie, TV show, and song ever made is overwhelming. Much like a restaurant menu with 100 things on it, it's sometimes nice when the options are limited to just a few things you enjoy.

I still love shuffle. Going from BOLT THROWER’s "No Guts, No Glory" into DE LA SOUL’s Eye Know is a back-to-back I never would have thought of, let alone a modern algorithm. But a machine with a randomizer that doesn’t have to think often makes for some hilarious song runs or mixes. Friends have told me this would drive them crazy, but I personally love it.

I like that it’s apart from my phone. iPods are great for going on a bike ride or doing a task you don’t want to be distracted from. You’re not getting notifications or your boss calling you on your time off. You’re also not going to unconsciously start looking at social media or Mastodon.

I’m sentimental (like all the time). Friends bands, old bands, bands that remind me of certain times or places, embarrassing albums, or projects from folks that have passed. An iPod is a simple device to contain, organize, preserve, and enjoy it all.

Harry's Forever iPod albums

PAINTED YOUTH - “Painted Youth”
DOGGO - [Both Albums]
NOBRIDGE - “Demo Fest”
BRATTATTOO / PEROGIE - “split”
MILK MUSIC - “Beyond Living”
DESASTER - “A Touch of Medieval Darkness”
COMPLICATIONS - “Demo”
SILENT ERA - “Tape”
M-BLANKET - “Safety” 7”
RAMMER (most of their stuff)
HIS HERO IS GONE - “Monuments to Thieves”

Links

huge collection of iPods arranged in a circle-A style A