pausing and skipping during podcast/music playback with earphones connected

Question

Level 1

96 points

pausing and skipping during podcast/music playback with earphones connected

At first thought it might be the earphones. Apple sent me another set, same problem.
I have been in touch with a product specialist and we went through the restore...I have been having the same problem during testing. we were thinking it might be a *bad music file or podcast* which has been downloaded. Doesnt look like it though. Was Hoping the update might be the answer......no
Also I get a *"Itunes library can't be saved, error unknown -54"*

Well I turned my iphone in today for repair....Genius at the store couldnt repeat the issue....he tried for 4 hours. go figure??? Sent it off to depot for repair.....forked out the 29 bucks for a renter....This will help me trouble-shoot further. ("Same thing when I was in the Navy and complained about the radar being bad...soon as the tech comes in to look at it all is fine. LOL")

Been testing the replacement phone.....it started pausing during a podcast.

I have come to the conclusion that it's something messed up in ITunes.....
I am using *smart playlist*, could this be the problem? Also Moved my USB connection to plug directly to the computer instead of going thru a powered router....

Hopefully this will be fixed with a software update...

Any ideas out there?

G5; 2 IMACs, PB and an iPhone, Mac OS X (10.4.10), Airport wireless

Posted on Aug 3, 2007 5:19 PM

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Answer 1

PTBoater

Level 4

2,857 points

Aug 4, 2007 12:07 AM in response to Gary Tate

In order to isolate the problem, I would suggest doing a restore, and then syncing just one song or podcast, and test that. I would go as far as taking the iTunes library files on your PC, moving them and restarting iTunes FRESH, and importing just one or two songs, and then syncing that. This will attempt to isolate the problem to either iTunes or the iPhone. If it works, then its likely something with the iTunes library.

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Answer 2

Gary Tate Author

Level 1

96 points

Aug 4, 2007 5:57 AM in response to PTBoater

Hi PT

I have tried the restore as stated in original forum log. I have not tried the library move. Also playing only music and then only podcast loaded on the iPhone, same results.

*All of these podcasts and music plays on iTunes and other iPods which I have with no problems. Leading me to believe the iPhone has a problem in software or hardware.*

+I tried the loaner iPhone this morning and the problem started again. I swapped out earphones, using my old earphones from a Nano and the problem went away+.

I also eliminated one podcast which would showup on sync immediately after I was getting the -54 error. Have done several syncs now with no error msg. The podcast was NPR news.

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Answer 3

Aug 30, 2007 10:57 AM in response to Gary Tate

I have been having problems with NPR podcasts too. They skip/pause alot lately. I thought it was headphones or the way I move the iPhone while walking and listening to the podcast. But, Im pretty sure it has to do with the file, and not the iPhone itself. But, the podcasts do not seem to skip on other devices/on my mac. Odd.

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Answer 4

Gary Tate Author

Level 1

96 points

Sep 11, 2007 3:04 PM in response to Gary Tate

headset is the problem. Apple nmow has the headset and has duplicate the failure. Moisture(sweat) in the mike causes the ipod to skip or fail.

Waitiing to hear back from Apple engineering.

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Answer 5

desash

Level 1

0 points

Sep 13, 2007 11:35 AM in response to Gary Tate

so the headphones are causing your iphone music to skip randomly? Has apple confirmed this to be the problem? I'm having the same issue and my iphone is only a few days old. On top of that the little button on the headphones cord doesn't work (doesn't allow me to change tracks or play/pause music).

Please let me know if the new headphones have helped.

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Answer 6

Jason L

Community Specialist

Sep 13, 2007 12:15 PM in response to Gary Tate

Hey Gary,

If you are getting iTunes Library errors, I recommend testing another library or recreating the current library.

Instead of moving the iTunes Library you can create an alternate library as described here.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304447

This article will show you howto re-create or rebuild your iTunes library.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93313

Jason

Message was edited by: Jason L

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Answer 7

Chas Hulme

Level 4

1,130 points

Sep 13, 2007 12:22 PM in response to Gary Tate

The microswitch and mic is one integrated assembly on the earbuds cable. It is quite likely that sweat is getting in the switch mechanism and shorting it out (intermittently). Probably runs down the cable from the right earbud to the switch... 😟

The iTunes errors are unrelated.

Message was edited by: Chas Hulme

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Answer 8

Gary Tate Author

Level 1

96 points

Sep 15, 2007 6:28 PM in response to Chas Hulme

yeap, that is it, sweat shorts the switch out, confirmed by apple on my headset i sent in. waiting for a decision on a fix or some sort of rebate. Apple offered to replace headset but I pointed out that would not fix the problem.

I think a refund on the headset and a *few bucks** to boot would bre appropriate if they dont update the headset.

+bought mine 6/29+

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Answer 9

Gary Tate Author

Level 1

96 points

Jun 22, 2008 7:15 AM in response to Gary Tate

Apple replaced the headset after duplicating the same issue i.e. sweat in the headset controller switch. when I used another 3rd party headset the iPhone worked fine.

So far the replacement headset works fine.

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