Ipod Video (5th Gen) No Sound / Heavy Static - Read This! - Quick Fix Found

all I have to say out of reading 8 pages of responses is:

"did none of you think to buy Applecare for your iPod"?

I bought my 5th gen refurbed in early 2007
and paid the $49 for Applecare. It's warrantied until
May 2009.

Like all Apple products, buying AppleCare gets your product
fixed FREE OF CHARGE. I had an iPod mini DIE completely,
but because I had AppleCare, Apple sent me a Brand new one,
new serial #, etc.

For all those who "balk" at extended warranties saying that
their not necessary, I can gladly say Apple Care is 100%
necessary, and for such a low cost, you get so much more piece of mind.

btw, my 5th Gen is still rock solid, but if and when this issue occurs,
I'll be sending it in and getting it fixed or replaced for free.

Add me to the list. Happened a few days ago. I got no static, it just happened one time when i decided to use my iPod. Got it in December 06 and it is pretty much pristine (the day i got it i put it immediately from the box to a protective case it never left).

I'm supposed to be contacted by a supervisor in Customer Relations by Saturday to see what they say. I really hope that Apple doesn't let me down as I am a very loyal supporter and hope to be treated as one.

I read pretty much all of these responses as well, including the posts written by people with extended warranties that were not honored due to apple naming the culprit as "water damage".

Also, I have just gone through the Applecare protection plan Terms and Conditions. In the Limitations section, i encountered this beauty:

"+(ii) Damage to the Covered Equipment caused by accident, abuse, neglect, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider), unauthorized modification, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), extreme physical or electrical stress or interference, fluctuation or surges of electrical+
+power, lightning, static electricity, fire, acts of God or other external causes;+"

I can't speak for anyone else, but if i am going to purchase an additional warranty for $50, I would like it to cover anything that could go wrong. I couldn't find anything about extending the plan, so i'm assuming that after 2 years, there is no warranty available for your electronic investment. If I were to get hit by a car and my ipod broke, I would want and expect Apple to send me a new one. I suppose Apple could just file that one under "accidents". Tornado? Simply a case of "extreme environment", or perhaps even an "act of God". What is an "act of God", exactly? I for one do not go to church and have no religious ties. I am, however, no stranger to religious people, and I am almost certain that they would file every circumstance as an act of God. And don't even get me started on these "other external causes"....

Basically, Applecare is just a way of saying, "If we mess up, we'll fix it, but only if you paid us money to cover our mistakes!" Why bother? Everyone should be held responsible for their own mistakes, not just responsible at the right price.

A few years ago, I received a Canon PowerShot camera for Christmas, which at the time was priced around $400-$500. My mother had purchased an extended warranty with it as well. Due to my own carelessness (I will admit to things when they are my own fault), the screen cracked on New Year's Eve. The next day we took it back and they replaced it (and upgraded it as they only had the newer model), no questions asked. When I bought Rock Band, the guitars had problems with the strum bars. I filled out some form online, paid shipping & handling, mailed it in, and received a new one (without the same problem the first manufactured ones had). Although Harmonix (or whoever made them) could have easily accredited the problem to people misusing the controllers, they accepted fault and fixed the problem. I didn't even have to buy a warranty.

Until May 2009, be wary, lest an angry God decide to smote your iPod.

Add me to list too!

Just got off the phone to Apple support. They said that because it's out of warranty - by only 28 days - that it's not covered. I tried to tell them that this is a manufacturing problem by they started saying I need to make a statutory rights claim - what????!?!?!? Seriously, this is my 4th iPod and the others all had their hard drive die and I never complained, ever! But the logic board should not die.

My iPod worked one day then not the next. I did nothing. I have all the same symptoms and, until I found this thread, I could not get a sound, but by squeezing the bottom right corner I finally got some sound. I tried Apple support, new headphones, tested my old headphones in my MacBook Pro, reset the iPod, restored it with new sotware, nothing would work. It was only because you all shared your problems that I worked out what what at fault. I was totally dumbfounded. So many thanks to you all for taking the time to share your experience. I guess now that the China factories at Apple's request are cutting costs and quality is dropping.

In the last 10 years I've bought 2 x G4 tower macs, 1 x Dual G5 Tower + 20" cinema display, 1 x iMac, 2 x PowerBook 17, and most recently a MacBook Pro 17 2.4. I've never had any problems with these except the MacBook Pro which had it's DVD drive replaced twice before the problem was solved. Apple's manufacturing quality is serious dropping and I will consider my next purchase very carefully. Having used Apple products since 1988 and been a big advocate - I'm an IT profefssional - I feel the egg is in my face now that they are once again popular and as they ramp up production numbers the quality drops proportionatley. Apple, if you are listening, you have my email so contact me and rectify this. I've personally talked dozens of people out of buying other MP3 players and just this year convinced 3 people at my university to by a MacBook instead of a Dell. This is how you repay me?!?!?!

People wake up. As Apple becomes popular they are dropping their quality control. They once used to make great products for niche market. Now they make average products for the masses. Apple, please fix this problem as it's people like me that are part of the reason you didn't go under during the 90s. I've never complained about out-of-warranty problems - not that I've had many except dead hard drives - because I know that that is a device that notoriously fails. But the logic board? C'mon Apple, pull your socks up and get with the program before you become the next MS.

I was going to buy an iPhone 3G as soon as I get back to Australia but if this is how you are making products now then I will stop being an advocate and will look for people that make quality products.

People, if you've had this problem please add yourself to this list and let Apple know that they need to do somthing.

I actually am pretty sure I could fix this as I'm good with electronics, but I really want Apple to acknowledge the problem so I will use it as an 80G external drive in the meantime while I go and buy another MP3 player and an iPhone contender. When I get back to Australia I will make my statutory claim and I will be succsessful. This is a manufacturing problem which you must address.

Namaste!

Please add mine to the pile. I bought a 30g for my fiance 20 months ago. She has never taken it out of the Iskin since day one. A week ago the sound got bad and then failed entirely. A chip on the logic board is at fault as proven by many many others as well as an internal inspection by myself. It looks like Apple screwed up. I will be give them a piece of my mind later today. I don't think I will be buying any more Apple products, not even used ones. The threads in this forum that deal with 5g Ipod no sound issues have the most views out of any other topic meaning that is is a real issue that Apple needs to address and correct.

Another victim here - 30GB 5th Gen. iPod was manufactured in Late 2006 and purchased in March 2007. The product has been inside a protective skin ever since it was purchased and is in out-of-box condition.

Just encountered this issue a few days ago when for no apparent reason I did not get any sound from my iPod in my car through my Griffin FM Transmitter. Thought it was the transmitter and tried my 2GB iPod Nano instead and got sound to play. Tried headphones with the 30GB iPod and didnt have any sound. Got online and found this thread so this is my first post to the Apple Discussion. Since the Apple manufacturer warranty is expired I will attempt to call and speak with Customer Care to resolve this issue.

Currently I own these 2 iPods and a 20" Intel iMac. Have owned 3 Macs previously and never experienced any problems with any Apple products. This is CLEARLY a manufacturing defect and I really hope I can get my product replaced. I am not fond of the smaller models out currently and rather enjoy what I have. Would hate to get nothing for the thing - I havent even had it for a year and a half. Hope you can make this right for me Apple!!!

Hi there, thought I'd share my ipod nightmare that may or may shed some light on problems of skipping/jumping.

I corrupted my database on the ipod and the only program I found that would display/backup the songs is ipod access ( http://www.findleydesigns.com/ipodaccess/index.html) - as I only keep music on my ipod to save space on my computer - and even that kept on crashing, so I backed up one album at a time. 5 hours later...

So I did a restore, this time mac formatted not PC to the 1.3 firmware. Chucked the songs back on and most of the songs would skip/jump....oh yay.

Trawled through lots of threads - eg firmware, defrag issues etc... and thought the best was to revert back to 1.2.1 firmware and zero the data - as there is no conclusion what is the problem.

So this is what I did:

1. Erased ipod with Disk Utility using the zero out data option (in security options) - this takes about 1.5 hrs.

2. Deleted the 1.3 firmware files (ipsw and signature file located in (user)>library>itunes>ipod software updates.

3. downloaded the 1.2.1 ipsw and sig files and put them in the above directory.
http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPod/SBML/osx/bun dles/061-2788.20061206.nS1yA/iPod_13.1.2.1.ipsw
http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPod/SBML/osx/bun dles/061-2788.20061206.nS1yA/iPod_13.1.2.1.ipsw.signature

4. disconnected from the internet (so it doesn't update to the 1.3 firmware) and restored the ipod. (might have to download the 1.2.1 firmware/updater - can't quite remember sorry - maybe included in the above files)

Ipod is all sweet now. Think I will buy a esata drive for backup now and also read more before I push that yearning update button.
Good Luck.
Jase

10.4.11 itunes 7.6.2 ipod 5G video

ok, so i have searched and searched through forums. i was having the same problem as you all. on one of these millions of threads, i read that a guy put his in the refrigerator and that it worked fine after that. well, believe it or not, i did that too, and it seems to be working just fine. i think it may be a heat sensitivity thing. i left my ipod in the car 24/7 for probably the last year or so (bringing it inside usually only to dock it and update it).... i know this is bad... but nonetheless, it seems to be working now.

Add me to the list two. The same problems happened to me last week.
ipod 5th Gen. 30G White.
Bought at Oct 2006.
Out of warranty about 8 months.

From this thread, I realized it is the manufacturing defect and some many people have been hurt so badly. I phoned Apple customer service last weekend and talked to their supervisor finally. I told her what happened to my ipod in details and what I read here with so many customers with the same problem. She was so rude and ruthless, and just give me two options: One is to fix it with fee: $129 + tax, plus I have to pay to ship it there and back. The other options is to buy another ipod 10% off. I said I can accept either one. Then she can't do anything and she is the highest level person there I can talk to. She even did not want to talk to me

I am so frustrated and will not give up anyway. First I will cancel my plan to buy IPhone for my wife and me, as well as a nano ipod for my kid. I will definitely tell all my friends and colleagues what I have experienced with Apple, how bad there reliability and customer service are. And then I am planning to write to Customer Service magazine to tell them what happened to me and what happened here. I know one letter can't affect their rating but if they finally find out from here how Apple deal with their own design flaws and treat their customers. They will know what they should do.

Had the same issue were my 18 month old iPod did everything but play through either the headphone jack or car cradle. I apply preasure to the bottom right and viola! I also can't turn the thing off. Any comb of buttons will restart but it runs constantly?

your reply doesn't not belong in this thread. This thread is for 5th gen iPods that work perfectly in every respect except for a lack of sound. I hope this helps.

My ipod's just over 2 years old and this exact problem happened to me. worked fine yesterday, but started getting staticky, then cut out completely on dock speakers, itrip and headphones. I tried the pinch the corner routine, it worked when I applied enough pressure, but stopped the instant the pressure was gone. i tried calling apple and it did nothing. i was told i could send it in for a refurbished one for a charge or to bring it into a store, and probably do that, or buy a new one. through customer relations.
this is my second ipod.

built-in obsolescence has been taken to a new level here. they should just advertise ipods with an expiration date of anywhere from 1-2 years. i bought the extended warranty, and it crapped out like this after that. of course.

If anyone finds some solution to this, I'm super interested.
Thanks.
p.s. mine's a 5th gen. 30G white one too.

mine's a 5th generation 30G white one too.

Ok so here is the deal, I too have a 5th gen black 30g iPod. I loved it till one day (exactly 3 days ago) it just up and stopped producing sound. So I took a few days and decided that I would do some research on the matter. I have come up with basically everything that has already been said on previous posts. So I decided to call Apple for myself, and was basically told that they noted the problem and being that my iPod is about 19 mo. old there I can either send it in for service, or buy a new one. This blows monkey ***! I have had issues with my MacBook Pro in the past and the service I got from Apple was fantastic, this time however I was really disappointed with the way that I was talked to and their version of a solution. Obviously this is a huge problem being that there are so many of us with the same issue. So I then decided that I was going to take it in to the certified Apple service tech. here in town, and was told that Apple's new rule is that all iPod repairs now have to be shipped to Apple and are no longer done in-house. So I left disappointed once more, but the nice tech did give me a website that may be helpful, so here it is: http://www.iresq.com/ Apparently they will diagnose your iPod within 24hrs after receiving it, then contact you allowing for you to be given the opportunity to decided if you want it replaced for a given cost, that is more times than not, cheaper than what Apple is asking. This may be a good option for those that dont want to fork over more money than necessary. Well, I shouldnt say that this whole ordeal is not necessary, but you know what I mean. Good Luck to those who try, I shall try myself and check back.

Okay so I decided to just go to my nearest Apple store just to see if the Genius Bar could/would do anything. I explained the situation, mentioned that a lot of people are having this problem on the message boards, that I took great care of my iPod and that I really just didn't want to spend any money on a repair since I was not responsible for this breakage. I mentioned that I've bought only Apple computer products for the past few years and haven't been let down before and that I usually get the warranty (it's true, I usually do. But this was a gift and I thought I was going to take such good care of it that I wouldn't need it. ANyways...)

So, long story short, the guy at the Genius Bar thought it was the headphone jack, I told him it definitely wasn't. He looked into it for a couple minutes then came back and just said "Okay, we'll hook you up this once" and lo and behold they had a new 5G iPod for me right there. Doesn't look refurbished (it's pristine!) and it cost me nothing. So guys, moral of the story, be firm, be polite and understanding and I think Apple will help us all out.