So, what, I can't charge iPod without a PC - using a wall or car charger?

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So, what, I can't charge iPod without a PC - using a wall or car charger?

Hey, hopefully you guys will be more useful than Apple's support line, saying that Apple won't support non-Apple accessories (that is, basically, everything... since Apple didn't even provide a charger with the iPod to begin with). Basically (and even specifically) saying that Apple doesn't recommend using anything but a computer to charge.

That means no charging at work, no charging in the car, no charging whenever it's "convenient"... only charging when iPod is connected to a computer. That's the predicament I'm in now.

If I plug iPod into any device that starts iPod up as a disk device (MSD driver), it'll start charging. If I don't plug it into something that initializes it as a disk (i.e. a 5vdc USB charger), it won't charge. If I plug it into a powered hub without a computer, it doesn't charge. If I plug that same hub into a computer (keep in mind, it's still getting power from the adapter here), guess what? It charges.

What, the crap. Why did Apple do this? Most of the reason I chose to finally buy an iPod (even though I'm plenty happy with my other MP3 players) was because of the plethora of innovative third party add-ons. Now I can't use a charger? What gives?

Or is there really something wrong with my iPod? I've tried several USB chargers that work with my other USB devices (my Pocket PC, my phone, etc), that don't work with iPod. Strangely enough, Google revealed that nobody else seems to be having a similar problem, or if they are, that it's because the USB charger is underpowered (which, while is understandable for my cheesy Chinese USB device chargers, is not the case with the powered hub).

Thoughts?

Homebrew PC, Windows XP Pro

Posted on Nov 17, 2007 2:51 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 17, 2007 4:16 PM in response to Falcon4

[http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=E8 A38107&fnode=home/shopipod/ipodaccessories&nplm=MB051LL/A]

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Answer 2

Falcon4 Author

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Nov 17, 2007 4:48 PM in response to jordanapple

Yeah, I know there's the "Store", and there are Apple accessories. Though... I do doubt it will put my iPod into "charging mode" unless it actually has a mini USB host controller inside or something. In that case Apple wins the award for "most consumer-unfriendly company ever" for actually putting a lockout system in place to keep an iPod from charging from a "NON APPROVED" device. Ghey at its best.

But still, not even Apple could find a car charger for me. When I'm at home with access to an AC outlet, I may as well plug it into one of my countless PCs. When I'm not at home, on the other hand, I'm in my car, and a car charger would be nice. Given the plethora of devices capable of putting out a regulated 5 volts, where's the love?

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Answer 3

Will-Hi

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Nov 17, 2007 5:50 PM in response to Falcon4

Falcon4 wrote:
Yeah, I know there's the "Store", and there are Apple accessories. Though... I do doubt it will put my iPod into "charging mode" unless it actually has a mini USB host controller inside or something.

Of course it'll charge your iPod, it's the (non-included) charger you talked about in your first post!

I do wish it was included like it used to be though…

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Answer 4

Falcon4 Author

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Nov 17, 2007 8:16 PM in response to Will-Hi

Please for the love of god, just answer me one simple question...

With the huge number of iPod chargers on the market, how many chargers are there that "don't work" at all? From real companies with a reputation to protect? Are you telling me that every single iPod owner is required to use an Apple branded charger in order for their iPod to charge?

Basically, what I'm gathering from these posts and from Apple is that there is only one single charger that will work with the iPod Nano 3g (for reasons that make zero sense at all) - despite there being thousands of different chargers that COULD charge the iPod if it allowed them to...

This has got to be a recent change inherant to the 3g Nano, because otherwise, the entire Internet would be flooded with people outraged over this restriction. >.<

p.s.: I'm sure you get n00bs on here a lot asking "how i aer do load musics on my i-pod", but just to put me in perspective, I have over 10 years experience in computers, building, repairing, diagnosing, and programming - I'm no PC n00b. 🙂

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Answer 5

Nov 17, 2007 8:38 PM in response to Falcon4

There are lots of third party chargers available. I'm really not clear what problem you're having.

Here's a link for just one (by a very reputable iPod accessory maker)

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powerjolt

You don't have to use an Apple branded one if you don't want to. Are you getting this issue mixed up with the change in Video out specs?

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Answer 6

Falcon4 Author

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Nov 17, 2007 9:10 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

I didn't even know about a video-out spec change (nor do I use video out, I just got my first iPod!)...

Just, what has me ticked is that I can charge any of my other USB-charging devices like my cell phone and PDA, by just providing +5v to the USB port like a powered hub does without a computer, or a cheap Chinese car adapter does. That's how I modified my cell phone's provider-branded data cable to charge the phone via USB - as it stood, it would only provide data through the cable and drain the battery even though the phone was being provided +5v into its USB circuit. I simply soldered a couple wires ("open source" hardware I call it - the connector simply unscrews and has all its contacts exposed to tweak with!). Easy fix.

But what I find with the iPod is that it's the only device that needs to be "forced" to charge even when it has 5 volts sitting right in front of it. Strangely (and sadly), I did a Google on the iPod dock connector and found on the iPod Linux wiki that there actually needs to be a resistor in place between a couple of USB pins in order to force the iPod into "charging" mode when connected to +5v. So basically, yeah, it will charge, but since my hub isn't an iPod charger, and the cheap chargers I have (that only provide USB 5v) don't have that resistor, I guess it was just ignoring it.

Great job leaving the consumer guessing, Apple. At least now there's a forum post on this (irritating) subject for those of us that don't associate "new device" with "new accessories" but instead find ways to make our old accessories work for the new devices. Guess it's to the soldering iron with me...

Message was edited by: Falcon4

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Answer 7

Falcon4 Author

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Nov 17, 2007 9:40 PM in response to Falcon4

Well, in tinkering and soldering, I've found that I can get the iPod to start charging by connecting 10k resistors between + 5dc and USB D-, and Ground and USB D+. The cheap Chinese wall power brick didn't seem to provide the proper "style" of power (too noisy? bad voltage? shrug), but when I applied power from a regulated 5v power supply designed for an external hard drive, the Charging symbol appeared for the first time (woo!). So at this point, I'm better off than I was, but still not perfect. Still got a ways to go for a car charger 😉

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Answer 8

Nov 18, 2007 4:28 PM in response to Falcon4

Boy, are you brave! How did you do this modification?

I brought our 3G 4GB Nano to the Apple store while waiting for the Genius Bar folks--I found that of the 7 or so speaker systems, our Nano only worked on 2 of them (a logitec system, and one of two Bose systems!). The Nano worked with the Altec Lansing speaker systems for 5 weeks, then started acting up/stopped charging. Now it doesn't play well (despite doing the 5 R's, rolling back to 1.0.1, sending unit to Apple service) with different ipod compatible car head units, most speaker systems as well as a generic ipod charger (ac).

We are now awaiting the arrival of a replacement unit, we'll see if the plethora of incompatibilities resolve with the new one.

This cool little upgrade from 1st and 2nd gen Nano's may well cost us more than the cost of a new 3G!!

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Answer 9

Falcon4 Author

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Nov 19, 2007 2:09 AM in response to ayeayepod

Well, to follow up, the 10k trick didn't exactly work properly. It worked once, but then stopped working completely - not even a rock solid regulated 5v power source would start it charging again.

Mysteriously enough, I gave up and went to CompUSA, bought a $20 Griffin PowerJolt car adapter. It works spectacular. I can't understand what the Griffin adapter is doing that the "modded" adapter isn't... but believe me, I'll be the first to reverse-engineer and find out. 😉

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