Charging iPod nano 6th gen

Hello Lakrids,
And welcome to Apple Discussions!

but using the firewire power adaptor from my old iPod doesn't seem to work. I also tried using the docking station without luck.

The iPod 6G cannot charge via a Firewire connection. It needs to be USB.

I also tried using the docking station without luck.

Your 6G Nano may not be compatible with your docking station. Check with the manufacturer of the docking station for more information on compatibility.

B-rock

The problem may have something to do with both the cable and the voltage. Older Nanos run on 12V DC, and newer Nanos on 5V DC. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem (pushing 12V into the device would charge it faster, although it would shorten battery life over the long haul) except that Apple, supposedly also changed the pins designated for charging. Not sure of the exact pin number, but I think #19 is now the 5V charge pin for new Nanos, while in older Nanos it was (I think) #23 or something like that for the 12V charge pin. All in all, the advice below was correct, you can't use an older Firewire iPod cable on newer iPods. The only reason I know about this whole voltage and pin problem is because the new Nanos won't charge while connected to the iPod cable in a new Mercedes Benz - they play fine, but won't charge. Mercedes uses a cable with the old pin set up, and my Nano 6th gen won't charge.

I bought the Scosche passPORT, and it the new Nano now works perfectly with my wife's '08 E-350. It plays, charges, and allows all the remote controls. And it installs in 10 seconds and stays connected just fine. Got it for $18 on Amazon. Definitely worth it.

I think I have an answer for you. This company makes a converter for your car that will charge your iPod as well as changes the pin count for your connector to properly match the newer cables.

Try this link to see if this will work.
http://www.scosche.com/car-audio/product/1667

Hope this helps

Thx, rossvesq! We can't get our new Nano to play in the Mercedes, either. Actually, it will play when you connect it, but then the audio system doesn't "see" the Nano again after either (a) the audio system is shut-off, or (b) the car is turned off.

If we pull it off the connector, then re-connect it, it will play again. (I don't know if it's charging or not. Haven't looked.)

Do you know if there's a fix? Is there an adapter to re-align the pins from an older connector to a newest-generation iPod?

Isn't this frustrating??? I have had the same great stereo for over 6 years and never a problem with 3 older gen iPod Nanos. Got the new one for the 16 gbs as well as the size and all of a sudden...

No charging, doesn't come back on when car turned off, and best of all it shuffles all playlists automatically as that is first track option of every list is shuffle.

This is so unlike Apple to not have considered these things before rolling out the new generation.

I guess I'm going to have to take apart my dashboard and see if I can connect a new cable for my Nano but after 6 years I bet my stereo set up is obsolete and I'll be stuck until I purchase a new stereo.

Very surprising for Apple, very!

OK, I got the passPORT today and it did nothing for my 6th gen iPod nano. Is the one you have working now with passPORT a 6th gen iPod nano?

The back of the box says that this adapter works only for iPhone 3g, iPod touch, (Gen 2) and iPod Nano (Gen 4). I even talked to their sales rep to confirm this would work for the new 6th gen Nano.

Thanks for the reply - that would help me a lot to know if it's me or the wrong product.

Yes, it's a 6th gen (small, square) Nano in an '08 E350. With the passPORT, everything works fine.

The '08 E350 does not permit shuffling the songs from the car's controls. (At least I've never come across any way to do it.) We always shuffle the songs on the Nano itself before plugging it into the car. This functionality continues to work fine.

Mercedes also makes there own Adaptor for the 5Volt USB Charging. But the issue I have is that occasionally the device is not stopped, either while on a call or when the car is turned off. I noticed that after my call was through, the iPod had advanced through two songs and was in the middle of the third. Finally, after leaving my car over two nights in a parking lot, the iPod had reset and when the car turn on the iPod it started at a different playlist then when I left it. --I believe that it was not stopped and kept on playing unit the battery ran out, and when the car resumed charging the iPod and it reset.

That is great news as I ordered mine yesterday.

Does your nano still shuffle all your playlists or does the passport fix this problem too?

Nice to problem solve these issues.