r/IpodClassic

what do you think about this camera? another camera similar to the kodak charmera?

I've modded my iPod 5 with an iFlash Quad and a new battery and I love it. Yet I just have my old music library from 2010 or so and was wondering: where do you get your music and in the best case FLAC/ALAC files from? From CDs? From libraries?

Hey everyone,
I’m a 17-year-old hardware hobbyist and absolutely love the iPod Classic 5G (Video). Lately, I’ve had this project stuck in my head, and before I actually spend my budget on parts and start prototyping, I wanted to do some quick market research and get some feedback from you guys.
We all love the 5G, but original motherboards are getting old, dying, or are just way too expensive on eBay right now. Plus, internal Bluetooth mods usually involve janky soldering, and 30-pin transmitters are just bulky.
So, I’m seriously considering designing a completely custom, modern drop-in replacement motherboard for the iPod 5G from scratch using KiCad.
Here’s what I’m planning so far:
It will fit perfectly into the original 5G thin or thick backcovers without any case modding.
Powered by a modern, cheap microcontroller like the new Raspberry Pi RP2350 (or RP2040).
Native Rockbox: This is the main goal. No modern Android/touchscreen OS. It should run Bare-Metal Rockbox by mapping the hardware pins correctly. So it will look, feel, and control exactly like a stock iPod running Rockbox, meaning full support for all community themes and the original clickwheel.
Integrated Bluetooth: Fully controllable directly inside the Rockbox settings menu (no external pairing buttons or cutting holes into the case).
Good Audio: A dedicated, high-end Audio DAC (like Texas Instruments or Cirrus Logic) so the 3.5mm jack keeps that legendary sound quality.
Storage: Just a MicroSD slot directly on the board.
DIY-Friendly: I want to use standard, readable SMD components (0805 or 0603) so people with a basic hot-air station can actually repair or mod the board themselves if something breaks.
Just to be 100% clear: I haven’t started building it yet. Right now, I’m just mapping out the schematics and checking if everything is feasible. Before I order individual AliExpress connectors, FPC breakout boards, and test chips, I want to see if people actually want this.
If I can get a prototype working on my desk, my plan is to do a small pre-order run of professionally assembled PCBs (via JLCPCB) to keep the price low for everyone. I’d target around €50 per board, which I hope sounds fair.
I’d love to hear your thoughts:

1. Would you actually buy a drop-in board like this to revive a dead 5G?
2. What features are an absolute must-have for you? Anything special you'd want on a modern board?
3. Any technical advice or good documentation on the clickwheel/LCD protocols?
   Let me know what you think!

Hello, I’m having an issue with my iPod classic 2nd gen.
I’m trying to flash-mod it using a CF-to-IDE 50-pin adapter and a 2GB Transcend CompactFlash card. (I chose 2GB because Transcend cards are expensive, Transcend have the 133x version which has true IDE which is perfect for the iPod and I’m honestly not gonna spend any more money on this project cuz all of this was almost 90 bucks). It also has a brand-new Cameron Sino battery installed.
Here is exactly what is happening:
Unplugged: I just get the folder icon on the screen.

Connected: As soon as I plug it into my laptop, it goes straight into Disk Mode automatically.

On the PC: I am using an old ThinkPad T43 running Windows XP, connected via a PCMCIA FireWire card (so FireWire power/data is not the issue here).

The Software: When I plug it in, iTunes (version 12) actually opens up by itself, but neither Windows Explorer nor iTunes can detect the actual drive. So iTunes doesn’t say it found a iPod on recovery

Disk Management & Diskpart: In file explorer, it shows up as a "Removable Disk" but says "Unreadable" in disk management. However, when I open up diskpart in the command prompt, the drive is completely undetected.

Since the ThinkPad is triggering iTunes to open, the connection is there.
Has anyone run into this "Removable / Unreadable" / missing in diskpart issue with 50-pin IDE adapters or 2GB Transcend cards on a 2nd gen? Is there a way to fix this without spending any more money?
Thanks!

I want to add on some movies, but I've been really struggling to find a good converter that actually works

The simpler the explanation the better as I'm not the most tech savy

I bought an iPod nano 3rd gen off of Facebook marketplace. It’s in great condition and I was able to wipe it completely. However, I can’t seem to download any songs on it from my MacBook. I understand that Apple Music has copyrighted all their music, but both Spotify and YouTube won’t download the MP3s….
Can someone please help me figure this out?? What should I use to download music onto my MacBook?!?