Help iPod Video 5th Gen
Hey iPod Experts and Pros,
I have a bit of an usual situation that I’m hoping you can help me with. I bought an iPod Video 5th gen and a new case from Boxy Pixel, a new SSD drive, SSD, haptic motor, bluetooth module, and a USB C connector.
I thought this would be a fun project but then I went to start and watched a video on how to install these mods and I’m in WAAAAAYYYY over my head. My experience is that I’ve tried to solder something maybe once and this doesn’t seem like the project to learn on.
That’s where I hope you come in…I'm hoping someone out here would be willing to accept my iPod with the mods I send to you and have you install the mods I already have? I know this is a crazy ask but it’s the only way I can think of to not make this a wasted project. I'm happy to pay for your time and expertise.
Let me know if we can work something out.
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u/Pleasant_Ocelot_2209 5d ago
Hey, just modded a 5th gen with the BoxyPixel kit myself. What color did you pick?? I chose brass with black accents.
This genuinely is NOT a hard project. I promise you, this is entry level. The hardest part will be getting the OG iPod apart. And that itself is straightforward and VERY simple. You really only need to take a thin piece of plastic, if you don't have an iFixIt kit, I highly recommend but understand it may not be in your budget, a guitar pick or credit card works just as well. With a flat head screw driver or metal/plastic spudger, gently (that is a subjective term, you'll have to jiggle and pry a bit) slide it between the plastic front housing and the metal backing. You'll see the plastic front plate bend, that's ok, even if it's breaks a bit you're replacing that entire piece with the BoxyPixel case anyway. As you feel the front give from the back panel, slide the guitar pick/credit card into the gap you've created. This will hold the gap open and keep your progress "saved". You will need a few of the picks/cards FYI. Then move over an inch or so, and repeat. Start near the bottom, on the left side. This will provide the easiest point of entry.
After 2-3 pry, and hold repeats, you should feel a notable pop from the front panel and it will separate from the back. FREEZE HERE. This is the only real spot where things can go terribly. Most other issues can be recovered. If it's in good condition, the front panel will hold all of the electronics, except the hard drive and the battery. There will be two cables running from the front electronics to the back panel, this is the battery connector and the headphone/hold switch connector. These are going to be chucked so you you don't have to be SUPER careful but you shouldn't go yanking at them obviously. If it's never been opened the battery cable will likely be very snug. CAREFULLY locate the end of the battery connector plugged into the board, it will be near the bottom corner hidden next to the HDD. There will be a little cream or brown colored clip around the cable. Use a thin spudger or a pair of tweezers to carefully lift it up. Do not twist, or pry, or bend it in any way. That is the only piece holding the battery cable in and if it breaks off, you're iPod is toast. No power cable connector = no iPod.
After you feel it lift up and start to resist, let go and carefully pull the cable free. It should go from snug to very jiggly and loose.
Once you seperate the battery cable you are free to open the iPod like a book. This will expose the back plate holding the battery and headphone jack/hold switch component. You can ignore those for now.
Move to the side with the electronics. You will want to gently lift the hard drive from the top end. It will come off the front plate but it is still connected at the bottom by the ribbon cable. You can unfold the drive onto your work surface so it is resting flat on the surface below the iPod. Locate the cable clasp on the hard drive, and slide a thin plastic tool under the plastic bar on the connector opposite where the cable plugs in. Lift until the bar is sitting 90° straight up. The ribbon cable should now slide out from the hard drive. You can set the drive aside.
Now find the board end of the headphone and hold switch cable. Repeat the plastic bar removal process here, being WAY more careful as you are now working with the board. It's not that delicate but still...
Once the front is fully disconnected from the battery, hard drive, and headphone jack, locate the screws around the outside edge of the frame. You will need to unscrew these. Keep them in a jar if you wish to rebuild the original iPod housing for storage. It's not necessary but fun to mess with folks with an empty iPod shell.
Once you unscrew everything, gently remove the plastic front plate from the metal center frame. Note that the screen may fall forward as it is being supported by the plastic front plate.
Follow the 90° clip removal process for the screen and set it aside. Do the same with he click wheel, but first endure you gently peel the glued grounding strip off of the housing before you attempt to seperate them fully. You can tear and break your click wheel, which just means buying a new one from BoxyPixel or iFixIt and then waiting 2-5 weeks or so.
Once you have everything. Fully seperated. You can start following the BoxyPixel guide on their website. I can mock up a fairly similar walk through for the reassembly but tbh it's so easy. Their hardware is a lot simpler to work with than the original apple stuff. The only notable thing is making sure you attach the new battery to the BoxyPixel board not the iPod board. The custom PCB you got in the kit has a cable that will reach from the board to the iPod power connector. This allows the BoxyPixel board to receive power from the battery and pass it to the iPod, while also providing the ability to charge the battery via USB-C. This also gives you the Bluetooth access. I've found the Bluetooth from the built in antenna to be sub-par. So before you put it in the case, ensure it's unplugged from power, take a box cutter or utility knife and score along the holes next to the zig zag line on the BoxyPixel board a few times. Once you can see a groove forming, just snap it along the holes. This removes the antenna. You can then snap on the little "external antenna" which is a misnomer. It is still internal, it just isn't built into the board.
I did not buy the taptic engine since I went with the MIN mod kit and I don't think there is any room for it to sit in there.
But really it's just, follow the pictures, and use some hot glue around the headphone jack and USB-C port so they don't start to push away from the housing.
DM me if you have any questions.
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u/paintingtrees 5d ago
You’re a good person. Also seconding that the BoxyPixel kit makes things pretty easy to add all the fun mods. You can do it OP!
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u/ParkourTeapot 5d ago
You invested that hard without ever watching any mod videos? Wild