Even if you don't own an iPod, you probably know someone who
does. In fact, I bet that if you asked this person, you'd find out that it isn't
his or her first iPod either. So what happened to these older iPods? In some
cases, the old devices were simply set aside for newer, cooler ones. In others,
the old iPods became broken.
Hard Drives and Hard
Times
Before the iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle and Apple iPhone were
released, all iPods used hard disks instead of flash memory. With these older
devices, common breaks were caused by cracked screens or failed hard-drives. Fortunately,
these common breaks can be repaired relatively easily. It's also cost-effective
to repair an old iPod instead of buying a new one.
The repair costs for these older units are pretty much the
same. I was able to find new hard drives for a fourth-generation (4th gen) iPod
classic between $35 and $60 (USD), including shipping. I was also able to find
replacement LCDs for $20 to $40, again with shipping included. There are even
some Web sites that sell different color LCD screens, but those options are
limited to 3rd gen and 4th gen Ipods
Repairs and Lessons
So what if the hard drive or LCD isn't what's broken? There
are replacement parts for almost every part of the iPod. But what if your iPod only
plays mono? Sometimes, the problem is just a lose cord that needs to be pushed
back into the device. If that's not the issue, however, there are new headphone
modules that ship for between $20 and $40.
For do-it-yourself (DIY) types, there are various online tutorials
about different iPod issues and fixes. Most are relatively simple to complete.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be making a few of these repairs and will provide
pictures, instructions, and a "level of difficulty" for each repair.
So, take out those old busted iPods! With a little bit of time
and money, you can have that glorious CD collection at your fingertips once
again.
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