TLDR: My iPod 5th Gen bit the dust, and I’m not sure what I’ll be doing going forward to replace it.
So I’ve had the iPod I posted about yesterday for roughly 3 years and I haven’t used it all that much but it is definitely a Frankenstein-pod from various parts models.
Today I was getting off work and I went to hit Play…. and nothing. I took it apart, unplugged the battery, did a 10 count, plugged it back in, and still nothing. I went home, unplugged it for about 20 minutes, and same result. I plugged it into my computer and no response. This leads me to be certain that the logic board well and truly bit the dust.
Next opportunity I get, I’m probably going to get just a 5th Gen 32MB board, keep it as it was. I’d like to eventually get another iPod, one that is a 5.5 (Late 2006 Video w/ search function) or a “7th” gen Classic (The second revision of the 6th gen). The 5.5 version added a search function to the iPod, and an improved display panel, potentially adding to battery life. The “7th” Gen model was an improvement over the first revisions of the 6th gen, namely in that you can increase the storage capacity to go beyond 120Gb (a hardware/firmware limitation) and in general better battery life.
The key difference between the two is the body and firmware. The 5th Gen bodies are made of plastic and steel, and the clips that hold them together are easier to separate if I needed to repair it on my own. The firmware is also unencrypted, so if I wanted to mod the stock firmware with a custom theme I can easily do so. The 6th gen switched to an Aluminum body, which makes getting inside it a bit harder. It’s still doable, but you will need multiple separating tools to help hold it apart.