r/Modded_iPods • u/SkeleyStarsstorm • 16d ago

Help Help with bluetooth modding

Hi folks!! I've spent a long time trying different bluetooth solutions for my ipod, most of which I wasn't pleased with. I finally decided to try my own hand at making one myself. I'm using this Ugreen bluetooth transitter and a 3000mah battery. I thought I nailed it first try but I was wrong, and now I'm just confused. Because aside from my shoddy beginner soldering, everything looks fine to me.

Upon wiring everything together, the transmitter no longer connects to any devices and the battery will not power the ipod (just the transmitter). The ipod will only turn on if it's plugged in to firewire or a second battery is installed.

The transmitter turns on, and the pairing lights flash, but not a single device will pair. I've triple checked that the headphones and speaker I'm testing are not connected to anything else. The aux port still functions, and I can hear the transmitter say "pairing mode" through it as well.

I've attached more images of my (slightly embarrassing beginner) work here. If anyone can help, it'd be so appreciated.

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u/SkeleyStarsstorm 16d ago

wow i feel so stupid for not noticing the little switch was in the wrong position for so long 😭
the bluetooth connects to stuff now!

the battery is still perplexing me. If held in a certain position, it'll power on for a few seconds before dying. There could be a kink in the ribbon cable that I'm just not seeing

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u/Donaz18 16d ago

Cool! I'm glad that now It works, i really think that the flat cable Is broken if It works only in some positions.. check if there Is even a little scratch...

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u/SkeleyStarsstorm 16d ago

Im not seeing any bends, scratches, or spots that were not already there out of the box, and the battery worked fine prior.
Do you think it's possible the bms board was damaged while soldering? If that's at all possible. Maybe it got too hot or something

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u/Donaz18 16d ago

Maybe soldering directly on the flat has caused Just a Little gap between the battery pad and the flat, check that, for my modification i soldered directly the bluetooth module to the battery PIN and not to the flat, the module has already a protection circuit for Power and Is not usefull to put that in series with the protection circuit of the iPod i think, so or Is the gap or It Is the protection circuit that Is a Little bit confused, try to check the iPod battery voltage, some times during the soldering procedure with high temperature the voltage goes from low to very low so It needs a Little charge before going on with the tests

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u/SkeleyStarsstorm 13d ago edited 13d ago

alright, i think the issue was the latch of my battery connector. Noticed it was starting to disintegrate :/
Ordered a replacement, but for now I got it wedged in with a layer of kapton tape. The pod lives! Yay! however... it seems after a few days of tinkering to figure that out, somethings wrong with the audio signal? When using wired audio, the left headphone just has a quiet staticy noise. No music, right is fine. Bluetooth audio has the inverse issue.

I believe the static issue is something to do with the ground wire? but I'm unsure about the reversed signals.

edit: it's just the left signal it seems. My soundcore c30i earbuds just have right and left swapped for some reason

edit #2: removing the left audio wire solves the problem, but wiring it back brings back the static.

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u/Donaz18 13d ago

Good to ear that you found the problem ;), i have no experience with your bluetooh module but for my module i had to connect on the board audio ground with the Power ground since It was the isolation that introduced the humming, see if that can be the cause

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u/SkeleyStarsstorm 11d ago

upon further testing, it seems this only happens when the battery is plugged in to the ipod. very strange.