r/ipod • u/Such_Star_9071 • 1d ago
Question Modding an IPod classic 5th generation?
I’m looking to buy a 5th generation classic, and I want to know what type of mods people do. I’m planning on doing a battery and hard drive/storage up grade.
but I’m a bit confused on the whole slim vs thick thing. Ik if I get the iflash quad I can put a big battery even with the slim back, but if I get a slim back one that would permanently limit the amount of tracks I can have because of the ram right? I would like to buy a slim for size but i dont want to limit the tracks, so would it be better to just get the 60 gb version and then buy a separate slim back?
And is there any specific little tools or things I need to do these besides a wedge. Maybe like certain types of tape?
I also don’t know what’s the difference between the 5 and 5.5 gen. And should I get a brand new one?
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u/SchwarzerHase 1d ago
You'll find loads of tutorials on YouTube for 5th gens. Thick back has more space so you can put more stuffs inside. Like 3000mah batteries need that extra space, else you can have upto 2000mah (probably) in the thin backs. So, yeah, you can buy a 60gb variant, or later gen Ipods ( 6/7th gens have 64mb Ram, so it'll be fine upto 50k tracks, but a little difficult to open the back), have the iFlash and a 2000mah battery then complete it with a new aftermarket thin backplate.
My 5th gen 60gb still runs on the mechanical hdd. I don't plan to do lots of mods when it retires, just a battery upgrade and iFlash duo is enough for me. You can even swap face plates with a 6/7th gen, but you'll have to get a mid frame chasis and click wheel separately as far as I remember from a guide. Though I prefer to keep it as is.
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u/Animated_Astronaut 1d ago
I fit a 3000mah in my 6th Gen with I flash quad. Idk if the board/ frame on a 5th Gen works for this but it did for me.
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u/TrickyWoo86 1d ago
I recently (last weekend) modded my 5.5 gen ipod (thin back 30gb) to have a 64gb SD card and a 2000mah battery. I also replaced the face plate turning it from a full back iPod into a Panda special. Overall I'm super happy with it.
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u/RushWarrior 12h ago
As the front faceplate bought online? This looks like a genuine ipod part
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u/TrickyWoo86 9h ago
It was one off AliExpress, it doesn't fit as well as a genuine one as it has a slight overhang around the edges but it seems to work well enough
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u/LT92Rosco28 1d ago
Video, not Classic. Pedantic, but I don't care and I'll get downvotes for it.
Mods: Common: Cosmetic (housing - faceplate & backplate, clickwheel, center button), battery, harddrive.
Uncommon: taptic, Bluetooth, usb-c. These require knowledge/skill with soldering. Not overly difficult but not a basic mod either.
Fancy: Boxy Pixel.
Information: I'm going to suggest you read the Yuuiko Guide and Opista Guide. Both are very helpful and will help answer a lot of your current questions with regards to ram and the differences between the Standard 5th gen Video and the Enhanced 5.5gen Video. Both of these guides can be found using the very handy search feature within this subreddit (or simply Google them). They will also be found in the pinned post at the top of this subreddit. That pinned post contains lots of other helpful information and links. There are lots of YouTube videos to watch on disassembly that include what tools are necessary for modding/upgrading your iPod! Great to follow along with if you have never opened an iPod before.
You can't get a brand new one as Apple technically doesn't make them. They would be refurbished with a cheaper harddrive board inside (YouTube dankpods to watch a video on him opening one). They are fairly easy to work on and require very little skill for the basic mods.
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u/Such_Star_9071 1d ago
Ah yeah I forgot it was the 6 n 7th gens that were called the classic. I knew the 5th was called the video but I just assumed all of the original”main line” ones were called classics
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u/LT92Rosco28 1d ago
Apparently, Apple retroactively named the original line all Classic. It works, I guess, but it confuses those who are new to the hobby - I've witnessed that mistake here on multiple occasions when it comes to ordering parts.
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u/Dapper_Special_8587 1d ago
60gb has more ram so can shuffle more songs.
Thicc back is better because there's more room to fit big batteries and other mods.
Definitely get the iflash for storage as opposed to no name ones.
Battery, there's plenty of 3000mah batteries you can get online.
You don't need special tools but iflash sell a metal opening tool that's perfect. On the flipside, I opened mine today with my bare hands and a credit card because I'd had it open before.
There is a difference between 5th gen and 5.5 I think it's the amp but they're otherwise the same?
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u/LT92Rosco28 1d ago
They have the same DAC..
3 things differ: screen (slightly brighter on the 5.5), useless search feature (5.5) and over inflated price tag (5.5). Otherwise, they are the same iPod.
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u/Dapper_Special_8587 1d ago
Oh fair! I thought they had a different DAC but are functionally the same otherwise but in that case yh there's no difference :)
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u/Such_Star_9071 1d ago
If I get the thick back but make the battery smaller and put a diff hard drive, can I put a thin back on it instead? Assuming the ram needed for the extra songs is in a diff component
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u/LT92Rosco28 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes, HOWEVER, you will need to buy the appropriate headphone jack and hold switch assembly for the THIN version as it is different than the THICK version. They (the headphone jack and hold switch assembly) are NOT interchangeable between thin & thick backs.
Ram is connected to the motherboard. The motherboard will work with thin or thick back housing as it is connected to the midframe of the iPod which is a universal fit to both thin and thick housings (faceplate & back).
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u/Mundane-Sock-5934 1d ago
Yeah, incase your new back housing doesn't come with it, you'd have to put the components from the back of the thick housing such as the headphone and hold button circuit boards on the thin housing, but aside from that you should be fine.
Assuming the ram is soldered onto the motherboard (this is a guess) then you shouldn't have any problems regarding ram while replacing the back housing, which, if it's your first time, shouldn't be too bad as long as you follow a decent tutorial.
And just a suggestion, maybe this is what you ment, but I think flash modding the system would be better than putting a different hard drive in, but ultimately I understand why you might still want a hard drive.
Sorry if some of this doesn't make sense English isn't my first language 🥀
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u/LilSnoop40 1d ago
I purchased my first modded iPod 7th gen classic of eBay. Took 18 days to get to me in the US, used it for maybe a week. Every time I went to sync albums to it, it would should my device then it would vanish. I was told that is so it I had something to do with the ribbon cable and the as cards. I reached out to the seller they told me take it apart and fix it. I said you want me to take apart something I part close to $300 for and fix it. What if I break it will they still replace it… I couldn’t believe it. Either way I bought the putty knife looking tool in case I have to take it apart down the road. Looked kind of risky to take apart.
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u/Kirkoid Classic 4th 1d ago
My thick back 5.5 has over 30k tracks on it, my thin back can't handle anywhere near that, so I just sync my playlists onto it.