How to put music on my iPod

June 27, 2006 11:25 AM

I have a new (to me) iPod that I can't put music on.

I have what I believe is a first generation iPod. It's 10 GB, big as hell, and has it's own charger, which I believe newer iPods don't have? I have the charger, but I dont have the cable that actually connects the iPod to the computer. I may be mistaken, and the charger cable may do both, but I don't see where it would plug into the computer.

Where can I get one of these old cables on the cheaps?

posted by a red so deep to Technology (11 answers total)

What are you talking about the new ones doesn't have their own charger? Uhhh...how would you power them without a charger?

Anyway, to answer your question I'm pretty sure the 1st gen ipods used a seperate cable for connecting up. Try ebay?
posted by crypticgeek at 11:43 AM on June 27, 2006

It's a standard firewire cable. The charger had a firewire port on it and provides only power, not data. If you get a cable and connect it to a powered Firewire port, it should work.
posted by mikeh at 11:47 AM on June 27, 2006

The First Gen iPods were Firewire only devices and had an ordinary full-sized firewire port for both charging and data transfer.

So, the cable you have can be used to transfer music, but your computer will need a firewire port (aka IEEE 1394). You can get a Firewire card for ~25 bucks or less.
posted by Good Brain at 11:50 AM on June 27, 2006

1st generation iPods use 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cables to carry both data and power.

If you have a Windows machine, you will need a FireWire port on your computer. FireWire has also been called "IEEE1384" or "i.Link". Most do not have a FireWire port built-in and it is therefore necessary to buy a FireWire card.

6-pin FireWire cables are available at any computer vendor (e.g., Newegg).

If you need a FireWire card, here is an example.

Once you have the FireWire card and iTunes software installed, just plug in your iPod to begin loading music on it.
posted by Mr. Six at 11:52 AM on June 27, 2006

Crypticgeek: the new ones don't come with a charger, although chargers are available. They draw their power over the computer's USB2 connection.

And like everyone says: the charger cable *is* the one that connects it the computer. You need a Firewire 400 card.
posted by bonaldi at 12:00 PM on June 27, 2006

I agree with most of the above... except that it can't be a first gen iPod as those were only 5 gigs.
posted by dobbs at 12:06 PM on June 27, 2006

Everymac indicates that 1G/2G were pretty much identical and that they shipped in 5, 10 and 20 gig formats. Details here.

The real way to tell if it is first or second generation is if it has a literal mechanical wheel on the front for conrtolling the device. If not, then it is third generation or higher.
posted by smallerdemon at 1:46 PM on June 27, 2006

I'm afraid you're wrong, smallerdemon. The 1G iPods had the mechanical wheels; 2Gs were more-or-less identical but for a touch wheel like the 3Gs.

This may help.
posted by Zozo at 2:02 PM on June 27, 2006

Ah, indeed. Thanks Zozo. Scrolling down to the "how to tell" descriptions are better than the list I think on Apple's site.

Note that there is such a thing as a 10GB scroll wheel iPod, which I'm wondering if he has. (Sounds like it, if it's "big" as described.) But the 2G ones would be the same size with with a scroll wheel sized touch wheel.

Looks like the easiest way to tell what he has is if it has a FireWire port.
posted by smallerdemon at 5:23 PM on June 27, 2006

You can buy a 6pin to 4pin forewire converter thingy and it will work but will not charge the ipod so don't do any huge transfers without charging it first.
posted by fshgrl at 5:51 PM on June 27, 2006

Are you a Mac or PC user? 1st gen. were designed for Mac only, weren't they? You have to reformat to use them with PC, I think.
posted by lhauser at 8:34 PM on June 27, 2006