Why doesn't this iTrip work in my iPod?

July 18, 2005 7:26 AM

Why won't my iTrip work? I have a first-generation iPod, the kind with the big FireWire port on top... when I plug the iTrip into the iPod's FireWire and headphone jack, it doesn't play. The LED doesn't come on, and nothing is transmitted to the FM radio. If I press the iTrip down harder into the iPod, the iPod shows the "battery empty" icon and won't wake up until I plug in AC power. (This despite the iPod having a full battery the whole time.) Am I missing something, or is the iPod or iTrip defective? (Not impossible, given that the iPod is several years old)
posted by mark7570 to Technology (5 answers total)

Is it possible you don't have the proper iTrip? There are different products for different generations of iPod. I don't think the newer iTrips would even fit a first gen iPod, but it's worth checking out. The differences between older and newer iTrips are here.
posted by AgentRocket at 7:46 AM on July 18, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks... yes, it's definitely the right generation if iTrip for the right generation of iPod.
posted by mark7570 at 9:13 AM on July 18, 2005

I assume that you're doing more than just plugging the iTip in - there are special audio files that you need to play to program the iTrip to transmit at whatever frequency you want. Once you start playing the special audio track, only then will the LED start to flash. Once it has been programmed successfully, the LED will stay illuminated.
posted by skwm at 11:29 AM on July 18, 2005

The iTrip doesn't start transmitting until it picks up an audio signal.
posted by suchatreat at 11:50 AM on July 18, 2005

Best answer: You've probably damaged the headphone socket. I have a second gen iPod and probably the same model iTrip as you and I know that the connection is getting might iffy. There are times where I have to pull out the iTrip, wait a bit then plug it in securely, but carefully to get it to light up. I haven't had the battery thing you describe, but I know that with the iTrip plugged in, power is slowly drained even when the iPod is off.

Oh, and suchatreat, the moment you plug the iTrip in, the blue light should come on even if the iPod isn't currently playing anything (even if it's off).
posted by krisjohn at 4:15 PM on July 18, 2005