How can I fix my iPod remote?

April 23, 2004 9:31 PM

I have an iPod remote (past warranty), and unfortunately the insulation is breaking right where the cable joins the plug. I've considered heat-shrink tubing, but the funky plug shape makes this impractical. Is there a way to fix it?
posted by O9scar to Technology (6 answers total)

OMG. I was going to suggest you hit an electronics shop, buy a new plug, and do a self-repair job, but those buggers at Apple went all proprietary on you. That truly sucks, more than mere words can express.

Unless you can cobble together a hack for that cable, it sure looks like you're gonna have to pay the big bucks to get a replacement.

...though there's a guy out there by name of "purple" who makes custom Garmin GPS plugs. Suggest there's a big market for custom iPod plugs, and maybe he'll make some...
posted by five fresh fish at 10:54 PM on April 23, 2004

I bet you could still stick some heatshrink tubing over the cable and that grey part at the top of the plug (the strain-relief) -- if that's where the problem is.

fff: Are there any non-proprietary headphone + remote-control jacks out there? It seems to me that every manufacturer uses their own custom plug for this kind of application, but I'd love to be corrected if I'm wrong.
posted by xil at 1:25 AM on April 24, 2004

No idea, xil. I didn't know ther was some sort of remote control deal on it.

Aren't the iPod headphones generally considered to be crap, and worth replacing? That means the device can work without the proprietary plug...
posted by five fresh fish at 9:13 AM on April 24, 2004

Response by poster: Geez - the iPod isn't that proprietary. You can plug any vanilla mini-plug into the iPod itself or the remote.

The remote is a nice extra, but I get along just fine without it.

My new Sony earphones have a super short cord plus an extension cord - they're practically begging to be paired with the remote.
posted by O9scar at 10:45 AM on April 24, 2004

fff: Are there any non-proprietary headphone + remote-control jacks out there? It seems to me that every manufacturer uses their own custom plug for this kind of application, but I'd love to be corrected if I'm wrong.

I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but I have this Panasonic CD/MP3 player that came with a little remote. The plug and jack on each side of the remote are the usual ninety-degree-angled minijack format.

Aren't the iPod headphones generally considered to be crap, and worth replacing? That means the device can work without the proprietary plug...

I have heard good things about the in-ear replacement headphones Apple sells. Can you get these together with a remote? If so, maybe shiny new noise-cancelling headphones would lessen the sting of having to get a new remote. Also, I guess Apple now sells a wireless remote for the iPod, so if you absolutely have to buy a new one, maybe you can get one that won't fail in the same way.
posted by vorfeed at 11:59 AM on April 24, 2004

mine did the same thing, and even though it was past the warranty date, they FedExed me a new one the next day. I may or may not have lied on the web form. But hey, if that's their only method of checking, then that's their problem!

however, my 2nd one just died (contacts inside the remote) and I doubt I can get another free one.
posted by krunk at 1:37 PM on April 24, 2004