|
|
An Awful Apple manufacturing defect
I'm get no sound from my earbuds *or* the docking port on the bottom of the iPod.
If you are not getting any sound from your earbuds *and* your docking port you have a problem with your logic board.
Apple has had a manufacturing defect that has appeared in the 5th Generation Video iPod.
The defect ruins the logic board. The logic board is made of several layers of phenolic board that are plated then etched to form traces. The boards are stacked on top of each other with an adhesive between them and then drilled through where needed to allow the signal to migrate between the discreet parts and as it's routed through the layers of the logic board to different parts of the board.
In this case the logic board has de-laminated after the digital file is converted to analog signal but before the signal is routed to the audio amplifying circuits.
When the logic board is is allowed to remain in extreme heat the board layers in question began to de-laminate, then warp and cup away from each other in such a way that signal is never finished and presented to the pre-amplifier/power amplifier that then sends the amplified sound to the earbuds or docking port. The signal is "driven off a bridge"" and lost.
Almost always the last of the iPods useful life occur in a car with the windows rolled up in the summer baking it. Almost always the faceplate on the iPod is Black.
Look, Apple is getting away with something here, when you spend $250 on even a cheap TV you expect it will last 5 to 7 years. If you spent $250 on a microwave oven you would imagine it to last 12 years. Even a TiVo (selling for less) would last at least 5 or 6 years. This iPod failure is occurring *just* after everyone's 2 year warranty window has lapsed and it's not the owners fault. And the owner didn't hand Apple $250 that was going to spendable for just 12 months.
Apple should be the recipient of a government investigation because this type of failure doesn't occur to laptop makers that also use the same technique, or other MP3, digital voice recorders or cell phones that all use the same manufacturing technique. Apple's Chinese subcontractor in matter's like these, which is making iPods, iPhones, and the Mac Mini is FoxConn which is a wholely owned (actually the manufacturing brand of) by Hon Hai Precision. FoxConn also makes all the Apple laptops and Micro$oft's Xbox360.
FoxConn is a well known logic board maker. They make Intel and Dell's logic boards for God's sake. They can do better and Apple ought to extract a "make good" and replace all 5th Generation video iPods that have this problem.
It is completely not cool that the owner of an iPod should experience this brief an iPod life. In the past when there was a large enough group of people that complained as in the case of the Nano 1st Generation, a law firm started to build a class action suit with all owners of the Nano 1st Gen in the class. Not too far in the process Apple backed up and for a 30 day period (March 2006) replaced anyone's Nano 1st Gen that wanted another. That wasn't enough in my opinion since that device sucked in terms of engineering. Read here:
http://www.isickbay.com/1st_gen_nano_ipod_problem.shtml
So Apple has been selling iPods with basically a congenital heart defect and hasn't been prepared to pay for the surgery or a replacement heart. Bad on them. There hangs the question of what to do. Should you consider another MP3 maker? The answer is no. I've looked at and worked on everything that is out there. Every other alternative is a serious compromise. The Microsoft Zune has fewer replaceable parts. Microsoft has designed it in such a way that it is a big project to get into and work on. Most of the parts are wave flow soldered to the logic board obligating a whole logic board replacement for something as light weight as a headphone jack problem. The Zune also has an FM radio in it that you have to carry around all the time, if you already have 5000 songs that you know you want to hear, why do you need an FM radio? Also Microsoft really over sold the "song sharing" ability in their early ads. With an iPod/iTunes you can "authorize" 5 computers/iPods to play music you've bought. In the M$ world you can 'beam' a song for a day to a max of 3 friends which is not close to the way they advertised it would work.
The SanDisk Sansa and Creative Labs Zen player don't have the range of features an iPod has so replace it with an iPod.
Apple has... well really performs a manipulation with their customers who have problems of this type. When any iPod owner arrives at an Apple store at the time of the appointment you made, with a problematic iPod, they will analyze whether it's problem was derived from a manufacturing defect or abuse.
If it's a defect then they determine if it's still in the 12 month warranty window (or you have un-wisely spent the $70 for the extended warranty, where you will have a 24 month window). If it's under warranty they will hand you a "pre-repaired" one is kind of how they describe it. They say it will have belonged to someone that needed it repaired under warranty and now here it is with an empty hard drive just for you.
If it's abuse they will offer to allow you to trade it in for 10% off. That which you paid $250 they will allow you to exchange for a $25 bill. Their manipulation is obvious, what is less obvious is the hidden motivation of wanting to take perfectly repairable iPods "off the planet" so they are not repaired and won't because they've been repaired keep someone from buying a new one. In essence they don't want a repairable iPod to cannibalize a new iPod sale. Get your iPod repaired or sell it to someone who will.
If you want to get a new iPod here's how to get a new iPod fairly cheaply... with a 12 month warranty
Read here: http://www.isickbay.com/how_to_buy_new.shtml
I buy 5th and 6th Generation video iPods that have a good working hard drive *and* a good working screen OR a good logic board and good LCD screen for $30. Yours falls into this category. If you don't want to go ahead with the repair this may be something else to consider.
If you feel the quality of information here is good *and* you want to sell it, then send it in to me and I will send you back a $20 bill and a $10 bill in a Christmas card by return mail.
You can also have me repair it. There are many reasons to want to repair this model iPod. For quite a few people their iPod is/was a gift from a relative *and* it's inscribed. They want to get it repaired. In one case a fellow contacted me. His iPod was one of the last things his wife gave him and she passed away. He wanted it repaired because of it's connection to her. I've had another case where a fire partially destroyed a grandfather's Christmas gift and it needed to be repaired for the sake of that sentimentality.
This de-lamination problem requires replacing the logic board. Read more about pricing for that here.
I'm in Sonoma County... Northern California wine country.
If you live nearby, are traveling through or live in the San Francisco Bay Area bring your iPod to me and I can do the work while you wait or go wine tasting for a while. Send me an
email just to make sure I have on hand whatever parts your repair will require.
Call or email me
with questions or to set up a repair. You can also call, I am here most days from 8am to 8pm
Toll Free 1-877-iPod-Pro (1 - 877 - 476-3776)
Send the device to:
Frank Walburg
2145 Service Court
Santa Rosa, Ca 95403-3139
Methods of payment
|
|
|
