Convert your 5th Gen iPod Video to use Flash Memory!

Convert your 5th Gen iPod Video to use Flash Memory!
You may have seen my other Instructables on how to convert your iPod Mini and 4G iPods to use CF and wondered if you could do the same with the iPod Video. Well you can!

Note: Some of the instructions are very similar (if not the same) as the other iPods so don't be surprised if I repeat myself...

We all have or know of someone who has an iPod with a dead hard drive. Of course you can simply buy another drive but you're back to the same power-hungry, failure-prone, fragile rotating media. Instead, upgrade your iPod to use Flash Memory. Sure a hard drive can hold all 30,000 of your songs, but even a 4GB card can hold over 24 hours of music - I usually change out songs often enough that I don't need to carry 20+ Gig of songs at all times.

You can also check out my new Bluetooth 5G iPod Video at iPodHackers.net
 
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Step 1What You Need

What You Need
1) Unlike my other instructable where I showed How Do Upgrade Your iPod Mini With Flash Memory, you cannot simply replace the hard drive with a flash card. The 1.8" drive and CF interfaces are similar but you will need an adapter to bridge the interface from the card to the HD connector on the iPod. Finding the adapter has been the most difficult part of this procedure.

Although you can get adapters for the 4G iPod cheap on eBay, Tarkan Akdam is in my opinion the only person in the world selling a reliable adapter for the 5th Gen iPod Video. Get yours HERE. Don't come crying to me if you use some cheap Taiwanese adapter and burn up your iPod!

2) iPod-Opening tools (non-marking plastic tools and/or flathead screwdriver). Tarkan will ship you a set of these with your purchase.

3) You will also need some hot melt glue or double sided foam tape.

4) Of course, you will need a fully ATA-Compliant Compact Flash card. Any size will work, but you can now get 8GB cards for under $60 as of this writing. I've had good luck with Transcend and Sandisk. Check the specs, not all cards will work.

5) Oh yeah, make sure you start off with a fully functioning iPod! Don't assume that the broken unit you bought from eBay simply has a bad drive.
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57 comments
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Jan 6, 2012. 12:55 PMashap517 says:
I've done this mod before, both on a iPod Mini and on a classic iPod (20GB) and now I'm trying to do so on my iPod Video (5th gen). After switching out the HDD with an adapter and a CF card, the ipod still wouldn't work. After reseting it close to 15 times, I got the iPod to work (with the new CF card). I restored it, itunes was easily finding the iPod when connected, and I was able to transfer and play songs just fine, but the second I closed the case back up the the iPod froze and needed to be restored again. I got it working another three times and again, everytime I closed the iPod it would break again. I've messed with the cables, done diagnostics, and pretty much everything I can think of. Any ideas on why this mod wouldn't be working?
ANY HELP MUCH APPRECIATED!
Oct 17, 2011. 5:43 AMspike10152 says:
I bought the Tarkan adapter and 32 G Transcend Flash drive, but apparently the problem was not with my IPOD's hard drive, even though the Apple tech told me this. The problem is with my circuit board. So now I have an adapter and flash drive that i would like to sell ($50 for both items). Get in touch with me for the details - spike10152@yahoo.com.
Apr 24, 2009. 9:44 PMQuietStorm81 says:
Can you do this mod and the bluetooth one as well? I ask because if that's the case then this WILL be done with the biggest CF card I can get my hands on.
Apr 10, 2011. 4:09 PMsupermorph says:
knowing im replying to a old post,
for reference purposes the adaptor above should / does make more room
so there should be ample room for the BT mod :-)
Nov 18, 2009. 8:36 AMMike8913 says:
 does this allow you to sync with your computer via BT? . . . .thats something i'd be interested in
Apr 10, 2011. 4:06 PMsupermorph says:
nope (for anyone wandering)

its just a media swap with a bridge between the ribbon to cf/ide socket
Feb 19, 2010. 8:52 PMacuchetto says:
Do you think it's possible to use an SD to CF adapter in lieu of the CF?
Apr 10, 2011. 4:05 PMsupermorph says:
nope, tried one, was gutted, because i had a kingston 32GB sd card to use for it.
Sep 4, 2010. 10:24 PMcody777 says:
Can you take out the cf card put music on it and put it back Im asking because me dock conector doesn't work so I'm stuck with the 20 songs I put on to test my audio jack repair If I could do that I wouldn't need to switch the whole logic board iv got other iPods I can format the drive with to
Aug 21, 2010. 6:58 PMLetsExplodeSomething says:
Here's a cool enclosure for your cf card with built in adapter.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.27498
Apr 29, 2010. 11:00 PMold_bass_masta says:
so i found a website that sells the tarkan thinger.
heres a direct link (the products ship from canada instead of the UK)

www.idemigods.com/iFlash_Video_iPod_Compact_Flash_Adapter_p/iflsh_v2.0.htm
Mar 11, 2010. 8:10 AMchrisswiss83 says:
Be really careful here.  I managed to break the bar despite being warned.  Not sure if it's the reason the iPod won't work, or if it's because of my compact flash card.
Nov 3, 2009. 2:01 PMBrother Monk says:
I used this iPod hack about six months ago on my 5.5gen 30gig iPod.  At the time the HD was making some noise and I was having some issues with the iPod freezing.  Took me about 45 minutes to get the iPod open, replace the internal drive, install the Flash Card, and get it closed up and running. 

The only problem I ran into during installation was getting the tiny black bar that clamps down the adapter to the iPod to close.  It would not and ended up snapping off in my hands.  Luckily friction has kept it all together and the flash card has only worked itself loose one time after a drop on its end.

I highly recommend this Instructable!
Oct 8, 2009. 4:46 AMjunniver says:
So as you said some cheap taiwanese adapter could burn up my ipod, what are the signs that I burned my ipod using those cheap adapters?
Sep 17, 2009. 12:49 PMTheShawMaestro says:
I love the way you can just open it up, swap out the card for a higher capacity, then just snap it back up again. Definitely doing this.
Aug 8, 2009. 9:16 AMwindowman says:
I am a big ham handed person with minimal computer and tiny object experience. Replaced battery and installed 32 gig flash drive in +/- 45 minutes. Listening to it now. Piece of cake. Only comment, should have better blow up of gray battery retainer clip and how it lifts and black ribbon cable retainer and how it just swivels up. The hardest part was understanding how these little clips work. Very Pleased
Jul 24, 2009. 2:10 PMInvaderDig says:
i love this instructable!!! *printing up pdf for future reference*
Dec 24, 2008. 8:38 PMjames.guan5693 says:
does this hack work with the ipod classic?
Jul 13, 2009. 6:17 PMnatedawg1013 says:
Yes, they both use the same hard drive and connections. Reports have been good--no problems.

http://www.tarkan.info/20080706/tutorials/apple-ipod-classic-and-iflash
Dec 4, 2008. 2:38 PMgeeklord says:
Doesn't flash memory use less energy too? There's no spinning disk.....
Dec 4, 2008. 1:59 PMipodgeek says:
This is an awesome hack! I've been successful at converting two 5th gen ipods to flash memory. I used the same CF adapter used in this instuctable for both ipods. On the first ipod I used an 8 GB Adata CF card. I restored the ipod and put music and videos on it. Everything worked great! The only two issues that I encountered were that the transfer speed was slow (not a big problem for me) and sometimes I'd get a message saying Use iTunes to Restore when I turned the ipod on. When I turned the ipod on again it would boot up normally. Overall I was very pleased with my ipod. The second ipod I repaired for a friend. I did everything I mentioned above except that I put in a 16 GB Adata CF card instead. My friend was very happy to get his ipod back in working condition.
Nov 26, 2008. 10:15 AMdchall8 says:
I thought I'd left a comment here but I don't see it. Probably had a Vista crash before hitting the Post button. Anyway, this is great!! This morning I took possession of my daughter's best friend's defunct 5th Gen iPod. I'm ordering a 32-Gig CF from Amazon ($60) and the adaptor from Tarkan. Pretty exciting!!
Nov 9, 2008. 6:42 AMalexeix says:
Great mod! In the UK though, product specs don't mention if a card is ATA compliant. Or does "Supports Ultra DMA mode 0-4" mean the same thing? See the 16GB Transcend card on amazon.co.uk. Any advice? Thanks.
Aug 6, 2008. 10:35 PMBartboy says:
VOID WARRANTY
Oct 24, 2008. 4:51 PMtbird45039 says:
if you still own one of those it probably doesnt have a warranty. and plus its made by apple so the only way it will break is if you physicaly damage it
Oct 24, 2008. 9:07 PMBartboy says:
No, mines refurbished
Oct 10, 2008. 7:53 PMcljack123 says:
It would so awesome if there was an SDHC adapter... Awesome instructable by the way!!!
Sep 3, 2008. 8:36 PMabadfart says:
how many pins dose the cf have
Jun 7, 2008. 5:57 PMfwjs28 says:
its called ctrl+alyt+prt scrn then ctrl+v or paste into paint or Gimp or whatever editor u use!
Mar 25, 2008. 7:09 AMchainofcommand02 says:
Fstedie, is the transfer rate fast enough from a flash card to watch video on the 5th gen iPod?
Apr 12, 2008. 9:53 AMmatthewschwimmer says:
Yes. It is actually better than the hdd IMO
Mar 16, 2008. 3:18 PMwowuser3894 says:
could i use this basic idea to expand the memory of an mp3 player that does not have a hard drive (http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011854&cid=MP.115) this is the one i want to try it with anyone any comments?
Mar 1, 2008. 12:26 AM5.5rebuilt says:
the bluetooth hack is to just listen to headsets via bluetooth or can u transfer song to if other ipod has same mod?
Feb 8, 2008. 9:06 PMjawzmorph23 says:
Hey fstedie, I've been trying your mod and I love the idea, but I can't quite get it right. I even bought the same exact hard drive to compact flash converter on ebay from the asian vendor, but my computer just won't recognize the ipod when I plug it in. It just comes up with the sad ipod face and then goes to the charging screen, then if I leave it plugged in long enough it will eventually bring up the apple logo like its restarting, then after a couple seconds the screen goes blank and then trys to restart again, over and over. Any ideas???
Feb 5, 2008. 4:26 PMsiyon says:
Hey there, is there anything like an external flash (memory) adapter that can plug into a cell phones usb port and act as a memory capacity booster?
Feb 1, 2008. 7:04 PM!Andrew_Modder! says:
Oh, P.S. next time, if your taking a picture of something on your computer. hit the (Prt Scr/ SysRq) button (next to scroll lock) and then open a new picture file and paste that, it will be a perfect screenshot! (instead of getting bad looking camera pixtures of the desktop.)
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Author:fstedie
Hello, my name is Eddie. I'm one of those people that can't leave well enough alone so I'll inevitably take things apart and modify them to suit my needs. As evidenced from my Instructables, I've b...
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