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'Pop' Between Tracks In New iPod
joesao writes "The new iPods released last week seem to have a problem that causes an audible 'electrostatic pop' between all tracks played on it. The effect is not imaginary, as it has been witnessed by many users over at the Apple discussion forums. Now, one user has actually published a sound sample recorded the iPod's playback and the verdict is in: it's real. I hope this is a firmware issue and that it's quickly fixed ..." I just ordered a new iPod. I wonder if I should cancel my order.
You ever think that Apple might do the right thing, fess up to the problem and fix it for free to anyone who's effected?
http://www.remix.net/
and mine doesn't have any pops. (15gb)
It is a very very solid upgrade to an already amazing product. Don't cancel your order.
Remember when the Mac cube had a "crack" in the plastic which Apple said was no big deal? But it was a big deal to the people who paid extra and demanded perfection. People don't buy Mac cubes and iPods because they want something that is just good enough or gets the job done. These items are priced much higher than roughly equivalent but less polished competitors, and people expect that extra Apple polish.
Some of the older Compaq iPaq and HP Jornada Pocket PC PDAs had the same issue where you would here a pop right after a sound was played. Firmware fixes were released to reduce or eliminate the problem, which changed how the mini-amp for the built-in speaker (listening to sound via a headphone didn't have the same issue or was so minor that it couldn't be heard) was powered off.
The issue with the iPod might just be that the embedded OS is possibly powering down the mini-amp between songs or could be a glitch with the sound chip between the buffers. Probably a good chance that it can be eliminated or at least make it much more subtle by a firmware fix... or it may be problems with said mini-amp.
...I am simply astounded that a major corporation would just give out free sounds to the people. Microsoft could never unclench their evil moneygrubbing fists like that. I mean to be able to clearly distinguish between tracks is just the kind of brilliant useability detail that the Linux crowd fail to pay attention to but which has been the hallmark of Jobs' vision from the beginning. Just holding my ipod and thinking about it is causing a warm tingle in my pants.
ohgodohgod
yes! oh god YES!
aaaaah...
So what you're saying is that the TiBooks could "snap," the Cube would "crackle," and now with the iPod, we're getting a "pop."
Hmmm... curious...
That's not a bug. it's a feature. the product was originally called the iPop. some dyslexic guy in the marketing department screwed it all up though.
Seems to me like you've screwed up your earbuds pretty good by crunching the plug like that. That probably explains the crackling (my Walkman headphones crackle occasionally when I fiddle with the [much-abused] plug).
As for the shocks...I HIGHLY doubt that there are any voltages >5 VDC inside the iPod. Certainly they wouldn't be necessary to power any of the circuitry AFAIK. I'm thinking you're being shocked by static electricity that's built up by the 'Pod bouncing around inside your pocket. Perhaps there's a connection between the metal back and some part of the earbuds. I've never had the opportunity to closely examine iPod buds--do they have any exposed metal? If not, maybe you've actually damaged the insulation going into them enough that an exposed wire is touching your ear--but even then I think only a static charge (not one from the iPod's battery) could be a high enough voltage to be noticeable.
Finally, the topic of this thread: In addition to what people have suggested about this being a result of power cycling the amp circuitry (which seems pretty likely), it's also possible that DC control signals are leaking into the audio outputs. I suppose you could say I'm a budding audio professional, and we've experienced a similar problem with a (MUCH more expensive than the iPod) piece of professional audio gear. Turned out that the control circuitry was not adequately shielded, and the cables connecting the automation section to the rest of the device were threaded around and through audio cables (and--like most similar products--the internal cables were generally unshielded IIRC). The manufacturer was very helpful and modified the automation assembly, but we finally decided that the product wasn't meeting our needs anyway (feature-wise). So we sold it and replaced it with a better (and even more expensive) product from the same company, which doesn't have the same problem, nor do two more products purchased from them since.
I don't know how applicable this is to the iPod--after all, all of its circuitry is on one PCB, unlike this product, which had over 50 fairly sizable ones and plenty of connections between them.
Just some food for thought.
WM
Oh, the humanity! How many people will have to suffer through this before Apple releases a fix?!?!?!
Only the soulless Mac OS 9 fanboys who read Macintouch (also known as "Quark Bigots" and "Claris Em@ilers") and post to MacNN Forums via a stick in their teeth.
The rest of us couldn't give two shits about the issue, because we're not idiots savant incapable of leading a normal social life, but being able to perceive a slight pop between songs (not even during the fucking thing, but after it, and before the next one) that is juuuuuuust barely audible by bats.
Not that I'm bitter.