iPod 120GB upgrade for 5G iPod Video

[jeffy.dee-lux]

So, given that nothing was announced in the classic iPod department the other day, I've decided to have a look at upgrading my current 30GB 5G iPod Video. I've only just gone past that with my library hitting 32GB these days, no sign of slowing down. I would also like to be able to keep full-rez photos on there, though maybe not my entire 40GB iPhoto library, but some of my favourites for sharing with friends (enable disk use, plug it into a computer, view it on a big screen), and also good for a backup of my photos.

A 64GB iPod touch would probably be about right, but they're bloody expensive. I'll just wait till sometime next year when I'm out of school and can afford a 64GB iPhone. In the meantime, the remaining Classic is overkill for what I want to do, and I also don't like the look and feel of it physically, or the look and feel of the interface (these things are important too!).

So what do y'all think about spending US$140 for Apricorn's upgrade kit. It includes a new battery, the 120GB hard drive (which I gather is a 5mm thick single platter drive, as they say in their table that it'll work with the 30GB iPods while the bigger ones can go to 240GB), and the plastic tools required to open up the iPod. Has anybody done this kind of upgrade/heard of somebody doing it? Is Apricorn a reputable company? I'd never heard of them till today. Is this a good deal or would I be better off finding this hard drive independently? I'm probably fine in the tools department, and I'm already a customer at CanadaRAM and they sell the batteries for 18$ (i could indeed use a fresh battery in there).

Any thoughts/comments would be most appreciated. I'm also a fan of keeping old gear running as long as possible and not adding to the pile of old electronics. My parents only just today upgraded from an old Blue Dalmatian iMac G3 to the latest iMac - should be good for another 9 years i hope!

 

[njpodder]

This sounds like a really great idea. I have the old 30GB Video as well, and I hate the thought of upgrading it if I can find a way to get it back into tiptop shape (Battery is dieing out now). I'm right there with you about the doubts of this company, but I'm interested too if anyone has any experience here with them or has even heard good or bad things about this.

Thanks for the post, my interest is peaked!

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

well... i'm really tempted to do this. I think I'm just gonna go for it. It'll be a "sleeper" iPod! Like a Ford Festiva Shogun! I guess I'll go ahead and be the guinea pig and see how it goes.

 

[instaxgirl]

I upped my 30GB to 60GB and replaced the battery last Christmas instead of trading it in for a Classic. I also hate replacing electronics if they haven't actually broken.

I ended up getting a new Classic anyway. Got it on the back to school deal, would have persevered with the video otherwise. The replacement itself isn't that bad. Fiddly, but doable and not too difficult if you're familiar with that sort of thing. You basically just unplug one component and plug in the new one.

One thing to bear in mind before you upgrade is that your video was only built to deal with 30GB of music. Upping the capacity places a strain on it and you'll sometimes see lag as a result. I was playing with 50/60GB of songs, don't know how well it'd cope with 120GB. Occasionally mine would do strange things as well, like play a song for 2 seconds then skip to the next when on shuffle. It was very occasional but did happen more than a few times.

Tbh the Classic's probably the better player - no slowdowns and INCREDIBLE battery life

But I still don't like the split screen, the interface, the stupid clock screen, that flicking the hold switch off doesn't light the screen up, the slight lag to load album art (so pointless) or the clickwheel (sometimes so much less responsive) Oh I miss my 5G

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

Okay great, thanks for the input. It'll probably be a while before I get 60GB of music onto this drive, so hopefully it'll hold out for a while. I do plan on shoving a bunch of photos on there though, do you think that'll still slow it down? But ya, I really prefer the 5G to the Classic, so I think i'll just go with it and hope for the best.
Meanwhile, I actually have a Classic sitting on my table right next to me. Just picked it up as part of the back to school deal, but I think i'll pass it on to someone in my family who really wants it.

 

[ChrisGonzales90]

Do what ever you want, but I'd just upgrade. I mean if you know what your doing then by all means go ahead and do a little DYI. I mean, if you sell it on e-bay you may get a little for it. You could even throw in some cheep ear buds (like the $14 sony ones) and a $15 itunes card and get a bit more (People love looking for a great deal, and may buy your old classic if it included some extras compared to an old classic with nothing but the player)

 

[MattA]

I can understand that you like the interface of the 5G and want to keep it, but honestly, upgrading to the newer classic sounds like a much better deal. $209 for a refurb with a 160GB drive and all new hardware just sounds like a better idea.

But if you want to try the upgrade, go for it.

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

hmmm yeah... okay some more opinions, this is a hard decision! Resisting the new Classic is even harder because I've got a brand new one still in it's box sitting right next to me that i got with a new iMac. DOes it really have a significantly better battery life? I thought it wouldn't because it must spend so much more on powering the fancier graphics.

 

[chillywilly]

My daughter's 5G 30gb video iPod has been having some battery issues lately and she wants more space. I may just give this kit a try. I've had iPods and iPhones apart before, and this kit comes with the right tools.

I'm curious if it's available from other sources like iFixit or OWC. (macsales.com)

 

[Doc69]

Where to find a 60GB replacement drive for 30GB iPod 5G?

I upped my 30GB to 60GB and replaced the battery last Christmas instead of trading it in for a Classic.

instaxgirl, what make and model number was that 60GB hard drive you bought? I'm trying to find a 60GB replacement hard drive for my 30GB 5G iPod Video but I am afraid that I may get one that is too thick (that would only fit in the 60GB/80GB model).

Does anyone have a link to a cheap 60GB hard drive that will fit in the 30GB ipod 5G? Any size over 40GB would be OK.

Also, has anyone actually installed a 120GB HD in their 30GB 5G iPod Video? It would be interesting to know if it works well or if there is a lag etc.

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

just an update from my end. It looks like i'm getting cold feet, this talk about possible lag, that would just sour me on the whole deal, especially considering i've already got a brand new 160GB Classic sitting on my desk. I think i'm just gonna replace the battery and give my old 5G to my parents and use the Classic myself.

 

[apubipat89]

I haven't seen anything that confirms that it will work

I'm in the same boat with a ipod 5.5. And mine has a busted hard drive. But I don't see why it wouldn't work I just don't want to spend the $100 on the MK1231GAL if it's not going to be compatible. Let me know if anyone finds anything.

 

[njaremka]

instaxgirl, what make and model number was that 60GB hard drive you bought? I'm trying to find a 60GB replacement hard drive for my 30GB 5G iPod Video but I am afraid that I may get one that is too thick (that would only fit in the 60GB/80GB model).

Does anyone have a link to a cheap 60GB hard drive that will fit in the 30GB ipod 5G? Any size over 40GB would be OK.

Also, has anyone actually installed a 120GB HD in their 30GB 5G iPod Video? It would be interesting to know if it works well or if there is a lag etc.

i recently upgraded my 30gb black video to a 120gb hard drive. the original drive went out, and it would no longer boot up, so i had nothing really to lose. bought a 120gb drive from a newer ipod classic off ebay, and it dropped right in. i used the repair guide from ifixit.com and had no issues opening the ipod and performing the replacement. now, my video works just as good as new, plus it has a LOT more storage capacity.

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

any noticeable lag at all? I still haven't opened the box for this new Classic sitting on my desk. Haven't really had a reason to yet, I'm still open to the idea of the upgrade, especially if I hear some positive feedback from somebody who's actually done it.

 

[njaremka]

any noticeable lag at all? I still haven't opened the box for this new Classic sitting on my desk. Haven't really had a reason to yet, I'm still open to the idea of the upgrade, especially if I hear some positive feedback from somebody who's actually done it.

define lag? it plays just as fast as it did before. no noticable lag scrolling through the menus, and no noticable lag when selecting a song to play. i think you are worried over nothing. battery life hasnt suffered either.

the only downside from the upgrade is that the back cover still says 30GB. (if you want to call that a downside.)

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

awesome, I think i'm gonna go for it. Do you have a part number for the drive you installed? Is it the MK1231GAL?

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

the only downside from the upgrade is that the back cover still says 30GB. (if you want to call that a downside.)

I think that's an upside! I've always loved the idea of hiding something special under the hood, although this is a little tamer than a Ford Festiva with a 220hp V6.

 

[njaremka]

awesome, I think i'm gonna go for it. Do you have a part number for the drive you installed? Is it the MK1231GAL?

sorry, i dont remember. it was a direct replacement drive - same physical size as the original 30gb drive. i purchased it off ebay from seller "sirpodalots"

 

[mdwsta4]

meh. i suppose it sounds like a decent deal, but if you consider the cost of a new classic along with the improved battery life and larger hard drive, it doesn't seem worth the hassle.
I have a 60gb 5th gen which is great and has lasted all this time (it's strictly delegated to car duty for the last 3 years). unfortunately, my library has been over 60gb for the last year and I'm sick of swapping out songs/playlists. Was originally holding off for an updated classic, but that obviously didn't happen.
if the swap was more like $100, I'd jump on it. But you could probably sell your 5th gen for $50 which would essentially make up the difference between a new classic and what the upgraded parts would cost.

 

[njaremka]

meh. i suppose it sounds like a decent deal, but if you consider the cost of a new classic along with the improved battery life and larger hard drive, it doesn't seem worth the hassle.
I have a 60gb 5th gen which is great and has lasted all this time (it's strictly delegated to car duty for the last 3 years). unfortunately, my library has been over 60gb for the last year and I'm sick of swapping out songs/playlists. Was originally holding off for an updated classic, but that obviously didn't happen.
if the swap was more like $100, I'd jump on it. But you could probably sell your 5th gen for $50 which would essentially make up the difference between a new classic and what the upgraded parts would cost.

with a dead hard drive, i faced either upgrading to a new device, or replacing the hard drive with a 120gb for $80-ish. it was a no-brainer for me. plus, my ipod was a gift with engraving on the back, so i got to keep my sentiments.

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

sorry, i dont remember. it was a direct replacement drive - same physical size as the original 30gb drive. i purchased it off ebay from seller "sirpodalots"

Thanks, i'll check him out. He has a 120GB drive available, but he says it's good to upgrade the 80GB iPod without changing the backplate, but doesn't mention the 30GB model. Does this sound like the same drive you got for your 30GB?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPod-120G...geNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ht_505wt_1141

meh. i suppose it sounds like a decent deal, but if you consider the cost of a new classic along with the improved battery life and larger hard drive, it doesn't seem worth the hassle.
I have a 60gb 5th gen which is great and has lasted all this time (it's strictly delegated to car duty for the last 3 years). unfortunately, my library has been over 60gb for the last year and I'm sick of swapping out songs/playlists. Was originally holding off for an updated classic, but that obviously didn't happen.
if the swap was more like $100, I'd jump on it. But you could probably sell your 5th gen for $50 which would essentially make up the difference between a new classic and what the upgraded parts would cost.

I'm seeing the 120GB drive on ebay for CAN$90, free shipping. And then the battery's available from CanadaRAM for $26. $116 is not too bad, and a solid $160 cheaper than a new Classic ($279 in Canada).

 

[njaremka]

Thanks, i'll check him out. He has a 120GB drive available, but he says it's good to upgrade the 80GB iPod without changing the backplate, but doesn't mention the 30GB model. Does this sound like the same drive you got for your 30GB?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPod-120G...geNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ht_505wt_1141

sounds similar. he is good about responding to questions. the 30gb ipod video takes the "thin" version of the drive. just send him a quick question through ebay.

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

This is the response I got:


This is the thinnest. Ive tried many times to
install this in a 30gb and Im telling you its not
going to work. He must have had an 80gb that had
been downgraded to a 30 if it worked. We will not
refund unless the drive is actually defective and
all our drives are triple tested so thats not
likely. Be forwarned.

- sirpodalots

You sound pretty sure that yours is a 30GB model though. I'm not really sure what's going on here, sounds like this guy knows what he's talking about too. Can you measure the thickness of your iPod please? Thanks!

 

[njaremka]

well, it is a 30gb model. attached is the about screen showing the model number and drive size, and a picture of the back case engraving.

 

[jeffy.dee-lux]

well, it is a 30gb model. attached is the about screen showing the model number and drive size, and a picture of the back case engraving.

Cool thanks for posting. Was it at all a struggle to get the drive to fit in there? I wonder if there's a chance there's a difference in thickness between the two generations of 30GB iPods. i'm just trying to figure out why this guy, who I'm sure would like to sell me a hard drive, is pretty convinced it won't fit. Can you take a ruler to your iPod and measure it for me? Mine is 11mm thick.

I'm pretty sure I got mine when there was a choice of either 30GB or 80GB models, since i got it in mid 2007.