Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr (Read 4854 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Hi all

If anyone can help me on this one ASAP I would appreciate it hugely...

I'm going to see an iPod Classic later today which someone is selling locally. They said they bought it but never used it. As such, it has been sitting unused (and "as new") for a year or two.

Is there likely to be any issues with it for the fact that it has not been used? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of the battery and the hard drive (as it is mechanical). But there may be other things to consider which I have not thought of.

Many thanks

Max

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #1 –
The battery may be less than optimum, or even dead. Batteries deteriorate if left unused for long periods but sometimes rechargeable batteries of various sorts can be reconditioned (if done in the proper manner). However, I don't know how likely the problem is to apply to this type battery and I don't know much reconditioning is possible.

Several kinds of capacitors degrade if unused for an extended time. Some degradation is almost certain but it may not be enough to seriously effect operations.

Hard drives can deteriorate or perhaps develop sticktion difficulties when unused but this is less certain than battery and capacitor deterioration.

I now of no way to know without using the thing for a time and finding out if it does well or not.

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #2 –
Quote from: MaxDread on
Hi all

If anyone can help me on this one ASAP I would appreciate it hugely...

I'm going to see an iPod Classic later today which someone is selling locally. They said they bought it but never used it. As such, it has been sitting unused (and "as new") for a year or two.

Is there likely to be any issues with it for the fact that it has not been used? I guess I'm thinking along the lines of the battery and the hard drive (as it is mechanical). But there may be other things to consider which I have not thought of.


Look until your heart becomes contented, but for the money its hard to beat a Sansa Fuze or Fuze plus. Every digital music player with a hard drive is potentially a ticking bomb with an uncomfortably short fuse. The present and near term future is flash memory.  As this concept applies to the various flavors of he Fuze, they support pluggable flash chips (that ride internally and very inconspicuously) that give it a tremendous capacity with just one chip, and virtually unlimited capacity with even just a matchbox or Altoids can full of them.

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #3 –
There's no reason why it shouldn't work IME. I've owned iPod Classics, one of which was used and abused and still works over five years later. It's possible that the battery life may have been affected by sitting around unused but I doubt it will be an issue. Worst case scenario: if it is Apple can replace the battery for you.

If the price is right I'd recommend getting it. Otherwise buy a new one at retail.
The Loudness War is over. Now it's a hopeless occupation.

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Every digital music player with a hard drive is potentially a ticking bomb with an uncomfortably short fuse.


My 7 year old Zune 30 would like to respectfully disagree with you! And an Altoids box? Really?

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Mach-X on
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Every digital music player with a hard drive is potentially a ticking bomb with an uncomfortably short fuse.


My 7 year old Zune 30 would like to respectfully disagree with you! And an Altoids box? Really?


My 9 Y/o iPod Photo 60GB and 11 y/o Nomad Jukebox 3 disagree also.
The iPod in particular has seen a *lot* of use (and one replacement battery, performed by myself with kit sourced online).



                                                               

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #6 –
Lithium batteries degrade the instant they are charged. If fully charged or depleted they will lose 20% capacity per year at room temp.
Optimum charge state is 40%. This will result in 4% loss per year at Room temp.
Higher the temp, the faster the degradation.

Play a video on it and see how it behaves before you buy if you can but I think the battery change is easier than doing a nano.

What they say about the Sansa units is true though. They are tiny and you can expand memory by adding a 32gig chip. You can also Rockbox them. That seriously improves the sound quality with crossfeed and parametric EQ which, if used, seriously messes with your battery life but you will still get about 8 hours from a charge on a clip zip. Spend what you save on headphones and you have some serious portable sound quality.

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #7 –
I hadn't touched my ipod 160GB Classic for about 2 years (I mostly just use stuff on my iphone or spotify when traveling now). Pulled it out of the drawer, plugged it in, charged it up, and working fine.  I gave a really old 30GB early (non color) ipod to a friend that still uses it. And I have a seldom used old ipod classic 60GB (I think) at a weekend place that people use now and again).

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #8 –
I have a 3rd generation 40GB iPod.  The drive died two years ago.

With mechanical drives, failure is not a matter of if, but when.  Still, my iPod gave me a good run.
 

Will a new Ipod Classic sitting on the shelf for a year or two have pr

Reply #9 –
My 20 GB 3rd Gen iPod still works fine to this day; 10+ years after buying it new.

My classic 60GB iPod that I got in 2006 still works fine as does the 160GB one I got in 2012.

They are very durable and dependable in my experience.  Go for it!
JXL