ipod 4g sound problems?

[chumley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisin Replaced immediately worked out to over a two hour wait at the Short Hills apple store in NJ. After being told to go to the check-out line for exchanges, and wasting half an hour there (do all apple stores have only two cash registers? ), I was then told I had to sign up for an appointment with a "genius" to prove the ipod defective. Wednesday afternoon wait for an appointment: one hour fifty minutes. I swear to god, you came [this] close to seeing me on the news! Anyway the "genius" had no knowledge of these interference issue's (by the way, you would be better off using space aliens as a reference, than mention any web source other than apple). This, even though there were three other opened 40gig ipod's on the counter. He offered to make an exchange, without much further ado, but I decided to cut my losses at this point and let apple work out their quality control problems on somebody else's clock. One more apple store return for me and I'll be looking for bail, not an upgrade!

On Monday, I picked up my 4G 40 gig at Best Buy, along w/extended warranty, or whatever they call it; around 40 bucks for 4 years...

Went to the car, plugged in the iPod, loaded it from the PowerBook with 5 AL, 5 AIFF and a few 320 AAC... got the HD moving a lot, tried every track briefly to load/unload buffer and spool up/down the HD, using 2c, 4S and the iPod buds... nothing but joy. Packed up and drove the 70+ minutes home.

If you can test it before goin' home, it might save you some time on the other end... and, in the highly likely event you don't find a problem w/ the 4G, at least it's one less thing to worry about.

 

[kugino]

one of the comments on ipodlounge said it might be some ground issue with the metal casing of the ipod and the earphone plug. if you have the ety er4p/s you know that at the base of the plug there is a lot of extra metal. when it is flush with the ipod, you can hear the whirring/static...move it out just a tiny bit (1mm or even less) and the sound is gone. it might not be only the sensitivity of the headphone, but also the way it connects to the headphone out...can anyone else verify this? it works with mine and it's not a problem anymore, although i'll probably exchange mine just to make sure.

 

[raisin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumley On Monday, I picked up my 4G 40 gig at Best Buy, along w/extended warranty, or whatever they call it; around 40 bucks for 4 years...

Chumley,
Was there any special advantage to the BB warranty, such as upgrade protection, battery replacement, or such?

 

[raisin]

Well, here's an update.
I followed Chumley's script, (hoping that BB had different stock and a better return policy) and purchased another 4g40gig. And, survey says... another defective ipod!
My e5's pick up the whine and crackle that definitely correalates with the hard drive spool up. More investigation reveals the sound comes through the line-out with equal gusto (the line-out has its own issue's, side by side comparison with my 3g indicates a higher noise floor and cyclic static), so I have to question the headphone jack grounding/explanation.
I checked out the apple earbuds with similar results, and also seemed to pick up an intermittent high pitched tone overlaying the music unassociated with HD activation.
I gotta say, this looks like it could be a big problem for apple.
So what's your vote, folks? Go for the trifecta? Three's the charm?

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisin Well, here's an update. I followed Chumley's script, (hoping that BB had different stock and a better return policy) and purchased another 4g40gig. And, survey says... another defective ipod! My e5's pick up the whine and crackle that definitely correalates with the hard drive spool up. More investigation reveals the sound comes through the line-out with equal gusto (the line-out has its own issue's, side by side comparison with my 3g indicates a higher noise floor and cyclic static), so I have to question the headphone jack grounding/explanation. I checked out the apple earbuds with similar results, and also seemed to pick up an intermittent high pitched tone overlaying the music unassociated with HD activation. I gotta say, this looks like it could be a big problem for apple. So what's your vote, folks? Go for the trifecta? Three's the charm?

hmmm...my line out is fine...at least when it's connected to my ra1 via a zu mobius cable. i'm going to stick my er4p in there and see if i get the static sound...it has been noted on ipodlounge that the 40 gig ipods seem to be affected far more often than the 20 gig ipods...try another and tell us what you find!

 

[Pov]

I just got a 20gig 4g from Amazon.com. No problems that I could hear.

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisin Well, here's an update. I followed Chumley's script, (hoping that BB had different stock and a better return policy) and purchased another 4g40gig. And, survey says... another defective ipod! My e5's pick up the whine and crackle that definitely correalates with the hard drive spool up. More investigation reveals the sound comes through the line-out with equal gusto (the line-out has its own issue's, side by side comparison with my 3g indicates a higher noise floor and cyclic static), so I have to question the headphone jack grounding/explanation. I checked out the apple earbuds with similar results, and also seemed to pick up an intermittent high pitched tone overlaying the music unassociated with HD activation. I gotta say, this looks like it could be a big problem for apple. So what's your vote, folks? Go for the trifecta? Three's the charm?

You are making me feel MUCH better about my late-model 3G 40gig Ipod that probably got built a week before the 4Gs hit the assembly line. No more sour grapes - at least i can imagine that all the kinks are smoothed out of this defunct line of ipods.

 

[archosman]

I think you're right! I noticed the same sound problem with my new 40gig. Went home and took my 3g remote cable that goes in the top... plugged it in... no problems with the ER-4Ps. Sounds great out of the line out on the dock...

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino one of the comments on ipodlounge said it might be some ground issue with the metal casing of the ipod and the earphone plug. if you have the ety er4p/s you know that at the base of the plug there is a lot of extra metal. when it is flush with the ipod, you can hear the whirring/static...move it out just a tiny bit (1mm or even less) and the sound is gone. it might not be only the sensitivity of the headphone, but also the way it connects to the headphone out...can anyone else verify this? it works with mine and it's not a problem anymore, although i'll probably exchange mine just to make sure.

 

[kugino]

returned my 4g to the s.f. apple store...had to wait about 20 minutes for a "genius" to listen to my ipod...he said he could only hear the hiss out of the left earbud (using apple earbuds) but okayed the return. picked up another 40gb in emeryvilled (they were sold out in s.f.) and NO HISS! the only quibble i have is that the contrast at 50% is way too light...i have it to about 75%, which is higher than the older ipod i had.

listening to it right now and happy that it works properly...hope everyone else who had the problem gets a good one in exchange.

 

[raisin]

kugino,
I see your apple store return was nowhere as onerous as my experience.
I am now on my THIRD defective 40g ipod, one from the apple store (may they rot in hell), and two from BB (two different locations).
Yes, I have tryed the tape, the remote control, the lineout, the apple earbuds, it's all f'd.
Has anyone in the NE purchased a 40g from a B&M store that is not defective?
Three bum ipods from three seperate locations- What are the odds on that? Pretty good if 90% are crap from the factory!

IPOD CAVEAT EMPTOR

 

[kugino]

raisin,
sorry to hear about all your ipod troubles...maybe you'll have to wait a month for apple to work out all the kinks?? let us know what you decide...

 

[raisin]

Kugino,
Yes, it's very frustrating, but you're right. I'm fiddling with this third bum ipod for a coupla days, but ultimately it's going back. I'll wait untill there is some aknowledgement and resolution in place.

 

[guycool]

I get the static noise when the device is accessing hard drive and it's frustrating. I thought it was normal since nobody was really complaining about it. Now I know it's a defect. And this is my first ipod! I want a fix or a replacement for my ipod.

Note: I bought my 4G 20GB ipod at Best Buy in Mass. and used VBR MP3.

 

[lextek]

Zero problems. Purchased at the Apple Store in CT.

 

[intlplby]

is the static you guys experience only in the right channel or both?