iPod Nano 6th gen Flat Flex

[steve30]

My knowledge on iPods is a bit limited, but I was wondering if someone might be able to assist.

I'm trying to repair my Mum's iPod Nano, which has a dodgy switch. The switch is located on a flat flex. I ordered a replacement from an eBay seller (here in England), and it seems a bit too different to the original.

I just about managed to make it fit in the case, then I realised that the new flat flex had a 14 pin connector, whereas the motherboard and original flat flex had 12 pin connectors.

So, I'm wondering, are there multiple versions of the iPod Nano 6th Gen?

I've attached a photo of the new and replacement flexes, as well as a photo showing the mismatched connectors.

Looks like I might have to get another one.

[flubba86]

I've repaired screens and replaced batteries on several iPod Nano 6th gens, and I never knew there to be two different versions.
The more I look at those flex cables, the more differences I can see.
The major difference is the different location of the MEMS microphone, the second version of the device must have the mic port hole in a completely different part of the chassis.
The other difference is the colour of the headphone jack. The simple difference between a black jack and a white jack might actually be a way of identifying which type of flex you have, ie, all flex cables with the black jack are v1 and all cables with the white jack are v2, for example.

[steve30]

Thanks for the reply.

I did wonder about the jack colour, but I just checked the ebay listing, and the listing picture shows a flex cable which looks far more like the original than the one I got does (just with the different coloured headphone jack).

I ordered another (white) one off ebay from a different seller, so I'll see what happens with that.

[steve30]

Well, I just got my second replacement flat flex assembly...

This one looks far more like the original, and has 12 pins rather than 14, but the connector itself is not populated  .

Sodding eBay  .

Here are the two listings I purchased:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252393578415
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182036650856

[Rasz]

did you request refund in both cases? this is the only way with ebay and chinese sellers, request refund or replacement and tell them you will be leaving negative feedback
leave ayt most neutral even if they do everything ok from that point on

[steve30]

The seller of the flex without a connector sent me another, which does have the connector populated.

I fitted it, and now the switch works fine. But now, I can't get any sound out of it. I *did* get a little bit of sound out of one of the channels earlier today, but now I don't get anything, and the iPod refuses to acknowledge that the headphones are plugged in.

No idea how (or why) it tries to detect the presence of headphones.

 

[Rasz]

I think usually they measure impedance on the headphone jack
I would check connection, maybe drunken 9 year old chinese soldered that connector