How to connect an old iPod (1st gen) to modern Mac/PC?

giolicious · Mar 29, 2012, 10:51 PM

Is there a way to connect an old iPod, it's the 5GB first generation, to modern PC or Mac like Macbook Air 2011? I would like to add more songs to it.

thejadedmonkey · Mar 29, 2012, 11:09 PM

Just plug it into a firewire port. Unfortunately, Apple only considered this a "pro" feature, but you can easily get Firewire for a desktop PC, or even some laptops. There's no way (to my knowledge) that you can make it work with a Macbook Air though

dXTC · Mar 30, 2012, 08:28 AM

If your Macbook Air has Thunderbolt, there might be a Thunderbolt docking station that would have a FireWire port.

Otherwise, yeah, you have quite the conundrum there.

BigDukeSix · Mar 30, 2012, 08:39 AM

If it has a 30 pin connector, it will hook up to your computer just fine. However, if it is only firewire, you have a bit of a problem if your computers do not have firewire ports. There are no firewire to USB adapters that I am aware of.

spice weasel · Mar 30, 2012, 10:48 AM

I think the big issue is that the more recent Macs have a Firewire 800 port, but that the first several iterations of the iPod were only Firewire 400. OP, if this is the issue you are running into, then you can either get a FW400-->800 adapter ($10-$15), or, if you happen to have an external hard drive with both types of ports on the back, just daisy chain your iPod through it. That's what I used to do with my 3rd gen iPod.

EDIT: Sorry, just looked at your signature and noticed that you have a MacBook Air, and thus no FW port. Not sure what to do in your case.

kpetree10 · Mar 30, 2012, 06:53 PM

If you wanted to spend the money you can get from Sonnet a Thunderbolt ExpressCard dock (here) and then get a FireWire Express card (here)

RedCroissant · Mar 31, 2012, 12:49 AM

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B0001DZGX2/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0

I think device would work. since it has the firewire 800 ports, you can get a 800/400 cable and should be able to do it. it needs a separate power source, but should do the job.

Sorry, I attached the wrong link! Here's the one I meant to direct you to and it's made by Belkin.

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPa...uct_Id=199941#

giolicious · Mar 31, 2012, 08:56 PM

Thanks for all your replies.

I actually found out that there are 4-6 pin Firewire cables like the Apple Thin Firewire and the ones at ebay like this. I have a Windows laptop with a small firewire 400 port on it in which a 4-pin firewire cable should fit. Is this the one i should buy?

Mar 29, 2012, 10:51 PM	#1
giolicious macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2010	How to connect an old iPod (1st gen) to modern Mac/PC? Is there a way to connect an old iPod, it's the 5GB first generation, to modern PC or Mac like Macbook Air 2011? I would like to add more songs to it. __________________ my not-so-blog blog at giolicious, LinkChannels Web Directory 13-inch Macbook Air (mid-2011), 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM, 128GB flash storage iPhone 4, 16GB
	2

Mar 29, 2012, 11:09 PM	#2
thejadedmonkey macrumors 604 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pa	Just plug it into a firewire port. Unfortunately, Apple only considered this a "pro" feature, but you can easily get Firewire for a desktop PC, or even some laptops. There's no way (to my knowledge) that you can make it work with a Macbook Air though __________________ MacBook Air • 17" MacBook Pro • iPod Nano • Apple TV Custom Windows 7 Desktop • Surface RT • WP7 "Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment." - Mulla Nasrudin
	0

Mar 30, 2012, 08:28 AM	#3
dXTC macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Up, up in my studio, studio	If your Macbook Air has Thunderbolt, there might be a Thunderbolt docking station that would have a FireWire port. Otherwise, yeah, you have quite the conundrum there. __________________ dXTC A good bit of stuff: iMac 21.5" i3 · MBP 17" i5 · Two 5g iPod nanos · and more ...geeve to me LAAAHRGE keess!
	0

Mar 30, 2012, 08:39 AM	#4
BigDukeSix macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 34.6700N 118.1590W	If it has a 30 pin connector, it will hook up to your computer just fine. However, if it is only firewire, you have a bit of a problem if your computers do not have firewire ports. There are no firewire to USB adapters that I am aware of. __________________ MacBook 2.26 Ghz IMac IPad 1,3, Mini 2 IPhone 4 Mac Mini 2.4 Ghz ATV3 PowerMac G5 PowerBook G3 5 Ipods 2 Airport Extremes
	0

Mar 31, 2012, 12:49 AM	#7
RedCroissant macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Arizona	here you go http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B0001DZGX2/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0 I think device would work. since it has the firewire 800 ports, you can get a 800/400 cable and should be able to do it. it needs a separate power source, but should do the job. Sorry, I attached the wrong link! Here's the one I meant to direct you to and it's made by Belkin. http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPa...uct_Id=199941# __________________ 12" iBook G4/ 1.33GHz/ 1.5GB/ 40GB HDD/ Leopard 10.5.8, 32GB iPad 1 WiFi+3G.
	1

Mar 30, 2012, 10:48 AM	#5
spice weasel macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2003	I think the big issue is that the more recent Macs have a Firewire 800 port, but that the first several iterations of the iPod were only Firewire 400. OP, if this is the issue you are running into, then you can either get a FW400-->800 adapter ($10-$15), or, if you happen to have an external hard drive with both types of ports on the back, just daisy chain your iPod through it. That's what I used to do with my 3rd gen iPod. EDIT: Sorry, just looked at your signature and noticed that you have a MacBook Air, and thus no FW port. Not sure what to do in your case.
	1

Mar 30, 2012, 06:53 PM	#6
kpetree10 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2007	If you wanted to spend the money you can get from Sonnet a Thunderbolt ExpressCard dock (here) and then get a FireWire Express card (here)
	1

Mar 31, 2012, 08:56 PM	#8
giolicious Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2010	Thanks for all your replies. I actually found out that there are 4-6 pin Firewire cables like the Apple Thin Firewire and the ones at ebay like this. I have a Windows laptop with a small firewire 400 port on it in which a 4-pin firewire cable should fit. Is this the one i should buy? __________________ my not-so-blog blog at giolicious, LinkChannels Web Directory 13-inch Macbook Air (mid-2011), 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM, 128GB flash storage iPhone 4, 16GB
	0

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