iPod iPod (1st gen) with M1 mac.

[thejadedmonkey]

I'm wondering if anyone has successfully connected an iPod with a firewire interface to an M1 mac. I'm sure that there's a few adapters that would be required, but before I buy a USB-C to thunderbolt adapter I'm curious if anyone has done this before, if it works, if it can charge the iPod at any sort of reasonable rate, or if it's simply a waste of money.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mightyjabba]

It should work as far as I am aware, provided you have the right connectors. There is still support for iPods via the Finder, even though iTunes is no longer on Macs after Catalina. I haven't heard anything about M1 Macs that would preclude it working. I'd try it myself but I don't really want to buy the adapters involved. According to this video, you would need a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, then Firewire 800 to Firewire 400, then the normal Firewire cable connected to the iPod. At least in the case of the original iPod or iPod 2nd gen. Is that the model you want to use? The models from 3rd gen onward can sync via USB (even though the 3rd gen can't charge via USB), so they would be much easier to deal with.

Honestly, you might actually be better off either buying a different iPod or using an old Mac with a Firewire port just for the purpose of connecting to the iPod.

 

[acorntoy]

USB on M1 Macs isn't actually 10Gb/s? (Also definitely not USB4)

After quite a bit of testing, I have concluded that the USB bus on at least my Mac mini M1 does not actually support "USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)" as listed on the Tech Specs page. I have a Samsung T5 USB-C SSD. It supports "USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gb/s" (Gawd, I hate USB 3.1+ naming conventions...†)...

forums.macrumors.com

Post #6 the OP connects their first gen iPod to an M1 Mini on a whim. Id DM them for more info they mention it syncs but nothing on charging etc.

 

[Project Alice]

As the post above me says, yes it's possible. There also exists a FW800 to FW400 cable, 800 on one end and 400 on the other, which would make an 800 to 400 dongle unnecessary.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Fantastic, thank you guys. I guess there's a Thunderbolt 3 -> Thunderbolt 2 adapter in my future.