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Same Issue

Just for the record, I'm having the same issue. I got the 160 GB iPod soon after it came out (Dec. 2007, if I'm remembering correctly), and recently, it's having the exact same problem.

I'm running the updated firmware, etc.

Don't have any insight into a solution, but just wanted to join in for the "misery loves company" factor.
 
It's not just disk spin up or it would happen everytime the disk spins up wihich is very often. IN any event, a membory buffer is specially intended to prevent pauses during such episodes. If the buffer is too small to cover the longerst amount of time it takes to get more data and refill it, then it will empty ocassionally before more data can be gotten to refill it.

Well we really need someone with inside knowledge of the product to answer these questions -- what if they assumed a certain bitrate would keep the buffer satisfied 95% of the time but different bitrates or different codecs can upset that.

I've seen it happen mid-song so it shouldn't be album art unless it's loading the next song at that point (and there could be problems with unacceptably-huge album art being loaded for the next song -- say you've got 500x500 album art and the iPod has to resize that for display, it could overwhelm the iPod's processor).
 
Just for the record, I'm having the same issue. I got the 160 GB iPod soon after it came out (Dec. 2007, if I'm remembering correctly), and recently, it's having the exact same problem.

I'm running the updated firmware, etc.

Don't have any insight into a solution, but just wanted to join in for the "misery loves company" factor.

Could you try it with your album art turned off via iTunes?

I gather that the album art also uses up processor cycles due to the slideshow-style user interface. I mainly had problems with 320kpbs mp3s and lossless files.
 
I'll have to try it

Could you try it with your album art turned off via iTunes?

I gather that the album art also uses up processor cycles due to the slideshow-style user interface. I mainly had problems with 320kpbs mp3s and lossless files.

I'll have to try that. And yes, I've had problems primarily with Apple Lossless files, too.
 
Just to Update

I've been listening to the iPod without the album art on for a couple of weeks, now, and I haven't experienced the problem. Don't know if that's just a coincidence, or a fix, but either way, thanks for the suggestion.

Of course, I'm a little disappointed that what was once the top of the line iPod can't handle Apple Lossless files and album art at the same time, but honestly, the album art is more eye candy than a necessity.
 
Try to upgrade the classic i tunes and firefox actually many persons caught this problem i am trying to find it out i think its battery problem but i am not sure.well try upgrade it.
 
I think it's only with lossless and/or very long audio files, for me, though.

I've been seeing this much more frequently since I started upgrading many of my songs from 160kbps (via the built-in iTunes encoder) to 192kbps VBR highest (via iTunes-LAME). FWIW, I use the 'Get Album Artwork' feature where ever possible. Also the problem seems to worsen now that my 160GB iPod is almost full. It is still very random though and I haven't been able to identify a pattern.
 
120Gb complaint update

Apparently, iTunes 8.2.1.6, released on July 15, 2009, has done away with my 120Gb iPod Classic malfunction. At least, it has been working properly since.
 
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