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iPod iPod Nano 6g EU volume limit

A

am4d

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 21, 2011
13
0
So i got my replacement Nano 6g and immediately noticed the issue of the volume not being very loud. Firstly I booted in disc mode, enabled hidden files and modified the <volumelimit> value in iPodSettings.xml, using the sync-tug method, but after a reboot the value kept reverting to 216. Eventually I used a hex editor to change the value and chmod 555 the file so it was read only, this appears to work and the value stays after a reboot. Although the volume doesn't appear to actually be any different.

The other method I read about was restoring in iTunes through a VPN so it sees a US IP address and doesn't restrict the volume. but before I try this I was wondering if someone in the US could confirm the value of <volumelimit> on there US device?

Thanks
 
am4d said:
So i got my replacement Nano 6g and immediately noticed the issue of the volume not being very loud. Firstly I booted in disc mode, enabled hidden files and modified the <volumelimit> value in iPodSettings.xml, using the sync-tug method, but after a reboot the value kept reverting to 216. Eventually I used a hex editor to change the value and chmod 555 the file so it was read only, this appears to work and the value stays after a reboot. Although the volume doesn't appear to actually be any different.

The other method I read about was restoring in iTunes through a VPN so it sees a US IP address and doesn't restrict the volume. but before I try this I was wondering if someone in the US could confirm the value of <volumelimit> on there US device?

Thanks
Click to expand...



sucks doesn't it? i need an answer for this aswel.

are you hacking on a Pc or mac?
i have mac mini...if so, how do i get to those files you mentioned
 
Plug it in, enable disk use in iTunes, open it in Finder, enable hidden files (google for instructions on that), and then go to iPod_Control, there's something called iPodSettings.xml someone in there, just look around.

Open it with TextEdit or something and it should show up. It's a huge blob of text, but it should be easy to find.
 
Ive tried changing the value to 256 but it changes back, havent tried hex editor and changed value yet though. Anyone successfully removed this cap? If there was ever a reason to pull Britain out of the EU, this is it!!!!!! :)
 
RolledUp20s said:
sucks doesn't it? i need an answer for this aswel.

are you hacking on a Pc or mac?
i have mac mini...if so, how do i get to those files you mentioned
Click to expand...

I'm on a mac, basically. Have your Nano in iTunes, eject it leaving it plugged in, once ejected hold power and volume down until it resets, then immediately hold power and volume down again as it boots, dont let go until it reboots twice then shows up in itunes in restore mode (don't worry it doesn't need restoring) you will then notice its mounted the filesystem as a drive.

I use this "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles yes"
to show hidden files, then go to iPod_control>Device>iPodsettings.xml

Also you need to restart finder to make hidden files show.
And change "yes" to "no" to hide hidden files again.
Once your done, rebooting the ipod with said method and pulling the dock cable /without/ ejecting it from itunes will load your modified settings.

Hope this makes sense. Let me know how it goes.
 
Update

I can't seem to get the value to stay either, I was hoping matching the US value might work. the exploit seems to work as other values in the .xml I change stay changed, but volume always changes back, even trying stuff like changing the permissions and pulling the cable with or without rebooting.

Next thing to try is restoring a EU Nano in iTunes from a US IP with a proxy or VPN to get around it. does anyone have any idea whats the easiest way to do this? I don't have much experience with VPN or proxies.
 
Just tried downloading the "US-Firmware" via proxy over a browser from Apple directly. I noticed, that the md5sum is identical to the firmware downloaded from EU. Either there is a cookie in my browser identifying me as european or the firmware is identical, so there is no chance with another firmware.

So if anyone with the "US-Firmware" can post the md5sum I would appreciate.

The md5sum of the actual "EU-Firmware":
Code: 
MD5 (./Library/iTunes/iPod Software Updates/iPod_1.2_36B10147.ipsw) = d0fb9268b082b40fbd6738f76ef96cd9
 
am4d said:
I'm on a mac, basically. Have your Nano in iTunes, eject it leaving it plugged in, once ejected hold power and volume down until it resets, then immediately hold power and volume down again as it boots, dont let go until it reboots twice then shows up in itunes in restore mode (don't worry it doesn't need restoring) you will then notice its mounted the filesystem as a drive.

I use this "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles yes"
to show hidden files, then go to iPod_control>Device>iPodsettings.xml

Also you need to restart finder to make hidden files show.
And change "yes" to "no" to hide hidden files again.
Once your done, rebooting the ipod with said method and pulling the dock cable /without/ ejecting it from itunes will load your modified settings.

Hope this makes sense. Let me know how it goes.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the help. still struggling though. i typed that command in terminal, hit enter, nothing obvious happened. open finder, clicked on iPod and no folders are showing?

..i did reboot iPod as as you said.."mounted the file as a drive" where would i notice? ...the iPod icon on the 'desktop'

can you make it more of a guide for a dummy? :)
 
RolledUp20s said:
Thanks for the help. still struggling though. i typed that command in terminal, hit enter, nothing obvious happened. open finder, clicked on iPod and no folders are showing?

..i did reboot iPod as as you said.."mounted the file as a drive" where would i notice? ...the iPod icon on the 'desktop'

can you make it more of a guide for a dummy? :)
Click to expand...

Yesh it should show on desktop and in finder side bar.
You should see "Photo" and "Recordings" files by default.
The command does nothing visible in terminal, but once you relaunch finder (alt+cmd+esc to bring up force quit menu) it should show hidden files as you see in this screenshot. Grey files are usually hidden.
Screen%20Shot%202012-01-08%20at%2021.50.54.png
 
thanks am4d

I've got those setting up now. turned mac on tonight and all those hidden files were there. ..so ye managed to find the volume limit - mine was 216, set & saved as 256. just rebooted iPod...hopefully settings have saved now.

will report back

----------
 
Last edited:
ok, I've even tried this.

edited the volume limit to 432, saved a copy of ipodsettings.xml to the desktop.
ejected ipod, plugged back in..
volume limit 216..? yes
dragged the saved settings from desktop over settings on iPod & then replaced the file with the 432 volume limit.
ejected.
no difference!
plugged back in...goto settings and....216 again! this thing is a monster! why!

I'm using Xcode to edit the .xml file ..is this anything to do with it?
 
I think there is a copy in the bootloader so there is no chance to edit this file. Even tried to change the filepermissions but no chance to set this value above 216.
 
I'm not sure, but wouldn't you need to jailbreak the nano to change stuff like this?
 
When this is not hardware related, a jailbreak could remove the volume limit. But I'm really sure, that there are no ambitions to jailbreak a Nano. This iPod is way too small for anything except hearing music.

Edit: Someone in a german ipod-forum wrote, that the hardwareid is responsable for the volume limit:
http://www.ipod-forum.de/ipod/ipod-nano-6-generation/26323-lautstärkebegrenzung-aufheben/#post221224

If this is right, you need at least a jailbreak and it is no wonder setting the volume limit manually doesn't work.

Anyone interessted in an iPod Nano 6g?
 
Last edited:
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I have the solution..
Albeit slightly expensive.

I recently bought the ibeats tour edition in ear headphones. They retail at £149.
I had %40 off voucher at o2 so i thought id give them a go. Now i cant listen to my music at 'full volume'.
These headphones are designed in a way that they cancel any outside noise, they kind of 'suck' inside your ear, so you dont need the volume loud at all, i have it at 75% now, and thats sometimes too loud...and this is on the uk capped nano.

Really good base to these aswel, i love my hard, heavy rock, metal, screamo type of music. Perfect
 
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