Back in October, I had published a post on how to hack your ipod video to make it look like an ipod classic.
Well, given that there’s been a new firmware release from the same group that published the Classic firmware I figured I may get to testing the new iPod Touch interface for the iPod video.
Don’t go getting excited – it’s not going to turn your iPod video into a touchscreen interface, but it will give you a rather impressive new interface for your iPod video.
Note that I had previously been using an early release of the iPod classic firmware, iTunes clearing that on me last night to install Apple’s 1.2.3 release for the 5G iPod, which I’ve overwritten with the new iPod Touch firmware release (built on 1.2.1).
Update: Almost 12 months on, I’ve stopped using my own video iPod and haven’t attempted this upgrade since I first made the post, I’m now happily using an actual iPod Touch. Note that as with any software or firmware upgrades or installs, you also accept responsibility for your actions and following the steps. I can’t and won’t guarantee that it will work for you as it’s been a while since I attempted it myself. I don’t accept iPods via mail to change firmware and I don’t accept responsibility for your own iPod when you’re making changes.
Remember, if you get stuck, you can do the iPod reset as outlined in the older post.
Prepping For The Install
As with the previous hack, you’ll need to get yourself a copy of of the latest version of iPodWizard. You’ll also need access to a windows machine (XP / Vista), the correct firmware version for your iPod (5G firmware | 5.5G firmware) and an iPod cable.
How To Update Your iPod Video Firmware
- Before plugging in your iPod access the main menu settings by going to Settings > Main Menu when you turn your iPod on. Make sure the only menus switched on are ‘Music’, ‘Photos’, ‘Videos’ and ‘Extras’, everything else can be switched off. This will ensure there are no broken links or errors in navigating your iPod from the main screen.
- Connect iPod to PC (iPod Wizard is windows based). If iTunes opens on connecting, you’ll need to close it and make sure that nothing else is accessing your iPod at the time. If connected properly, you will see the ‘Do Not Disconnect’ warning on your iPod screen.
- Browse (via My Computer) to your downloaded firmware and if zipped, unzip it to a new folder. I named my folder 5G iPod Touch Hack.
- In iPod Wizard, set your edit mode (top left corner) to ‘Firmware File’.
- Click the ‘Open Firmware’ button and navigate to your ‘5G iPod Touch Hack’ folder and open the ‘TouchHack2.0’ file (Windows displays the default icon if no filetype associated, it has a .bin extension). Once loaded, the firmware’s version name will appear beside the ‘open firmware button’.
- Click ‘Write To iPod’ to start copying the firmware onto your iPod. This doesn’t have any impact on your music collection, everything remains intact. The write process can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
- Once written, press ‘Eject’ in iPod Wizard. You should hear the Windows sound (if your speakers are on) for the removable drive disconnecting. DON’T unplug your iPod. Your iPod will restart and begin loading the new firmware for the first time.
- When your iPod has fully restarted, press ‘Eject’ again in iPod Wizard. This will disconnect your iPod from your PC at which time you can remove the cable and start exploring your new interface.
Before & After Images
A full range of images can be found here on Flickr.
The firmware update was released by DrivenDesign.
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Hey Ken
Are you fom ireland? Im from dublin and i am having problems trying to change the interface of my 5.5g ipod video to the itouch interferace. I was wondering would you be interested in doing a nixer for me to do it?
Mail me back
Cheers
Warren
Nice ken, like always, keep it up.
Just put it on,very nice indeed
nice hack mate. looking forward for more of your work. appreciated.
everything seems like it works except when i go back to main menus. i get something funny on my main menus screen where i can’t really see where i’m scrolling to.
Did you follow the first steps to make sure you only had certain menus turned on?
I have the same problem as nancy and I did exactly as it stood in the readme.
I would appreciate if you could help me… It’s a really nice hack!
And one more thing… I also tested the iPod Classic hack and that didn’t work correctly either. The font is still the original iPod Video font and on the Mini Now Playing half of the screen the background color is green instead of grey. I can email you some pics of it if you think that could help…
After i click on write to ipod it says fimwire error
i am going to try do download the firmware again
It works on a mac.
I just did it.
Download the application Alterpod, I don’t have a link but you can just google it.
Download the firmware as well, and save it in a folder like he said in the PC directions.
Plug in your ipod, quit itunes, and open Alterpod.
Back up the firmware on your ipod incase it screws up, and save it to a new folder on your comp so you can find it.
Then select the new firmware for the cool ipod touch interface, and “restore” it to your ipod.
Eject it but don’t unplug it, let it restart and load the new firmware, and then once it has reconnected to your computer, eject it again and your good to go!
i had the same problem when i go back to the menu and it makes it hard to see where u are scrolling, im guessing this happens only when you are playing a song or have a song or video on pause and u go back to the menu. this problem wont happen to you if you dont have a song playing at all or have a song or video on pause. If you see the pause icon on the top screen of your ipod, make sure to stop the song or video completly so you wont have the pause icon on the top of your ipod screen and you can go back to the main menu without this problem. But who ever made this custom firmware, should consider in fixing this problem.
hope my comment would help you guys out with this problem
Great mod…
it works well!
only i can no longer edit the main menu
Hey Ken! I was doing all the steps for the hack and when i hit write to ipod, it warned and stuff about ipodwizard being the front window etc. I followed those steps and after 10 ive gotten no response from my ipod or ipodwizard. Please help me out. Im losing my mind!!!!!
that last comment is VERY urgent because i cant leave my comp on all day or my ipod in there. Thank you for your time and consideration!
@chris If it’s stuck, you can try plugging it out, resetting the ipod and trying again. As with any software or firmware upgrade it helps to do these things with nothing running in the background in case of conflicts.
@sid the menu is coded into the firmware front-end design, hence having to disable some options in the settings.
I have converted my iPod Video to an iPod Touch using the hack above, but there’s only one problem. When you go to “Music”, you can no longer search by “Albums” anymore, you can only search by Songs, Artists, etc. but not Albums. Does anyone know why is that? Or how it can be resolved?
When I go to “write to ipod” it comes up with an error code. If anyone knows what to do can you please tell me.
Thanks
OK I got this to work with my ipod video 5G. Everybody that’s having problems FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY HOW THEY ARE LISTED
i would love to use it, but the 5.5 link is down ):
i tried it and it worked it has the ipod touch look and all but none of my music and movies show up…help me only my pics show up
the driven design site has disapeared
Hey man when i try to write to my ipod i get a message saying unable to access ipod, what do i do
Hey thanks a lot. its really cool even though i know you didn’t write it. the guide was really helpful.
hey there, uhh quick question. when i try to download the interface it keeps telling me that the file for the actual hack is corrupted so i tried the 5.5G and it was the same thing. and i dont know what it is.
Hey i did everything then i clicked the write to ipod and something pop saying error-1and a bunch of numbers does anybody know what to do so i get it to work i try some many things im getting mad please just send me and email what to do thanks
i’ve install the itouch theme but . all the songs are not showing. but i can see them in floola ???? please help. Something strange happen the next night i turn it on. it show someone else’s ipod …….???????
I did everything according to the manual and its worked flawlessly.
None of my songs are showing up