How to Upgrade, Repair, Disassemble an Apple Portable Media Player

Do you need to upgrade or repair your Apple Computer Inc. portable (digital) media player? Here is a collection of free take apart instructions, disassembly pictures, upgrade and repair manuals, as well as do-it-yourself (DIY) tips and tricks for iPod Mini, Nano, Shuttle, Video mobile media players (portable digital audio players and video players). If you have written a guide yourself (or if you know of a tutorial not linked here), please submit a new entry.

Apple iPod	The iPod Battery unplugged: the real story on what may (or may NOT) be wrong with your iPod battery. Includes take apart pictures showing the latches and hooks which hold the player case together.
Apple iPod	Retrofitting an iPod into a Geiger Counter.
Apple iPod	How to convert an iBook AV cable to iPod AV cable. Includes pinouts of both.
Apple iPod	How to make a bike charger.
Apple iPod	The best just got bigger: adding a 3.5" hard drive.
Apple iPod	Screen scratch removal.
Apple iPod	How to embroider a skull on an iPod sock. An iBag hack.
Apple iPod	Do-it-yourself iPod stand.
Apple iPod	Dock Connector Pin Out, JAE plug disassembly pictures.
Apple iPod	Brushing and modding.
Apple iPod	Modded, brushed and painted.
Apple iPod	Dock pinouts.
Apple iPod	Build your own battery.
Apple iPod	Beneath the surface.
Apple iPod	Building your own battery, pros, cons and caveats.
Apple iPod	Some pictures from the inside.
Apple iPod	Close-up of the iPod dock's docking connecter with some of the pins labeled.
Apple iPod	Some dissection pictures of an iPod with dock connector.
Apple iPod (1. Generation)	An illustrated step-by-step take apart guide.
Apple iPod (1. Generation)	An illustrated take apart guide.
Apple iPod (2. Generation)	Pulling apart the unopenable case.
Apple iPod (2. Generation)	20GB dissection and take apart guide with pictures.
Apple iPod (3. Generation)	Opening the case, removing the hard disk and replacing the battery.
Apple iPod (3. Generation)	Remote connector pin-out and serial cable schematics.
Apple iPod (4. Generation)	How to replace a broken screen.
Apple iPod (4. Generation)	Replacing the hard drive, a step-by-step guide with detailed pictures.
Apple iPod	Battery replacement video.
Apple iPod	How to disassemble and clean the mechanical scroll wheel.
Apple iPod	Pictures and disassembly instructions for hacking the remote.
Apple iPod	A case made from real wood.
Apple iPod	INO a fancy iPOD made from an old Apple mouse.
Apple iPod	iNO gets a dock. A selfmade stand.
Apple iPod	Turn your iPod into an universal remote.
Apple iPod	Install your iPod in your car, permanently. Building a custom made car console with a do-it-yourself mold and dental acrylic (polymer and monomer).
Apple iPod	Dock pinout.
Apple iPod	RetroPod: fitting an iPod into a Sony Sports Walkman.
Apple iPod	Take apart instructions and pictures (in Japanese).
Apple iPod	Case mode made from an old German police flashlight.
Apple iPod	A battery pack made from an Atari 2600 cartridge.
Apple iPod 1st Gen.	To get it apart take a metal spudger, there are metal tabs along each side of the player.
Apple iPod 1st & 2nd Gen.	A complete take apart, upgrade and repair manual with many pictures [PDF].
Apple iPod 3rd Gen.	A complete take apart, upgrade and repair manual with many tips, tricks and pictures [PDF].
Apple iPod 4th Gen.	A complete take apart, upgrade and repair manual with many pictures [PDF].
Apple iPod Classic	Here are all the bits and pieces of the player nicely separated.
Apple iPod Classic 6th Gen.	It's not to hard to fix a broken player, but there are couple of tricks. The hardest part is opening the case.
Apple iPod mini	Autopsy of the player.
Apple iPod mini	Faceplate Housing Installation Instructions and Disassembly.
Apple iPod mini	Step-by-step illustrated take apart tutorial.
Apple iPod mini	8GB CompactFlash Photo hard drive upgrade.
Apple iPod mini	An illustrated take apart guide.
Apple iPod mini	How to replace the battery, an illustrated step-by-step tutorial.
Apple iPod mini	Some pictures from a dissection.
Apple iPod mini	How to replace the internal hard disk drive with flash memory. Works for other iPod models, too.
Apple iPod mini	A complete take apart, upgrade and repair manual with many pictures [PDF].
Apple iPod mini	Disassembly and battery substitution guide.
Apple iPod nano	Stress test and autopsy pictures.
Apple iPod nano	Disassembly pictures and instructions (in Japanese).
Apple iPod nano	Check out these exclusive shots of the new iPhonePod. It's got all the features of a RAZR, and all the features of a 4GB iPod nano. It's funny nerdery. Laugh.
Apple iPod nano	How to expand the iPod to 200GB space.
Apple iPod nano	Picture gallery of a dissection.
Apple iPod nano	A take apart guide (in Japanese).
Apple iPod nano	Autopsy and dissection of a dead player.
Apple iPod nano	So, you have a black nano and now realize that you should have purchased a case or a cover for it. But, it's too late now, it's already covered with barely visible scratches and marks that you can only see under a 500-watt lamp. Oh no! What will you do? Restore your iPod nano to new condition with a $4 can of Brasso.
Apple iPod Nano 1st Gen.	A complete take apart, upgrade and repair manual with many photos [PDF].
Apple iPod nano 1st Gen.	A take apart and display replacement HOWTO (in Italian).
Apple iPod nano 2nd Gen.	Carefully insert an opening tool in the seam between the metal casing and white plastic top.
Apple iPod nano 3rd Gen.	Here's a look inside the case, which has eight locking tabs.
Apple iPod nano 4th Gen.	Completely illustrated step-by-step disassembly manual showing how to replace: hard drive, display, logic board, case components and battery.
Apple iPod nano 5th Gen.	This teardown provides a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions.
Apple iPod nano 5th Gen. [video]	This video explains how to get to inner parts of the player.
Apple iPod photo	Take at look at the inside: take apart picture gallery.
Apple iPod Shuffle	Building a raid system.
Apple iPod Shuffle	iStain: theft deterrent. Dissection picture gallery.
Apple iPod Shuffle	HOWTO: nonviolent disassembly.
Apple iPod Shuffle	The Altoids shuffle case, a fashion modding.
Apple iPod Shuffle	An illustrated step-by-step take apart manual.
Apple iPod Shuffle	Turn a packet of Wringley's Juicy Fruit into an iPod Shuffle.
Apple iPod Shuffle	An Altoids case made from an old iPod.
Apple iPod Shuffle	Charging and playing at the same time.
Apple iPod Shuffle (2nd Generation ClamShell)	AC/DC wall charger: pin outs, schematics, parts list, pictures and assembly guide.
Apple iPod Shuffle	How to build a batterypack/charger device that can extend the usefulness of the Shuffle. Apple sells such a device but it is rather expensive for what it does.
Apple iPod Shuffle 2nd Gen.	The top and bottom of the player have white plastic caps held on by a mild adhesive, heat the caps with a hair dryer and gently pry them both up.
Apple iPod Shuffle 3rd Gen.	This player features an incredibly shiny stainless steel enclosure, see this guide about how to crack into it.
Apple iPod Shuffle 3rd Gen.	Wondering what is inside this gadget, take this gallery of the cracking open process.
Apple iPod 5GB	A dissection guide with pictures.
Apple iPod (misc. generations)	This tutorial shows how to replace the output capacitor for portable digital media players. It skips the headphone amplifier to get pure audio straight from the source. Note: this diyMod is not the same as the iMod! This modification is not meant for beginners; go past this point at your own risk. The SMD elements to deal with are very small, and accidents can be potentially fatal to your media player.
Apple iPod Touch	An illustrated screen replacement tutorial.
Apple iPod Touch 2nd Gen.	An illustrated take apart guide with detailed photos.
Apple iPod Touch 3rd Gen.	How to get access to the innards of the player.
Apple iPod Touch 3rd Gen. [video]	This videos shows how take apart the player.
Apple iPod Video	Take apart guide and pictures.
Apple iPod Video	Video iPod Exposed: Guts to Glory, PSP Style. Take a peek under the hood with this detailed disassembly guide.
Apple iPod Video	Vivisection: an illustrated disassembly report.
Apple iPod Video	A complete take apart, upgrade and repair manual with many illustrations [PDF].
Apple iPod Video 5th gen.	This DIY HOWTO describes how to create a digital picture frame (DPF) from a portable media player, probably the easiest thing to use.

Bags, Cases, Screen Protectors

Apple iPod	Make replaceable protector patches from tape (and other stuff) for your otherwise scratchable LCD screens.
Apple iPod	Knitted Ipod Cosy Sock: make your own sock for your iPod, not only does it look cool, it stops scratches and bumps.
Apple iPod	Another sock modding.

• Mini, Shuffle, Photo, Nano and more, a survey of iPod Generations