Glossary

This page is meant to help anybody who is new to iPod Modding understand some of the common terms used:

(Note: Article should be in alphabetical order, sorted by general categories)

General

3rd gen: Refers to the iPod (3rd generation).

30 pin: Refers to the 30-pin dock connector, used for 3rd gen iPods and all subsequent ones, except aluminum iPod touch models and iPod nano (7th generation). May carry FireWire data and power, USB data and power, video out, audio out, and various other signals.

4th gen: Refers to the iPod (4th generation), typically the monochrome one. May also refer to the iPod photo, also known as "iPod with color display".

5th gen: Refers to the iPod video, but often more specifically refers to the iPod video released in 2005.

5.5th gen: Refers to the revised iPod video. The revised iPod video has a model with 80 GB storage, and incorporates a new search function and a brighter screen (30 and 80 GB models).

6th gen: Refers primarily to iPod classic (6th generation), but may also encompass the "6.5th generation" and the "7th generation".

6.5th gen: Refers to the 120 GB iPod classic (6th generation).

7th gen: Refers to the 160 GB iPod classic (7th generation) released in 2009. This model is often specifically called "7th generation" because of its ability to handle more than 128 GiB of storage (unlike the 6th and 6.5th generations).

Database: Refers to the iPod database. With iPod mini, iPod video and iPod classic (7th generation), the database's size, in combination with RAM, is the primary limiting factor in higher-capacity iPods (between 256 GiB and 2 TiB).

FireWire: Refers to FireWire 400. A FireWire 400 bus is used to connect 1st and 2nd generation iPods to Mac and PC, and to charge them. A FireWire-to-30-pin cable is used to connect 3rd and 4th generation iPods as well as all iPod mini models to Mac and PC, and can be used to charge all 30-pin iPods released in 2007 or before (and additionally, all 6.5th and 7th generation iPod classic models). iPod (3rd generation) requires FireWire to charge, unlike latter iPods.

Firmware: For iPods, synonym of software.

iPod: If you're here, you probably know what an iPod is. An iPod is a digital audio player created by Apple Inc. since 2001. The term also refers to the original iPod series, which includes the 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen iPods.

iPod classic: Refers to the iPod classic (6th generation) and the iPod classic (7th generation), but is also sometimes used as an umbrella term for all full-size iPods.

iPod mini: Small-size monochrome, aluminum-cased iPod released in 2004 and discontinued in 2005. Only "small" iPod that can be modded easily.

iPod nano: Miniature iPod with expanding batteries. (To be further expanded)

iPod shuffle: Even more tiny iPod, without a screen and positioned at diminutive prices. (To be further expanded)

iPod touch: iPhone, without the phone. (To be further expanded)

iTunes: Default software used to sync iPod and iPhone to a Mac or a PC.

MacPod: Refers to an iPod formatted with the HFS+ file system. All iPod touch models running iOS 10 or below use HFS+, no matter whether the iPod is usually used with Mac or with PC.

Mac: Any computer running Mac OS X / macOS. For the purpose of iPods, includes Hackintoshes.

PC: In the context of Apple products, any computer running Microsoft Windows.

WinPod: Refers to an iPod formatted with the FAT32 file system. All iPods running Rockbox are WinPods.

Acronyms

ARBL: Apple-reported battery life

FW: Generally refers to the iPod's firmware. May also refer to FireWire.

RRP: Retail recommended price. Basically the same thing as MSRP, manufacturer sale recommended price.

Hardware Modifications

2000mAh: Refers to iPod video and iPod classic batteries claimed to be between 1800mAh and 2200mAh. See Batteries for more information.

3000mAh: Refers to iPod video and iPod classic batteries claimed to be around 3000mAh. See Batteries for more information.

4th gen iPod to iFlash converter: An adapter cable that goes inside an iPod. Enables adding any iFlash board (minus the iFlash-ATA1) to iPod (3rd generation), iPod (4th generation) and iPod photo.

Backplate: Refers to the hind part of the iPod's enclosure. Present in iPod / iPod classic (all models), iPod nano (1st generation) and iPod nano (3rd generation). Backplates are customizable for iPod video and iPod classic (6th/7th generation). For equivalent in iPod mini, see "Housing".

Click Wheel: The iPod's click wheel. Can be replaced in many different generations of iPod, but notably the iPod mini, iPod (4th generation), iPod photo, iPod video and iPod classic (6th/7th generation). Custom click wheels are readily available for the iPod video and the iPod classic.

Frontplate: Refers to the front part of the iPod's enclosure. Made in plastic (models of iPod prior to 2007) or aluminum (models of iPod after 2007). Present in iPod / iPod classic (all models), iPod nano (1st generation) and iPod nano (3rd generation). Frontplates are customizable for iPod video and iPod classic (6th/7th generation). For equivalent in iPod mini, see "Housing".

Housing: For the iPod mini, refers to the enclosure in which the iPod mini slides in. Can be found in silver, pink (soft or vivid), green (soft or vivid), blue (soft or vivid), or gold (rare!).

iFlash: Refers to the iFlash brand, by Tarkan, but may also refer to one of the many iFlash boards available. Website: iflash.xyz

iFlash-ATA1: Refers to an iFlash board, similar to the iFlash-Solo, but created specifically for and natively compatible with the iPod (4th generation) and iPod photo (and also compatible with the iPod (3rd generation)). Successor to the original "green board" iFlash-ATA. Costs $35.

iFlash-CF: Refers to an iFlash board, which converts the ZIF connector normally on iPod video and iPod classic to a CompactFlash II card. Can be converted to be compatible with older iPods. Costs $18.

iFlash-Dual: Refers to an iFlash board, similar to the iFlash-Solo, but with the space for two full-size SD cards. Compatible natively with iPod video and iPod classic, but can be converted to be compatible with older iPods. Costs $40.

iFlash-Quad: Refers to an iFlash board, with the space for four micro-SD cards. Compatible natively with iPod video and iPod classic, but can be converted to be compatible with older iPods. Thinner than all other iFlash boards, and allows for the most future expandability. Costs $42.

iFlash-Sata: Refers to an iFlash board, not to be confused with iFlash-Sata v10. Enables adding a mSATA SSD to an iPod video and iPod classic. Can be converted to be compatible with older iPods. Costs $40.

iFlash-Sata v10: Refers to an iFlash board, not to be confused with the original iFlash-Sata. Enables adding a 2260 or smaller M.2 SATA SSD to an iPod video and iPod classic. Can be converted to be compatible with older iPods. Costs $40.

iFlash SD-CF adapter: Refers to an iFlash-developed SD to CompactFlash adapter. Can be used on either revision of the iPod mini, or (with iFlash-CF) with 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th generation full-size iPods.

iFlash-Solo: Refers to an iFlash board, which allows adding one full-size SD card to an iPod video and iPod classic. Can be converted to be compatible with older iPods. Costs $33.

PortalPlayer: Refers to either the PortalPlayer PP502X series of ARM CPUs used in iPod video and older, iPod mini and iPod nano (1st generation), or the company responsible for creating the PP502X series of ARM CPUs.

RAM: Random-access memory. Modifiable iPods have either 32 MiB or 64 MiB of RAM, which serves as a limit to expandability (with some models).

Samsung CPU: Refers to the Samsung-based CPUs used in iPod classic (6/7th generation), as well as iPod nano (2nd generation) and later.

Software Modifications

1.2.1: Version of the iPod video's firmware which (on a modified copy) enables running original cracked iPod Clickwheel Games, and some software modifications to the original firmware.

1.3: Latest version of the iPod video's firmware. Original cracked Clickwheel game support (on a modified version) remains experimental.

BG Hack: Stands for "background hack". This allows for images to be put on the iPod's menus (instead of a white background). This makes custom themes such as dark mode possible. BG Hack is the base standard for most modified firmwares/themes.

Clickwheel games: Now-unsupported games that run using the iPod's click wheel. Because of firmware limitations, it is only possible to install new click wheel games on the iPod video, although if one has purchased click wheel games before 2011 and kept an old version of iTunes, one can still install click wheel games on the iPod classic (6th/7th generation), as well as the 3rd, 4th and 5th generation of the iPod nano.

iPE: Refers to iPodEditor, a Mac-only utiltiy that enables the modification of iPod video (and before)'s firmware (equivalent to iPodWizard).

iPL: Refers to iPodLoader 2, a bootloader for the iPod (also called Loader 2 on iPodLinux's webpage)

iPodWizard: Windows-only utility that enables the modification of iPod video (and before)'s firmware.

Rockbox: Third-party open source operating system for different digital audio players, including iPods. Compatible with all full-size iPods (original series, "classic"), iPod mini (both revisions), iPod nano (1st generation) and iPod nano (2nd generation). Website

Rockbox Utility: Installer tool for the Rockbox operating system.