Comments on: iPod headphone disconnect automatic pause http://usabilityfriction.com/2008/08/20/ipod-headphone-disconnect-automatic-pause/ Usability shouldn't be a drag Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:50:25 +0000 hourly 1 By: Ashley Towers http://usabilityfriction.com/2008/08/20/ipod-headphone-disconnect-automatic-pause/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Ashley Towers Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:08:18 +0000 http://usabilityfriction.com/?p=28#comment-83 Hi Saac & William - thanks for the comments. I had never heard of this problem until you mentioned it and from looking around it seems to be fairly common! You are absolutely right that there should be a way to disable it! I'm sure you've both researched the problem but just in case any one else stumbles across this post here's a few tips that have worked for others (as always - try the following at your own risk!). The problem can be caused by the headphones losing contact with the jack so check: 1. Your headphones plug isn't loosely fitting 2. If you have dirty contacts in the iPod jack socket. Try using some contact cleaner or blowing it with some compressed air Other causes for the problem: 3. Some third party headphones have a metal rim around the base of the plug (seems to be especially common on high end models) this can sometimes short against the metal on the jack - confusing the iPod into thinking it needs to pause. Here you need to insulate it - most people have stuck a piece of tape between the two to prevent metal-to-metal contact. Alternatively, others have just bought an iPod remote to act as middle-man. Hope this helps! Hi Saac & William – thanks for the comments. I had never heard of this problem until you mentioned it and from looking around it seems to be fairly common! You are absolutely right that there should be a way to disable it!

I’m sure you’ve both researched the problem but just in case any one else stumbles across this post here’s a few tips that have worked for others (as always – try the following at your own risk!).

The problem can be caused by the headphones losing contact with the jack so check:
1. Your headphones plug isn’t loosely fitting
2. If you have dirty contacts in the iPod jack socket. Try using some contact cleaner or blowing it with some compressed air

Other causes for the problem:
3. Some third party headphones have a metal rim around the base of the plug (seems to be especially common on high end models) this can sometimes short against the metal on the jack – confusing the iPod into thinking it needs to pause.
Here you need to insulate it – most people have stuck a piece of tape between the two to prevent metal-to-metal contact. Alternatively, others have just bought an iPod remote to act as middle-man.

Hope this helps!

]]> By: William http://usabilityfriction.com/2008/08/20/ipod-headphone-disconnect-automatic-pause/comment-page-1/#comment-82 William Sun, 09 Nov 2008 17:12:43 +0000 http://usabilityfriction.com/?p=28#comment-82 Dito, my 80GB iPod classic pauses all the time virtually destroying it and now it's completely useless due to over engineering. If the feature like this exists then a method for disabling it must also exist. In products with such a wide customer base, attempting to assume how people will use the item will get you every time. Dito, my 80GB iPod classic pauses all the time virtually destroying it and now it’s completely useless due to over engineering. If the feature like this exists then a method for disabling it must also exist. In products with such a wide customer base, attempting to assume how people will use the item will get you every time.

]]> By: Sacc http://usabilityfriction.com/2008/08/20/ipod-headphone-disconnect-automatic-pause/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Sacc Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:58:05 +0000 http://usabilityfriction.com/?p=28#comment-62 This feature is going to prevent me from buying another ipod, i own a classic model and it pauses every 30 seconds while my headphones are still connected. This feature is horrible for people like me, who take their big headphones everywhere and they are perfectly good, except for ipods, which think you are disconnecting them constantly because of the wear and tear the headphones have. This feature is going to prevent me from buying another ipod, i own a classic model and it pauses every 30 seconds while my headphones are still connected.

This feature is horrible for people like me, who take their big headphones everywhere and they are perfectly good, except for ipods, which think you are disconnecting them constantly because of the wear and tear the headphones have.

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