General Features
Audio Features
Video Features
Photo Features

General Features

Design: Beautiful, durable, and sleek, the iPod classic features an anodized aluminum and polished stainless steel enclosure with rounded edges. The iPod classic is available in a silver or black finish.

Storage Capacity: This iPod classic has a built-in 160 GB hard disc drive, capable of storing up to 40,000 songs (4-minute song average--recorded in AAC format at 128 kbps), up to 25,000 pictures (iPod-viewable photos transferred from iTunes), or up to 200 hours of video (based on H.264 1.5-Mbps video @ 640 x 480 resolution combined with 128kbps audio). In addition to storing audio, you can use the HDD to store data files as well.

Skip Protection: In addition to the hard drive, the iPod classic has a memory cache. Since it is solid state, there are no moving parts, so it is not affected by movement. The memory preloads up to 17 minutes of music to the cache at a time, equating to a 17 minute skip protection.

2.5" LCD with LED Backlight: The 2.5" QVGA liquid crystal display has a 320 x 240 pixel resolution at 163 pixels per inch and features an LED backlight..

Backlighting: The display's white LED backlight illuminates the LCD screen for a set amount of time each time a button is pressed. You can adjust the brightness of the iPod classic screen. The backlight timer can be set for 2, 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds, always on, or off.

Controls: The iPod classic's touch-sensitive Click Wheel controls are located on the front of the unit. There are 3 Playback Mode buttons (Play/Pause, Previous/Rewind, Next/Fast-forward) and a Menu button located on top of the Click Wheel. The Select button is located in the center of the Click Wheel. The Click Wheel and Select button allow you to navigate through menus and song lists, highlight the desired selection, and select the item. To avoid unwanted actions due to accidental button pressing, you can disable the iPod classic's buttons with the top-mounted hold button.

Hold Switch: If you don't want to turn your iPod classic on or activate controls accidentally, you can disable them with the unit's Hold switch. The Hold switch disables all Click Wheel controls, and also disables functions that are activated by movement, such as shaking to shuffle and rotating to enter or exit Cover Flow.

Customize Main Menu: You can add often-used items to the iPod classic main menu. For example, you can add a Songs item to the main menu, so you don't have to choose Music before you choose Songs. You can also remove items you do not use on a regular basis.

Headphones: The iPod classic comes with earbud-style headphones with 18mm drivers using Neodymium magnets. If desired, you can use any headphones with a 3.5mm mini-plug.

Maximum Volume Limiter: The iPod classic provides an easy way for you to set a maximum volume limit to prevent the volume from exceeding a certain level. This feature works with any headphones attached to the headphone jack

Computer Interfaces: The iPod classic connects to your computer's high-power USB 2.0 port for downloading and charging the battery.

iTunes: iTunes is the software application you use with the iPod classic. iTunes can sync music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more with your iPod classic. When you connect the iPod classic to your computer, iTunes opens automatically.

Auto-Synching: Each time you connect the iPod classic to your computer, the unit's Auto-Synch feature automatically updates it with any changes made to the iTunes program on your computer, including any new music purchased at the iTunes Music Store. If you prefer, auto-sync can be turned off.

Compatibility: The iPod classic is compatible with both Macintosh and Windows operating systems with the following minimum requirements:

• Operating System:
  • Windows: Windows 7, Vista or XP (Home or Professional) with Service Pack 3 or later
  • Macintosh: Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later
• USB Port: USB 2.0 high speed
• Software: iTunes 9 or later (software not included, free download from Apple iTunes website)
• Internet Connection: Broadband Internet connection recommended

Note: The iPod classic comes with no software. You must download the latest version of iTunes music management software from the Apple website.

Dock Adapter: This unit comes with a white plastic dock adapter which allows the iPod classic to be docked in an iPod dock. An optional iPod dock is available from the manufacturer.

Contacts and Calendars: The iPod classic can store contacts, calendar events, and to-do lists for viewing on the go. The iPod classic's Contacts and Calendar functions are compatible with both Macintosh and Windows.

• Mac: If you're using Mac OS X v10.4 or later, you can use iTunes to sync the contact and calendar information on iPod classic with Address Book and iCal. If you're using any version of Mac OS X earlier than 10.4, you can use iSync to sync your information. Syncing information using iSync requires iSync 1.1 or later, and iCal 1.0.1 or later.
• Windows: If you're using Windows XP, and you use Windows Address Book or Microsoft Outlook 2003 or later to store your contact information, you can use iTunes to sync the address book information on iPod classic. If you use Microsoft Outlook 2003 or later to keep a calendar, you can also sync calendar information.

Note Reader: The iPod classic has a built-in note reader that lets you download text-based information and read it on the screen.

Recording Voice Memos: You can record voice memos using an optional iPod classic-compatible microphone (sold separately). You can set chapter marks while you record, store voice memos on the iPod classic and sync them with your computer, and add labels to voice memos. Voice memos cannot be longer than two hours. If you record for more than two hours, your iPod classic automatically starts a new voice memo to continue your recording.

Clock Functions: The iPod classic has an internal clock with time/date settings, a calendar, an alarm clock and sleep timer. The calendar can be advanced a day at a time or a month at a time. The alarm clock can be set to any minute and the sleep timer can be set to automatically turn the unit off in 15, 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes.

Stopwatch: You can use the stopwatch as you exercise to track your overall time and, if you're running on a track, your lap times. You can play music while you use the stopwatch.

Games: In addition to enjoying music, video, pictures, and books, you can play one of three pre-loaded games on your iPod classic. The available games include iQuiz, Klondike, and Vortex. You can purchase additional games from the iTunes Store (in some countries) to play on iPod classic. After purchasing games in iTunes, you can add them to iPod classic by syncing them automatically or by managing them manually.

Store Data Files: You can use the iPod classic as an external disk to store data files.

iPod Lock: You can set a combination to prevent iPod classic from being used by someone without your permission. When you lock the iPod classic when it is not connected to a computer, you must enter a combination to unlock and use it.

Note: This is different from the Hold button in that the Hold button prevents the iPod classic buttons from being pressed accidentally. The combination prevents another person from using the iPod classic.

Power Requirements: The iPod classic has a built-in rechargeable, non-removable, lithium ion battery. When the iPod classic is connected to your computer, the battery charges. When fully charged, the battery provides approximately 36 hours of music playback time or 6 hours of video playback. The battery charges to approximately 80% of capacity in 2 hours and fully charges in 4 hours. A battery life indicator appears at the top of the display.

Audio Features

Audio Formats: The iPod classic supports the following audio formats: AAC (8 to 320 kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store), MP3 (8 to 320 kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, WAV, and AIFF. When you import music from a CD using iTunes, it can be converted to the AAC format.

Note: If you are using iTunes for Windows, you can convert non-protected WMA files to AAC or MP3 format.

Auto Music Syncing: By default, the iPod classic is set to sync all songs and playlists when you connect it to your computer. This is the simplest way to add music to the iPod classic. You just connect the iPod classic to your computer, let it add songs, audiobooks, videos, and other items automatically, and then disconnect it and go. If you added any songs to iTunes since the last time you connected your iPod classic, they will be synced with your iPod classic. If you deleted songs from iTunes, they are removed from your iPod classic.

Playlist Music Syncing: Setting iTunes to sync selected playlists to iPod classic is useful if the music in your iTunes library does not all fit on your iPod classic. Only the music in the playlists you select is synced to your iPod classic.

Playback Functions: You can set the iPod classic to repeat one song over and over, or repeat all songs in the list (album or playlist) from which the song was selected. You can also have the iPod classic shuffle all songs on the HDD, shuffle the songs on the current list (album, playlist, etc), or shuffle albums (when set to shuffle albums, it plays all the songs on an album in order, then randomly selects another album and plays it through in order). During Shuffle play, the songs do not repeat until all songs have been played.

On-The-Go Playlists: You can program the iPod classic to play the songs you want in the order you want. The songs are queued in the On-The-Go playlist. In addition to individual songs, you can queue entire lists of songs (albums) in the On-The-Go playlist. There is no limit to the number of selections you can put in the On-The-Go playlist.

Rating Songs: You can assign a rating to a song (from 1 to 5 stars) to indicate how much you like it. You can use song ratings to help you create Smart Playlist automatically in iTunes.

Genius: Genius automatically creates playlists containing songs in your library that go great together. To use Genius on iPod classic, you first need to set up Genius in iTunes. Genius is a free service, but an iTunes Store account is required (if you don't have one, you can set one up when you turn on Genius). iTunes collects anonymous information about your library and compares it with all songs available at the iTunes Store and with the libraries of other iTunes Store customers. The amount of time this takes can vary according to the size of your library, connection speed, and other factors.

Search Music: You can search iPod classic for songs, playlists, album titles, artist names, audio podcasts, and audiobooks. The search feature doesn't search videos, notes, calendar items, contacts, or lyrics.

Cover Flow: With the Cover Flow feature on the iPod classic, you can flip through your music via album art to find the album you want to hear. Cover Flow lets you use the iPod classic's Click Wheel to browse music by album cover, then select an album to flip it over and see the track list.

Song Names: You can enter song names and other details manually to a music track.

Adding Lyrics: You can enter song lyrics in plain text format into iTunes so that you can view the song lyrics on your iPod classic while the song is playing.

Volume Leveler: iTunes can automatically adjust the volume of songs, so they play at the same relative volume level. You can set iPod classic to use the iTunes volume settings.

Volume Limit: You can choose to set a limit for the maximum volume on iPod classic and assign a combination to prevent the setting from being changed.

Equalizer: The iPod classic's built-in equalizer has 22 EQ presets to change the sound to suit a particular music genre or style. The presets include: Acoustic, Bass Booster, Bass Reducer, Classical, Dance, Deep, Electronic, Flat, Hip Hop, Jazz, Latin, Loudness, Lounge, Piano, Pop, R&B, Rock, Small Speakers, Spoken Word, Treble Booster, Treble Reducer, Vocal Booster, and Off.

Listening to Podcasts: Podcasts are downloadable radio-style shows you get at the iTunes Music Store. Podcasts are organized by shows, episodes within shows, and chapters within episodes. If you stop listening to a podcast and go back to it later, the podcast begins playing from where you left off.

Audio Books: In addition to music, you can download audio books from the iTunes Music Store (approximately 9,000 titles) or from Audible.com, an independent website with over 18,000 titles. The iPod classic will keep track of where you left off when you listened last like a virtual bookmark, and when you sync up with iTunes, the bookmark will continually update between the iPod classic and iTunes. You can also set the speed at which the audio book is played back.

Video Features

Video Playback: You can purchase movies, videos and TV shows, and download video podcasts at the iTunes Music Store, and then download them to your iPod classic. You can view and listen to the videos on the iPod classic or on a TV connected to the iPod classic via an optional AV cable (sold separately). The iPod classic supports up to 20 hours of video (based on H.264 1.5-Mbps video @ 640 x 480 resolution combined with 128Kbps audio).

Video Formats: The iPod classic supports the following video formats:

• H.264 video up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 x 480, 30 frames per second
• Baseline Low-Complexity Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 120 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec
• Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 120 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec
• Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 120 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Video Syncing: You can add movies and TV shows to the iPod classic much the same way you add songs. You can set iTunes to sync all movies and TV shows to your iPod classic automatically when you connect the iPod classic, or you can set iTunes to sync only selected playlists. Alternatively, you can manage movies and TV shows manually. Using this option, you can add videos from more than one computer without erasing videos already on iPod classic.

Watching Rented Movies: You can rent movies from the iTunes Store and watch them on the iPod classic. You can use iTunes to rent the movies and transfer them to your iPod classic. Rented movies are playable only for a limited time. The time remaining in which you must finish watching a rented movie appears near its title. Movies are automatically deleted when they expire.

Notes: Rented movies are not available in all regions.

Viewing and Listening to Videos: Downloaded videos appear in the Videos menus on the iPod classic. Music Videos also appear in Music menus. When you choose a video from a Videos menu, you see and hear the video. When you choose a music video from a Music menu, you hear the song, but don't see the video. Video can be played back in a landscape or portrait orientation on the iPod classic's screen.

Importing and Viewing Your Own Videos: You can view other video files on the iPod classic, such as videos you create in iMovie (on a Macintosh) or videos you download from the Internet. Using QuickTime, you can encode a video file for the iPod classic, import it into iTunes, and then download it to the iPod classic just as you would download any video to the iPod classic.

Watching Videos on a TV: If you have an iPod AV Cable (sold separately), you can watch videos on a TV connected to your iPod classic. First you set the iPod classic to display videos on a TV, then connect the iPod classic to your TV, and then play a video.

Photo Features

Photo Playback: The iPod classic holds up to 25,000 photos which you can sync from your Mac or PC via iTunes. Using the Click Wheel you can scroll through photo thumbnails. To see a photo full screen, all you need to do is click the center button. You can also view your photo slideshows complete with music and transitions. Photos can be viewed in a landscape or portrait orientation. Using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable you can view your iPod classic's photos on your connected TV.

Compatible Photo Formats: This 120 GB iPod classic will hold up to 25,000 photos downloaded using iTunes software converted from JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PNG, and PSD (Mac only).

Adding Photos: You can add photos to the iPod classic from a folder on your hard disk. If you have a Mac and iPhoto 4.0.3 or later, you can sync iPhoto albums automatically. If you have a Windows PC and Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 or later, or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later, you can sync photo collections automatically.

SlideShow: Photos can be viewed manually (one at a time) or automatically using the slideshow feature. When using slideshow, several settings are adjustable: Time Per Slide (2, 3, 5, 10, or 20 seconds), Repeat (on/off), Transition (5 options), and TV Signal (NTSC or PAL). Background music can be added to the slideshow and the slides can be displayed in random order.