Specific Points about the iPod Nano First Generation

General Overview

Dimensions:  1.6 inches wide, 3.5 inches long, 0.27 inches deep, weighing 1.5 ounces.

The Nano should be held with the headphone and USB cable ports towards you.  I will describe the various functions of the Nano wheel in terms of a clock face, where 6 o'clock is nearest to you.

6 O'Clock equals play/pause/stop/power down.

9 o'clock equals move left by track.  Hold down continually to skip backwards within a track.  

12 o'clock equals menu key.

3 o'clock equals move right by track.  Hold down continually to skip forwards within a track.  

Centre of wheel equals select/OK.

Move hand in a clockwise direction from 7 o'clock around the wheel equals increase volume or move forward through a menu.  The wider you move your hand around the wheel, the greater the adjustment of the volume or menu items moved through.

Move hand in an anti-clockwise direction from 7 o'clock around the wheel equals decrease volume or move back through a menu.  The wider you move your hand around the wheel, the greater the adjustment of the volume or menu items moved through.

Now that you are aware of these movements in relation to the Nano wheel, you should be in a position to relate them to the Rockbox functions if necessary which are described on the Frequently Asked Questions page about the Rockbox iPod port.

Rockbox and Apple Firmware Considerations

While it is much easier to use Rockbox in conjunction with the iPod Nano, there will certainly be times when you will want to move back to the Apple original firmware:

• To play music from the iTunes Music Store;
• To listen to Audible books;
• To charge the battery from the USB port of your computer. While there is a method of doing this when using Rockbox, it is probably easier to boot up to the original firmware;
• To transfer any files to the unit via Windows Explorer.  This is the most important point.  At the present time, Rockbox does not have a "USB Mode" and so transferring files and folders onto the Nano is quite slow.  Booting into the original firmware then transferring material is the most effective way for the time being, then you can use Rockbox again.

To start the original firmware from a Rockbox session:

• Hold down the Menu key (top of the wheel) for approximately eight seconds and the original firmware will be loaded.
• This second step is a one time process.  Now that the original firmware is loaded, ask a sighted person to locate the Settings menu item, and turn on the "clicker" sound so you can hear it from the internal speaker and headphones. 
• When you have held the Menu key down for eight seconds to boot into Apple firmware, release the Menu key and press it again a number of times.  If you hear the "click" sounds, this indicates the original firmware is being used.  If by pressing the Menu key once however you hear Rockbox speaking, then clearly you did not hold the Menu key down long enough to boot up to the original Apple firmware, so switch off the unit by holding down the Stop button for four seconds to put the unit back into "deep sleep" mode.

When the unit is switched off and then re-activated, the Apple firmware is still active and not Rockbox.  This can be very useful.  In order to make Rockbox active once more, from an Apple active session hold down the Menu key (top of the wheel) and the Select button (centre of the wheel) simultaneously until you hear some crackling noises, then release the keys.  Rockbox is now active.

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