Sound only comes out of one earphone when being used with the iPod.
I've tried several different earphones with the iPod and they all do the same thing.
When the earphones are used with everything else, the sound comes out of both sides.
What could be the problem with the iPod?
Is there a solution?

Yea its simple get anew 1

I've only had it a month, but
Thanks for the brilliant advice.


It will play from both earphones if the cord is not pressed in all the way.

I was hoping it was something simple that might happen to other devices
That can be easily fixed.
It almost seems like a connection problem.

Has anyone ever had this happen?

If replacement not in immediate future, attach rubber O-ring to stop full insertion. You may or may not have lost a channel. When not fully inserted, you may be getting left on both ears. Listen, and see if you can hear "Stereo"(difference in both ears).
You either lost a channel or headphone jack defective. Stereo or not will determine.

Lol... this issue sounds familiar. I always seemed to have this problem with the walkmans and cd players. Guess the jack is one component of media devices that they haven't bothered to imrprove upon.

If replacement not in immediate future, attach rubber O-ring to stop full insertion. You may or may not have lost a channel. When not fully inserted, you may be getting left on both ears. Listen, and see if you can hear "Stereo"(difference in both ears).
You either lost a channel or headphone jack defective. Stereo or not will determine.
Thanks for helping me figure out what's wrong with it.
I'm guessing there's no simple way to fix the channel.
Any ideas on how it happened so that I don't mess up any future devices?

Don't know if it would help, but definitely would not hurt is plug in headphones before powering on, would be a little hassle and shouldn't need to, Plugging in or unplugging
Without delay can't hurt also. Partially plugged in, MAY harm.
Also, things just fail.

Don't know if it would help, but definately would not hurt is plug in headphones before powering on, would be a little hassle and shouldn't need to, Plugging in or unplugging
without delay can't hurt also. Partially plugged in, MAY harm.
Also, things just fail.
I really appreciate the tips. Thanks again.

Thanks, anytime, Take Care

This is how I fixed my 5th generation iPod Video. I noticed when applying slight pressure to certain points on the iPod while it was playing, the ear that was out would come back in. I popped it open with a screwdriver to see if I could find the loose connection. There are some orange ribbons that run from the battery to the main circuit board and they are held in place by tiny clips that close like teeth to make contact. Even though they all looked fine, if I pressed on the clip that locks the ribbon to the main circuit board the ear that was out would once again begin to play. Culprit found. The clip that holds the ribbon in place was no longer providing enough pressure to make a solid connection with the contact points underneath. It was indeed locking the cable in place, just not providing enough downward force to make a solid connection. Most likely because my iPod spends most of its time in my back pocket being sat on and getting all tweaked out of shape. So to fix the problem I placed a small piece of rubber that I cut with a razor blade to fit on top of the ribbon cable just to the side of the ribbon clip. The piece I cut is just thick enough to apply SLIGHT pressure from the hard drive to the ribbon when the iPod is closed. Key word: SLIGHT pressure. I did this to avoid having to pay money and wait on shipping time to have mine fixed. By all means, this isn't the real way to solve this problem, but it works great on mine. That being said, I take no responsibility for you breaking your iPod any more than it already is. Really though, its not that hard or that big of a deal to take the thing apart and put it back together. Yeah... so. Uh huh. Worked for me!

I just tried the solution that Dr. Poop gave and it worked for me. Thanks.

Dr. Poop! You rock dude! This really worked! I used electrical tape to hold a small piece of rubber and wolla--it worked. You saved me time, money, frustration and most of all I didn't have to part with my music. This is how I fixed my 5th generation iPod Video. I noticed when applying slight pressure to certain points on the iPod while it was playing, the ear that was out would come back in. I popped it open with a screwdriver to see if I could find the loose connection. There are some orange ribbons that run from the battery to the main circuit board and they are held in place by tiny clips that close like teeth to make contact. Even though they all looked fine, if I pressed on the clip that locks the ribbon to the main circuit board the ear that was out would once again begin to play. Culprit found. The clip that holds the ribbon in place was no longer providing enough pressure to make a solid connection with the contact points underneath. It was indeed locking the cable in place, just not providing enough downward force to make a solid connection. Most likely because my iPod spends most of its time in my back pocket being sat on and getting all tweaked out of shape. So to fix the problem I placed a small piece of rubber that I cut with a razor blade to fit on top of the ribbon cable just to the side of the ribbon clip. The piece I cut is just thick enough to apply SLIGHT pressure from the hard drive to the ribbon when the iPod is closed. Key word: SLIGHT pressure. I did this to avoid having to pay money and wait on shipping time to have mine fixed. By all means, this isn't the real way to solve this problem, but it works great on mine. That being said, I take no responsibility for you breaking your iPod any more than it already is. Really though, its not that hard or that big of a deal to take the thing apart and put it back together. Yeah... so. Uh huh. Worked for me!

Dudes I have da same prblm with ma iPod Don't know how 2 fix it just let me know how 2 open da iPod as it has no screws how do I open it apart... plzz hlp guyss... thnxx:D

IFixit: IPod Nano 5th Generation Disassembly - Video (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-29Ax8rp_bEQ/ifixit_ipod_nano_5th_generation_disassembly/)

I have never seen inside an iPod, but my general experience with 'bad' headphone sockets is this:

Most of them simply have three or more pins soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB). With a headphone plug plugged in, any sideways force on the plug (the part outside of the unit) exerts considerable twisting force on the jack, due to the 'lever' effect of the long plug. This force often causes the soldered pins/PCB pads to break away from the PCB.

This is far more likely to happen with modern (surface-mount) sockets and devices than with older (through-hole) equipment.

By opening the unit up and closely inspecting the socket pins' soldering (particularly while gently 'wiggling' a plug plugged into it) you'll often see a crack, or movement of the offending pad, which can then be re-soldered.

It helps to use headphones with a right-angle plug, so there is less likeihood of excessive stress being applied to the projecting plug.

Daniel

I recently had the same thing happen and I used an unfurled paperclip to clean out the iPod jack hole... maybe something, dust, dirt, paper, lint, anything, got down into the jack hole and is inhibiting proper metal to metal contact... it's worth a shot... worked for me...

A very termporary quick fix solution would be to take metal foil ( one used to wrap food will do )... Make a very thin sheet of it and insert it in headphone jack along with the earphone.. The stereo effect should come back.. At least it did for me!

A very termporary quick fix solution would be to take metal foil ( one used to wrap food will do ) ... Make a very thin sheet of it and insert it in headphone jack along with the earphone.. The stereo effect should come back.. Atleast it did for me !!

Tin foil pushed in the Jack will Likely short out, Not fix the problem, If it fixed yours, great. Will likely harm others.