Zen Xtra headphone jack quick
Hi there. I was dismayed and relieved that so many other people were experiencing the exact same headphone problem I was. I checked around and found that I could either wait an absurdly long time to get Creative to fix the problem (My player was no longer under warranty) or try and do it myself. One post suggested opening the player and doing some soldering (At your own risk - not recommended) but I found a quick and inexpensi've (Free actually) quick fix. All you need is a ball point pen and some scissors (Go ahead with the McGuyver jokes).
. Open the unit to get to the battery.
2. On the top right of the unit is a small opening. It is located directly over the headphone jack.
3. Take the ball point pen and open it. The part you will need is the plastic tube where the ink is stored. Cut off a piece with the scissors to fit in the hole over the headphone jack. I found that this fix works best if the tube is the same length as the hole.
4. Replace the faceplate. You may need to use a little pressure to get the plate to slide in and lock so be careful not to bend it.
Well. There it is. I plugged my headphones in and the unit worked fine. Apparently Creative neglected to think about the fact that this is a 'mobile' unit and put in a crappy jack. A shame considering the Zen (In my humble opinion) is just as good as the iPod. Anyway, hope this fix works for a few of you out there and saves you some $$$ and time.
I was using this to fix the jack. I was having the same problem as everyone else regarding the loss of stereo sound. One (Or possibly more) of the connections had come loose from the circuit board. As opposed to soldering any connections (And possibly damaging the unit further) I opted for this fix. The tube is relati'vely sturdy and won't likely compress over time so I think this will work. If nothing else this will do until I decide to get another mp3 player.
Similar Messages
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Zen micro headphone jack quick free
I started having intermittant problems with the zen micro headphone jack that has been well described. I found that if I held the headphone plug in a certain position that both channels worked well. I took a standard size staple and placed one prong of the staple in the thin space between the headphone jack and the body of the micro in a location where the headphone jack would be forced into the position where both stereo channels worked. I then broke the prong off by bending the staple back and forth and then pushed the sharp edge down with the end of a ballpoint pen. This made the headphone jack fit very snugly in the position where both channels worked when I plugged the headphone in. It solved the problem completely and is significantly cheaper than the $40.00 creative would want to fix the problem
:smileyvery-happy:That's pretty smart.
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Creative Nomad Zen Xtra headphone jack question.
Im pretty sure I'm gonna get this puppy. Either the 40 or 60 gig. I know all about the headphone jack issue and Im going to make sure and get one of those service plans when I buy the unit. I do have a couple questions though which I would appreciate anyone helping me out with....
) the new reinforced, "fixed" headphone jack units are supposedly shipped in clear, heat sealed packages. what did the old package for the units look like? Where they just card board or something?
2) if I get the unit and open it up, how can I tell if it has the reinforcement and doesn't need the "heated glue" fix upfront? What exactly does the new reinforcement piece look like?
3) I have a small hard dri've on my computer. Should I back up my mp3's on an external hard dri've via a usb 2.0 connection or can I just burn like 60 cdrs containing my entire mp3 connection? Will either work with re to transferring them to the unit's
Thanks in advance
R. I think it was a partly clear, partly cardboard box. It wasn't heat sealed though. Also the new one ships with a case that has a cut-out window, so it should be fairly obvious.
2. It's difficult to tell, but there are posts about it on the forums at Nomadness.net. Again, if it ships in the the heat sealed package I would relax.
3. Either will work, but obviously CDs are going to be slower to restore to the player. Depends how much money you want to spend on a backup solution. Obviously a hard dri've is the "Rolls Royce" solution, DVD-Rs/CD-Rs less so. -
Zen Xtra Headphone Jack is JACK
I am yet another victim of the headphone-jack issue. Just found out at the start of my 2 week business trip to New Orleans. **bleep**.
It's over the one year mark - lets see what the e-mail trail turns up...
Has anyone paid for the repairs? If so, how much & who did it'sHeadphone jacks also break on ipods.
http://broken.typepad.com/b/2004/03/apples_<B>ipod</B>_rep.html
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2003Aug/bpd200308250246.htm
http://jasonnolan.net/words/archi'ves/2004/0/fixed_my_ipod.html -
Zen micro headphone jack fix for fr
i read somewhere in the forums that Creative can fix the headphone jack problem for free?
Do you need a warranty for them to do it for you? And are all the songs on the player deleted when they fix it's
I would try and fix my Zen Micro headphone jack myself, but I'm afraid I might do something wrong.i recently got my micro replaced at best buy after it had the headphone jack issue, and my new one is having the same problem. I'm pretty sure best buy gyped me though because they gave me a micro that was sitting out on a table like it was used or something. Since this was within the last 3 months am i able to mail my micro in to creative to get one of the new, hopefully fixed, ones for free? It's soooo frustrating because i love the micro but the stupid head phone jack just makes me want to strangle it.
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Zen micro headphone jack cheap
I started having intermittant problems with the zen micro headphone jack that has been well described. I found that if I held the headphone plug in a certain position that both channels worked well. I took a standard size staple and placed one prong of the staple in the thin space between the headphone jack and the body of the micro in a location where the headphone jack would be forced into the position where both stereo channels worked. I then broke the prong off by bending the staple back and forth and then pushed the sharp edge down with the end of a ballpoint pen. This made the headphone jack fit very snugly in the position where both channels worked when I plugged the headphone in. It solved the problem completely and is significantly cheaper than the $40.00 creative would want to fix the problem.
You could easily take it out with a pin or using another staple to catch the bottom of it. It really doesn' go in very far. Certainly would take it out if if can't fix the problem before sending it in. Its amazing that the staple diameter is exactly the size needed to keep the microphone jack tight in the case.
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Zen Touch Headphone Jack issue
I am getting the 20gb Zen touch. Ive been hearing post after post about the headphone jack problem on the Zen Xtra's..Has this problem been fixed FOR SURE on the touch models? Anyone have any problems? Thanks!
I too am getting the Zen Touch now after multiple Micros which suffered from the bad jack disease. It seems, based on the limited number of people responding to this thread, that there are fewer incidents of this plague hitting the Zen Touch. Do you all agree with this premise/conclusion?
If there are others out there with the faulty headphone jack hitting the Touch, again, please let us know.
Also, to all Touch users in this thread, what are your thoughts about it's Have you compared it to the Micro? Is that a fair comparrison? Also, how does the Touch compare to the 20GB 4th Gen iPod? -
Zen Micro Headphone Jack Poll/Co
THIS IS A MULTISELECTION POLL
-My Jack is fine
2-My Jack is/was broken
3-I know someone who has a micro and theirs is fine
4-I know someone who has a micro and their's is broken
There seems to be this "massi've" problem with the zen micro with the headphone jack breaking. Creative also had this problem with the Zen xtra, so to see if this is an epidemic or just a small problem vote either you have a broken jack or not. also please post a reply if you know someone who has this problem or if you know someone who doesn't. If you bought a refurb micro dont count yours because this could very well be the result of abuse from the other party.
Simply choose the number that corresponds to you and your zen micro.
PS. post where you bought your micro and when the jack broke if it ever did.
-My Jack is fine
2-My Jack is/was broken
3-I know someone who has a micro and theirs is fine
4-I know someone who has a micro and their's is broken
- As for me, I've had my Zen micro for 2 weeks, it was fine no problem, never had any problems with headphone jack. but i have had it only for 2 weeks, before i decided to return for a refund.I was wondering why we really needed this thread .. i Think Creative and Us are pretty aware of the probs SOME people have been experiencing ...
Lets try to help each other not be whinging all the time if people have this prob its best to get an exchange .. whilst it is not ideal .. you expect teathing troubles and problems with some new items ... who hasn`t ever had something that needed to be sent back or exchanged ... Chill people Creative will see us all right. -
This problem is kind of similar to Osiris' problem but I will continue anyway. My Zen Xtra will now not play sound out of either headphone when I plug it in. If I press really hard and wiggle it, some sound might come out of the headphones. This is not a problem with my headphones. The headphone jack seems very loose and this concerns me. Is there anything I can do, or has my mp3 players life come to an end?
OK, so Creative now has a MAJOR fan. I took everyone's advice. Called the number, avoided the warranty question and got through to someone in the service centre. He was so helpful and straightaway told me that Creative would replace the unit, despite being six months past its warranty. Although I think that's the right thing for Creative to do given the widespread occurance of this problem, I really was expecting the worst. Most companies these days seem to see goodwill and warranty obligations as albatrosses around their neck. For Creative to offer me a replacement without any stress or fuss is really remarkable in this day and age. True to their word, they emailed me my RMA details within 24 hours (as promised) so I was able to send off my faulty unit this morning.
Thanks to SSR and Catherina for all your help with this. I'm very grateful, and couldn't be happier with the service I've received from Creative. Needless to say, I'll be spreading the word about what a great company Creative is.
Cheers -
Zen Micro headphone jack loosened resulting in poor earphone connect
I have had the 5g zen micro for 9 months now and love it. My battery play time has been tremendous, I migrated to the window media player and managing my music cannot be easier, I bought some high end earphones and the sound has been off the charts. But, recently, the headphone connection became loose and now my sound goes in and out, from right to left, sometimes muted or muffled...unless I hold the jack in place. It's become impossible to enjoy my music now.
I have sent a note to Creative customer service how I can get this fixed ASAP, as I don't want to be without my mp3 for an extended period of time. Has anyone had to deal with Creative on this? Do you have any suggestions?
I just bought another zen micro for a family member and now worried this may happen to them. I have not heard this problems from any of my friends that use the IPODSounds like the common headphone jack problem. You need to contact support. iPods have the problem also, as do most (if not all) players. Whether the incidence is the same, who knows!
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Zen Micro Headphone Jack problems-are the new ones
Gonna buy a Zen Micro Photo 8GB player-had one of the 5gb ones a year and a half ago and the headphone jack went on that-have the problems with the headphone jack been sorted out in the new ones?
I have not seen any reports of problems with the Zen MicroPhoto's headphone jack.
Cat -
Zen Micro headphone jack horror stories, truth or scar
I've been looking for an Mp3 player for over 4 months(since January), and I have looked through many Micro-Hard Dri've and Flash Memory players, including: Dell Pocket DJ, iPod Mini, Rio Carbon, Creative Zen Micro, iPod Shuffle, Creative MuVo Micro N200, and Creative MuVo TX FM. I'm glad to say that I decided on the Zen Micro. I've had it for 4 days now(including today), and so far, it is working great, better than I had hoped. Everything is nice about it; the only that scares me is the problem that many people have with the Zen Micro, the headphone jack problem. I've heard numerous reports of people with a Zen Micro who complain that after about 2-5 months of usage, the headphone jack will break, and little or NO sound will come out of it. And they say that this is a problem that is meant to happen with all Zen Micros. Hmmm is this true? I hope this doesn't happen to me. Do you think that upgrading the firmware will help fix the problem(btw, I still use ..03....or something like that, I haven't updated it)?
thug_outlaw69 wrote:
Just don't use a straight angle headphone plug like the ones that came with the Zen Micro. Use one with a 90 degree angle.
That doesn't make any difference, reportedly... just prolonges the problem so it doesn't break until the warranty's over.... -
ZEN MICRO HEADPHONE JACK FAILURE N
I recieved my Zen mirco (black) in December on Christmas Eve. It was one of those limited edition extra battery ones. I noticed too that the sound was cutting out, but then I thought for a moment. I remembered that i heard this before on a cd player. It was not the jack, but the headphones included. So instead of using the white ones that were included, I used a new pair of Sony "in- ear phones", the sport model actually with a gold plated jack insert. I never had the problem again. I would say my guess is the majority of the "headphone jack problems" were really the earbuds themselves. In all actuality, The wiggling I exprienced was also fron the earbuds, not the micro. If you are having this problem I recommend buying the phones I bought, after all they were only $20 or so.Message Edited by Kero35 on 02-23-2005 0:02 AM
Most people's first troubleshooting technique is isolating the point of failure(aka trying a different set of headphones). If you can solve your propblem with new phones more power to you! If the jack is actually physically loose no set of headphones would be able to fix that.
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Zen Micro - Headphone Jack Metal Reinforcement Pl
On 3/4, Cirrus wrote in response to a REALLY long thread about the headphone jack problem with the Zen Micro that it:
".... <SPAN>supposedly has been fixed in the newer Zen Micros by adding a metal reinforcement plate to the headphone jack." This according to a customer service person (I believe).
<SPAN>
<SPAN>Based on reviews and looking at my options, I would already own a ZM if it wasn't for this apparent design flaw with the jack. But, with this new information about a reinforcement plate, I am again interested.
<SPAN>
<SPAN>Does anybody know if the new units are available?
<SPAN>
<SPAN>If so, is there any way for me to know, by looking at the box or at the unit itself, if I am getting a reinforced ZM?
<SPAN>
<SPAN>I will most likely buy in person at a retail store so that I can check out the player before I buy it.
<SPAN>
<SPAN>Thanks.Read this thread. http://forums.creative.com/creativel...essage.id=3807
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My first and most major problem is with my headphone jack. I first noticed this problem when I was listening to my Zen on my headphones. It seems that if the jack is in one direction, it will only play certain tracks of whatever song I am listening to. It is annoying when I'm listening to a song, and I put my Zen on the counter to do whatever I'm doing that requires my two hands and 80% of my attention, and it does the one track thing.
My second problem is with freezing of my Zen micro. I have lately been experiencing some annoying freezes. This is mainly when I dock my Zen to my Dell to sync tracks. It just freezes. I then have to remove the battery, plug it into a charger, and do a bunch of other fun stuff. When I finally get it back to working order, I can't press the touchpad too fast, or it will freeze again, and I will have to go through the whole process again.
I'm going on vacation next week, and I want to take my Zen with me. These problems are so annoying, but I don't want to send my Zen to creative to have them service it. Anything I can do?Perhaps this threat will help, there are over 000 replies, and some mods have responded to it too. Hope it helps you out a little:
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=dap&message.id=596&a#M596
(I know there's a lot to read, but try your best and post back with further questions)
EDIT: And regarding the freezing, do you have the latest firwmare? You can also try to go into recovery mode and try a disk cleanup.
Good luck!Message Edited by E0Delta on 08-4-2006 08:3 PM
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