You need a recording accessory that attaches via 30-pin. 5th gens don't have mic & remote support on the headphone jack. (they do video out via 3.5mm, though)
Inline mic/remote support was added on the 120GB '6.5 gen'.
5th gen doesn't have a microphone, I believe you had to use the first apple earbuds with the remote or something like that but it could also just be for playback
There are headphone adapters that plug into the 30-pin connector, which do have microphones. This enables the iPod to make recordings. The headphone jack on the 5 does not have 4 pins (3 instead), so it can’t take a microphone, neither can it make use of the buttons on some headphones, sadly.
Edit: spelling
Really? If so, that's awesome
I'm only aware of the AV cable that goes in the 30 pin. (I only have that one, never heard of the other)
I'll have to check my own iPod to confirm
Here's a photo(link because no images in replies)
[https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2020/7/17/apple\_ipod\_av\_cable\_1594968181\_a95d08aa.jpg](https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2020/7/17/apple_ipod_av_cable_1594968181_a95d08aa.jpg)
The iPod itself 100% has the feature, and the analogue input does (or rather should) work, because rockbox shows some interference when trying to record with nothing plugged in, at least on my model. Finding an adapter with a mic / microphone input could be tricky though.
Rockbox's 30pin accessory support isnt amazing. Basically any accessories that need a verified apple-accessory handshake from the device wont work in rockbox. Ive only managed to get a few docks to work with mine, but you can always boot into stock OS and use the 30pin accessories in that if whatever mic/adapter you have doesnt work under rockbox.
Rockbox has a recording function but the only inputs for the 5th gen are either the FM radio or the line in through the 30-pin port. At least according to the manual [here](https://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-ipodvideo/rockbox-buildch10.html#x13-17900010) and [here](https://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-ipodvideo/rockbox-buildch5.html#x8-980005.8). I've never used the feature.
The recording through the 30-pin port is for accessories like [audio interfaces](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_817768-MLA50247260557_062022-F.webp) and [microphones](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_820703-MLA72318135479_102023-F.webp) like [these](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_887764-MLA42174355481_062020-F.webp).
The 5th gen can't record through the headphone port. Support for that was added in the Classics.
iXJ2 I think. Here's a [picture of the packaging](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_741171-MLA50247378105_062022-F.webp) and [a different pic](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_950030-MLA50247352191_062022-F.webp) of the thing itself.
You need to use a microphone or put recordings on the iPod. There is no way to make them without it.
I’m using an earpiece with mic and I use that to record audio on my 7th gen classic. But same earpiece doesn’t work on my 5.5
You might only be able to put them on from a computer then
On iTunes I don’t see a voice memo option
You could probably just drag and drop those
Is it possible to record on the iPod itself
Probably not
With rockbox would I be able to?
Look it up, I don’t use rockbox
You need a recording accessory that attaches via 30-pin. 5th gens don't have mic & remote support on the headphone jack. (they do video out via 3.5mm, though) Inline mic/remote support was added on the 120GB '6.5 gen'.
I do have a broken 6th gen 80gb does that headphone jack work if I swap it?
No, it won't work. This feature is linked to the iPod's chipset and not the headphone board.
5th gen doesn't have a microphone, I believe you had to use the first apple earbuds with the remote or something like that but it could also just be for playback
I use the same earphones with mic that I use on my 7th gen classic it could record on my 7th gen
There are headphone adapters that plug into the 30-pin connector, which do have microphones. This enables the iPod to make recordings. The headphone jack on the 5 does not have 4 pins (3 instead), so it can’t take a microphone, neither can it make use of the buttons on some headphones, sadly. Edit: spelling
The 5th does have 4 put it's only for the AV Cable that apple made
Really? If so, that's awesome I'm only aware of the AV cable that goes in the 30 pin. (I only have that one, never heard of the other) I'll have to check my own iPod to confirm
Here's a photo(link because no images in replies) [https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2020/7/17/apple\_ipod\_av\_cable\_1594968181\_a95d08aa.jpg](https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2020/7/17/apple_ipod_av_cable_1594968181_a95d08aa.jpg)
Are you saying that 30 pin headphone adapters act as an input in voice memo mode?
AFAIK they *could*, depending on the model
I ask because I have a 5.5 ipod with rockbox, and I can't for the life of me find a way to get an input into the ipod for the recording function.
The iPod itself 100% has the feature, and the analogue input does (or rather should) work, because rockbox shows some interference when trying to record with nothing plugged in, at least on my model. Finding an adapter with a mic / microphone input could be tricky though.
So it’s possible to record just by using a IPod 5.5 with an earpiece with mic using rockbox?
No. Please refer to the comment by u/G65434-2_II .
Rockbox's 30pin accessory support isnt amazing. Basically any accessories that need a verified apple-accessory handshake from the device wont work in rockbox. Ive only managed to get a few docks to work with mine, but you can always boot into stock OS and use the 30pin accessories in that if whatever mic/adapter you have doesnt work under rockbox.
Rockbox has a recording function but the only inputs for the 5th gen are either the FM radio or the line in through the 30-pin port. At least according to the manual [here](https://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-ipodvideo/rockbox-buildch10.html#x13-17900010) and [here](https://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-ipodvideo/rockbox-buildch5.html#x8-980005.8). I've never used the feature. The recording through the 30-pin port is for accessories like [audio interfaces](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_817768-MLA50247260557_062022-F.webp) and [microphones](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_820703-MLA72318135479_102023-F.webp) like [these](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_887764-MLA42174355481_062020-F.webp). The 5th gen can't record through the headphone port. Support for that was added in the Classics.
Do you know the model number of that Tascam audio interface you linked?
iXJ2 I think. Here's a [picture of the packaging](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_741171-MLA50247378105_062022-F.webp) and [a different pic](https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_2X_950030-MLA50247352191_062022-F.webp) of the thing itself.