Sprout Pi：为 iPod 打造的 RP2350 主板

Sprout Pi Mainboard is a new, replacement PCB for the iPod 3rd generation, 4th generation, and iPod mini. You open the iPod, lift out the original board, and drop Sprout in its place. The case, screen, and click wheel all stay, so it looks and feels the way it always did. But it now has Bluetooth for your AirPods, Wi-Fi, a hi-fi DAC, USB Type-C charging, and a microSD slot that holds up to 2 TB of music.

Most iPod mods swap the hard drive for flash storage and fit a bigger battery. But you’re still stuck with wired headphones and iTunes. Sprout replaces the whole logic board and runs new software, written from scratch to behave like the original. It comes in two versions. Sprout Pico runs on a Raspberry Pi RP2350, turns on instantly, and plays your own music library and podcasts. Sprout Pi adds a Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero, so it can also stream from Spotify and Apple Music, stream podcasts, and run apps.

Overhaul Your Pod

iPods still work great because they’re designed with a single purpose in mind—they do nothing but play music. But, since released, so many convenient new technologies have been introduced, like high-quality Bluetooth headphones and streaming services. Plenty of people are unwilling to go back to strictly local files and wired earbuds like it’s 2004.

Today, old iPods have worn-out batteries and failing hard drives, need wired headphones and iTunes, and in the case of the 3rd generation, can only charge over FireWire.

Sprout lets you use your iPod the way you’d use any modern music player. Pair it with AirPods or any Bluetooth headphones, or plug in wired ones and hear your music through a proper hi-fi DAC. Drag and drop your library over USB Type-C in MP3, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, or Opus, and carry your whole collection with you. Download podcasts over Wi-Fi, and with Sprout Pi, stream from Spotify and Apple Music too.

There are no notifications, just your music. Because the iPod 3G, 4G, and mini get far less attention from modders than later models, they also tend to be cheaper to buy, which makes Sprout an affordable way to own an iPod you’ll actually use every day.

Features & Specifications

Sprout Pico for iPod mini (1st and 2nd generation)
Sprout Pico for iPod 3rd and 4th generation (monochrome)
Sprout Pi for iPod 3rd and 4th generation (monochrome)

Pi and Pico Versions

Display: the original iPod monochrome LCD, driven natively
Microcontroller: Raspberry Pi RP2350
Supported Codecs: MP3, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, and Opus
Audio:
- Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC, through the original 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Bluetooth audio for AirPods and other wireless headphones and speakers
- Digital audio out over USB Type-C, to USB Type-C headphones and DACs
- Inline remote controls over USB Type-C
I/O:
- Wi-Fi
- USB Type-C for charging and drag-and-drop data transfer
- microSD card slot, up to 2 TB
- 2x GPIO via wired remote connector
No soldering required: fits with a screwdriver and a plastic opening tool
Reuses the original screen, click wheel, and ribbon cables

Sprout Pi features

Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero
Custom apps
Music streaming from Spotify and Apple Music*
AirPlay streaming*
Podcast streaming
Compatible with the iPod 3rd and 4th generation
40-hour battery† with a 2,500 mAh cell

Sprout Pico features

Compatible with the iPod 3rd and 4th generation and the iPod mini (1st and 2nd generation)
40-hour battery† on the 3rd and 4th generation, with a 2,500 mAh cell
20-hour battery† on the iPod mini, with a 1,200 mAh cell

Firmware

A familiar clickwheel-driven interface, written from scratch to work like the original, including Cover Flow, Podcasts, and Search
Casting to Google Cast speakers*
AirPlay streaming*
Podcast downloads via Wi-Fi
Music streaming from Spotify and Apple Music (Sprout Pi only)*

† Target battery life for continuous music playback over Bluetooth, based on prototype testing.

* Working proofs of concept as of September 2026. Streaming services change their APIs often, so availability at launch may differ.

Dimensions & Weight

Installed: identical to your original iPod
- 3G/4G board: 55.5 x 98.0 x 1.6 mm (2.19 x 3.86 x 0.06 in)
- iPod mini board: 43.5 x 87.0 x 0.8 mm (1.71 x 3.43 x 0.03 in)
Weight: lighter than your original iPod once installed

Open Source

Sprout is open source hardware and software. Schematics, board layouts, and the bill of materials, licensed under CERN-OHL-S v2. Firmware and software and the Sprout Pi runtime are licensed under MPL-2.0. Documentation, including reverse-engineering notes on the iPod display, click wheel, and headphone connectors, are licensed under CC BY 4.0

All files will be published on our GitHub before the end of the campaign. You will be able to contribute by reporting issues or submitting pull requests.

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