Timing: pressing MENU while docking iPod Mini 2nd Gen

[fratermus]

{NOTE - this issue is identified and nominally resolved in the third post down there}

iPod Mini 2nd gen.  Rockbox 3.6 loaded via current rbutilqt under ubuntu.

According to the docs this unit can be kept in normal Rockbox playback mode if one presses MENU while plugging in.

This same concept works fine on my sansa e2xx devices but the timing appears to be tricky on the Mini.  I get it to stay in Rockbox about 10% of the time; the rest of the time it goes to USB mode. 

I think this is a timing issue I haven't been able to figure out.  I have tried differing hold times before and after insertion into the dock.  I have pressed and inserted, pressed and waited for the MENU UI to come up then inserted, etc.  I think I get a higher likelihood of success (maybe 25%) if I have the iPod suspended right over the dock, press MENU for about .25 second, slip it immediately into the dock and release the button within .25 second of insertion.

Is anyone getting consistent success with the MENU+charge scenario?  If so, pls share what's working for you.  It's so frustrating I've taken to leaving it in the dock for long periods of time rather than taking it out and having to fiddle with it again.

[bluebrother]

According to the docs this unit can be kept in normal Rockbox playback mode if one presses MENU while plugging in.

Just hold the button while plugging it in. Works absolutely fine for me.

[fratermus]

{scroll down for resolution;  may or may not suggest a need for a change in the manual}


Here are the attempts I made after reading of your success.  Note that I am self-concious about the timing because I cannot get it to work reliably.

When I refer to "immediate" below it means "as fast as I can", somewhere between .1 and .25 seconds.

#1  hold for two seconds, plug in while holding, continue to hold for two seconds.  Result:  USB.
#2  immediate hold , plugin while holding, immediate release.  Result:  USB.
#3  hold for one second, plug in while holding, continue to hold for one second.  Result:  USB.
#4  hold .5 second, plug in while holding, continue to hold for .5 second.  Result:  USB.
#5  hold for two seconds, plug in while holding, release immediately.  Result:  USB.
#6  hold for one second, plug in while holding, release immediately.  Result:  USB.

Hang on, I think I am onto something.  My player is set to start up at "recent bookmarks". 
If I hold MENU from that screen the Delete? dialog pops up and I get the results above.  But this is not the dialog one gets elsewhere (and possibly everywhere else);  the usual dialog is the Quick Screen which is accessible from "nearly everywhere." according to the manual.

So it appears the "hold menu button to play while charging" function works only in those locations in the UI where Quick Screen will pop up while holding MENU.   I do not know if this is peculiar to this player or not.

Edited to add:  should I submit a bug (manual clarification) on this?

[Llorean]

It's more likely "it will work everywhere except the bookmark screen." The bookmark screen is broken in several ways in terms of commonly expected functionality not quite working the same while you're in it. Controls are often different for it, I've had recent issues with idle poweroff not happening on my player if left in the screen (I'm not certain if it can be reproduced or not, I've just found my player mysteriously dead and the connection seems to be it being left in that screen, haven't run tests yet), etc.