Thank you for responding to my request, especially in a timely manner.
Perhaps I was not using the proper terminology.
I am referring to the volume control on headphones, not from the 30-pin connector. iPods from the Video (5th generation) forward used a TRRS style headphone jack. On the Video the extra contact point was for composite video out. On the 6.5 and 7th generation iPods the extra contact point was for the volume control and microphone like on the iPhone 4S.
On my Apple earphones and on my Bose QC20s there is a small control unit on the wire to the right ear peace which controls volume and pause, and I believe track forward and reverse. When I am in Apple mode (which is almost never, these days) it works perfectly.
Once in Rockbox, it becomes non-functional.
If I am taking a walk and my iPod is in my pocket, it is nice to be able to adjust the volume without having to take the iPod out.
adt