Transfer Errors? Check the cable!

Just spent about twenty minutes trying to transfer a file from a computer to my iPod. Errors, input/output from the Finder. Lockups when transferring via the Terminal. Occasional disconnections of the device. Thought it might be to do with the fact it was a 2.7G disk image. Tried splitting it into smaller chunks. Unplugged it, and plugged it in without the extension USB cable. Transfer of file was successful first time. Either the cable, or that USB port was damaged!