I want an iPod. But I don't want the restrictions of Apple. Any recommendations?
What are the restrictions of iPods? No radio?
I'm happy with my old Creative MP3 player but have just ordered a new phone (http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/4-/13068569/Samsung-B5310-Genio-Slide-Vodafone-Pre-Pay-Pay-As-You-Go-3-1-Megapixel-Mobile-Phone/Product.html) to replace my ageing razr. By plugging in a Microsd card that should be quite a nice MP3 player (but only up to 16GB, and obviously I can't vouch for it yet...).
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 26, 2010, 07:03:31 AM
I want an iPod. But I don't want the restrictions of Apple. Any recommendations?
An ipod classic, but use WinAmp (freeware) instead of itunes to load it with stuff.
I've never loaded itunes on my machine-- there's an extension for WinAmp that lets that program directly access ipods. I can confirm the classic model works flawlessly.
Alternatively, you could opt for a Zune by microsquish-- but I've not had any luck hacking it-- installing "zuneware" is required.
Finally, I've had excellent experiences with Sansa players-- but those are flash-based only, and max out at roughly 16gig.
I had a dell player for about a month-- it failed, sent it back, that one failed, sent it back, got credit instead. I don't know who made them for dell, though...
In the early days of MP3's I had a Creative player-- that ancient thing used Compact Flash cards, but was quite limited. It worked well enough for what it was, though.
Other alternative not contemplated before is to use an mp3 capable player, that is, one of those bookshelf systems capable of reading CDs (or in the best case DVDs) with mp3 files burned on them. While a CD can only give you 700 MB and a regular DVD-R 4.5 GB that is the equivalent of hundreds of songs in one disk. If you don't need mobility that could be an alternative, otherwise the regular recommendations apply (how much music do you have? Do you want/can plug it into your car? Do you need a charger and how often?, etc, etc).
In general terms: what are your needs?
Quote from: beagle on January 26, 2010, 07:17:13 AM
.......have just ordered a new phone (http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/4-/13068569/Samsung-B5310-Genio-Slide-Vodafone-Pre-Pay-Pay-As-You-Go-3-1-Megapixel-Mobile-Phone/Product.html) to replace my ageing razr.
I've got a failry new razr which I love.
(http://images.play.com/covers/13068569m.jpg)
you mean this phone?........the red bit looks dangerous !
Quote from: beagle on January 26, 2010, 07:17:13 AM
What are the restrictions of iPods? No radio?
No, I don't need a radio capabillty.
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on January 26, 2010, 07:01:54 PM
Other alternative not contemplated before is to use an mp3 capable player, that is, one of those bookshelf systems capable of reading CDs (or in the best case DVDs) with mp3 files burned on them.
I have one of those in another room. It's a Sony and has USB but has stupid Sony restrictions.
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 26, 2010, 06:47:51 PM
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 26, 2010, 07:03:31 AM
I want an iPod. But I don't want the restrictions of Apple. Any recommendations?
An ipod classic, but use WinAmp (freeware) instead of itunes to load it with stuff.
I've never loaded itunes on my machine-- there's an extension for WinAmp that lets that program directly access ipods. I can confirm the classic model works flawlessly.
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on January 26, 2010, 07:01:54 PM
In general terms: what are your needs?
I want a small thing like an iPod onto which I can download music. By iPod restrictions I meant I thought one was restricted to iTunes. I want to be free to download from wherever I want.
I don't know anything about WinAmp. Would it let me download non-iTunes stuff to an iPod ?
I don't know anything about any of this. What I want is a machine to hold digital music which I can get hold of, for example, by download from Amazon or wherever.
Are you familiar with USB thumb drives?
When you connect most small MP3 players, you simply copy your MP3 files (from wherever) into the drive-- Windoze "sees" it as a mass storage device. About the only 'gotcha' is that some require the music to be placed into specific folder's (typically called, oddly enough1 "MUSIC")
As for iPods and WinAmp? That's even easier: you tell WinAmp where you music files are located on your network/pc. Then, with the iPod connected, and WinAmp "seeing" it, you tell WinAmp to put your selected music onto the iPod. The first time, it takes awhile, if you've several gigs of tunes. Then, you can "synchronize" between WinAmp's list and what the iPod has-- that is, if you delete a tune from iPod 'in the field' WinAmp removes it from your library (but does not delete the actual file, unless you've specifically told it to) .
It's really easier to do than to describe. The only real catch, is that the 'native' WinAmp has to have an iPod plug-in-- also available from their website, also free.
If you elect to go that route, I can post instructions. That is, if I can find my iPod classic-- seems I've misplaced the darn thing again... *sigh*
_________
1 Oddly enough, because it's logical to put them there. I find logic is rare in consumer goods... ::)
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 27, 2010, 04:05:22 AM
Quote from: beagle on January 26, 2010, 07:17:13 AM
.......have just ordered a new phone (http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/4-/13068569/Samsung-B5310-Genio-Slide-Vodafone-Pre-Pay-Pay-As-You-Go-3-1-Megapixel-Mobile-Phone/Product.html) to replace my ageing razr.
I've got a failry new razr which I love.
(http://images.play.com/covers/13068569m.jpg)
you mean this phone?........the red bit looks dangerous !
Yep. I may be the only one over twenty owning one of these things.
It's aimed at the teenage texting/IM market, but because of that has a real keyboard and is a third of the price of the Motorola Milestone or Blackberries (which also have real keyboards).
I've got two five year old razrs, which I like a lot but predictive texting drives me mad, and I need the email and web stuff more now.
Griffin, WinAmp is a media player you can download for free, it can synchronize with and ipod or a creative mp3 player without having to install proprietary stuff. The other thing you haven't answered is how much music you have and/or want to carry on the player.
If you have little a small (and cheap) 4 GB player may be enough:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16855125127
If you have a large collection then a large hard drive version might be needed:
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Zen-Vision-Portable-Player/dp/B000I5PGOM/ref=sr_1_47?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264596835&sr=8-47
And as an alternative, if you have a Razr you should be able to get a 16 GB micro SD card and use it for music (I do that with my G1):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820157041
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 27, 2010, 06:55:56 AM
Are you familiar with USB thumb drives?
When you connect most small MP3 players, you simply copy your MP3 files (from wherever) into the drive-- Windoze "sees" it as a mass storage device. About the only 'gotcha' is that some require the music to be placed into specific folder's (typically called, oddly enough1 "MUSIC")
I second my original recommendation of a thumbdrive-type MP3 player. Loads just like a USB thumbdrive, pure drag-and-drop. The model I have doesn't care where you put the files, either. I've got a cheap Nextar unit that is pretty good from a functional standpoint, although the controls are a little fiddly. We used to have a very nice little Sansa* (Sandisk) unit that was very easy-to-use, took AA batteries and had a built-in FM tuner; not sure what happened to it.
Thumbdrives types have the added advantage of being cheap - you can probably pick one up for ten or twenty quid.
*Sansa doesn't make this particular model any more, but their current lineup looks pretty good, although less thumbdrive-ish and more device-ish. Sandisk is primarily a memory-card company, so AFAIK they are less interested in mucking about with proprietary software and more interested in delivering a straightforward media-delivery system. As of a few years ago, anyways.
Zono - I have a good size (cant remember exactly how much or where the darn thing is) SD card for my RAZR. One of the reasons I don't use it is the RAZR battery is notoriously poor - it runs down fast - and I cant be bothered to keep charging it. That may sound incredibly lazy but remember i have CFS and any activity is often just too much bother. The RAZR I have is a music one so I suppose I ought to have exploited that, but I haven't.
Can someone give me a simple answer to this.
Loads of people say the drawback to iPods is that one is tied into iTunes. What you all seem to be saying is that this is not true. Why do people say it and exactly what do they mean by it.
?
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 28, 2010, 02:01:23 AM
Zono - I have a good size (cant remember exactly how much or where the darn thing is) SD card for my RAZR. One of the reasons I don't use it is the RAZR battery is notoriously poor - it runs down fast - and I cant be bothered to keep charging it. That may sound incredibly lazy but remember i have CFS and any activity is often just too much bother. The RAZR I have is a music one so I suppose I ought to have exploited that, but I haven't.
Can someone give me a simple answer to this.
Loads of people say the drawback to iPods is that one is tied into iTunes. What you all seem to be saying is that this is not true. Why do people say it and exactly what do they mean by it.
?
iTunes does not need to be installed to put non-DRM music onto iPods. WinAmp and other software is easily able to do this, for free, and without all the headache that comes from iTunes.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 28, 2010, 02:01:23 AM
Can someone give me a simple answer to this.
Loads of people say the drawback to iPods is that one is tied into iTunes. What you all seem to be saying is that this is not true. Why do people say it and exactly what do they mean by it.
?
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 28, 2010, 02:33:03 AM
iTunes does not need to be installed to put non-DRM music onto iPods. WinAmp and other software is easily able to do this, for free, and without all the headache that comes from iTunes.
what is non_DRM music?
If iTunes is installed does that then mean can't use anything else. ie install itunes, then cant put non-itunes music on it?
I am still not getting quite what people mean when they say about being tied to iTunes. Can someone spell that out.
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 26, 2010, 06:47:51 PM
In the early days of MP3's I had a Creative player-- that ancient thing used Compact Flash cards, but was quite limited. It worked well enough for what it was, though.
Diamond Rio here - 32MB built in, and added a 32MB card to it. About the size of a cassette tape, and held about as many songs. ::)
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 28, 2010, 03:25:48 AM
what is non_DRM music?
If iTunes is installed does that then mean can't use anything else. ie install itunes, then cant put non-itunes music on it?
I am still not getting quite what people mean when they say about being tied to iTunes. Can someone spell that out.
DRM: Digital Rights Management. The song is tied to a specific pc/mac/player ONLY. Limited use, limited number of times you may copy it, etc. iTunes is rampant with this stuff, as is Zune. Both iPods and Zune players fully comply with DRM'd music.
Anything you get from iTunes has DRM deeply embedded. (it's not just a
computer-hog taker-over-of-computers music manager-- it's a store, a way to spend your money-- a way of life
tm /sarcasm ) ::) I'm told there are ways of making your mp3's "talk" but I don't know of any...
Contrast that with anything you rip off of your own CD's, (using ripping software, such as CDEX) or anything you purchase from Amazon-- is blessedly DRM-free. You can do d!mn-all whatever you please with the files.
(can you tell, I'm not a huge fan of DRM? I own exactly.... zero such files. But, I *do* own all my MP3's-- I either ripped them myself from CD's I still physically possess (own), or I purchased them from Amazon.)
iTunes, when installed, (or so I'm told) starts scanning your PC for music-- whether you like it to or no. At least with Zune, you can specify WHICH directories/folders it's allowed to play with... maybe the same with iTunes, I dunno.
But either one
tries to Take Over The World-- (the same thing we do every night, Pinky...), and immediately claims that it's the ONLY mp3 player on your pc...
*bleah*
Some people do not mind that-- either one is somewhat slick at managing your music, and at locating updated stuff about those files... if you let it. I was always afraid to let it-- no telling WHAT it might do... ::)
I've spent weeks massaging the names and tags in my roughly 20 gigs of MP3's, and I'm not about to let some fool software trash all that work. (I can glance at any random MP3 file of mine, and by it's name, tell who the artist is, what album it's from, what year it was released, the song's name and the position it appeared in the album.... as I said, I've spent weeks creating a System. The internal tags are similarly adjusted to Just The Way I Like'em-- (last name first on all the artists, for example, so they sort properly.... ))
But. You do NOT need iTunes-- you can make iPods work without it, and work just fine.
You DO need Zune if you want a Zune player--- I've tried hacking them, and not had any luck.
Between the two, I prefer the Zune's menu system to the iPod's. The Zune's is cleaner and simpler to quickly create a series of album-playlists. On the iPod, it takes several additional steps per album, but it can be done-- unfortunately, the stupid iPod insists on creating a NEW playlist each and every time, so you have to periodically go in and delete out all the temp playlists.... the Zune will re-use the same one, if asked.
The iPod's slimmer, but it's a newer design than the Zune (my Zune's an older 30gig, what I purchased on clearance). They both weigh about the same, and have similar battery life.
Both have color screens, and display album art, if your files contain it (or if the album folder contained a JPG file when you loaded the album).
I think the Zune has a radio-- but I never use it, and I'm not 100% sure about that. I know the iPod does not-- this way CrApple can sell you yet ANOTHER accessory to attach to the bottom of the thing...
Zune accessories are far and few-- very difficult to find.
iPod accessories can be had in WalMart or your local Drug Store/Chemists'. In fact, you cannot set off a firecracker in a modern small electronics section in any given shop, without hitting at least one iPod accessory... ::)
Both work fine with standard small headphones, both have a 1/8" stereo jack somewhere on the case.
Both have internal rechargeable batteries, and neither is (supposedly) user-replaceable. But there are numerous websites telling you exactly how to do it, when the battery eventually dies.
My Zune came with a buncha extra goodies: an arm-band/case, a delux earbud, a charging cable, a few other oddments.
My iPod came with two: a cheap-sounding (but white) headset, and a white charging cable.
For either, the charging is done via a switched-on computer's USB bus...! Go figure.
But for either, there's available (extra charge) wall-mains chargers, as well as car chargers, but again, the Zune's are hard to find, but the iPod's are often hanging from the end-displays at your local green grocer's...
The thing with itunes is that is the only approved conduit for and ipod, that said you can use other programs for that but apple is known for making changes to the firmware of their devices so they only talk to itunes. The general solution is to NEVER install itunes, but it is still a hassle.
Personally I wouldn't buy neither an ipod or a zune, and much rather go with a sandisk Samsa or a Creative.
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on January 28, 2010, 03:00:25 PM
The thing with itunes is that is the only approved conduit for and ipod, that said you can use other programs for that but apple is known for making changes to the firmware of their devices so they only talk to itunes. The general solution is to NEVER install itunes, but it is still a hassle.
Personally I wouldn't buy neither an ipod or a zune, and much rather go with a sandisk Samsa or a Creative.
Both Sandisk and Creative are good products.
But, just like the Zune? Finding accessories for them is... difficult.
"You wan to WHAT?"
"I wish to journey to Mars"
"Okay. Not impossible, but very difficult..."
Specific accessories, yes, but the main accessory I need is a cable, RCA stereo to 3.5mm jack to plug into an amplifier, fairly cheap and easy to find.
Now if you're looking for a dock... good luck with that.
My 2c worth:
i would avoid an iPod like the plague. They may do all sorts of things well - although some models are amazingly obtuse to use. Their big problem is the software. iTunes (the software, not the web site), simply put, creates havoc on a Windows machine. The same can be said to varying degrees of all Apple software. The problem is Apple thinks they know how to do everything better than any one else and don't play by the rules when coding their softeware for a PC. In fact mostly their Windows software looks like quick and dirty ports from the Mac OS. I have lost count of the number of times I have been called in to help out with a poorly performing PC, had a quick look, found iTunes, asked if I can uninstall it to testif it is the problem, then uninstalled and found that the problems go away. This happens far too often for it to be a coincidence.
It is apparently possible to use an iPod without iTunes software but I understand that it is a pain to do so, plus Apple has been known to try and code the device firmware to force you to use iTunes.
I organise my music (ripped from CDs) in directories by artist and album. Some MP3 players will allow you to simply copy these directories onto the player and then display the contents so that it is simple to navigate to the desired album or track and play it. I have an old CocoPod that has a 20 GB HDD and it is simplicity itself to use. A number of smaller units I have seen display the info on the tune being played but have poor ability to select a particular tune or album to play. Often regardless of the directory structure these units simply see all the tracks and to pick out a particular one you need to know which number it is on the unit - ie track No 231. This is a pain, and everytime you add or delete content the numbers change.
Most MP3 players can be loaded from Windows Media Player and if you have your music already managed by it, it is a simple thing to then load desired content onto the MP3 player.
Hope this helps.
I feel so smug: today, I finally remembered the last time I had my iPod-- New Years, when I took a short trip to OKC.
Since the roads were poor, I packed for a longer trip: a gadget bag. I'd tossed my 'pod into there, and although I'd removed most of the stuff from the bag, I'd not removed my ipod....there it was (once I located the gadget bag).
:D
Now, I will see if WinAmp will work on Win7, and still able to see my iPod.
I'm with Blue: avoid CrApple-->PC software as much as possible.
----------------
Edit: Well, I went to WinAmp's website, downloaded the full-but-still-free version, unchecked the stuff I didn't want (such as their toolbar-- I loathe toolbars... but that's me) but made sure portable media players support was checked, and it installed in Win7 no issues.
Then, I got out my newly re-found iPod classic, hooked it up, and within seconds, WinAmp detected it, and could browse it's media files. Literally, falling-down easy.
And no iTunes.... (and no, I've never updated this player-- since I don't have iTunes, I cannot update it-- good. Currently, it Just Works, and I don't need a stupid break-my-player "update".... ::) )
The battery is charging-- but, since Jan 1, when I had charged it previously, it was still nearly full-charge. Nice.
Next up: I'll see if I can hack my Zune, to avoid installing Zune-ware from M$... I'm not expecting to, but why not? :)
---------------------
Edit: You Can't. :P ::)
M$ has carefully shielded the Zune player, that basically, you can't hack it into anything other than a zune-based player-- not even to use as a hard drive...
So, I installed the latest Zune-ware, and limited it to which folders it can mangle... and, of course, Zune-ware (v4) requires an update to my player... naturally. But that completed quicker than I could write this (it's running on monitor 2, currently)... now, it's re-booting the FLASH (step 3 of 4) okay, still another re-boot of the player (apparently, I had it really out-of-date). Okay 3 more of those, and it's complete. Roughly 3 minutes front-to-back (or the time it took for my TV show running the background to run through a spate of commercials). Now, it's apparently fully in-sync with my Zune-music folder.
*sigh*
After all of that messing around, I still prefer the Zune's interface to iPod's...
Thanks for the tip on iTunes no-no for Windows. WinAmp looks fine. I am still dithering. But will decide eventually.
Having finally decided to go for an iTouch and WinAmp, I just read that WinAmp does not support iTouch. Now I am dithering whether to buy a Nano even though it is the iTouch I want. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.
I found an interesting article (http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20070920/apples-ipod-touch-is-a-beauty-of-a-player-short-on-battery-life/) on the thing:
Quote from: articleThe company claims that the Touch can play music for up to 22 hours and video for up to five hours on a single battery charge, even with Wi-Fi turned on. But in my tests, using factory settings, music playback lasted just under 17 hours and video playback lasted just over four hours. Nearly every other iPod I've tested, including the new Nano, handily beat Apple's battery claims.
Wifi eats batteries like there's no tomorrow and if you really use it's functionality it will have the battery life of an iphone (which is dreadful).
Food for thought.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 06, 2010, 03:13:42 AM
Having finally decided to go for an iTouch and WinAmp, I just read that WinAmp does not support iTouch. Now I am dithering whether to buy a Nano even though it is the iTouch I want. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.
Sorry about that chief-- I did specify I had an iPod classic, v2.
:-[
Yes, the iTouch is generation 3. :cry:
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 07, 2010, 04:22:36 AM
Yes, the iTouch is generation 3. :cry:
I played about with an iTouch in the stor-- hated it's interface. But that's me. I found the classic's interface tolerable. Basically the iTouch is an iPhone without the 'phone' bits. Not my cuppa-- all I wanted was a music player that would hold all my files-- I do not want or desire the ability to play games on such a tiny device. :P ::)
The iTouch appeals to me because it has Wi-Fi - can download direct from internet. (+some other features that I like).
I've discovered http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_iPod_managers#Compatibility which is a huge comparison list of software that can be used instead of iTunes for different iPods. There are several that work with iTouch generation 3.1 of which from reading reviews etc CopyTrans looks to be the best.
So am re-considering the iTouch again now.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 08, 2010, 03:33:41 AM
The iTouch appeals to me because it has Wi-Fi - can download direct from internet. (+some other features that I like).
I've discovered http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_iPod_managers#Compatibility which is a huge comparison list of software that can be used instead of iTunes for different iPods. There are several that work with iTouch generation 3.1 of which from reading reviews etc CopyTrans looks to be the best.
So am re-considering the iTouch again now.
Keep in mind, some of those are Linux-only programs. That may or may not affect your decision. ::)
Edit: that's a cool matrix you've located there. I may have to bookmark it.
:D
CopyTrans is windows. incl. vista.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 08, 2010, 07:18:29 PM
CopyTrans is windows. incl. vista.
I saw that one, too.... got my eye on it, if I ever upgrade from my venerable classic.
Having sorted out I was going to use CopyTrans to avoid putting iTunes on my machine, the first instruction that comes with my new iPod is to download iTunes IN ORDER to SET UP the iPod. The iPod itself is just a dead machine - not even any menus - so I suppose it comes to life when plugged in to iTunes via the laptop USB. So that means I have to install iTunes. At least to set the iPod up.
So what's the point of stuff like winamp and copytrans if one has to install iTunes anyway? I mean, one might prefer them, but they don't remove the need to install iTunes.
There should be a workaround but, eh, it's Apple we're talking about, the risk of using fruity products.
:barf:
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 02, 2010, 11:17:09 PM
Having sorted out I was going to use CopyTrans to avoid putting iTunes on my machine, the first instruction that comes with my new iPod is to download iTunes IN ORDER to SET UP the iPod. The iPod itself is just a dead machine - not even any menus - so I suppose it comes to life when plugged in to iTunes via the laptop USB. So that means I have to install iTunes. At least to set the iPod up.
So what's the point of stuff like winamp and copytrans if one has to install iTunes anyway? I mean, one might prefer them, but they don't remove the need to install iTunes.
Try it first-- I was told the same thing, but I found WinAmp handled the iPod just fine-- and I never installed iPod. You've nothing in the least to lose, by trying it out first.
What ? Do you mean see if CopyTrans will set up the iPod?
So you charged the bloody thing, turn it on and you can't navigate? Does it say something like 'Please plug in' or something of the sort? (I'm talking about the device, not the instruction manual).
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 03, 2010, 08:27:28 AM
What ? Do you mean see if CopyTrans will set up the iPod?
See, here's the thing: it's already "setup" to be a music player. I strongly suspect that "setup" means "create an iTunes account" which obviously, since you don't have iTunes, you neither want nor need.
As Zono said, charge it up, turn it on, plug it into your PC, and see of CopyTrans can see it as an iPod/iTouch/whatever.
At the absolute worst, you'll only have to reset the thing-- fairly easy (navigate through the menus until you see "factory reset", and choose that-- it'll erase everything back to the BIOS-- just like out of the box).
You have literally nothing to lose, here.
**IF**, it does not work? Mos'likely, CopyTrans will not be able to see it's music database-- a required function. iPods of all flavors store the metadata (MP3 tags) in a single searchable database file. Otherwise, you'd just copy files onto it like the majority of players out there do now.
Essentially, what CopyTrans does, is both copy the files to the location the iPod's software expects, and also creates the records on the metadata database file-- one record per song, if I understand it.
However, if the metadata database (say that real fast :) ) is not present? The question is, can CopyTrans create it?
In my case? The database was already there-- so WinAmp was able to load it just fine-- no sucky iTunes.
As I said-- the worst is you'll do a factory reset. Likely? Copytrans will just work. Intermediate? CopyTrans will throw an error message, "cannot find database" or whatever, and you'll have no music loaded.
...............................
If, you decide you must hook your 'pod into iTunes? Try going to a friend's house who already has an iTunes infection. Better: go to a CrApple store, ask one of their "geniuses" if you can try you 'pod in their store. You can even explain, that your PC is setup such that you cannot install iTunes on it-- you don't need to explain more than that, nor do you need to give your reasons why iTunes is forbidden on your PC.
:D
Thanks Bob. All very clear.
Unfortunately I forgot to mention one small fact.
Switching the iPod on produces a screen with a battery symbol (showing fully charged) and a huge picture of a USB cable with an arrow pointing upwards at the words "i-tunes".
There are no menus, zip, nil, nothing.
One cannot get past this initial screen..................................
So a factory reset would not be possible :mrgreen:
This is generation 3 remember so presumably this is yet another way of preventing anyone from ditching iTunes.
Okay.
In any case---what do you have to lose, by trying CopyTrans first?
Probably nothing to lose.
But there are various dire warnings scattered around about damaging the iPod so it has to be sent back...........
Actually if I use CopyTrans it requires some i-Tunes drivers installed. Which I haven't done yet.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 05, 2010, 08:50:07 PM
Probably nothing to lose.
But there are various dire warnings scattered around about damaging the iPod so it has to be sent back...........
Actually if I use CopyTrans it requires some i-Tunes drivers installed. Which I haven't done yet.
I just had a thought.
Do you have an extra 3-4 gig on your hard drive to spare? You could install a Virtual copy of XP-- yes, you'll need your XP install disc.
Sure it takes a bit of time, but once your virtual XP is up and running, install iTunes bloatware onto that, then setup your iPod.
Then you can simply delete the virtual PC, including iTunes... and get your 3-4 gig back, too.
I talked about the Virtual PC over on the Linux/Win 7 threads. I'll post a link (if I can find it) if you want. The simple virtual PC is free to private citizens like yourself.
Edit: Link to VMware (http://www.vmware.com/products/player/).
It's expressly designed for what you want: an isolated "box" to run something you'd rather not install on your main machine.
Installation is tedious (as is all XP installs) but simple. No special drivers needed-- the PC that VMware simulates is truly plain-vanilla. Really, really plain-- which means XP's install disc already knows exactly what to do with that simulated hardware from the get-go-- everything's already on XP's install disc.
Just takes time. And, since you're just wanting to bootstrap your iPod, you don't even need to take the tedious step of SP2, SP3 on your virtual XP machine, either.
Interesting idea. Thanks.
At present I am overloaded with non iPod rubbish, real life stuff. Lots of rubbish going on. Goodness knows when I will get time to set up the iPod.
I'll get back to you.
:update:
Have everything sorted now (except the extension lead) - just been listening to an album via my iPod Touch docked in the speaker/docking i-station. The album was transfered from tape to PC, labelled etc, then synced to iPod. And it sounds brilliant. So now I have the method sorted for transfering all my other tapes, probably about a hundred. Will take an age. But will be worth it.
I eventually did install iTunes software and it is working fine with no problems (keep fingers crossed) ad I like it.
Just for reference, iTunes only gets track names for audio CDs. To get track names for tapes, there's a natty utility called mp3Tag. It works brilliantly. I am now the Queen of transfering ancient tapes to digital iPod. I have the whole procedure down to a fine art ;D
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 17, 2010, 03:15:02 PM
Just for reference, iTunes only gets track names for audio CDs. To get track names for tapes, there's a natty utility called mp3Tag. It works brilliantly. I am now the Queen of transfering ancient tapes to digital iPod. I have the whole procedure down to a fine art ;D
I bet you could make a few quid, when you finished with yours, doing other people's.... there's got to be a huge backlog of tapes out there.
:)
Yeah but.... it's dull work.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 18, 2010, 01:22:00 AM
Yeah but.... it's dull work.
That's why it's called "work".... ::) ;D
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on March 18, 2010, 05:35:34 AM
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 18, 2010, 01:22:00 AM
Yeah but.... it's dull work.
That's why it's called "work".... ::) ;D
Ayuh, sounds about as interesting as sitting in a truck for the 14 darkest hours of the day watching dump trucks roll back and forth to the landfill. ;)
(back on night hauling tomorrow)