Ask iLounge 10-17-08

Article

Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-related questions from a member of the iLounge editorial team. We'll answer several questions here each week, and of course, you can always get help with more immediate concerns from the iLounge Discussion Forums. Submit your questions for consideration using our Ask iLounge Submit Form. We reserve the right to edit questions for grammar, spelling, and length.

The most asked question at iLounge.com:

How do I copy music from my iPod onto my computer?

Click here for the answer.

The second most asked question at iLounge.com:

How do I put DVDs on my iPod?

For converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and home movies to your iPod, iPhone or Apple TV, we have a three-part series outlining the best formats, settings, and various tools to use for converting all types of video content for use on these devices.

The Complete Guide to iPod, Apple TV and iPhone Video Formats

The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Mac)

The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Windows)

Top five questions most recently asked by iLounge readers:

Q: What are the best speakers to use with my iPod? (15, 76-79, and 90-92)

Q: What are the best headphones to use with my iPod? (10, 72-75, and 90-92)

Q: I really want to get a nice case for my iPod. Do you have any suggestions? (36-37, 54-67, and 90-92)

Q: How can I connect my iPod to my car stereo? (14, 32-35, 68-71, and 90-92)

Q: Are there any batteries that I can use to extend my iPod's battery life? (82-83 and 90-92)

A: Answers to these and many other questions can be found in two places. Our Free iPod Book 3.3 provides a complete report card to all of the iPod accessories we've reviewed as of summer 2007, as well as over 125 iTunes and iPod tips & tricks. Further, our new 2008 iPod & iPhone Buyers' Guide has accessory tutorials at the page numbers listed in parentheses above. These and other publications in our Library are free downloads, developed by the editors of iLounge!

And now, for this week's Ask iLounge column:

How do I backup my iPod? I’ve had it for 5 years now and am a bit worried that it may die on me. I’ve got over 5,000 tracks on it that I wouldn’t want to lose.

- Anonymous

The easiest way to ensure that you always have a backup of your iPod’s content is to simply not remove it from your computer in the first place. If you’re using automatic synchronization, then your iPod becomes a mirror of the iTunes library on your computer, so if your iPod is ever lost or damaged you can simply connect a new iPod and easily re-sync all of the content from your computer back onto your iPod.

However, if you’re using manual mode and do not want to keep your iPod’s content on your computer as well as on your iPod, then you will need to find another way of backing up your iPod content. Since the iPod appears to your computer as an external hard disk, you can connect your iPod and use any number of backup tools to simply copy the data from it as if it were any other hard disk, making sure to include hidden directories (since most of your music and the internal configuration files stored by the iPod are actually hidden from normal view).

If you simply take a complete file-level backup of your iPod (as you would for any other external hard drive), you can actually just restore this in its entirety to a new iPod of the same model. However, since your iPod is over 5 years old, this may not be entirely practical as you would likely purchase a more current iPod model if you needed to replace it.

Of course, this type of backup will still include all of your raw music files in a folder named \iPod_Control\Music. These won’t have recognizable names, but the tags contained inside them are still intact, so you could reimport these into iTunes and it should be able to sort them out for you, at which point you could then sync them back onto a new iPod.

Alternatively, you can look to any number of third-party tools that are designed to copy content from your iPod back to your computer. These are normally used in “disaster recovery” type of scenarios (ie, where you’ve lost your iTunes library and want to recover the music from your iPod back into it), but most of these will work just as easily to create regular backups of your iPod content should you want to continue storing your content only on your iPod. See our iPod 201 article, Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer for more information on the options available for this. This article also provides more information on how to copy content from your iPod back to your computer manually using Windows Explorer or Finder.

Unless disk space is a really serious issue, we strongly recommend simply keeping a complete copy of your iTunes library on your computer, as this is the most effective way of ensuring that you have it on-hand in the event that some disaster should befall your iPod. The utilities described in the article above can also assist you in rebuilding your iTunes library from your iPod if you want to return to using automatic synchronization, which is probably the simplest solution if you’re only transferring music onto your iPod from that single computer. However, even if you want to remain in “manual mode” so that you can load your iPod from more than a single computer, maintaining your “master” library in iTunes on your primary computer is still a very good idea, and generally much simpler than trying to deal with backing up your iPod manually on a regular basis.

My iPod nano has gotten infected by a virus. How do I clean it?

- Vinay

To be clear, a traditional click-wheel iPod model cannot really be “infected” by a virus, since a computer virus needs to be executed to cause problems or infect a device, and the iPod does not actually run software—it merely stores data.

Further, keep in mind that just because your iPod is not working properly or is demonstrating unusual behaviour does not indicate the presence of a virus. There are many other circumstances related to the iPod hardware itself, the iPod firmware version, or even software-related problems that can cause your iPod to misbehave. With some of the older iPod models, simply disconnecting your iPod before iTunes had finished syncing could easily cause software-related problems with your iPod.

That having been said, traditional iPod models such as the iPod nano appear to your computer as external storage devices, and therefore can certainly be corrupted by a virus that your computer has been infected with in the same way as any other external hard drive or flash memory device. In this case, a virus that is on your computer may damage or erase files on the iPod, resulting in content going missing or other odd behaviour. The virus may even make a copy of itself on your iPod, but the fact is that once it’s there it becomes an inert file that cannot do any further damage unless you try to open it again from your actual computer, as the iPod cannot run a virus application any more than it can run a word processing application.

The only possible way in which your computer could be automatically re-infected by connecting your iPod is if the virus has set itself up in such a way that it triggers Windows AutoPlay—a feature in Windows itself that looks for certain files on a CD/DVD discs and external storage devices and auto-executes those files when that disc/device is inserted into the computer. Under legitimate circumstances, this feature is normally used to automatically trigger a software installation, but can obviously just as easily trigger a virus. As long as you’ve cleaned your computer of infection, however, any recent up-to-date anti-virus application should be able to catch this as soon as you connect your iPod. Alternatively, simply disabling the AutoPlay feature in Windows is an even safer method of preventing this problem, since in this case Windows won’t automatically try to run any files on CD/DVD media or external USB devices. There are dozens of Windows system utilities that allow you to disable this feature, but Microsoft’s own TweakUI tool, found in Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP is at least one good (and free) option for this.

As for cleaning up the iPod itself, regardless of whether there is actual viral code on your iPod or just corruption as the result of a virus on your computer the procedure is the same: Once you’re sure you’ve cleaned the virus from your computer and you have an up-to-date AV software running, then simply connect it to iTunes and perform a “Restore” operation on it by clicking the Restore button on the iPod “Summary” tab in iTunes. This will erase everything on your iPod (so make sure you have your music backed up somewhere else if it’s not already in your iTunes library), and return it back to its original factory settings, at which point you can just reload it from iTunes.

I just got a new iPod classic and I know with the older ones you could either use it with a Mac or a PC but not both. Is this still true, or can I use it with both?

- Bill

All of the traditional Click Wheel iPod models such as the iPod classic still present themselves to your computer as external storage devices. This is how iTunes actually manages the content on your iPod, and is the reason why the iPod models are formatted in an OS-specific manner. Windows-formatted iPods use the FAT32 file system, while Mac-formatted iPods use the HFS+ file system. Windows cannot read any HFS+ formatted disk without help, however Mac OS X can read and write to FAT32 drives.

The upshot of all of this is that if you first format your iPod using iTunes on a Windows PC, then you will be able to access it and load content onto it from both Windows and Mac OS X normally, with the only exception being that you will need to return to the Windows PC to update your iPod firmware when necessary, as iTunes on a Mac cannot do this to a Windows-formatted iPod.

On the other hand, if you’ve first formatted your iPod on a Mac, you will not be able to read it on Windows without either doing a full restore on your Windows PC (erasing everything on it and reformatting it for Windows), or purchasing a third-party software application such as MacDrive ($50, http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive, trial available) to allow Windows to read Mac-formatted disks.

It should also be mentioned that using a Windows-formatted iPod on a Mac is not a configuration which is supported or tested by Apple. It generally should work without any serious issues, however there have been some minor problems observed in the past with things like album artwork.

Note that the iPhone and iPod touch do not have these platform-specific issues. Although these devices run OS X under the hood (and therefore some variant of an HFS file system), they do not communicate with your computer using “Disk Mode” but rather use an entirely different synchronization protocol that is not OS dependant.

Is it possible to upload photos manually to my iPod 80 GB classic? I manage my music manually, but every time I sync it with my iTunes library all of my old photos are deleted.

- Santanu

Unfortunately, there is no “manual” sync option for photos. Your photo collection is always synced automatically based on the photos stored in the folder or photo album that you have configured to sync with your iPod via iTunes. In this case, whenever you sync your iPod with iTunes, the photos on the iPod are compared to the photos in your photos folder, and any photos that you have removed from your designed photo folder or album are removed from the iPod, in much the same way that iTunes handles music when in automatic sync mode.

Basically, iTunes expects you to leave your photos on your computer and leave iTunes itself pointing to a main photo library folder or photo library application (ie, iPhoto, Adobe Photoshop Elements, etc), and as long as photo sync is enabled, iTunes will check this folder each time you connect your iPod and match up the iPod’s content to the content of the photo folder or album.

If you simply want to load a static set of photos on your iPod and keep them there, however, you can turn off photo synchronization entirely in iTunes and leave the photos on the iPod itself. When you disable photo synchronization for your iPod, iTunes will ask you whether you want to leave the existing photos on your iPod or remove them:

Simply select the “Don’t Remove” option and iTunes will leave the existing photos on your iPod, but will no longer both to sync or check them against your photo folder on your computer. Note, however, that this is not a true manual mode, but really just leaving your photos behind after disabling sync. If you ever want to sync any additional photos onto your iPod, you will need to turn photo synchronization back on, and ensure that any existing photos are also in the proper location, otherwise they will be removed from your iPod once you turn photo sync back on.

One other option if you find that you regularly need to add and remove photos from your iPod is to check out the third-party application CopyTrans Photo (Windows only, $30, trial available). This tool will allow you to copy and manage the photos on your iPod without using iTunes at all. In this case you would simply disable photo sync entirely within iTunes, and use CopyTrans Photo instead.

More information on managing photos on your iPod can be found in our Complete Guide to Displaying Photos on iPod + iPhone.

How do you add shared music from another iTunes library to your iPod or iPhone?

- Kaitlyn

If you’re thinking of an iTunes library that is being shared by another computer running iTunes on the same network, then unfortunately there is no way to do this through iTunes itself. Music shared via iTunes can only be listened to—it cannot be copied or synced to an iPod unless it’s also in your local iTunes library.

If you have file-share access across the network to the iTunes folder on the other computer, you can import these tracks manually into your own library directly by connecting to that computer and copying the music across the network as you would for any other file. There is also a third-party application called ourTunes that can do this for you, however this is an app that functions on the basis of reverse-engineering (or “cracking”) Apple’s authentication/encryption used by shared libraries, and as a result is frequently broken by iTunes updates. Specifically, although an incomplete version is presently available for iTunes 7, there is no support for iTunes 8 at all.

Alternatively, if you have access to install software on the remote library computer, you can look to applications such as TuneRanger (Mac/Windows, $30, trial available) and http://www.sonzea.com/syncopation/”>Syncopation (Mac only, $25, trial available), which are third-party applications that can sync tracks between iTunes libraries. These applications can either sync entire libraries in one or two directions, or can be configured to sync only a subset of selected playlists. In this case, you would not be using “shared” libraries via iTunes, but instead would be copying or syncing content between your iTunes libraries automatically. Once the tracks are in your local iTunes library, you simply sync them to your iPod in the same way that you would any other track.

I’m having a problem with using a Monster AV cable to connect my iPod classic to show video on a TV. I found good info that tells me to go into Video Settings and turn on the TV output but I still get nothing on my TV. On the other hand, my son’s iPod classic works great. His software version is 1.3 while my software version is 1.1.2. Could this be the reason?

- Phil

The problem here is most likely that you are using an older iPod video cable designed for the fifth-generation iPod with your iPod classic.

When Apple released the 2007 iPod models, they snuck in a requirement that only authorized video cables could be used with these new models. This includes the iPhone, iPod classic, iPod nano (with video) and iPod touch, and any newer iPod models. Based on the firmware versions, it is likely that your son’s “iPod classic” is actually a fifth-generation iPod (with video), which did not include this video lockout restriction, since the latest firmware for the 2007 iPod classic is v1.1.2 (note that the 2008 120G GB iPod classic uses v2.0), while the current firmware for the 5G iPod is v1.3.

For more information, see our article Apple locks TV Out in new iPods, breaks video add-ons.

The end result of this is a much more limited set of video output options for these newer iPod models. Apple provides their own Composite AV Cable and Component AV Cables, but you may also be able to find slightly more inexpensive options available such as ezGear’s Video Cable or the Rocketfish AV Cable for Select Apple iPod Models (Model RF-IPODAV) which can usually be found at major retailers such as Best Buy. It should be noted, however, that these cables are usually only about $10-$15 less than Apple’s own cables which do include a power adapter. If you plan on watching feature-length movies from your iPod on your TV you will most likely want to plug you iPod in, so if you do not already have an iPod USB power adapter then the Apple cables may be worth the additional expense.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

11-20-09: Sharing iTunes libraries between two user accounts, Enlarging text on iPhone 3GS, Transferring an iPod to a new user, iPhone shuffles when walking, New 8GB iPod touch models, Transferring purchases from a remote iTunes library

11-13-09: Syncing different contact info with two iPhones on the same computer, iPod shows no content, Syncing music and videos in playlists, Exclamation marks next to tracks in iTunes, Playing podcasts on 3G iPod shuffle.

11-6-09: Storing iPod software updates, Playing an iPod continuously, Transferring play counts to a new iTunes library, iPhone backups, Klipsch S4i earphones

10-30-09: Authorization problems with iPod touch, Changing Grid View background in iTunes, iTunes library and Music Folder are different sizes, Older iPods and firmware updates, Reconciling two different iTunes libraries, Syncing multiple devices to one iTunes library

10-23-09: Using a laptop with an iTunes library on an external hard drive, Transferring YouTube videos to iPod, iPod touch accessibility settings, Disabling Shake to Shuffle on iPod nano, Purchased songs fail to download from iTunes Store, Charging and powering off iPhone

See the rest of the Archives...

10-16-09: Moving iTunes to a new computer, Transferring contacts from Blackberry to an iPhone, Disabling iPhone Backups, Using AV cables for audio only, Problems syncing photos to iPod touch, Memorex iFlip and iPhone compatibility

10-9-09: iPhone OS and external keyboards, Adjusting ratings in a remote iTunes library, Excluding tracks from Genius Mixes, Moving iTunes library out of My Documents, Playlist folders on iPod touch, Refreshing random Smart Playlists

9-25-09: iTunes 9 and Shopping Cart, Restoring iTunes to an external hard drive, Using an HTTP Proxy over 3G, Problems transferring movies from iTunes to IPhone, iPod touch shuffle mode, Using an iPhone without a SIM card

9-18-09: Recovering unlisted media content from iPod, Repeat and continuous video playback on iPod touch, iPhone 3G vs 3GS, Customizing iTunes sorting, Rebuilding an iTunes library, Removing artwork from iPod in iTunes 9

9-11-09: Genius Mixes and iPod classic, Drag-and-drop content to iPod, Sharing home libraries in iTunes 9, Using an iPod without iTunes, Waking to a playlist on iPod touch, Kensington LiquidAUX, Disabling Geotagging Warnings

8-28-09: Consolidating Multiple iTunes Libraries, iPod touch Bluetooth headset compatibility, iPod holds less than advertised number of songs, Transferring media between iTunes Store accounts

8-21-09: Recover Contact/Calendar info from iPod touch, Connect iPod without automatic sync, Managing On-The-Go playlists, iPhone and Stereo Bluetooth Support, Sharing an iTunes library between multiple users on the same computer, Disabling Shake-to-Shuffle on iPod nano

8-14-09: Syncing iPod touch apps and data with a new iTunes library, Automatically adding media files to multiple iTunes libraries from a network share, Downgrading to iTunes 7, iPod nano and disk mode, Displaying release dates on iPod, Playing iPod through TV USB port

8-7-09: Clean up album artwork in iTunes, Syncing media content and calendar/contact info from different computers, Reorganizing recovered tracks in iTunes, Using multiple iPods and iPhones on one computer

7-31-09: Using an iPod and a Zune, iPod and on-TV menus, Backing up Notes from IPod touch, Sharing an iTunes library between a Mac and a PC, Waterproof earphones, 3G iPod and iPhone Accessory compatibility, Shure earphones

7-24-09: Displaying recent plays on web site, iPhone and car integration, iPod classic TV output, Renaming iPhone, Sound quality on different iPod models, iPod shuffle accessory compatibility

7-17-09: Transferring saved application data to new iPhone, Recovering Content from Mac iPod on Windows, iPhone 3GS and charging accessories, Recreating Recently Added playlist, Restoring old iPod touch, Track sorting on iPod classic

7-10-09: Passwords on iPod touch, iPod headphone jack problems, Tagging tracks imported from CD, Adding chapter markers to audiobooks, first-generation iPhone and stereo Bluetooth, Nike+ shoes

7-3-09: iPhone Recent Calls list and location info, iPod touch Bluetooth audio support, Car interface fails after 3.0 upgrade, iPhone battery life, iPhone stereo audio recording,

6-26-09: Recovering a dead iPod touch after 3.0 update, Battery Percentage Display on iPhone 3.0, Options hidden after 3.0 update, iPhone locked after 3.0 update, Managing videos on iPhone, iPod classic accessory compatibility

6-12-09: Conserving power on iPhone, Syncing iPhone Notes, Syncing Apps on new iPod touch, Block pop-ups in Safari, Syncing new iPhone, Playing multiple albums

5-29-09: Sorting tracks in iTunes, iPhone Bluetooth Headset Dock, Recovering Mac-formatted iPod on Windows, Screen damage on 4G iPod nano, Syncing purchased tracks back to iTunes, Managing a class set of iPods

5-22-09: Syncing iTunes content between computers, Importing music into iTunes, Re-transferring apps from a new iTunes library, New iPods and charging accessories, Using multiple iTunes libraries

5-15-09: Starting out with an external hard drive, Syncing playlists manually, Recovering lost iPod serial number, Music count vs Playlist count, Multiple iTunes Store accounts on the same computer, Optimizing album artwork

5-8-09: Organizing audiobooks, Problems transferring purchased items back to iTunes, Keeping played podcast episodes on iPod, Transferring iTunes library to a new computer, iPod shows no content, Using a new iPod with an existing iTunes library

4-24-09: Playing iTunes purchases on a non-networked computer, Finding iPod manuals online, Sharing an iTunes library between separate user accounts, Equalizer on iPod shuffle, Recovering content from Apple TV, Screenshots on iPod touch

4-17-09: Converting tracks to higher bit-rates, Using iPod with non-iTunes content, Using iTunes with an external hard drive, Expired rentals don't delete on iPod, Using only part of a song, Restoring 4G iPod stuck on AC adapter icon

3-27-09: Transferring iTunes library from XP to Vista, Using iPhone as an alarm clock, Splitting iTunes library across two iPods, Recovering iPod onto a computer with an existing iTunes library, Purchased TV Shows stuck in downloads folder, Tagging tracks as Audiobooks in iTunes 8

3-20-09: Using two iPods on a single computer, iPod shuffle 2G/3G accessory compatibility, Displaying TV Show seasons separately in iTunes, Playing iPod through secondary computer, Stopping iPod playback on iPhone, iPod touch 2G and Dock audio

3-13-09: iPod touch vs iPhone, Storing music only on your iPod, Problems transferring rented content, Managing content manually on iPod shuffle, iPod lyrics display, Playing video out to TV from iPhone

3-6-09: iPhone playback on other computers, Games on iPod classic and 5G, Transferring iTunes tracks to SD cards, Group compilations on iPhone, Transferring your iTunes library, iPhone Car Integration

2-27-09: Problems transferring iTunes content to external hard drives, Using an iTunes library database from an external hard drive, Converting Palm address book for iPod touch, How iTunes organizes music videos, Preventing iPhoto from opening when connecting an iPod touch

2-20-09: Video docks for 5G iPod, Connecting an old iPod to a new iTunes library, Downloading iTunes 8 on another computer, Erasing a used iPod and starting fresh, Recovering photos from an iPod, Tracking purchases in iTunes

2-13-09: Waterproof cases and sound quality, Upgrading to iTunes Plus with a manually managed iPod, Reinstalling games on the iPhone, iPhone 3G Dock options, Fixing album artwork problems, Display iTunes Applications category

2-6-09: iPod nano voice memo format, Buying iPods abroad, Skipping a playlist when shuffling, Adjusting playback speed of music tracks, Not all TV Shows syncing to iPod, Checking and unchecking multiple items in iTunes

1-23-09: Synchronizing contacts to iPod touch, Pairing iPhone Remote app, iPhone call audio via Dock Connector, Recovering iPhone apps, New iPods and charging, Remote control of Windows via iPhone

1-16-09: Creating Smart Playlists based on other playlists, Transferring or syncing an iTunes library between two computers, Converting Mac-formatted iPod to Windows, Using Artist and Sort Artist fields, Using an iPod on more than one computer, Importing audiobook CDs as audiobooks

1-2-09: Parents controls on iPod touch, Running iTunes from an external hard drive, Search feature on 5G iPods, Syncing videos to iPod touch, Safari problems on iPod touch, Other content on iPod shuffle

12-19-08: Keeping podcast episodes, iPod and TV USB inputs, Converting PC-formatted iPod to Mac, iPod touch e-mail accounts, Backing up iTunes to a hard drive, Managing and syncing iPod touch On-The-Go playlists

12-12-08: Classifying videos in iTunes 8, Sharing music between iPods, Sharing apps between iTunes libraries on the same computer, iH9 and iPhone compatibility, Recreating Purchased folder, Locating Music Videos

12-5-08: Creating custom slideshows for Apple TV, Optimal album artwork size, Transferring iPod touch from PC to Mac, Upgrading to a new iPod touch, Authorizing iPod Games on new computer, Managing iPod content manually

11-21-08: iPod keeps resetting, Organizing iPhone apps, iPod touch video accessories, iPod-compatible online music sources, Reordering playlists manually

11-14-08: Cover Flow on 4G iPod nano, Setting up iPod touch without Internet access, Internet radio for iPod touch, Apps button missing on iPod touch, mm50 speakers and new iPod models, Including Year field on iPod

10-31-08: iPod charging accessory compatibility, Adding tracks to multiple albums, Removing pre-installed games, Transferring contacts from iPod touch to a second computer, iPod touch accessory compatibility, iPod synchronization to a new computer

10-24-08: Importing folders with M3U files, AV cables with 2008 iPods, Moving iTunes libraries between computers, Unknown albums after importing music, Newly added tracks don't show up on iPod

10-17-08: Backup up your iPod, iPods and viruses, Using an iPod on Mac and Windows, Managing photos on an iPod manually, Adding iTunes Shared Music to iPod, iPod video out

10-3-08: Displaying lyrics on iPod touch, Calculating playlist sizes, Transferring tracks to iPod in manual mode, Purchasing older iPod models, Using iPhone without phone service, Shuffle modes

9-26-08: iTunes HD TV episodes showing up twice, Shure MPA-3C and iPod touch, Synchronizing iPod to a new iTunes library, Problems updating iPhone applications, Managing iTunes media files on an external hard drive, Managing multiple iPods on one computer

9-19-08: Removing Genre column in iTunes 8, Syncing TV Shows by playlist, Recovering Mac-formatted iPod on Windows, Recovering photos from iPod, XtremeMac Luna X2, iPod flash memory capacity, Restoring older iPod models

9-12-08: Managing iPhone Backups, iPod disk mode and deleted items, iPod Plays only single tracks, iPhone and T9 predictive text, Copying ratings and play counts from iPod to computer, Automatically retrieving CD information and album artwork

9-5-08: AV output from iPhone 3G dock, New playlists not appearing on iPod, Transferring music on iPod touch from multiple computers, Resetting iTunes Store authorization counts, Editing tag information, iPhone task applications

8-29-08: Disabling data on iPhone 3G, iTunes Plus and Apple Backup, Deleting photos from iPod, iPhone v2.0 and TV Out accessories, Consolidating multiple iTunes libraries, Restoring iPod touch from backup

8-22-08: Cleaning up applications in iTunes, Playing back all songs on iPod, Excluding podcasts from Smart Playlists, Bookmarking tracks, Playing tracks back at a consistent volume level

8-15-08: Transferring play counts back to iTunes, Playing iPod while charging, Customizing iPhone alerts, Syncing movies to iPod nano, iTunes not recognizing new CDs, Sudoku reviews

8-8-08: iPhone and SIM card contacts, Syncing iPhone contacts, Hiding SMS previews on iPhone, Playing iPod touch on secondary computer, Syncing photos to iPod, Resuming interrupted iTunes WiFI Store downloads

8-8-08: iLounge Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Horwitz responds to reader questions on all things iLounge, including technical issues related to iPhone 3G, and behind-the-scenes editorial issues

8-1-08: iPhone Edition: Switching between apps, Car charging accessories, Activating older iPhone models, Sending MMS, App Store in wrong language, Excel and A2DP support

7-25-08: MobileMe on iPhone for Calendars only, Buying iPods for International use, Voice recorders for 4G iPods, Free Music for iPod, Problems transferring purchased content to iPod, Playing AAC files in Windows Media Player

7-18-08: Ask iLounge iPhone v2.0 Edition: Installing apps on multiple devices, Converting videos for iPhone 3G, Activating first-gen iPhones, Saved photos on iPod touch, Push e-mail support

7-4-08: Recovering a corrupt iPod, Hard cases for iPhone, Reimporting CDs into iTunes, iPod shows only Other content, Managing multiple audio formats in iTunes, Optimum iPod video output cables

6-27-08: Creating Smart Playlists for Purchased items, Keeping place in multi-track audiobooks, Backing up iTunes before a reformat, iPod Games on 5G and classic, Editing CD tracks before import, Getting Album Artwork automatically

6-20-08: Third-party iPod management tools, Transferring large files on iPod, Shuffling On-The-Go Playlists, Removing played podcasts from iPod, Continuously playing one track, Moving iTunes from PC to Mac

6-13-08: Artists not appearing on iPod, Unchecked items do not play in iTunes, iTunes shows incorrect CD track information, Podcast support on older iPod models, Upgrading to a new iPod, Photo albums on iPod touch

6-6-08: Downloading YouTube videos onto iPod, Selling old iPod models, Fit iTunes Window to Screen, Handing down an iPod, Dock Compatible iPod cases, Problems transferring music from iPod to Mac

5-30-08: Burning iTunes purchases to an MP3 CD, Playing iPhone via computer, Pre-loading a gift iPod on another computer, Music Video playlists on Apple TV, Music videos on 2G iPod nano, Importing existing MP3 and WMA files into iTunes.

5-23-08: Finding and backing up purchased music, Syncing duplicate tracks to iPod, Restoring 4G iPod and AC power, Syncing iPod to a laptop when travelling, Finding photos on iPod, Storing a large iTunes library in multiple folders

5-16-08: Using the iPhone with integrated in-car Bluetooth, Problems with iPods and depleted batteries, Transferring content to a new iPod, iPod displays audio but no video, Removing photos and album artwork from iTunes, Overdrive Media and iPods

5-9-08: About iPod battery life and charging, Using Apple FM Radio remote on older iPod models, Scan and Fix dialog using iPod on Windows Vista, Preserving iTunes metadata when reinstalling Windows, Importing multiple tracks into iTunes, About iTunes and ID3 tags

5-2-08: Transferring digital camera movies to iPod, Reordering and shuffling playlists, Transferring playlists between iTunes libraries, Importing audiobooks, Correcting tags on CD import, Burning CDs with longer gaps

4-25-08: Finding Duplicates in iTunes, Setting files to open in iTunes automatically, Resetting authorizations, 1G iPod nano and voice recording, Syncing a library larger than your iPod capacity, Grouping multi-disc albums

4-17-08: Ripping CDs to external hard drive, Zeppelin speakers and USB port, Bluetooth stereo on iPhone, Converting TV shows to iPod, Audio recording on iPod touch, Wireless security on iPod touch

4-10-08: Transferring LPs to iTunes, Movie Rentals and 5G iPod, New iPod models on older Macs, Maintaining Playback Position on iPod, Importing CDs on multiple computers

4-3-08: Using several iPods on one computer, Renaming imported CD tracks, iM7 and iPod nano, Burning different CD types, Purchasing from iTunes while travelling, Importing CDs on MacBook Air, Sending photos from iPhone

3-28-08: iPod capacity and bit-rates, International iTunes Gift Cards, iPhone charging accessories, Moving iTunes purchases to another computer, iPod touch and third-party tools, iPod videos play only audio

3-21-08: Basic DVD conversion, 5G iPod and subtitles, Slideshows on iPod touch, Using the Voice Memo function, iPod classic TV output quality, iPod Dock Connector extender cables

3-14-08: About Skip Count, iPhone alarm clocks, 5G firmware updates, Cleaning up after a library move, Syncing new playlists to iPod nano, Authorization of multiple iTunes Store accounts

3-7-08: Transferring MP3 files to new iTunes library, iPhone ringtones on Windows, Wired remotes for iPod classic, Sharing iTunes with multiple users on one PC, iTunes library and Time Capsule, Chargers for 3G iPods

2-29-08: Finding iPhone Backups, Contact Display on iPhone, Automatic vs manual iPod management, iTunes CD burning restrictions, iTunes movie rental expiry on iPods, Downloading podcasts to iPhone

2-22-08: Upgrading your iPhone, Recovering data from corrupted iPod, Recreating default playlists, Syncing iPod Games from more than one computer, Problems playing purchased TV shows on iPod, Output settings when playing movies from iPod to TV

2-15-08: Setting up an AirTunes network, Shuffling music, Playing podcasts sequentially, Firewire support on modern iPods, Recovering Mac-formatted iPods on Windows, Recovering iTunes library from a virus

2-7-08: Transferring music from iPod touch, Voice recorders for 2007 iPods, Cover Flow on 5G iPod, Renaming your iPod, iTunes and iLife, Organizing music transferred from the iPod

1-31-08: Apple TV AirTunes Support, iPod Games on 5G and classic, Keeping videos only on iPod, Syncing iPod using checked songs, Charging with Universal Dock, International iPod and iTunes Store use

1-18-08: Macworld Expo 2008 Special Edition: Questions about the new iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV features, including Time Capsule and the Apple TV, Renting HD Movies from iTunes, Transferring rented movies to and from the iPod, Fifth-generation iPods and movie rental support, AirTunes support on Apple TV Take Two.

1-10-08: TV output quality, iPod windows driver installation errors, Connecting iPod to portable DVD player, Syncing games, iPhone charger compatibility, Reformatting iPod for Mac

1-3-08: 2007 iPod models and speakers, Video resolution vs bit-rate, Preventing auto-deletion of podcasts, Videos with no sound, Using iTunes Store when travelling abroad, Transferring videos to iPod, Importing Audiobooks

12-27-07: Your First iPod, Differences between iPod models, Accessory compatibility, Converting DVDs for iPod, New iPods and older computers, Earphone Recommendations, Troubleshooting iPod Problems

12-21-07: Other space on iPod, Search feature on iPod touch, Adding third-party ringtones to iPhone, iPod suddenly shows no content, TV Dock compatibility, Artists appearing more than once on iPod

12-14-07: New iPods - Buy now or wait? Transfer music from an old iPod, Convert MP3 to Lossless, Listening to videos and battery life, Bluetooth headphones for iPod nano, Universal Dock and line-out volume

12-7-07: Using Compilations settings, Re-syncing iPod after hard drive replacement, Locating iTunes Plus tracks, New iPod firmware - video output and iPod Hi-Fi support, Mac-formatted iPods, Cover Flow on iPod, iPhone screen goes blank when on a call

11-29-07: Photo resolution on the iPhone, Obtaining video content for the iPod touch, Restoring older iPod models, Sharing iTunes library on a single computer, Transferring iTunes via external hard drive, Auto-deleting played podcasts

11-22-07: Syncing games to iPod, Removing album artwork, Replacing files in iTunes library, Limiting volume on iPod, Preventing iPod sync when connecting with iTunes, Skipping audiobooks when shuffling songs

11-16-07: iTunes and Vista, iPod classic video output (revisited), Transferring iTunes from PC to Mac, Organizing Music Videos in iTunes, Using newer iPods with older OS X versions, Sorting photos on iPod

11-9-07: Editing calendar on iPod touch, Multiple iTunes libraries on one computer, Creating an iTunes Store account without a credit card, Burning CDs with track names, iPod/iPhone remote control, iPhone TV output from Safari

11-2-07: TV Docks for new iPod models, Calculate song file sizes, iPhone backup and restore, Sync selected content with iPhone, Universal Dock compatibility, Managing podcast synchronization

10-26-07: iTunes Plus, Play Slideshow on iPod nano, Activate TV out on new iPods, Recover Mac iPod in Windows, Add descriptions to TV shows, iTunes not opening when iPhone is connected

10-18-07: iPod and Windows Autoplay, Reinstalling iTunes, Manually Managing Videos, iPod charging accessories, iPod touch power and sleep modes, Resyncing recovered iPod content

10-11-07: Managing a class set of iPods, New firmware and older iPods, Windows ME support, Sorting artists by last name, 3G iPod car audio compatibility, Resetting iPod language

10-5-07: iTunes WiFi Store, Videos with no sound, Managing video content manually, Tagging TV Shows, Renaming iPod, Flash support on iPhone, Removing multiple artwork images, iPhone and multi-recipient SMS, US/UK iPod compatibility, Photo storage on iPod touch

9-27-07: iPod classic audio quality, New iPod models: features and accessory compatibility, Transferring music from iPod 5G to classic, iPod nano voice recording, Storing multiple bitrates in iTunes

9-7-07: Special Edition on the new iPod lineup - users most common questions answered about the new iPod lineup and new iTunes release, including accessory compatibility and new software features.

8-30-07: Playing single tracks, iPhone sleep timer, Deleting iPod content, TV shows do not appear on iPod, Manually sorting playlists, Fitting content onto audio CDs, Car line-out solutions

8-23-07: Set Video Kind within files, Authorization and iPod transfer, Chat Clients for iPhone, Importing CDs for gapless playback, Tethering iPhone, Burning Purchased Tracks

8-16-07: Managing podcasts, Bookmarking audiobooks, No artwork in Cover Flow, Storing iTunes content on two hard drives, Sleeping with an iPod, ROKR sunglasses and iPhone, Selling an iPod

8-9-07: Playing Podcast episodes in sequence, Recording radio in iTunes, New iPod with songs already on it, Authorized Computers, Sync iPod with a new computer, Transferring a Windows iPod to a MacBook

8-2-07: Syncing the iPhone to more than one computer, Transferring iTunes music to the Blackberry, Continuous video playback on the iPod, Problems editing track info in iTunes, Transferring content from iPhone to computer, Video playback from the iPhone, Sending MMS messages from the iPhone

Next: iPhone Gems: Maze, Hockey, Pinball, Golf + Rhythm, Revisited

Previous: iPhone Gems: Replicate Your Favorite Widgets, Part 2

Comments

1

I have a full hd full of duplicate mp3 files. I have vista. What is a good program to help me get rid of 16 gb of duplicate files?

Posted by usdoll on October 20, 2008 at 11:09 AM (PDT)

2

Is there anyway to get photos directly on an ipod touch without a computer? Can I go directly from the camera or a memory card reader? Thanks for your help.
Jet Neo

Posted by Jet Neo on November 29, 2008 at 1:12 PM (PDT)

3

I recently bought an ipod nano 4g. I also bought Rocketfish component a/v cables (model RF-IPODAV) in order to ouput videos and the like to my TV. The authentication chip seems to work as the ipod starts playing the video on the TV as soon as the cable is hooked up. However, it is not clear. The audio comes out all right, but the video being sent to the TV looks very scrambled. The image is definitely being sent to the component cables, however, the image making its way to the TV is garbage. Could you let me know if this Rocketfish cable is compatible with the nano 4g? Or do I need to buy another set of cables.

If you can direct me to any literature or answer the question, I’d much appreciate it.

Thanks!

Posted by Allan Chau on December 27, 2008 at 4:05 PM (PDT)

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