Ask iLounge 10-18-07

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:

Ever since I upgraded from iTunes 7.2 to 7.4.3.1, whenever I plug in my iPod, a Windows Explorer window pops up, treating the iPod as an external drive. However, I have “enable disk use” unchecked in iTunes. This never happened in earlier versions of iTunes. What gives? Is there anything I can do to prevent this minor annoyance?

- Ron

This is actually a function of the “Autoplay” feature in Windows XP. Essentially, Windows XP will scan any removable media device when you first connect it, and automatically offer you some options in relation to the content which it finds on that device:

If this is the first time that a particular removable disk has been connected, you should normally receive a list of options, as shown above. However, if you have previously selected an option, such as opening Windows Explorer to view the files on the device, Windows will remember that setting the next time you connect that device and simply perform that operation without prompting you again.

The issue here is that regardless of the actual “Enable Disk Use” setting, the iPod will always appear to the underlying operating system as an external disk drive. In fact, this is how iTunes itself communicates with the iPod—it simply writes the files to the disk drive and updates the database, using normal Windows file system calls.

Of course, when you connect your iPod, Windows also sees a removable disk drive having been connected, and wants to do something with this as well. The iTunesHelper service that runs in the background normally intercepts this call and prevents any Windows popups from appearing, but this does not always work consistently across all versions.

The simplest solution is to connect the iPod and enable disk use (so it remains connected after iTunes finishes syncing), and then access the iPod via Windows Explorer, right-click on the drive letter represented by the iPod, and choose Properties. The “Autoplay” tab will display the current preferences.

Simply select “Take no action” from the “Selection an action to perform” list, and click “OK” to save the setting. This should prevent any dialog box from opening in the future when the iPod is connected.

If this setting is not available, or still fails to resolve the problem, you may also want to download and run the Microsoft Autoplay Repair Wizard and run it to repair any corrupted Autoplay settings that may be present in your Windows registry.

My iTunes will no longer run. When I plug in my iPod, the message says iTunes cannot run because it has detected a problem with my audio configuration. If I reload iTunes, will that wipe out all of my libraries? Do you have a suggestion?

- Carol

Reinstalling iTunes is certainly an option, and may be the best first step to ensure that there is no some corruption in the application itself. The good news is that you can uninstall iTunes and reinstall it without risking your iTunes library, as these files are not removed during an uninstall operation, nor overwritten during a reinstall of iTunes.

Of course, if you want to be completely safe, you can visit your “My Music” folder in Windows and either backup or move the existing “iTunes” folder out of the way. To do this, just copy the entire content of the “iTunes” folder to another location (even another folder on the same hard drive) before uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes. This way, in the event that a problem does occur during the reinstallation of iTunes, you can simply copy this folder back to its original location and overwrite what is already there.

Alternatively, if disk space is tight, you can move the folder (and its contents) out of the way before uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes. In this case, iTunes will create a new “iTunes” folder in that location when you reinstall it, with a new, empty library. However, you can simply remove this new iTunes folder and move the original one back to the proper location (make sure that iTunes itself is not running before you do this, of course).

I want to add videos to my iPod, but when I try to sync them, a window pops up that says “an iPod can be synced with only one iTunes library at a time. Erasing an syncing replaces the contents of this iPod with the contents of this iTunes library.” So if I do this, will it replace everything on my iPod with the videos I’m trying to put on?

- Anna

In principle, the short answer is yes. Essentially, when using automatic synchronization, an iPod becomes a mirrored image of the iTunes library that it is being automatically synchronized with. This means that any content that is on your iPod that is not in the current iTunes library will be removed when using automatic synchronization.

Note that this message normally only appears when your iPod has previously been synchronized to another iTunes library. iTunes keeps track of which iPods have been synchronized with the current library, and prompts you with this warning in the event that your iPod is not on this list.

In reality, however, this message can also appear in situations where you may have started a new iTunes library, such as when you restore your music from backup and reimport it into your library. In this case, you technically are syncing your iPod with a new library, but since the library itself would already contain all of the same media that is also on your iPod (since you recovered it from backup), then the result of selecting “Erase and Sync” in this case will essentially be to remove all of the content from your iPod and then replace it with what is essentially going to be the same content.

However, this does not change the fact that selecting “Erase and Sync” will basically do exactly what the option suggests: Erase all media content from your iPod and replace it with the content of the current iTunes library, whatever that may be. If your iTunes library has the same content that is already on your iPod, then you will not actually lose anything, as this content will just be loaded back onto the iPod. However, if you have loaded content onto your iPod from a different computer and not transferred that content to your current iTunes library, then that content will be lost as part of the “Erase and Sync” process.

If you are in fact using your iPod on more than one computer, and simply want to add a few songs or videos from an alternate iTunes library, the simplest solution is to set your iPod to “Manual” mode, which will not automatically synchronize any music or video from your computer—instead you will simply drag it from your library to your iPod manually.

To enable this option, connect your iPod, ensuring that you hit “Cancel” when presented with the prompt above. Your iPod will not sync, but will remain connected and visible in iTunes so you can adjust the settings on it. You can then select your iPod in the source list in iTunes, and on the “Summary” tab you will find an option labeled “Manually manage my music and videos.” Place a checkbox beside this option, and hit the “Apply” button, and your iPod will switch to manual mode.

From this point on, no music or video content will be automatically synced to your iPod (with the exception of Podcasts, which are still synced automatically regardless of this setting). Instead, you will add music from your iTunes library (or any other library) simply by dragging it from the main library screen to the iPod in the source list on the left-hand pane of iTunes. Copying playlists to your iPod will also be done in much the same way: Drag the playlist from the lower part of the source pane and drop it onto the iPod itself, and the playlist entry and all tracks within will be copied to your iPod.

Likewise, to remove content from your iPod in manual mode, you will need to select the iPod itself and click on the small triangle that appears to the left of it to expand the list of categories and playlists that are on the iPod itself.

From there, simply select a specific category or playlist, highlight the track(s) you wish to remove, and delete them as you normally would from the iTunes library itself.

Note that there are a few disadvantages to manual mode: The most significant is that information such as rating, playcount, and last played time will not be transferred from the iPod back to your iTunes library. Further, you will want to be a bit cautious when dragging and dropping tracks onto your iPod, as duplicates may be created if those tracks are already on your iPod. Lastly, of course, since the synchronization is no longer automatic, any changes made in your iTunes library will not be reflected on the iPod itself—you will have to manually retransfer those changed tracks back to your iPod.

Also keep in mind that regardless of the “Manual” setting, certain other types of content, such as Podcasts, Photos, Games, Contacts and Calendars are always synced automatically when enabled in iTunes. As a result, you cannot add these types of content to your iPod from more than one iTunes library.

I have a third-generation iPod and have recently purchased a new 160 GB iPod classic. Can I charge the battery on the new classic using the third-generation charger and dock?

- Michael

The short answer is yes. All charging accessories for any Dock Connector based iPod are compatible with later generation iPod models. Although the new iPod models do not sync via FireWire (which was the method used by the third-generation iPod), charging via FireWire remains supported.

The only exception to this would have been charging a third-generation iPod with some of the newer accessories, which use USB-based charging. The third-generation iPod only charged using FireWire, and therefore does not support many of the newer charging accessories.

I have an iPod Touch and have found that when I shut it down while listening to music, the song doesn’t auto-resume when I turn it on again. My other iPods all feature auto-resume. Is this feature not a part of the Touch or is there a way to enable it?

- Joel

In reality, the situation here is that the iPod touch isn’t really designed to be turned completely OFF under normal usage conditions. Instead, the normal approach is to simply put the device into “sleep” mode with a single press of the button on the top. This is equivalent to the only real “off” mode that is available on the traditional iPod devices, and will preserve the “Now Playing” queue and the playback position.

However, with the iPod touch, if you press the sleep button while a track is currently playing, it will simply turn the display off and keep playing the current track. If you want to effectively put the device completely to sleep, then you have to stop playing the current track manually before putting the device into sleep mode.

Unlike the traditional iPods, however, the iPod touch also offers an additional mode that allows you to turn the power off completely. This is accomplished by holding down the sleep/wake button for a few seconds and then sliding the “Power Off” slider on the touch screen. This shuts the power down completely, which is roughly equivalent to turning off your desktop computer. There is no equivalent mode to this on the traditional iPod models. Returning from this mode is essentially a complete “cold restart” of the iPod touch, and since this is a full reboot, you’re essentially starting fresh with no “Now Playing” queue or stored current playback position in a given track.

Obviously the full power-off mode is more effective for long-term storage, and would be marginally better for the overall battery life. However, even in sleep mode, very minimal power is consumed when the device is not actually playing a track, and features such as the WiFi transceiver are also disabled in this mode to conserve power even further. There is therefore rarely a need to turn the iPod touch completely off unless you are either not going to be using it for an extended period of time, or unless you simply need to reset the device for some reason.

My laptop crashed and I replaced it. When I plugged in my iPod I was told that my iPod was already linked to another machine and could not be synchronized. I bought CopyPod and have already moved all my music into a folder on my new laptop, but I still cannot sync. Do you have any idea how i can get around this? Should I reset to factory settings and then re-register with this laptop?

- Sylvia

As discussed in an earlier question above, iTunes keeps track of which iPods are synced with the current library database. This is based not on the computer itself, nor on the music tracks, but is rather a value stored within each individual library database file.

In this case, even though the music has been recovered with CopyPod and presumably reimported into the iTunes library, this is essentially a new database, and iTunes therefore does not recognize this iPod as belonging to it. It is therefore warning you that synchronizing your iPod to this library database is going to result in the content already on it being erased, and then replaced with whatever is in the current iTunes library.

Since you have recovered the content of the iPod with iTunes, then in reality your iTunes library should already contain the same information that is on your iPod. Therefore, selecting “Erase and Sync” will simply replace your iPod with the same content that was already on it previously, based on what is in your iTunes library.

If for some reason you are not being presented with the “Erase and Sync” option, doing a full restore of the iPod certainly won’t be an issue either, since again you’ve already recovered all of the data from the iPod itself. A “Restore” in this case will simply erase everything on the iPod, returning it to factory settings, and you can then set it up as if it were a brand new iPod, transferring your recovered music back onto it in the process.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

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

See the rest of the Archives...

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

7-26-07: Transferring photos from iPhone, Using iPhone speaker and dock, Song volume adjustments in iTunes, Transfer from a Mac-formatted iPod in Windows Vista, iTunes Other category and TV show syncing, Printing track lists from iTunes

7-19-07: Importing MP3 CDs, Using two iPods on one computer, Showing current track in Windows Messenger, iPod nano accessory compatibility, Keeping content only on the iPod, Transferring between two iTunes libraries

7-12-07: Sorting in iTunes 7.3, Joining CD tracks, Selecting TV Shows for sync, Recovering photos from iPod, Tagging multiple video tracks, iPhone activation requirements

7-5-07: Managing your iPod content with Smart Playlists, External hard drives and iTunes, Problems getting CD info from CDDB, Grouping by Album Artist, Using iPod as a removable hard drive

6-28-07: Manual mode and preventing auto-sync, Transferring iTunes library, Burning, ripping and sound check, Saving your place in multi-track audiobooks, Renaming your iPod, Resolving lost iPod content, Drivers and Software for 4G iPods

6-21-07: Smart Playlists for Podcasts, Incorrect track info when importing CDs, Deauthorizing computers revisited, Problems transferring purchased tracks, Transferring photos from iPod to computer, Deleting On-The-Go playlists, Songs not appearing under Artist name

6-14-07: Problems syncing re-ripped MP3s in iTunes 7.2, Grouping albums with multiple artists, Radio tuners for older iPod models, Managing Podcasts, Using an iPod on Mac and Windows, Selecting items for synchronization, iTunes not showing full iPod capacity

6-7-07: Using two iPods with the same library, Converting to AAC to Apple Lossless, Corrupt iPod errors, Sound Check and Crossfade, Exporting from iMovie to iPod and Apple TV formats, Copying from DVR to the iPod

5-31-07: iTunes Plus DRM-free music, Using iTunes songs in Windows Movie Maker, Storing notes on the iPod, Restoring the iPod, Synchronizing Watched TV Shows, Adding music from a second library, Viewing iPod menus on a TV screen

5-24-07: Storing artwork on an external hard drive, Nike+iPod kit and treadmills, Setting up a new iPod with an existing library, Using the iPod as an alarm clock, iTunes fails to transfer all tracks to the iPod, Syncing selected items to iPod, Identifying iPod models

5-17-07: Converting e-books for iPod, Problems Syncing Selected Playlists, Normalizing volume between tracks, iTunes truncating long filenames, Sorting tracks properly within albums, Pausing and remember playback position on the iPod

5-11-07: Video conversion: iPod vs Apple TV format, Automatically adding music to iTunes, Finding iPod-compatible music online, Organizing tracks on the iPod, Bluetooth speaker accessories, iHome speakers

5-3-07: Tagging content for your Apple TV, Organizing your Music Videos, Duplicate copies of your iTunes library files, Using the Universal Dock line-out, Problems restoring your iPod, Power adapter compatibility, Unlocking your iPod's volume limit

4-27-07: Transferring purchased content between iTunes accounts, FireWire/USB connections, External batteries, Problems turning off iPod, Sharing iPods on the same computer, Sorting tracks when importing CDs

4-19-07: iPod widescreen mode, Transcoding lossy formats, Locating missing music files, Assigning artwork to multiple tracks, Transferring iTunes purchases, Playing single tracks

4-12-07: Converting DVDs to iPod, Resetting Screen Lock, Moving an iTunes library to a new computer, Deleting songs manually from an iPod, Compatibility with overseas accessories, Finding accessories for the 5G iPod, Speakers for charging a 3G iPod

4-5-07: Playing iPod through iTunes, Preventing Apple Remote from controlling Universal Dock, Resetting iTunes authorizations, Transferring podcasts from a secondary computer, Finding music by composer tags, Sorting tracks on the iPod Shuffle

3-29-07: iPod photo transfer performance and accessories, Sorting photos on iPod, Syncing music and contacts from two different computers, iTunes video storage and formats, Converting AAC to MP3, Burning MP3 CDs

3-22-07: Album artwork and Other storage on the iPod, Storage size of iPod Games, Multiple iPods on the same computer, Etymotic Earjacks, Charging iPod while recording audio, Syncing TV Shows to iPod, Properly Tagging Albums

Next: Ask iLounge 10-26-07

Previous: Ask iLounge 10-11-07

Comments

1

i have a 3G iPod which, like the one mentioned in this article, came with a dock. I am planning on buying a classic soon. Can i buy one of apple’s expensive new cables and plug it into that dock to get video out from the classic to my TV?

(note - this dock predates apple’s universal dock and is not the model with an S-Video out on the back)

Posted by mike in boston or toronto on October 19, 2007 at 1:02 PM (PDT)

2

I have a problem I hope you can help. Somehow I lost iTunes, so I downloaded the latest version and installed it. When I tried to open it I got the message “iTunes has encountered a problem and needs to close” So I ran a repair but it didn’t work. Thinking that it might be too big for the computor, I downloaded and installed iTunes 6. Same thing happened. I just cannot get it to run

Posted by Bill_b55 on October 25, 2007 at 2:45 AM (PDT)

3

hi!
iv got an iPod mini 4GB; i recently swapped HDDs with an older iPod mini 4GB, and now all I get is the folder icon. iTunes doesn’t recognize it, and even Windows doesn’t recognize it. The folder icon appears, then the “do not disconnect” option and then it reboots again. Please Help!!

Posted by cheekrockz on December 6, 2007 at 8:44 PM (PDT)

4

I recently purchased an ipod nano for my son. when i plug it into my Windows XP, the pc doesn’t assign a drive lette. I have my daughter’a ipod nano set up and can get a drive letter and get into iTune to synch music.

How can I get the second nano to get a drive letter and allow itunes to see my son’s nanao?

john

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted by john on May 19, 2008 at 4:06 PM (PDT)

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