Ask iLounge 11-10-05

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:

I just got the new fifth generation iPod and love it, but I noticed a weird software issue. When I go to listen to an artist and have songs with an album name and then ones with no album name, the ones with no album name do not show up in artists. If I navigate using “Songs,” the missing songs are definitely there. Do you know why this happens? Can I change this behavior back to the fourth generation style?

- Erik

We’ve noticed this too, and we too are a bit annoyed by it.

Here is the precise behavior we’ve observed:

For any artist with for whom there is only one album, the fifth generation iPod skips the intermediate “Album” screen used by previous iPods, going straight to the track listing. Cool!

However, for any artist that has one non-empty album tag that also has tracks with empty album tags, the tracks with empty tags are indeed omitted from this quick menu. In our opinion, such a case should yield the intermediate “Album” menu with the single album and the “All” option, as it does on previous iPods.

Note that if the artist has songs with empty tags and two or more unique, non-empty album tags, the “Albums” menu appears as normal, complete with the “All” option.

It seems as though Apple was attempting to simplify the navigation process for those artists for whom you only have one album, but in doing so they’ve neglected to count an “empty” album title as a trigger for the extra menu. We’re pretty confident that this is a bug introduced by a rushed “feature,” and that it will be fixed soon. However, only Apple knows what will get fixed, and when.

Here’s a work-around that one could easily implement (and easily remove, should the bug get fixed):

Give all of your album-less tracks a placeholder album title. To do so in the easiest way possible, begin by creating a new smart playlist that collects all songs for which “Album” “is” “(empty)”. Next, select this playlist in the source column, choose “Select All” from iTunes’ “Edit” menu, and choose “Get Info” from the “File” menu.

Now, change the Album field to something other than (empty)... like perhaps the text “Empty”, or something more discreet like a simple dash character (”-”). This will trigger the iPod’s intermediate menu, where both the “All” option and the “Empty” album will be available.

Granted, this is clearly not the best way to operate, but it is a solution that will allow you to access all of an artist’s songs from the “Artist” menu.

Want to reverse this change? Simply change your smart playlist so that it collects songs whose “Album” “is” “Empty” (or “-”, or whatever you chose). Then use the Get Info window to once again empty the album titles.

When burning a mix-style iTunes playlist to an audio CD, how can the volume be held constant on the burned output?

- CJ

iTunes’ built-in volume levelling feature called SoundCheck is available for use not only in iTunes itself, but on iPods and on burned CDs.

To enable Sound Check for burned CDs, open iTunes’ Prefences window and select the “Advanced” options tab. Open the “Burning” tab, and find the following options:

Next, ensure that both “Audio CD” and “Use Sound Check” are selected. Once you select “Sound Check,” iTunes will scan through your music library (this may take awhile), analyzing the relative volumes of all tracks. When you burn the playlist, the CD will be mastered at a consistent volume level.

Note that this setting is independent of both iTunes’ playback “Sound Check” feature, located in the “Playback” tab of iTunes’ preferences, and the iPod’s “Sound Check” option, located in its “Settings” menu.

In your review of the Kensington Digital FM Transmitter/Auto Charger, you mentioned the sibilance that is noticeable as exaggerated “s” sounds during playback. I notice it on some songs, not on others. Is this a function of the way the music was recorded, the device itself, or both? Also, can it be corrected? Thanks.

- Gary

Generally speaking, sibilance can come from anywhere. Logically ordered, “anywhere” includes all of the following: the final output devices (speakers, headphones), cables, the amplifier used (internal or external), the devices’ digital-to-analog converter, the encoding scheme used to compress the music, the hardware involved in the original recording, or even the artist’s voice... some artists simply exaggerate “s” sounds more than others. Volume can also play a part in enhancing the effect with some hardware.
When we’re evaluating a product for its sibilance properties, we always are sure to conduct multiple tests, comparing the sound quality to a number of combinations of recordings and hardware that we know to be great, so we can isolate and be sure of the true cause of the problem. We’d recommend you do the same - before questioning your hardware’s sound reproduction, be sure that whatever combination you’re comparing it to makes it a fair analysis. Once you’ve narrowed down the problem, fixing it should be fairly trivial - try a new set of headphones, use a different encoding format, etc.

Is there any way to find out which of my songs or albums are missing artwork, other than going through each one individually? I’d rather not hand the whole artwork downloading process to a third-party program… I just want something basic to tell me which files I need to look at.

- Louis

We would love to see “Album Art” “Is” “False” as a possible Smart Playlist criteria, but too many iTunes revisions have passed for us to continue waiting. Instead, we’ve been using an AppleScript (Mac only… sorry, Windows users!) from Doug’s AppleScripts for iTunes called “Find Songs Without Artwork.” This script will analyze a selection of songs or an entire playlist, and create a new playlist containing the songs in that group that don’t have artwork. It works wonderfully, though since it isn’t a “Smart” playlist, you’ll need to periodically run it as you add artwork to your tracks. To install this script, download the file from the link above, and move the file “Find songs w-o artwork” to your “/Users/[username]/Library/iTunes/Scripts” folder.

For Windows iTunes users, AppleScripts aren’t supported. To our knowledge, there’s no solution as basic as you’d like available on the PC. However, the Windows portion of our Downloads section has several different software offerings designed to automate the collection of iTunes cover art images.

How long does a tune have to play before it is considered “played” and the play count incremented? For example, if I play a song for 2 seconds then skip to the next song, is it considered that I “played” the song?

- Anonymous

For a song to be considered “played” by iTunes, it has to completely finish and advance to the next song automatically. In most cases, this makes perfect sense. Occasionally, however, this causes a minor problem, as in the case where there is extended (10, 20, 30 seconds worth of) clapping at the end of a song. On such songs, we have the urge to nudge the “Forward” button, losing our playcount. Normally, it doesn’t bother us at all, but if we’re feeling picky (and if we remember once we return to our computers), we chop off the applause at the end of the song using iTunes’ “Stop Time” option, found in the “Options” tab of the “Get Info” window for any particular song:

Granted, this mean’s we’ll never get to hear that exciting applause on the go, but if the playcount is more important (for smart playlist purposes?), then it may be worth it.

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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: First Looks Special: Griffin iTrip for New iPod (5G)

Previous: First Looks: Many nano Cases, 5G ToughSkin, earBuddy, iBelieve, Transporters, Marvelous Wood, IceBud & More

Comments

1

Another option for getting songs to register for playcount purposes is to use the scrubber to skip to the end of the track.

Because you’re skipping to the end rather than to the next track, it registers as a “play”. And with the scrubber, it just takes one click of the select button to bring it up, and then a trip or two around the scroll wheel to make it to the end of the track.

Posted by mattwardfh in Texas on November 10, 2005 at 3:11 PM (PDT)

2

“To install this script, download the file from the link above, and move the file “Find songs w-o artwork�? to your “/Users/MagicRabbits/Library/iTunes/Scripts�? folder.”

My eyes popped out of my head when I saw this. MagicRabbits is my login name. Presumably everyone sees their own login name there - I can hardly believe you thought to arrange this!

Posted by Magic Rabbits in Aberdeen, Scotland on November 11, 2005 at 5:51 AM (PDT)

3

Interesting find, Magic Rabbits.

It’s actually a result of the fact that {username} is a variable in the software we’re using for the website. I wrote {username}, and it was replaced by your iLounge name.

I’ve fixed it to avoid confusion for those for whom their computer account name is not the same as their iLounge username.

Thanks!

Posted by Jerrod H. in TX on November 11, 2005 at 10:35 AM (PDT)

4

Webmaster,

To begin, this is the first time I’ve asked a question in one of these Forums, so I hope that I am asking this particular question in the right place. Next, having read some of the responses to some of the questions, I apologize to all the people who have a low tolerance for newbies like myself, but if I’m gonna learn, I have to go somewhere, huh.

I recently purchased a 60GB PC+Mac, on which to store my 983 music CD’s. I had been advised that rather than upload all the music to the iTunes format (which might not work well on my PC) I could (should) upload all my CD’s in Windows Media Format, and that it would automatically convert to an iTunes format when I downloaded all the music from my hard drive to my iPod.

Well, according to a tech at Apple iPod, that’s what it’s SUPPOSED to do, but, all the CD’s are coming up as “protected WMA Format”, and won’t convert. Apparently only “unprotected WMA Format” will convert to an iTunes format.

The tech at Apple iPod advised that there is a downloadable program that will allow the conversion of “protected WMA Format” files to iTunes format files.

Does such a program exist, and can someone point me in the right direction so I can download it and start listening to this new device?

Thank you.

Posted by cranburybob on November 11, 2005 at 11:27 AM (PDT)

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cranbury—I’m not quite sure why you wouldn’t just convert the CD to aac instead of cd to wma to aac, but there are programs that will convert protected wma. The programs are tunebite and muvaudio, and both of them require a license that you have to pay for.

Posted by knghtwhosaysni on November 12, 2005 at 12:04 AM (PDT)

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cranburybob: Whoever told you that encoding in WMA and then converting to either MP3 or AAC would produce the best possible quality has no idea what they are talking about. If it’s not too late, start the process of ripping your albums over. Use iTunes to do it, and use a good (read: 192kbps or higher) bitrate for your songs.

WMA + iPod = Very limited compatability

Posted by Third on November 12, 2005 at 8:09 AM (PDT)

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I was told to come to this site to get something to transfer the songs from my iPod back on to my iTunes. My iTunes got deleted so i need to get them from my iPod back on to my iTunes so i can get my iPod into the apple store to get a battery check but to do that they have to delete my songs. I need it soon! I couldn’t find where i was supposed to go to get this so if you could e-mail me back about what i need to do this or where on your site (or on any other site if you don’t have it) that would be great. My e-mail is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Thank you,
Wildskittles318

Posted by Wildskittles318 on November 13, 2005 at 6:29 PM (PDT)

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I have a 20G ipod. Whenever I use the “shuffle” feature my christmas songs are included. I deleted the christmas songs from the ipod but everytime i update from itunes the christmas songs are added .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted by wilfredlau on November 14, 2005 at 3:50 PM (PDT)

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sorry additional to my previous post….how can I stop the christmas songs from being added to the ipod everytime I update from i .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted by wilfredlau on November 14, 2005 at 3:52 PM (PDT)

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WMA is a very limited format, period. Whoever told you to use it is very much misinformed. Converting to WMA is like parking your car in a ditch: it may be convenient, but you ain’t ever getting it out of there.

You cannot convert TO a “digital-rights managed” format from iTunes at all (this is the default in Windows Media Player). Furthermore, all song formats on the iPod work equally well with iTunes on both Mac & PC. There’s really only one format you can rip to that’s uniquely Apple— Apple Lossless, which practically nobody uses.

The two most popular formats for iTunes->iPod CD ripping are MP3—totally ubiquitous, usable anywhere—and AAC, which is often misconstrued as an Apple format when it’s not. AAC, or Advanced Audio Codec, is an audio standard proposed by the MPEG group as part of the MPEG-4 catch-all standard for modern multimedia. It’s better than MP3 on a per-bitrate basis (the way it models percussion is especially noticable…a high-hat sounds like garbage at any bitrate in MP3) and indeed can be thought of as the next generation of MP3.

In short: use AAC, VBR, at 192kbit. You’ll fit all your albums on there and you’ll be quite happy with the quality.

Posted by dasmegabyte on November 16, 2005 at 12:55 PM (PDT)

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There is an itunes missing album script for windows here:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~jkrisch/software/coverless.htm

It’s GPL & easy to use.

Posted by kdog on December 8, 2005 at 6:56 PM (PDT)

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