Ask iLounge 11-16-07

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:

I have recently purchased a new computer running Vista. Since switching over I cannot connect to iTunes. I get an error message saying “iTunes could not connect to the iTunes Store. The nework connection is timed out.” I cannot authorize my new computer to play any of my purchased music, I cannot change my email address, or do anything else that requires iTunes to connect to the Internet. Can you offer any help?

- Christine

Assuming that you can access the Internet fine from other applications such as Internet Explorer, then the most likely cause of this problem is the Windows Vista firewall. By default, outbound connections are blocked for any applications that you have not specifically given permission to access the Internet. Chances are that iTunes has not been configured as an exception in your Windows Vista firewall, and is therefore being denied Internet access.

Apple provides information on how to allow iTunes to access the Internet from Windows Vista in their knowledge base. See the article, How to enable iTunes in the Windows Vista Firewall for more information.

I recently purchased the iPod classic 160 GB and want to use the video out feature so I can watch movies on my TV. After reading your product review article “Apple Universal Dock (2007)” I still had the question of “Will the old Apple MA242LL/C iPod AV Connection Kit work with the iPod Classic?” Just wondering what your experience has been with the iPod Classic and AV Connection Kit. Both AppleCare and the Retail Apple Store reps were unable to answer my question.

- Mike

The short answer to this question is yes—at least for the time being.

The older, original Apple Universal Dock from 2005, which is the one included in the older AV Connection Kit (MA242LL/C) will provide video output capabilities for the iPod classic and iPod nano based on the firmware available as of this writing. Note that the iPod touch and iPhone do not support video output using this kit, however.

Essentially, the video output features in the iPod classic operate on the same principle as they did in the fifth-generation iPod, except that the presence of an Apple authentication chip is now required to enable the feature. Once enabled, all of the electrical connections and signals in the Dock Connector work in the same way as they did for the 5G.

As we have discussed in previous Ask iLounge columns, however, these docks work because they simply provide a generic Apple Authentication chip, and the present iPod classic firmware does not require a video-specific chip (whereas the iPod touch and iPhone do). It is entirely possible for a future iPod firmware update to change this behavior and require a video-specific authentication chip to enable the video output feature.

Note that the Apple Universal Dock (2007) does not provide video output via the line-out jack on the dock—only audio output is available. This is very obviously a specific design change in the dock itself, as there is no technical reason that this should be the case. Therefore, even though you can enable TV output with the newer dock, you will need a Dock Connector based video accessory to actually see any video output.

I am a long-suffering PC user who is about to switch to an Apple iMac. I have an extensive music collection, which I manage via iTunes. I have used an external harddrive to hold the music and keep the iTunes library and database files on there as well. The drive is FAT32 formatted, so I know it will be compatable with the iMac without the need for reformatting.

I have a lot of complicated playlists in iTunes that I don’t want to lose when I switch to the iMac. Despite lots of poking around on iLounge and the net, I can’t find anything on making the switch and converting the iTunes library from PC to Mac. Is it possible to convert the library data, or will I need to start from scratch and simply import everything and recreate the playlists?

- Lou

The only real obstacle in transferring an iTunes library from a PC to a Mac (or vice-versa) is that the way in which files are organized and referenced on the drives differs between operating systems. In short a Mac doesn’t use drive letters, as it is a Unix-based filesystem.

Although the iTunes Library database structure is identical in both the Mac and PC versions of iTunes, the problem is that the full path is normally stored to each media file that is in your library. A Mac won’t necessarily know how to locate a file with a path that begins with “D:\Music” for instance, since it has no concept of what a “D:” drive is.

The good news is that there is a way around this, however. The key point is that if iTunes cannot locate a track at its specified location, iTunes will fall back to looking for it in the default location for that track, based on the information in the iTunes database. This will essentially be in your iTunes Music Folder, in an ARTIST/ALBUM type of directory structure.

So, for example, let’s say you had a track named “Bastille Day” on an album by “Rush” named “Caress of Steel” that is stored at “D:\Music Files\Rush\Bastille Day.mp3.” If your D: drive doesn’t exist (which it wouldn’t on a Mac), iTunes will fall back to looking for a file named “Rush\Caress of Steel\Bastille Day.mp3” under your iTunes Music Folder path (as defined in iTunes’ advanced preferences). Note that this organization might be slightly different for albums that are tagged as “Part of a Compilation” or for TV Shows, Movies, or Podcasts, which are all stored somewhat differently.

Regardless, however, if you simply pre-organize all of your media content into iTunes’ own organizational structure by using the “Consolidate Library” function prior to transferring your iTunes library to your Mac, then it should be able to locate all of your tracks after you connect your external hard drive to your Mac, provided you update the “iTunes Music Folder” path in your Mac’s iTunes preferences to reflect the parent folder on the external hard drive.

Basically, the steps are as follows:

In iTunes on your Windows PC, confirm that your iTunes Music Folder path, under Edit, Preferences, Advanced is set to an appropriate folder on your external hard drive.
Select Advanced, Consolidate Library
Once this process completes, copy your iTunes Library database from your My Music\iTunes folder on your Windows PC onto the external hard drive.
Move the external hard drive to the iMac
Copy your iTunes library database from step 3 back to your iMac, into your Music/iTunes folder.
Start iTunes on the Mac, set the iTunes Music Folder path on your Mac (see iTunes, Preferences, Advanced) to the same music folder on the external hard drive.

More instructions on how to organize your library onto an external hard drive can be found in our recently-updated Guide to Managing your iTunes Library on an External Hard Drive.

One thing to look out for in this process is the setting Create file names with track number found under iTunes’ Burning preferences tab:

This setting determines whether iTunes will expect tracks to have a track number at the front of each filename or not. If this was set on your Windows computer, and is not set on your Mac, tracks may not be found, since iTunes will be looking for them using the wrong name (ie, “1 Bastille Day.mp3” instead of just “Bastille Day.mp3”). It doesn’t otherwise matter which setting you use for this, simply that it be set the same on both your Windows and Mac computers.

I have been buying music videos from iTunes and from other sites. The music videos that I have from other sites wont go into the Music Video folder on iTunes, rather they go into the Movies folder. Is there any way to change the music videos from the other sites so they can go into the Music Video folder in iTunes?

- Greg

Yes, this can certainly be done. It’s simply a matter of editing the tags for each track to change the “Video Kind” to “Music Video.”

This information can be found by selecting the appropriate track, and choosing File, Get Info in iTunes. The video-specific information will be on the “Video” tab:

Simply click on the drop-down list beside “Video Kind” and select “Music Video” and then click OK to save your changes.

Note that iTunes does not presently provide a means to adjust this setting for multiple tracks at once. You must either edit each track individually, or make use of a third-party tagging solution to update this information so that iTunes organizes these tracks correctly.

For more information on managing video tracks in general, and some tips on third-party tagging solutions, see our article, The Complete Guide to Managing iTunes Videos.

tried connecting our new iPod to our old eMac running Jaguar and the disk on the iPod is showing up on the desktop but our version 4 of iTunes does not see the iPod. We cannot update to new iTunes as it requires OX 10.4 or later. Is there a way to put folders on the iPod disk that iPod will see in the iPod menu?

- Paul

Unfortunately, if the new iPod you’re referring to is one of the 2007 models, you will not be able to use this on older versions of Mac OS X. The new iPod models require iTunes 7.4 or later in order to be recognized at all. Further, although iTunes 7.4/7.5 will run on OS X 10.3.9, the system requirements on Apple’s specs page for the new iPod models themselves list OS X 10.4.8 as the minimum operating system requirement.

The iPod itself doesn’t simply read the music files, but requires that any content added to it be listed in an internal database on the iPod, which it uses to reference the actual content. This means that iPod-specific software such as iTunes is a requirement to load content onto an iPod.

There have traditionally been a number of third-party iPod software applications that allowed management of iPod content outside of iTunes, however some of these require newer versions of Mac OS X also, and many of these have not yet been updated to provide support for the new 2007 model iPod devices, which do not use a backward-compatible iPod database.

Further, many of the traditional third-party iPod management applications are Windows-based, rather than Mac-based. As of this writing, the only third-party tool we’re aware of that supports the new iPod classic and nano (video) models, and works on older versions of OS X is YamiPod (freeware, http://www.yamipod.com). Note that we have not specifically tested whether or not this would be supported on Jaguar (OS X 10.2).

A catalog of other third-party applications for Mac OS X can be found on our Third-Party iPod Software Page, although it should be noted that many of these have not been updated for the newer iPod models. More comprehensive discussion on the available options can also be found in the Third Party Software forum, in our iLounge Discussion Forums.

I’m having problems downloading a photo folder from my pictures to iPod
classic. I changed the order of the photos from the way they were when I loaded them to my pc. The iPod insists on storing them in the original order. I’ve tried deleting them from the iPod and reinstalling, I’ve tried deleting the original folder in my pictures and reinstalling, I’ve tried deleting the iPod photo cache and reinstalling but none of this seems to work. Any suggestions?

- Bob

Unfortunately, when iTunes transfers photos to the iPod, it defaults to sorting them chronologically using the date information embedded in the files. The only exception is for Mac users who are using iPhoto to organize their photo collection, in which case the sort order specified in iPhoto will be used.

If you are not using iPhoto, the only way to change the sort order of your photos is to change the internal date/time stamps on the photos themselves. Photo management tools such as Adobe Photoshop Album can do this for you, and there are a number of freeware and shareware tools out there that can also provide this functionality.

More information on how photos are stored on the iPod and how to manage them can be found in our recently-updated Complete Guide to Displaying Photos on the iPod and iPhone.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

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

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

See the rest of the Archives...

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

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

Next: Ask iLounge 11-22-07

Previous: Contacting Apple and Others For iPod, iTunes & Accessory Fixes

Comments

1

Your response to Greg’s question regarding video kind and music video’s does not appear to work. I tried this on my iMac running leopard and expected a new menu item - music video - to appear in the left hand column under “library”. It didn’t appear, so I tried to create a smart playlist that would incorporate “video kind is music video”. My “smart” playlist came up empty. I thought perhaps this was an issue only in leopard, but when I went to my old iMac running Tiger I opened up my an existing smart playlist for music videos. I couldn’t remember how I had created this playlist so I clicked on edit playlist to discover the requirements. As I expected, the playlist was simply “video kind is music video”. However (and this is a big one) when I clicked OK to close the edit playlist window, my smart playlist emptied! It just became a blank playlist! I’m wondering if this is a new “feature” in iTunes 7.5? Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Posted by urbanslaughter on November 19, 2007 at 12:39 PM (PDT)

2

How do I add Icons to my Itouch? IPhone has notes, maps & weather, I want them too. How do I add them?

I’m NOT intrested in web apps, I want to add wigets, or whatever they are called to the Itouch start page.

Posted by swingwood on November 21, 2007 at 12:06 PM (PDT)

3

That should be easy swingwood, go into an apple store and buy an iPhone. Not only will your iTouch now have those widgets, but you’ll also have phone and mail capabilitie. Not to be glib, but that’s one of the reasons the iPhone is a better deal than the iTouch.

Posted by urbanslaughter on November 21, 2007 at 12:29 PM (PDT)

4

My 7 & 8 year-old children want Ipods for Christmas. Is it possible to block the video option since most videos are inappropriate for their ages? Which model should I purchase?

Posted by sydkylee on November 22, 2007 at 12:44 PM (PDT)

5

When i dock my ipod on my PC, which has always worked, I am now getting my ipod name being recognised in the ‘device’ folder but in the main window it just shows ‘set up your ipod’ with a pic of a black ipod, my ipod name and 2 options for autosyncing songs/videos & photo’s - HELP

UPDATE

eventually it showed my playlists but started deleting my music. i went from 5.5g free to 20.5gig free before i ejected it. in my music folder there is a list of songs but they seem to be ‘shaded out’ and i can click on any of them - HELP !!! URGENTLY !!!

Posted by tonycelticfc on November 22, 2007 at 4:06 PM (PDT)

6

Ok I have a Ipod video nano and I have videos on it that I want to watch on my tv. The problem is every time I try to watch the video on my tv it says “TV Out Enabled Please connect video accessory”
but I already have the A/V cable connect and the plugs switch around so red is for video etc. Or do I “have to” buy a apple a/v cable?

Posted by lil5o3boi on November 24, 2007 at 11:16 PM (PDT)

7

I have purchased a brand new 4GB ipod Nano and I am having trouble uploading photos to it. I have placed 17 photos into a dedicated directory on my windows vista machine and I have directed itunes to sync all the photos in this directory with my ipod. Yet for some reason only one of the seventeen pictures ends up on the ipod.

All the images are in JPG format, all taken with the same camera and all are roughly the same size. iTunes does recognize that there are 17 pictures in this folder and it does appear to create a thumbnail cache of all the images during the sync rocess. However, when the sync is complete only that one image has made the move.

Any ideas why this is happening?

Posted by wink on November 26, 2007 at 4:09 PM (PDT)

8

how do you ghange your network on an already unlocked iphone?

Posted by sarah on February 14, 2009 at 3:49 PM (PDT)

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