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Ask iLounge 12-1-06

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By Jerrod H.

Contributing Editor, iLounge
Published: Friday, December 1, 2006
Category: Ask iLounge

Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-, iPhone-, iPad-, iTunes-, or Apple TV-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 content from my iPod/iPhone onto my computer?

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Find more answers in the latest publications in our Library. Free downloads developed by the editors of iLounge!

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

Q:

Under iTunes’ “View” menu, I see a checkmark next to an option called “iTunes Visualizer.” Does this imply that there is an option for other visualizers? If so, where can they be found? I’ve always been a little disappointed in the iTunes visualizer when compared to the one in Windows Media Player, so it would be really cool if there were other choices.

- Isral

A: Indeed there are other visualizers available for iTunes. A search on http://www.download.com or http://www.macupdate.com will yield several options for both Mac & PC users, but our favorites are almost exclusively from SoundSpectrum Software. This company, actually, is the company responsible for the visualizer built into iTunes, but they also offer three far more advanced visualizers separately on their website. G-Force is similar to the one built into iTunes, but builds on its complexity and feature set, WhiteCap does some really neat wireframe art, and the company’s brand-new SoftSkies visualizer does some really neat time-synchronized cloud-like rendering. All three are very impressive, and definitely worth a look.
Q:

In trying to get the most out of my iPod nano, I’m going to try to use it to carry around my documents and settings, so that I can use a PC in the computer lab as effectively as I can. What’s the best way to do this?

- Maria

A:

With the iPod’s “Enable Disc Use” option checked in iTunes’ iPod settings panel, any iPod is as useful as a USB flash memory stick for carrying around documents and settings - simply drag and drop your files into folders onto the iPod’s file system in Windows Explorer.

However, you can do so much more with Disc Use enabled. There’s a recent trend that’s making portable flash memory all the more exciting, and all the more useful: portable applications. Portable applications are special versions of popular open-source, freeware programs that have been crafted to store all of their settings and temporary files in a local directory rather than in the Windows registry. Therefore, these needn’t be installed as most applications must, and can be entirely self-contained on a flash drive. They’ll leave nothing behind on the host computer, and enable you to carry programs along with their settings wherever you go. For example, you can carry a copy of a web browser along with all of your bookmarks, an e-mail client with all of your accounts and messages, or an entire self-contained office software suite, and so on. Virtually any computer you connect to, regardless of what software it has installed, can be useful to you. For a list of (free!) portable applications, check out John T. Haller’s site, PortableApps.com.

Q:

Is there a way to convert songs imported into iTunes with using AAC format to MP3, or do I have to re-import the song into iTunes as the MP3 format? I’d like to export as many songs as I can to another device that can’t play AAC.

- Ed

A:

Sure. You can convert a large selection of existing tracks at once in iTunes, using the “Convert to [format]” command in iTunes’ Advanced menu.

Before you use it, however, you first need to configure the format settings that the feature will use. Although iTunes doesn’t make it obvious, the feature converts to the format that is currently set as the import format in the “Advanced → Importing” panel of iTunes’ Preferences. So, set the format here to MP3 with the bitrate of your choice, select the songs you’d like to convert, and choose “Convert to MP3” in iTunes’ Advanced menu.

When you do this, iTunes will create a copy of all selected songs in the new format. You’ll need to make sure there’s enough room on your hard drive for this duplicate set of tracks, and - if you’d only like songs in the new format - you’ll need to delete the originals after the process is complete.

Q:

I am about to buy a new second-generation iPod Shuffle. I wanted to know if a AC Charger is available for the shuffle, so that I can get my iPod charged even if I dont have the PC around.

- Bonson

A:

Since the iPod shuffle uses its headphone port for data, audio, and charging, the iPod shuffle requires its included USB dock (or an adaptor) to connect to a PC. However, with that dock to enable the connection, there’s no difference between charging it and charging any other iPod: simply plug the dock into Apple’s iPod USB Power Adaptor ($29), and the iPod shuffle can charge without a PC, as with any other iPod.

Q:

Is it possible to add chapter markers like iTunes Store movies have to DVDs I’ve imported and converted myself, or to other video files in my library?

- Aaron

A:

By far, the easiest way we’ve seen to do this is with MovieChapterizer ($15) from JS8 Media.
It has a very simple interface, and works well with many formats that QuickTime supports, including the iPod-friendly H.264. Give it a shot!

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Ask iLounge Archives:

2-3-12: Deleting pictures from Photo Stream, Transferring Apps to a new iTunes library, Apple Universal Dock and iPhone 4S, Getting Track Names after CD Import, Video Playlists on the iPad

11-25-11: Removing music after activating iTunes Match, Smart Playlists and iTunes Match, Backing up data from an iPhone, Syncing MP3s to an iPod nano, Migrating Playlists to a new Computer

11-11-11: Configure Apple IDs on family iOS devices, Recovering lost audiobooks, Unable to disable passcode lock on iOS devices, Buying an iPod for audio-only use, Preventing deleted tracks from coming back from an iOS device

11-4-11: iPhone 4S storage capacity doesn't match, Transferring HD video from iPhone 4S to a computer, Recovering photos from iPod touch, Notification Center and iMessage in iOS 5

10-21-11: Using iCloud's Find My iPhone on older devices, Batch deleting photos in Camera Roll, Using iTunes Gift Cards internationally, Audiobooks and iCloud, Merging contacts from two devices into iCloud

See the rest of the Archives...

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Ask iLounge 11-23-06 »

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Comments

1

IN response to the conversion to MP3 question - Don’t forget that by converting existing AAC files instead of re-importing new MP3s, you are compressing an already compressed song.  You WILL lose quality that way.  Just something to remember when deciding.  You really don’t save much time, either.

Posted by stark23x on December 1, 2006 at 6:53 PM (PDT)

2

What is the best software to use to copy music from my ipod to my windows pc?

My pc libraries got corrupted somehow and none of my over 20GB of music is usable.  This happened when upgrading to itunes 7.0.2.  Problem with Quicktime.  BEWARE!!!

Thanks!

Posted by mjpd on December 2, 2006 at 3:31 PM (PDT)

3

my brother just gave me his old ipod but its formatted for a mac and i have windows. i dont want to lose all the songs on the ipod but im not sure how to go about getting them onto my computer with the podutil since itunes doesnt even recognize my ipod. it says it has to be restored/reformatted and won’t read any of the songs off of the ipod. im really new to all this so any help is fabulous. thanks

Posted by swp110 on December 3, 2006 at 10:37 AM (PDT)

4

So is their a Windows app to add iTunes-readable chapters to an h264 file?

Posted by hardvice on December 3, 2006 at 11:51 PM (PDT)

5

Y’all are so cool I figured I’m about 30 years out of date when I found this site. So, I ordered a nano immediately, (to avoid the tough storage decision,) and I can’t wait to receive and retain this item for my ‘survival-kit.’ BTW, I think of Mp3’s as ‘demos’, -designed to promote the artists and allow them to sell and prosper as ‘indy’s,’ -cutting the nefarious label scheisters out of the game for good! IE, check out “Oi Va Voi,” or “Regina Spektor.”

Posted by Tom-Scott Gordon on May 22, 2008 at 5:59 AM (PDT)

6

how do I download itunes to a flash drive so i may activate my iphone

Posted by margueritte amable on January 21, 2011 at 2:08 PM (PDT)

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