Article

The Free iPod + iPhone Book4

Ask iLounge 12-15-05

Author's pic
  • digg this

By Jerrod H.

Contributing Editor, iLounge
Published: Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Category: Ask iLounge

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:

Q: I have a problem with my 6GB iPod Mini, being used with iTunes for Windows. iTunes says that my library has 663 songs totaling 1.92GB, but when I try to sync my iPod, iTunes says that the Mini is full and asks to select specific songs to download. I have no data stored on the iPod mini. On the iPod mini, however, there are playlists that I haven’t created, that aren’t on the iTunes library. Are these playlists retaining multiple copies of each song, using up memory? How can I delete them? Is there something set wrong with the Mini?

- Matt

A: If your iPod mini doesn’t reflect the same playlists as iTunes (especially ones you haven’t yourself created), then there likely exists no direct association between this iPod and your iTunes library. Perhaps you just bought this iPod second-hand, or inadvertently synchronized your iPod with a friend’s library?

The specific reasons for your issue are unclear. Thankfully, however, they are largely irrelevant in solving the problem. The fastest way to get iTunes and the iPod mini properly functioning together is to download the latest iPod Software Updater from this webpage at Apple, and use its “Restore” functionality to wipe the iPod clean, returning it to its out-of-box state. Then, allow iTunes to synchronize with the fresh iPod, as normal.

Q: I just downloaded a live audio track of U2’s “Original of the Species." Unfortunately, it is an absurd size, at 8.4 MB for 4:32 of audio. The bit rate is 256 kbps. Is there any way to change this to 128 kbps and/or make the file smaller? It is currently an MP3.

- Aaron

A: Absolutely, and it can all be done easily within iTunes itself. First, set your iTunes Importing preferences (found at Preferences → Advanced → Importing) to either AAC or MP3 of a lower bitrate (and thus lower file size per length of song).

Then, select the song (or multiple songs) in your iTunes library window that you’d like to convert into this format and bitrate. Finally, right click on your selection, and choose “Convert Selection to MP3” (Or “Convert Selection to AAC,” depending on your prior decision).

image

A copy of the song will be created in the new format, just below the original. You may now delete the previous copy from your iTunes library.

Q: I’ve created an on-the-go playlist that I’ve become rather attached too. Can I copy this from my iPod back into iTunes and rename it so that I can create another On-the-Go playlist without losing my old (by now renamed) one?

- Stephen

A: Since iPod Software Updater 2.1 and iTunes 4.1 (both released 10-16-2003), this has been a standard feature on 3G, 4G, 5G, mini, and nano iPods, when using an automatic synchronization mode. That is, there are a few possible problems (and solutions) to your problem:

  • You’re using a first- or second-generation iPod. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do what you’d like.
  • You’re using a third-generation iPod, with an old version of the iPod’s internal software (Less than 2.1) or iTunes (less than 4.1). Update to the latest versions of both the iPod Software and iTunes.
  • You’re using a more recent iPod in manual synchronization mode. You’ll need to switch to either “Automatically update all songs and playlists” or “Automatically update selected playlists only” modes, using iTunes’ iPod Preferences window.

  • To see make sure which iPod model you’re using, check our guide here, or Apple’s support webpage here.

    To see which version of the iPod software you’re using, navigate the iPod’s interface as “Main Menu → Settings → About,” and look next to the Version: label.

    It should be noted that on recent iPods (again, properly updated), iTunes is not required to save an On-the-Go playlist. Instead, you can simply scroll to the bottom of your On-the-Go playlist on the iPod, and choose “Save Playlist.”

    Q: I have downloaded roughly 2000 songs, but I have yet to see any album artwork in either iTunes or on my iPod. How do I get these to display on the iPod?

    - Anonymous

    A: Album artwork importing is unfortunately not yet automatic within iTunes, except for those songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store. For more information on how to get Album Art into your iTunes Music library, see our iPod 101 tutorial on the subject here.

    Once the album art has been added to your iTunes library, it will synchronize to your fifth-generation iPod, iPod photo, or iPod nano, provided that the “Display album artwork on your iPod” preference is set in iTunes.

    Q: I have more music in iTunes than I want on my iPod - usually just some songs on an album that I’m not crazy about. Previously, all I needed to do was to “uncheck” the song and it would not load onto my iPod. I now have a fifth-generation 60GB and that no longer works. All unchecked songs - and now videos - still load onto the iPod. Any suggestions? I do not want to have to manually eliminate songs from the iPod as I would have to do that every time I updated. Why do you think this function is not working anymore?

    - Linda

    A: The functionality is still in iTunes, but it has to be enabled. With your iPod connected, go to iTunes’ Preferences window, and find the iPod panel. Here, under the general tab, is the option to “Only update checked songs.” Enable this option, and your iPod will behave as before.

    See this Ask iLounge column for a tip on checking and unchecking multiple songs at once!

    Q: We have a Dell Windows XP PC which currently has my iTunes on it, with which I am synchronizing my iPod. My son wants an iPod nano for Christmas, but after consulting Apple, who told me you
    can’t run 2 seperate iTunes on the same PC, we decided against it.

    I have been speaking to a friend today and he says that he is running 2 versions of iTunes on his PC. Is this really possible? I can’t imagine why Apple would have given me the wrong information. If this can be done, how?

    - Jason

    A: With your wording above, Apple may have interpreted your question as asking about having two different versions of the iTunes program (i.e. 5.0 and 6.0) installed on your computer. This is not possible.

    However, it’s far more plausible that you’re simply wanting to have two completely independent iTunes Music Libraries, which you’re certainly able to do. The easiest and most proper way to accomplish this is to simply create an independent user profile in Windows XP (or MacOS X, for other readers). Then, each user account has a completely separate iTunes Music Library.

    To have multiple independent iTunes libraries running in the same Windows XP or MacOS X account, things get significantly more complicated, and third-party software such as Libra (PC/Mac) or iTunes Library Manager (Mac) is required. iLounge typically recommends against this method, simply because it’s not supported by Apple, and may break with future versions of iTunes.



    Ask iLounge Archives:

    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

    See the rest of the Archives...

    Shop in the loungeStore for iPod + iPhone Accessories.

    Next: First Looks Special: Griffin Technology iTrip nano

    Previous: End of 2005 First Looks: Capsule, eVo 3, iFace, Soft Armor, SoundUp, Tetran, Bluetooth and More!

    Comments

    1

    When I have tried to download a couple of podcast, they ask me to copy the url into my iTunes browser.  Where do I put it?  There is no widow into which I can drag the address. What do they mean? Can you help? Thanks, Gaby.

    Posted by runtfish on December 16, 2005 at 6:05 AM (PDT)

    2

    Gaby - Click Advanced > Subscribe to Podcast.

    Posted by papayaninja on December 16, 2005 at 8:27 AM (PDT)

    3

    i have a 4g ipod n when i got it i connected it n installed itunes etc n got 120 songs o nthen my comp broke so i had 2 buy a new one.i install itunes and connect my ipod and when it saysconnect your ipod on the instalation it doesnt do anything. my pc see it but doesnt recognise it and i cant do anything but charge it. i was goin to restore it but i wont let me because it doesnt know theres an ipod so ive got a $299 ipod that i cant use. And 120 songs is hardly taking advantage of a 20gb harddrive

    Posted by fom_4_life on December 19, 2005 at 11:44 AM (PDT)

    4

    I have an ipod 15 GB and it doesn’t work. Even if you are charging it from the wall or computer. What do you think it is? Can I do something about it?

    Posted by lilbro510 on December 21, 2005 at 2:07 PM (PDT)

    5

    Is there a way to download songs from another user using the iTunes networking feature?

    Posted by drevilismyidol on December 22, 2005 at 10:47 AM (PDT)

    6

    How do I move my library from one computer to another? Moving and need to transfer to a new computer without losing everything. Also, the old computer is Windows XP and the new computer is windows 98

    Posted by Lorib1061 on April 20, 2006 at 2:36 PM (PDT)

    If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.

    '





    What's new at iLounge? Subscribe to iPodweek!
    Each week we giveaway three (3) iTunes Gift cards.

    Recent News

    Recent Reviews

    Recent Articles

    loungeStore: iPod Accessories & more...