Ask iLounge 12-18-09

Article

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:

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The Complete Guide to iPod, Apple TV and iPhone Video Formats

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The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Mac)

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The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Win)

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

How many times can you burn a CD copy of iTunes audiobooks? If it’s only once, is there any way around this?

- Shannon

This actually depends on the source of the audiobook. iTunes supports audiobooks purchased from either Audible.com or from the iTunes Store, and each has different policies in terms of how many computers they can be played on and how many times they can be burned.

Audiobooks purchased from the iTunes Store follow the same rules as DRM-protected iTunes music tracks: You can play them on up to five authorized computers, five Apple TV devices and an unlimited number of iPod and iPhone devices. There are no CD burning limits on individual tracks, although you can only burn the same playlist up to seven times. iTunes provides a subtle reminder about the intent of audio CD burning when you start to burn the same playlist a fourth time.

Once you’ve burned the same playlist seven times, iTunes will refuse to let you burn any more copies of that particular set of tracks, regardless of the order of the tracks or the actual playlist they are contained in. Since audiobooks would generally be burned to CD as their own individual playlists rather than as part of another larger playlist, this makes the practical burn limit for an individual iTunes Store audiobook to seven.

On the other hand, audiobooks purchased directly from Audible.com can only be burned to CD once. Further, Audible audiobooks can only be played on up to three authorized computers, rather than the five-computer limit for iTunes Store purchases.

However, burned audio CDs are not copy-protected. This means that once you have burned your audiobook to CD, you can make additional copies of that CD or you can reimport the audio book from the CD back into your iTunes library as you would a commercial audio CD. This has long been a common workaround for DRM-protected audio files. Although with music there is often a concern with potential quality loss, in the case of audiobooks this is generally not an issue.

Note that this only applies to burning audio CDs to listen to your audiobooks in a standard CD player. If you’re simply looking to backup your audiobooks or transfer them to another computer, you can burn them to an unlimited number of data CDs. Audiobooks burned to data CD will need to be imported into an authorized iTunes library in order to actually listen to them, however.

Is there any difference in sound quality between the iPod touch and the iPod classic models? Do they both use the same sound chip and process? I own a first-generation 80GB iPod classic with upgraded IEMs and I have a large library of music at 192kbps AAC, all of which sounds terrific. I like the new iPod touch a lot but have never switched since its storage size was always too small. However, now that a 64GB version exists I’m seriously considering one. Will I lose anything in audio performance in going to the iPod touch?

- George

From our testing and comparisons, the audio quality of the second and third-generation iPod touch models is essentially the same as the 2007 iPod classic models. As we noted in our review of the second-generation iPod touch in the fall of 2008:

There is one big audio change, and that’s the iPod touch’s sound chip. Months ago, long-time iPod audio chip supplier Wolfson Micro made clear—with minimal discretion—that its chips were not going to be included in either the upcoming iPod nano or iPod touch refreshes, which were then unknown. Lo and behold, the new devices arrived, and both of them sound like the Wolfson-chipless 2007 iPod classic—they’re cleaner, with a nearly non-existent static noise floor that’s as well-suited to audiophile-grade earphones as free pack-ins. That’s really good news for those who hope to use the iPod touch with better headphones; to our ears, this version is a big step up over the prior touch.

Our review of the third-generation iPod touch notes that these models appear to still be using the same chip and provide the same level of audio quality:

As noted in last year’s review of the second-generation iPod touch, a major improvement in sound quality was achieved when Apple changed audio chips—the audio chip was “cleaner, with a nearly non-existent static noise floor that’s as well-suited to audiophile-grade earphones as free pack-ins.” The same is true for this year’s model; using very high-end multi-driver earphones, we couldn’t detect any difference between the two iPod touches when listening carefully to the latest audiophile-polished remastered Beatles albums, amongst other tracks, and this is a great thing; independent of all of its other abilities, the new iPod touch remains an excellent audio player.

We have an iTunes Store account which is presently used with an iPod touch. Now my daughter bought a used iPod nano and she wants to buy some music from iTunes and download it to her nano but not get all the music from her brother’s iPod touch, nor does she want to lose what is on the used nano. Is there a way for her to purchase some songs and then download only those onto the nano without her getting her brother’s songs or vice versa?

- Shari

iTunes maintains separate sync settings for each iPod you connect, so basically your daughter just needs to connect he. iPod nano and adjust the sync settings to select only the music that she wants on her iPod. There are a couple of ways this can be handled depending on personal preference.

iTunes offers two basic modes of transferring content to an iPod: Automatic synchronization which essentially mirrors some or all of your iTunes library onto the iPod, or manual management where you manually copy content from the iTunes library onto the iPod. Note that when using automatic synchronization, the iPod will only contain content that is already in the iTunes library, and any existing content that is already stored on the iPod will be erased during the automatic sync process unless you have first imported this content into your library. iTunes provides ample warning of this fact when connecting an iPod with existing content to a new iTunes library. You will probably see a message similar to the following the first time you connect the iPod nano to your computer:

As the option implies, choosing Erase and Sync will remove any existing content from the iPod and replace it with either all or selected content from the iTunes library. This is probably not what you want to do, so you should instead choose the “Cancel” option to dismiss this dialog box. This will cancel any automatic synchronization, but the iPod nano will remain visible in iTunes so that you can customize its settings.

From this point, you can either choose to set the iPod to manual mode, in which case it effectively becomes its own distinct music library, or you can choose to use a third-party tool to transfer the existing content on the iPod nano back into your iTunes library so that you can then set it up for automatic synchronization.

To set your iPod to manual mode, simply select it from the Devices list in iTunes and you should see a summary screen for that iPod appear. Place a checkmark beside Manually manage music and videos and click the “Apply” button to save your changes.

Once you’ve done this, you can manually transfer any new content onto the iPod simply by dragging it from the iTunes library and dropping it onto the iPod in the Devices list in iTunes. This includes any existing tracks that are already in this iTunes library as well as any new tracks that you may purchase from the iTunes Store or import from CD or other sources.

Alternatively, if you would like to use automatic synchronization with the iPod nano but still keep the music that is on it, you’ll first need to copy the music off using a third-party utility and add it into the iTunes library so that you can continue to sync that music with the iPod. Our iPod 201 article on Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer provides more information on how to do this.

This has the added advantage of ensuring that these tracks are backed up on your computer and not stored only on the iPod nano. Once you’ve copied these tracks back from the iPod to your computer and imported them into iTunes, you could then choose the Erase and Sync option when it appears and still be able to transfer these tracks back to your iPod since they’re now in the main iTunes library. In automatic sync mode your daughter can still choose which specific playlists she would like to have transferred to her iPod nano, but will have the advantage that any new music she downloads and places in these playlists will be added and synchronized automatically with the main iTunes library.

You can find more detailed information on how the various iTunes sync options work in our Beginner’s Guide to iTunes.

I recently bought a fifth-generation iPod nano and I’m trying to put it into diagnostics mode but I can’t seem to do it. I’m reseting it and then I hit the center button and the next button but it doesn’t do anything.

- Cairan

Actually, the correct sequence to put the iPod nano into diagnostics mode is to hold down the center button and the previous track button simultaneously after resetting it. More specifically, reboot the iPod nano by holding down the CENTER+MENU button until you see the Apple logo appear, and then switch to holding down the CENTER+PREVIOUS buttons at the same time and the diagnostics screen should appear.

This sequence applies to all click-wheel iPod models from the fourth-generation iPod to the current iPod classic and fifth-generation iPod nano.

I would like to know if you can stop the latest version of iTunes from adding track numbers to the files I import. For example I import “Tommy” but it goes in as “01 01 01 Tommy.” It makes sorting useless by title and just looks bad when looking through the track listing. Sometimes so many digits are added the song title is no longer visible without widening the column. I have seen the solution to this problem when using iTunes with a Mac, however I use iTunes on a PC with XP Media Centre Edition. I have not been able to locate any fixes for the problem when using XP.

- Justin

It appears that this may not actually be an iTunes problem, but rather a problem with the original files themselves. By default, iTunes 9 does add a single two-digit track number to the front of the file name, but it will never add the track number into the track name which appears when viewing your track listings in iTunes.

Note that it is possible to change this behaviour by adjusting a hidden preference setting in iTunes, which are easier to set on the Mac than on Windows. This is probably the solution you’re seeing mentioned elsewhere, however this setting only affects how iTunes names your media files and not how those tracks are displayed in iTunes, and therefore doesn’t really apply to the problem you’re described.

In this case it is more likely that the original files themselves have bad tag information contained within them or have filenames which include these track numbers. When importing MP3 or AAC files, iTunes will use whatever tags are already in the file headers, or in the absence of any file tags will use the file name as the track name. This means that if you have a file named “01 01 01 Tommy” and it has no tags in the file, then iTunes will simply use this as the track name when you import that file, and this is what you will see displayed in the “Name” column.

You can of course clean up these names in iTunes, but this may be more time-consuming if you’re importing a lot of files at once. Third-party tools such as Tag & Rename or MP3Tag can help you with cleaning up your tag information before importing the tracks into iTunes, and these tools are often better at handling mass-cleanup operations than iTunes is. In this case, you’ll want to make sure that your MP3 files actually have tag information in them and that this tag information corresponds to what you want your track names to actually look like.

I just purchased the newest generation iPod which has less storage than my iTunes library. After I manually choose which artists, albums, etc to sync with the smaller iPod, can I then sync all of the playlists in my iTunes and still have them work even if many of the tracks on the various playlists were not transferred to the iPod? If not, do I have to go to the trouble of making all new playlists from those songs I choose to sync?

- Josh

Your iPod will only display playlists that you have specifically chosen to put on your iPod either via automatic synchronization or by manually copying them when using your iPod in manual mode. However, when synchronizing or copying a playlist to your iPod, iTunes will also transfer all of the tracks that are contained in that playlist.

Although iTunes 9 allows you to select tracks to sync to your iPod by Artist or Genre, playlists that contain these tracks are not transferred as part of this process. Likewise, transferring tracks to a manually-managed iPod via drag-and-drop does not transfer the playlists containing those tracks.

Basically, if you want to include a subset of an existing playlist on your iPod, you will need to create a separate playlist for synchronization purposes. Although you can simply create a standard playlist for this purpose, another idea would be to use a Smart Playlist to automatically select a sub-set of your existing playlists, limited to an appropriate size for your iPod’s capacity. In the simplest form, a Smart Playlist that chooses content that is in another playlist and limits by size would work, although you can get more sophisticated by choosing additional criteria such as rating, play counts, and last played times.

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...

10-7-11: iPhone 4S battery life, New features in iPhone 4S, Buying iPhone 4S Unlocked, iPod nano and Nike+ Kit, Purchasing iPhone 4S for use abroad

9-30-11: Opening iTunes library from external hard drive, Moving Playlists to iPod, Downgrading iOS on iPod touch 2G, Playing Playlists in iTunes, Problems with iTunes opening automatically when connecting an iPhone

9-23-11: iOS 5 release and OTA installation, Transferring Purchases to iTunes, iPad and iPhone charger compatibility, iPod touch and regional App Stores, Find My iPhone and Remote Lock/Wipe, Previous iTunes Libraries Folder

9-2-11: Transferring iTunes library from Mac to Windows, Reading ebooks on iPod classic, Recovering lost password on iPod touch, Transferring music from a Windows iPod touch to a Mac, Backing up in iTunes 10.4

8-26-11: Updating playlists when consolidating iTunes files, Migrating from iPod touch to iPad, Buying and listening to music on multiple devices, Updating firmware on 4G iPod, Backing up iPhone without a computer

8-5-11: iCloud and Find My iPhone, Mac app for converting DVDs to iTunes, Clearing Sort Fields in iTunes, Importing MP3 audiobooks into iTunes, Creating iTunes library on external hard drive

7-29-11: Adjusting iPod touch ringer volume, iPod touch and wired networks, Consolidating information from two iPhones, Changing Apple IDs on an iPad, Track information not appearing when importing into iTunes

7-8-11: Using Start and End times with Apple TV, Sending Photos to Apple TV via AirPlay, Track Info greyed out in iTunes, iPhone upgrade eligibility, Downloading Album Artwork

7-1-11: Sharing multiple iTunes libraries on one computer, Burning MP3 CDs, Organizing audiobooks on iPod classic, Identify tracks not in any playlists, Copying content from a Mac-formatted iPod to Windows

6-24-11: FaceTime Edition: Costs for using FaceTime, FaceTime iPod model compatibility, Using FaceTime internationally, Using Multiple FaceTime devices in the same family, Missing FaceTime icon on iPod touch, Receiving FaceTime calls when out of coverage

6-17-11: Importing videos into iMovie for iPad, Switching to a new iPod touch, Transferring iTunes library database, User ID requirements for old iPod classic, Burning a CD from an iPod touch

5-20-11: Connecting an iPod to a stereo, Problems moving an iTunes library, Gifting apps, Problems joining CD tracks, Streaming AirPlay from a line-in source

4-15-11: Problems sending e-mail over Wi-Fi, Syncing iPhone content from different computers, Resetting a used iPod touch, Javascript on the iPad, Renaming an iOS device

4-8-11: Setting up an iTunes Store account for a child, Organizing Music Videos in iTunes, Album art missing on iPod touch purchases, Finding a serial number for a missing iPod, Purchases not syncing to iPod nano

4-1-11: Syncing existing apps to new iPad 2, iPod classic microphone compatibility, Recovering lost iTunes Store purchases, Recovering non-purchased content from iPod, Displaying unique artwork for compilation albums

3-25-11: Apple TV not showing Descriptions, Using a U.S. iPad 2 in other countries, Transferring iPod music to iPad 2, Audiobooks on iPod touch, Using an iPad on Windows

2-25-11: Redeeming iTunes Gifts on iOS, Finding MP3 tracks in iTunes, iPad Camera Connector on iOS 4.2, Backing up iTunes Playlists, iPad Video Formats and Battery Life

2-6-11: Removing playlists from iPod, 2G/3G iPod touch cases, iPod charging cables, Locating Apps folder, Transferring audiobooks to iPod

1-28-11: Car Bluetooth receivers, Editing Contacts on iPod touch, iPod touch shuffles songs, iPad and Bluetooth headsets, iPod touch and external keyboards

1-14-11: Transferring iPod classic from Mac to PC, Cover Flow on 30GB iPod, Transferring iTunes library between two external hard drives, iPod shuffle dock adapters, Connecting iPhone to a new iTunes library

11-19-10: Gifting Apps, Backing up Apps, Cleaning up old folders after moving iTunes library, FaceTime data usage, Storing iTunes videos on a different hard drive

11-12-10: Music videos play audio only, Advanced Smart Playlists, Transferring iTunes to another user account, iPhone 4 Case Program, Restoring a locked iPod touch

10-29-10: Viewing content on iPod from iTunes, Playing iTunes at a party, Viewing available space on iPhone, Recovering content from an iPod nano, Moving an iTunes Library to Windows 7

10-22-10: iTunes Store appears differently on another computer, Using iPod touch with an AV output cable, Transferring apps from iPad to iPod touch, Restoring iTunes from backup, Placing FaceTime calls with one e-mail address

10-15-10: Reorganizing content into a new iTunes library, Moving iPad+iPhone to a new computer, Hiding built-in apps on iPod touch, Missing built-in apps on iPod touch, Using iPod shuffle with older operating systems

10-8-10: Using Apple TV with different iTunes accounts, Setting up Apple TV on a different computer, Streaming content to Apple TV from other sources, Merging iTunes Store accounts, Importing music as audiobooks

10-1-10: iOS Calendar integration, Moving iTunes completely to an external hard drive, Automatically tagging imported movies, Recurring billing on iPad 3G, Transferring data to new iPad

9-24-10: On-The-Go Playlists with iOS 4, Using multiple iPods on one PC, Moving Apps and Artwork folders to external hard drive, Transferring Apps from iPod touch to iPhone, Syncing Genius Mixes to iPhone 4

9-17-10: Using iPhone 4 without cellular service, iPhone screen remains active during calls, Re-downloading Apps, Reset passcode on iPod touch, Copying audiobooks to iPod

9-10-10: Disk Use on iPod nano 6G, Using an iPhone and iPod touch on the same iTunes library, About iPod touch 4G Apps and Battery Life, Moving iTunes Library to a new Windows 7 PC, Upgrading to a new iPod touch

8-27-10: Using iPad 3G GPS without a data plan, Setting up iPod without installation CD, Movie Rental options don't appear in iTunes, iTunes prompts to remove apps from iPod, Recovering content from iPod touch

8-20-10: Accessing Internet Radio from iOS Remote app, Converting an iPod touch from Windows to Mac, Home Screen Wallpaper not available in iOS 4, Transferring non-purchasd content to a new computer, Managing multiple iTunes Libraries with different preferences

8-13-10: Restoring iPod touch onto iPhone, iPhone 3G only plays monaural audio, Corrupt iPod Photo Cache, Sharing Apps between family iPods, Not all songs transfer to iPod, Unknown playlists in iTunes

7-30-10: Transferring playlists from iPod touch to iPhone, Tracking Changes in Word Docs on iPad, Alarm Clock apps for iPhone, Problems connecting to iTunes Store, Transferring video from iPod nano 5G

7-23-10: Upgrading to a new iPhone, Using GPS car kit with Bluetooth stereo, Viewing podcast info on iPod classic, Deleting Apps from iTunes, Cleaning up content on iPod marked Other, Finding a lost iPod touch

7-9-10: Transferring iBookstore purchases between devices, Transferring files manually onto iPod touch, Sending e-mail attachments from iPhone, Transferring apps from iPhone to iPad, Selecting music to sync to iPhone

7-2-10: Accessing iTunes U on iPad, Transferring video from 5G nano to iPad, Compilations and Artist listing on iPod classic, Backing up and erasing iPhone 3G, Downloading podcasts outside of iTunes, iPhone 4 Retina Display apps on iPad

6-11-10: iPod touch prompts for old iTunes password, SMS message storage on iPhone, 3G iPod and iM600 speakers, Adding music from iPod nano to iPhone, Converting tracks in iTunes and iPod, Syncing selected music to iPad

6-4-10: iPad 3G and International use, Extra authorized computers in iTunes, Adding music to multiple iTunes libraries, Adding purchased music to iPod from another computer, Problems playing back CDs burned in iTunes, Large amount of Other content on iPod

5-14-10: Storing iPhone apps in a different folder, Removing games on iPod classic, Transferring videos from iPod nano, Continual iPod charging, Bluetooth A2DP support on iPad, Resetting iPod touch password lockout

4-30-10: Updated ID3 tags in iTunes, Problems downloading free updates from iTunes Store, Transferring Keynote files to iPad, Opening iTunes library from external hard drive, Restoring iPod and content, Syncing iPod to a new computer

4-23-10: Converting lossless tracks for iPod, Repairing corrupted iPod filesystem, Syncing existing apps to a new iPad, Streaming iTunes Radio in the car, iPads and iTunes Store authorization limits

4-16-10: Pairing iPod touch with Bluetooth headsets, Adding lyrics in iTunes for Mac, Restoring playlists on a new computer, Upgrading iPod touch to 3.0, iPod touch shows iTunes logo, Adding playlists to iPhone

4-9-10: Copying text from iBooks, Using iPad without Wi-Fi access, Syncing one iPad to multiple libraries, Setting up an iPad as a gift, Conserving space on iPod, Gifting an iPod touch, Syncing and backup up iPhone Notes

3-19-10: Restoring iPhone from Backup, Sharing Apps on multiple iPhones, Syncing Recently Added playlist, Older iPods and firmware updates, iPad and Remote Desktop control apps, iPhone Sync Cable compatibility

3-12-10: Syncing iPod with new iTunes library, Excluding selected playlists from sync, Sharing iTunes content on multiple iPhones, iPad and iTunes sync options, Shuffle playlists on iPod classic, Creating iPhone ringtones

3-5-10: Running iTunes app on external hard drive, iPod shuffle shows no content, Switching Apple ID in iTunes, External microphones for 5G nano, Removing columns in iTunes, iPod Dock and Remote control solutions

2-26-10: iPad Edition II: Sharing files between apps, iPad font support, Connecting to projectors, Using external storage, Downloading third-party music, iBooks and dictionary support

2-19-10: Checkmarks in iTunes, Storing files on iPhone, Identifying songs not in playlists, Black Dock adapters, Transferring purchased apps from iPod touch, Reformatting iPod for Mac

2-12-10: Using iPod with purchased content in different countries, Playing WMV e-mail attachments on iPhone, Deauthorizing iTunes, iPhone background audio recording, Displaying photos via TV out, Transferring saved photos from iPod touch

2-5-10: Recovering iPod serial number from iTunes, Using apps on new iPod touch, Transferring apps to another iPod touch, iPod touch and apps requiring OS 3.x, iTunes Media Folder path and network drives, Backing up audiobooks to CD

1-29-10: The iPad Edition: Updating Apps for iPad, iPad Accessory compatibility, iPad and iPhone tethering support, AT&T Wi-Fi access, Annotation support in iBooks

1-22-10: Recovering iPhone apps, Joining Audiobook tracks, Cleaning up after iTunes Consolidation, Moving iTunes to an external hard drive, Recovering iTunes onto an external hard drive, Burning CDs from an external hard drive

12-18-09: Audiobook Burn Limits, iPod touch audio quality, Adding a second family iPod to iTunes, Accessing iPod Diagnostics Mode, Track numbers appear in track names, Syncing playlists to iPod

12-11-09: Resetting iTunes authorizations, iPod capacity for audiobooks, iPod docks and line-out, Audio output from iPod shuffle, Resuming playlists on iPod touch, Syncing newer iPods with older versions of iTunes

12-4-09: Syncing iPod with no Internet access, Syncing a replacement iPod, Removing synced photos from iPhone, iPhone and iPod external batteries, Transferring photos from iPod nano to computer, Saving iTunes before an OS reinstall

11-27-09: Identifying purchased tracks in iTunes, iPhone 3GS Airplane Mode requirement, Advanced Smart Playlists in iTunes 9, Restoring iTunes from external hard drive, iTunes Store country restrictions, iPod nano 5G speaker compatibility

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

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

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Comments

1

I have seen the same problem as Justin, but on a Mac. If you don’t manually edit the tags, iTunes will keep adding the track number to the song title until you can’t read the song title. iTunes seems to get caught in a loop of checking the filename, adding the file number to the song title, renaming the filename, re-adding the file number to the song title…

Posted by Michael on December 21, 2009 at 7:35 AM (PDT)

2

what is the camera like thing on the front of the ipod touch?

Posted by maddie baia on December 23, 2009 at 4:07 PM (PDT)

3

I have a Ipod Nano 8GB, I have SBS turntable. I want to transfer my vinyl directly to my ipod, what do i need to do?

Posted by Matt Kittiko on December 24, 2009 at 10:27 AM (PDT)

4

I have 2 questions.First I don’t understand how to do a playlist.My next question is I want to put a cd on my I POd but why do I have to put it in my library first.I don’t want the music in the library.I have a 120 gig I Pod classic.
Thank You
Tom Evans

Posted by Tom Evans on January 10, 2010 at 7:25 AM (PDT)

5

Just a quick question. Say you have a 1TB External Drive, along with a 500GB External. Is it possible to Consolidate to both external HDD’s so either or works? cuz the TB needs a power cord whereas i could strictly use the MUCH smaller 500GB one for travel. is this possible?

Posted by DrPepper22 on January 21, 2010 at 11:49 PM (PDT)

6

I have 3 ipod touches in our family. we share same account. i want a different playlist from my daughters. when i connect my ipod to the computer it syncs it automatically, however it syncs it up to the last playlist that was created, which was my daughters. my question is how do i keep the playlist separate from each ipod touch when i connect it to my computer?? thank you so much for your help..

Posted by jeff on January 25, 2010 at 9:44 PM (PDT)

7

I have a IPOD TOUCH 3rd GEN. when i charge in the car and plug in the Aux cord there is static. when i pull out the charger, the static goes away completely. I am guessing the data/charge port is too close to the headphone jack. this also happens to when i use Griffen tunebase(no fm trans) dock where the Itouch is connected directly through port and AUX cord is away from the power and connected to the portion that goes in the cigarette lighter adapter. is there any fix for this static or an explanation why this is really happening? pls help. (design flaw putting the headphone jack on bottom.)

Posted by Larry Choi on February 16, 2010 at 2:36 PM (PDT)

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