Ask iLounge 3-28-08

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:

Q: According to Apple, my nano is supposed to hold 1000 songs. However, when I try to sync over 900, I’m told that there is not enough room. Some songs that are less than 3 minutes long are 20.3 MB while some songs that are more than 3 minutes long are 3 MB. What causes this and can it be fixed?

- Kenneth

A: The amount of space a song takes up is directly proportional to its bit-rate, which is the amount of data that is encoded for each second of audio. This is normally expressed in kilobits per second, or kbps. A higher bit-rate normally means a higher quality audio file, since there is more data (bits) available to encode the sound you’re listening to. Of course, this also means a larger file. As you might expect, a 256kbps audio file would take up twice as much space as the same audio file encoded at 128kbps, since there are twice as many bits of data for each second of audio.

In this case, the likely problem is that you may have your music encoded at higher bit-rates than what Apple considers to be typical. Apple’s storage calculations are still based on four-minute tracks encoded at 128kbps, which would work out to roughly 4MB of storage required per track (and therefore roughly 1000 tracks on a 4GB nano by extension). However, it is not uncommon with today’s digital music to find tracks encoded at higher bit-rates from various sources. In fact, even the iTunes Store offers “iTunes Plus” tracks at 256kbps—twice the bit-rate traditionally offered by the iTunes Store.

In the example you’ve provided above, the 20.3 MB 3-minute track is obviously encoded at a much higher bit-rate. In this case, it sounds like this track is in Apple Lossless format, which produces very high audio quality (technically indistinguishable from the original CD), but produces significantly larger files. If you are encoding your entire library in Apple Lossless format, you will be able to store significantly fewer tracks on a 4GB nano, and may want to consider a higher-capacity player.

You can check out our iPod Storage Calculator to help you determine how much content you would be able to fit on a given iPod model at various bit-rates.

Of course, if audio quality is not critically important to you, then you can re-encode these tracks into a lower bit-rate by using the built-in conversion option available in iTunes. Keep in mind that generally only the most extreme audiophiles are concerned about putting Lossless quality files on their iPods—most average users will likely not be able to hear the difference between a Lossless file and a high-bitrate MP3/AAC file, and even this distinction is further diminished if you are not using high-quality earphones with your iPod.

To convert your files, first check your default format settings by going to iTunes’ Preferences, and check the Advanced, Importing tab:

Ensure that the preferences here are set to your preferred encoder (MP3 or AAC) and a lower bit-rate of your choice. If you’re only using the stock Apple earbuds with your iPod nano, chances are that 128kbps will be more than sufficient in this regard, although you may want to choose a slightly higher bit-rate if you also plan to listen to your digital music library on other higher-quality devices. Bear in mind that any discussion about bit-rates will always be largely subjective—there are many users who swear that Apple Lossless is the only acceptable quality, and others who are more than happy with 128kbps files. The best way to determine your own ideal setting is to try converting into a few different bit-rates and determine for yourself which bit-rate is best for your own use through blind testing (ie, listening without knowing which file is which).

Once these settings are configured, simply select the tracks that you wish to convert, and choose Advanced, Convert to MP3/AAC (depending on the format you’ve selected), and iTunes will create a copy of that track in the default lower-bitrate format. You can then select that copy for transfer to your iPod, and/or simply delete the higher-bit-rate file.

You can find additional information and discussion about various bit-rates and audio formats in our Digital Audio Formats Forum in the iLounge Discussion Forums.

Q: I live in Australia. I want to buy an iTunes card in Australia and send it to a friend in the USA as a birthday gift. Will my friend be able to purchase iTunes in the USA with a card that was purchased in Australia?

- Danielle

A: Unfortunately, gift cards and gift certificates are only valid for the iTunes Store in the country in which they were purchased, so a gift card purchased in Australia will only be valid on the Australian iTunes Store. Likewise, even if you were to buy a gift certificate online through the Australian iTunes Store, this would be no more valid in the U.S. iTunes Store than a retail-purchased gift card would.

Your friend in the U.S. could sign up for an account on the Australian iTunes Store using your gift card, although this requires an Australian mailing address, and would technically be in violation of the iTunes Store’s Terms of Sale, which state that the iTunes Store in each country is only for the use of residents of that country.

The only really viable option in this case would be to either have another friend in the U.S. purchase the iTunes Gift Card on your behalf, or to purchase an iTunes Gift card from a third-party seller through a site such as eBay, where many U.S. iTunes Store gift cards are readily available for sale from third-party vendors. Although the Apple Online store does sell gift cards, they will definitely not ship them outside of the U.S. However you might be able to order a gift card through the Apple Online Store and have it shipped directly to your friend in the U.S.—you may want to contact the Apple Online Store for more details in that regard.

Q: I’ve read numerous accounts of people running into difficulties when charging their iPhones using aftermarket equipment (car chargers, docking stations, boom boxes) that has not specifically been certified as iPhone compatible. From the information I’ve come across, it seems that certain third party accessories can fry an iPhone’s battery. Is this an issue of pin placement on the dock connector, voltage output, or some other consideration? I’d appreciate it if someone could break this down, as I’ve found that even AppleCare tech support doesn’t have an answer, other than to only use pre-certified accessories.

- Max

A: With the popularity of the iPod, there is a huge variety of cheap and poorly-manufactured after-market accessories out there, and the most prominent among these are iPod charging accessories, since these are relatively easy devices to manufacture. Naturally, these lower-end accessories can cause all sorts of difficulties with iPod and iPhone charging, and this is a problem that is further complicated by the fact that many of these accessories do not even have reasonable certifications from standard associations, particularly if they do not actually connect to an AC power source (USB cables do not need to be certified by a regulatory standards body, for example).

Properly manufactured accessories, whether they are specifically certified for the iPod/iPhone or not should not cause any serious problems. The charging circuitry itself in the iPod/iPhone Dock Connector is the same in both models, and there is no reason why a proper iPod charging accessory would not work to at least provide some power to the iPhone.

The only real distinction with the iPhone is that when on, it draws more power than even an iPod touch due to the cellular transceiver. Accessories for charging the iPhone therefore need to provide slightly more power in order to actually charge the iPhone while it’s not in “Airplane Mode.” This is a particularly common deficiency with portable battery packs, since many of these will provide enough power to charge an iPod, but not necessarily an iPhone unless the device is put into Airplane Mode or powered off. These devices won’t actually damage the iPhone, but they may not provide an adequate current to actually charge it, so you will therefore almost certainly get better charging results from a charging accessory that is specifically made for the iPhone.

The bottom line is that the advice from Apple to use only properly certified accessories is essentially a good idea. While one doesn’t necessarily have to look for the “Made-for-iPod” or “Made-for-iPhone” logo, caution should be exercised when buying charging accessories from relatively unknown manufacturers or retailers.

Q: We bought an album from iTunes on my wife’s computer. I do not sync my iPod with her Mac, but have my own PC in another part of the house. I wanted to have the same album in my collection. Do I have to buy it again? What are my options to have it on more than one iPod?

- Paul

A: You definitely do not need to purchase the album again, as you can have up to five authorized computers on the same iTunes account. The real issue is merely copying the files themselves from one computer to another, which can be accomplished simply by burning them to a CD or transferring them via a USB memory key or portable hard drive.

You can burn a data CD or DVD from directly within iTunes itself. Simply go into your iTunes Preferences, and under Advanced, Burning you’ll find the option to select “Data CD/DVD” (note that you can also burn an “Audio CD” from here, but there’s really no point in doing this if you’re simply moving the music files to another computer).

Once you’ve selected “Data CD/DVD” as your burning preference, simply place the tracks you’d like to burn into a playlist, and then select that playlist and choose “Burn Data Disc” from the bottom-right corner of the iTunes window:

iTunes will prompt you to insert a blank disc, and it will then burn those tracks onto the disc simply as files in their original iTunes Store format. You can then insert this disc into your computer and import those tracks into your own iTunes library by using the File, Add Files to Library menu option.

If you’d prefer to transfer these files using a portable hard drive or USB memory key, you can also do this simply by connecting the device to your wife’s Mac, and then dragging the selected tracks from your iTunes window directly onto the icon for your USB hard drive or memory key. iTunes will copy those selected tracks as files onto the external drive, which can then be carried to your own computer and imported as above.

Note that if these tracks are in the traditional iTunes Store format (as opposed to iTunes Plus), you will also need to ensure that your PC is authorized for the same iTunes Store account before you will be able to play them or transfer them to your iPod. Normally, iTunes will prompt you for your iTunes Store account information as necessary when you try to play a purchased track, but you can also manually authorize your computer by selecting Store, Authorize Computer from the iTunes menu.

Lastly, it is also possible to use the iPod itself as a transfer conduit between your two computers, although with one computer being a Mac and the other being a PC in this case, the differences in format would likely create an additional obstacle. Traditional iPod models are generally formatted specifically to your operating system, and although a Mac can normally read a PC-formatted iPod, a PC cannot read a Mac-formatted iPod without additional software.

Q: When I plug in my iPod touch, it won’t show up under the “My Computer” section in Windows Explorer. The other iPods I have used show up as an extra disc. This seems to be necessary in order to songs off the iPod into EphPod to save them. (the iPod touch won’t show up in EphPod when it asks what iPod to use) I guess my question is, what can I do to get the computer to recognize the touch is plugged in so I can link it up with the EphPod?

- Joe

A: Unfortunately, the iPod touch (and iPhone) now use a different synchronization protocol from traditional iPod models. The iPod classic, iPod nano, and previous iPod models all used a disk-based synchronization method, whereby iTunes basically just accessed the iPod as an external hard disk to copy files onto it and update the iTunes database. This allowed third-party software to easily be created to do the same thing—any software package that could read the iPod’s database format could easily be used to manage an iPod, since it was simply a matter of accessing a file on an external hard disk.

With the iPod touch, this has now changed to a synchronization protocol that involves handing off data and instructions to the iPod device itself, and letting the embedded operating system take care of things like updating the iPod library database and storing the files. This new method renders the iPod touch incompatible with most of the third-party iPod management tools out there, including Ephpod. Essentially, for managing these devices you’re basically limited to using iTunes at the present time.

Note that if your primary goal is simply to transfer content from your iPod touch, there are a couple of third-party solutions that are compatible with the iPod touch. See our February 7th, 2008 Ask iLounge Column for more information.

Q: I recently purchased two movies from iTunes. I can watch them on my computer just fine, but when I try to watch them on my iPod only the sound works, and no visual.

- Eileen

A: If these videos play fine and were purchased from the iTunes Store, they should also work just fine on your iPod as well. The most likely cause of getting sound without on-screen video is that the iPod has been set to enable the “TV Out” feature, which instead would direct the video signal out through your headphone port and/or Dock Connector port instead of displaying it on the iPod screen.

With the newer iPod classic and iPod nano models, the TV Out function cannot be enabled unless a compatible video accessory is attached. With the fifth-generation iPod, however, this setting does not attempt to detect an accessory, since a wider range of video output options are available on the 5G iPod, including video output via the headphone jack.

To check this, select Videos, Video Settings, TV Output and ensure that it is set to either “Ask” (in which case you will be prompted each time you attempt to play a video), or “Off” (which will direct video output to your iPod screen).

If this setting is in fact “Off” and you are still not seeing video on your iPod screen, you should try removing the video files and retransferring them back onto your iPod, in case there was a problem with the video transfer. You can also try resetting your iPod by holding down the CENTRE+MENU buttons for a few seconds to see if that resolves the issue.

It should also be noted that if you’re working with music videos, rather than movies or TV shows, these will only display video output when played from the Videos menu. Playing a music video from the Music menu will only play the audio portion of the video. Movies and TV Shows, on the other hand, can only be accessed from the Videos menu.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

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

See the rest of the Archives...

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

7-5-07: Managing your iPod content with Smart Playlists, External hard drives and iTunes, Problems getting CD info from CDDB, Grouping by Album Artist, Using iPod as a removable hard drive

6-28-07: Manual mode and preventing auto-sync, Transferring iTunes library, Burning, ripping and sound check, Saving your place in multi-track audiobooks, Renaming your iPod, Resolving lost iPod content, Drivers and Software for 4G iPods

6-21-07: Smart Playlists for Podcasts, Incorrect track info when importing CDs, Deauthorizing computers revisited, Problems transferring purchased tracks, Transferring photos from iPod to computer, Deleting On-The-Go playlists, Songs not appearing under Artist name

6-14-07: Problems syncing re-ripped MP3s in iTunes 7.2, Grouping albums with multiple artists, Radio tuners for older iPod models, Managing Podcasts, Using an iPod on Mac and Windows, Selecting items for synchronization, iTunes not showing full iPod capacity

6-7-07: Using two iPods with the same library, Converting to AAC to Apple Lossless, Corrupt iPod errors, Sound Check and Crossfade, Exporting from iMovie to iPod and Apple TV formats, Copying from DVR to the iPod

5-31-07: iTunes Plus DRM-free music, Using iTunes songs in Windows Movie Maker, Storing notes on the iPod, Restoring the iPod, Synchronizing Watched TV Shows, Adding music from a second library, Viewing iPod menus on a TV screen

5-24-07: Storing artwork on an external hard drive, Nike+iPod kit and treadmills, Setting up a new iPod with an existing library, Using the iPod as an alarm clock, iTunes fails to transfer all tracks to the iPod, Syncing selected items to iPod, Identifying iPod models

5-17-07: Converting e-books for iPod, Problems Syncing Selected Playlists, Normalizing volume between tracks, iTunes truncating long filenames, Sorting tracks properly within albums, Pausing and remember playback position on the iPod

5-11-07: Video conversion: iPod vs Apple TV format, Automatically adding music to iTunes, Finding iPod-compatible music online, Organizing tracks on the iPod, Bluetooth speaker accessories, iHome speakers

5-3-07: Tagging content for your Apple TV, Organizing your Music Videos, Duplicate copies of your iTunes library files, Using the Universal Dock line-out, Problems restoring your iPod, Power adapter compatibility, Unlocking your iPod's volume limit

4-27-07: Transferring purchased content between iTunes accounts, FireWire/USB connections, External batteries, Problems turning off iPod, Sharing iPods on the same computer, Sorting tracks when importing CDs

4-19-07: iPod widescreen mode, Transcoding lossy formats, Locating missing music files, Assigning artwork to multiple tracks, Transferring iTunes purchases, Playing single tracks

4-12-07: Converting DVDs to iPod, Resetting Screen Lock, Moving an iTunes library to a new computer, Deleting songs manually from an iPod, Compatibility with overseas accessories, Finding accessories for the 5G iPod, Speakers for charging a 3G iPod

4-5-07: Playing iPod through iTunes, Preventing Apple Remote from controlling Universal Dock, Resetting iTunes authorizations, Transferring podcasts from a secondary computer, Finding music by composer tags, Sorting tracks on the iPod Shuffle

3-29-07: iPod photo transfer performance and accessories, Sorting photos on iPod, Syncing music and contacts from two different computers, iTunes video storage and formats, Converting AAC to MP3, Burning MP3 CDs

3-22-07: Album artwork and Other storage on the iPod, Storage size of iPod Games, Multiple iPods on the same computer, Etymotic Earjacks, Charging iPod while recording audio, Syncing TV Shows to iPod, Properly Tagging Albums

3-16-07: Converting Windows-formatted iPods for Mac use, Importing Calendar and Contacts from Outlook, Moving iTunes content to another hard drive, Recovering Playlists from iPod, Recording Lectures, Calculating iPod Storage

3-10-07: Understanding the new sort fields in iTunes 7.1, Smart playlists and rating preference, RSS feeds for new iTunes content, Checkboxes and synchronizing music to small iPods

2-22-07: Hiding the iTunes Store from view, Restoring iTunes' "Recently Played" smart playlist, Restoring an iPod's missing free space, Using third-party A/V cables, Apple TV and Wi-Fi network protocols, Authorizing iPod games

2-1-07: Windows Vista iTunes issues, Music Video organization in iTunes, Removing songs from Shuffle play, Sorting albums by year

1-17-07: iPhone Questions, Apple TV Stereo Connections, Car Stereos with USB ports, Now Playing screen on TV, Locating playlists a song belongs to, Playing podcasts sequentially

12-29-06: Charging iPod video with old AC adapter, Identifying iPod generations, Preventing iTunes from accessing the store, Accessing and playing video with DLO HomeDock Deluxe, Nike+iPod Sport Kit compatibility

12-14-06: Searching the comment field in iTunes, Buying an aux-in cable for the car, Making a recent top 25 playlist, Multiple genres per song, Radio Charts in iTunes

12-9-06: Gifting specific items from the iTunes Store, Linking to photos from the iPod's Notes feature, Properly listening to iPod music in loud places, Using Mac-formatted iPods with an XBOX 360

12-1-06: iTunes visualizers, Programs stored on iPod, Converting music en masse, Charging second-generation iPod shuffle, Adding chapter markers to videos

11-23-06: iPod deals, Continuously playing videos on iPod, Getting replacement iPod manuals, Finding size and playtime of a group of tracks, Fixing podcasts that reset iPod

11-16-06: Extracting audio from videos, Transferring albums to iPod easily, Using iTunes Store gift cards, Dealing with a scratched iPod backing, Recovering contacts from iPod

11-10-06: Volume limit on iPod shuffle, Preserving On-The-Go playlists between syncs, Storing Audiobooks in proper iTunes library, Apple Lossless on iPod shuffle

11-3-06: iTunes Store displayed in foreign language, All tracks begin where they were last stopped, Converting tracks to mono in iTunes, iPod wakes up and plays tunes on its own, Greatest Hits album won't show on iPod

10-26-06: Loading TiVo/DVR TV Shows on iPod, Accessing iTunes music with a Media Center PC, Leaving an iPod in the car, iPod Hi-Fi remote control, Tagging tracks just added to the library

10-20-06: Disc capacity & song quality tradeoff, iPod sleep behavior explained, Ordering albums by year on iPod, Using an iPod while charging via USB, Restoring a deleted playlist in iTunes

10-12-06: Displaying singles in iPod's Artists menu, Party Shuffle not advancing tracks, Two+ iPods on one computer - revisited, Finding songs not in any playlist, Returning to beginning of iPod shuffle playlist

10-5-06: Only one song plays at a time in iTunes, Playing interactive booklets, Resetting iPod's language, Shuffle anywhere on iPod, Isolating MP3 songs from AAC

9-28-06: Suppressing 'Explicit' tags in iTunes Library, Restoring the 'Purchased' playlist, Differentiating 5G 30GB models, Album Artist on iPod, Just for You in iTunes 7

9-21-06: Splitting "hidden" tracks from other songs, Multiple iTunes libraries, Movie trailers in the iTunes Store, iTunes-fetched artwork on iPod, Isolating Music Videos from songs in iTunes

9-13-06: iTunes 7 issues: Preserving library upon upgrade, Authorizing games for iPod, Audio severely distorted with static, Album artwork retrieval problems, Enhanced podcasts menu

9-7-06: Reverting to former iPod software updaters, iPod crashes and loses library, iPod not storing advertised song capacity, Cleaning out one's iTunes Library safely, Deleting Album Artwork en masse

8-30-06: Unchecked songs in smart playlist, Connecting iPod to car Aux-In jack, Deleting songs from iTunes, Filling iPods completely, Playing only one song in iTunes

8-25-06: Quickly erasing duplicate songs, Replacing iPod's front panel, Excluding videos from playlists, Using albums in smart playlists, Album art missing from iPod

8-17-06: Tags disappearing on play, Third party headphones on iPod, eAAC and eAAC+ codecs, Creating random batches of songs with smart playlists, Transferring iTunes Music Store tracks

8-9-06: Size of Smart Playlists, Changing an iPod's file system format, Backing up iTMS video purchases, iPod not automatically disconnecting, iPod shuffling problems

8-2-06: Airport Express not working under "Multiple Speakers", Tuning radio remote in 0.1 increments, Ordering albums properly, Video podcasts on older iPods, Multiple album artwork files per track on iPod

7-27-06: Exclamation marks near playlists, Artist column on far left of library?, Songs in multiple playlists, No options in for iPod slideshow music, Song numbering in iTunes' Library

7-20-06: Speaker icon next to currently-playing song, Sound lost in one headphone channel, Finding songs not in any playlist, iPod mini shuffling by album, Removing contacts and calendars from iPod

7-13-06: Maximizing battery life, Slideshows from an iPod nano, Trouble with iPod's volume meter, Powering two devices from one car power port, Smart playlists and sort order

7-6-06: Custom EQ on iPod, Viewing large text files on iPod, Buying an iPod from overseas, Finding iPod setup files online, Lossless vs. Lossy audio files

6-28-06: Unlocking an iPod, Creating a list of albums in iTunes, Restoring missing menu items on iPod, Converting video to iPod, Increasing the iPod's volume

6-21-06: Preserving select podcasts, Locating tracks in playlists, Automatically ejecting iPod after transfer, Microphone for iPod mini, Tracks missing when browsing via "Artist"

6-15-06: Backing up Smart Playlists, Using 4-pin Firewire ports, Viewing hidden data in iTunes, Recording direct to iPod from cassette, Synchronizing a folder of files between computers using iPod

6-7-06: Browsing albums by Genre, Fixing "Library Locked" message in Mac iTunes, Using generic AV cables for iPod TV display, Finding a simple iPod mount for the car, Transferring iTunes Library to a new Mac

5-31-06: Converting WMV video clips to iPod, Party Shuffle on iPod, Burning an MP3 CD from WAV files, Best iPod for running?, Identifying unknown track information

5-25-06: Independent left & right volume controls, Serial numbers on iPod installation?, Dealing with two-disc albums, iPod shuffle headphone jack problems, and the latest new iPod rumors

5-18-06: Organizing Compilations on iPod, Using the iPod's Notes features, Transferring large amounts of photos via iPod Camera Connector, Removing extra Album Art images from songs, Resolving discrepancies between iPod and iTunes smart playlists

5-11-06: Creating a simple, kid-friendly iPod interface, burning multiple playlists at once, viewing iPod photos on an Xbox 360, including multiple genres in one smart playlist

5-4-06: Videos not displaying on iPod, Using the iPod's power adapter overseas, Creating a "Most Played this Month" playlist, Editing iTunes-created playlists on the iPod

4-28-06: iLounge Week in Review podcasts, Creating iPod videos, Made For iPod, New and unpublicized additions to the iLounge site, Publicizing your company to the iLounge community

4-20-06: Shuffling podcasts, extracting files from iTunes, transferring Music Store downloads, battery life and high-bitrate formats, preventing repeated songs while shuffling

4-13-06: Protecting the iPod's Dock Connector, On-TV iPod menu navigation revisited, Contacts and calendars from PC to iPod, Dealing with the 5 iTunes account per iPod limit

4-6-06: Converting MIDI files for iPod, Purchasing iTunes tracks from another country, Unexpected track transfers on sync, Selling an iPod: with or without music, iPod prematurely advances track.

3-30-06: Disable CDDB track information, viewing more iTunes data on the screen at once, locating replacement iPod parts for self-repair, deleting genres from iTunes' pull-down menu

3-23-06: Browsing Composer-tagged classical music on the iPod, Cleaning iTunes' Source list with Folders and sorting, Setting the poster frame for a video file, Queueing TV episode conversion in HandBrake

3-16-06: Half-star ratings in iTunes, Importing photos from iPod Camera Connector, iTunes Videos on other devices, Preventing unchecked videos from syncing, playing a CD while importing

3-9-06: The easiest iPod for audiobooks, removing photos from iPod, determining iTunes library statistics, setting a specific song as an alarm

3-2-06: Removing intro/outro material from songs, Organizing Compilations in iTunes & iPod, Determining what playlists a song belongs to, Printing jewel case inserts from iTunes playlists.

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