2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers' Guide

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Ask iLounge 4-6-06

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By Jerrod H.

Contributing Editor, iLounge
Published: Thursday, April 6, 2006
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:

When I try to use iTunes to convert a MIDI file into AAC, I get an error message -50. I have scoured the Internet for various file conversion programs, but nothing seems to actually work to convert MIDIs; I always get odd errors, or files that just turn out as silence. Do you know of any way I can successfully convert these files into any iPod-compatible format?

- David

A:

The issue is that MIDI files aren’t actually a sound file - they’re more like text-based “digital sheet music” that instructs your computer what to play. Because of this, a MIDI file will sound different on different computers, depending on their sound cards’ MIDI engines and/or the software being used. Considering this very unique nature of MIDI audio files, it’s perhaps not very surprising that waveform-encoding algorithms don’t know what to do.

However, you’re not entirely out of luck. There are programs available for Mac and Windows which, although not necessarily intended for MIDI conversion, are designed to record any audio at all that your computer generates.

On the Mac, Ambrosia’s WireTap Pro is our absolute favorite. It intercepts nearly any audio that either leaves through your Mac’s speakers, or comes in through its Line-In or Microphone ports, and can record and encode directly to AAC audio on the fly.

On the PC, we’d recommend HighCriteria’s $12 TotalRecorder Standard Edition. While not as pretty or feature-packed as WireTap Pro, it certainly will suffice for capturing and encoding MIDI files. Try it out!

Q:

I live in the U.S., therefore making my the U.S. iTunes Store my default. Is there a way for me to purchase songs from the iTunes stores of other countries?

- Devon

A:

Unfortunately, Apple has gone to fairly great lengths to ensure this can’t happen. There are really only two ways to do it:

To do it properly, you’ll need a valid credit card with a billing address in the country you’d like to purchase from. Additionally, some users have had success acquiring an iTunes Gift Certificate originally issued and purchased in that country (eBay?), and using it to register a new iTunes account with the privilege of not needing to enter an address or credit card. Note, however, that the latter option would violate Apple’s iTunes Terms of Service, so we’re not recommending it, and continue to hope that Apple will find a way to open its international stores to all its potential customers.

Q:

Each time I connect my new fifth-generation iPod to iTunes, it always updates a number of songs (whether just a few or 50+). I certainly don’t recall changing any settings or properties in iTunes about the song between syncs. Is this a common issue?

- Jeff

A:

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about iTunes’ iPod syncing over the past few years, it’s “trust it.” iTunes’ synchronization engine has proven incredibly reliable, and there’s almost always some reasoning behind what it does.

Tagging, adding album art, and several other song-specific operations in iTunes will trigger the need for that song to be replaced on the iPod. However, since you’ve indicated that you don’t think this is the problem, we’d bet that you’re using “Automatically update selected playlists only” mode, where at least one of the playlists you’ve selected are Smart Playlists based upon, for example, playcount, which will change the makeup of the playlists between syncs.

Alternatively, the files synchronizing could be Podcasts that have been downloaded between syncs without your knowledge.

That said, no software is infallible. If you truly feel that the synchronizations are unwarranted, you can always attempt changing synchronization methods or restoring your iPod.

Q:

I have just recently purchased a 60GB 5G iPod, and I’d like to sell my old 60GB iPod Photo. Should I sell it with all my music left intact, or should I wipe it clean prior to selling it? There are over 7,000 songs on the iPod, and although I’d like to include them as a bonus to potential buyers, I’m nervous about other personal information that may be left on the iPod since I wouldn’t be wiping it clean.

Also, what is the best place to sell my iPod, and how much should I expect to get?

- Ben

A:

This can be a touchy subject, not so much because of the information that may linger on your iPod, but because of the legality of leaving a copy of your music on the iPod in the first place.

Though this may vary depending on the laws of the country you’re in, most people are permitted to “rip” their audio CDs into digital files - technically, copies of the original discs - and carry them on an iPod. This is a “fair use” of copyrighted materials you’ve purchased. In other words, within your household, you’re relatively free to use the contents of media you’ve purchased for your personal use however you’d like.

However, when you take the copies you’ve made and either sell them explicitly or use them to bolster the sale of a used iPod, this is generally no longer regarded as “fair use,” unless you are also selling the original CDs with the iPod and transferring complete ownership of the music. The Recording Industry Association of America has even issued a statement warning users against selling pre-loaded iPods, although precise interpretation of the laws which govern the issue are still in question.

iLounge is not going to provide legal advice on this subject, but for your safety, wiping your iPod clean using Apple’s iPod Software Updater before selling it is the safest option.

For recommendations on where to sell your iPod and how much to expect, download our free Holiday Buyer’s Guide 2005-2006, and see pages 34 and 35.

Q:

I’ve recently noticed a quirk that my iPod seems to have developed. For some reason, some songs played on my iPod don’t play completely through, but instead play for only about maybe 30 seconds, them moving on to the next song.

Curiously, the problem seems to only appear when I am playing a whole list of songs, whether it be a playlist, an artist, etc. When isolated on their own, the songs that had skipped play all the way through without an issue. There doesn’t seem to be any particular songs that this happens to.

What could the problem possibly be? Hardware? Software?

- Paulo

A:

Because it’s only happening to a list of songs, we’d suspect that one of the iPod’s song buffer RAM chips has died, preventing it from maintaining more than a couple songs worth of data at once.

However, it’s rarely helpful to jump straight to a hardware explanation. First, you should try restoring your iPod to factory settings, and reloading your iPod from your iTunes library. If this fresh load helps, you’re set without needing to contact Apple.

For further software-oriented troubleshooting, try doing this same procedure, but synchronize to a friend’s iPod music library instead. If the problem still persists, you have a set of excellent troubleshooting evidence that the problem is hardware related, and the getting the iPod checked out at a retail Apple Store (or through Apple Support) will be a more straight-forward process. Good luck!

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Ask iLounge Archives:

10-30-09: Authorization problems with iPod touch, Changing Grid View background in iTunes, iTunes library and Music Folder are different sizes, Older iPods and firmware updates, Reconciling two different iTunes libraries, Syncing multiple devices to one iTunes library

10-23-09: Using a laptop with an iTunes library on an external hard drive, Transferring YouTube videos to iPod, iPod touch accessibility settings, Disabling Shake to Shuffle on iPod nano, Purchased songs fail to download from iTunes Store, Charging and powering off iPhone

10-16-09: Moving iTunes to a new computer, Transferring contacts from Blackberry to an iPhone, Disabling iPhone Backups, Using AV cables for audio only, Problems syncing photos to iPod touch, Memorex iFlip and iPhone compatibility

10-9-09: iPhone OS and external keyboards, Adjusting ratings in a remote iTunes library, Excluding tracks from Genius Mixes, Moving iTunes library out of My Documents, Playlist folders on iPod touch, Refreshing random Smart Playlists

9-25-09: iTunes 9 and Shopping Cart, Restoring iTunes to an external hard drive, Using an HTTP Proxy over 3G, Problems transferring movies from iTunes to IPhone, iPod touch shuffle mode, Using an iPhone without a SIM card

See the rest of the Archives...

Next: Hands-on with eMagin's EyeBud 800 Wearable Display

Previous: Requiem for a UMDream: PSP movies flop, with lessons for Apple

Comments

1

Hi, I am thinking about buying the new Newmark single ipod mixer, here are my questions:

Is it compatible with a dj booth system at a club.
How many watt speakers can it handle, it is strong enough to dj approx 100-500 people and I just hook it up and go???
When it comes out in Aug- how much will it be approx $$$......is it less that the double ipod mixer???

Thanks, dj enigma

Posted by dj enigma on April 6, 2006 at 7:07 PM (PDT)

2

I have 3g 20gb ipod with hard drive problem(picture of hard drive with exclamation mark.
I have tried reseting but still wont go away, then I tried to restore it but the ipod updater software keeps on saying that my ipod cannot be mounted and it wont let me restore it.  Could anybody help me cause no ipod is like loosing a leg.

Thanks

Gordon

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted by gedmonds on April 7, 2006 at 7:57 AM (PDT)

3

i have a 20gb ipod ,the problem i am having is my pc does not reconize my ipod ,i try to formata it but it does not respond ,i think my hard drive is going bad.i would like to format my hard drive an restore my songs

Posted by smallpj on April 8, 2006 at 6:31 PM (PDT)

4

I have read many reviews on importing Audiobooks, however, I already have several audiobooks or ‘self help’ audio files saved on my hard drive.  Is there any way for me to import these files into iTunes as an audiobook, or am I doomed to have them be considered as ‘music’?

Posted by Guardian1834 on April 9, 2006 at 1:08 AM (PDT)

5

I started using my Ipod on one computer and I downloaded videos to it. I don’t ever remember seeing a video file in itunes under my ipod so I created my own file labeled videos. The main menu on my ipod lists music, photos, video and so on, but it doesn’t show the same files in itunes. Now that i downloaded itunes on my personal computer I can’t find and i am not able to delete any of my old videos in itunes. I can watch them on my ipod but they are nowhere to be found in itunes. How can I delete my videos and why don’t I automatically have a video folder in Itunes?

Posted by RANA on April 9, 2006 at 8:54 PM (PDT)

6

Please tell me of a free mp3 ripper for os x
thanks

Posted by tommpppp on April 10, 2006 at 7:26 AM (PDT)

7

OS X ... MP3 ripper ... iTunes.  You have the option to have it rip to Apples Format or MP3

Posted by zshiner on April 15, 2006 at 6:51 AM (PDT)

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