Ask iLounge 5-23-08

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:

I have been using iTunes for a long time on my G4 iBook. Most of my library is imported from my CDs, however I have about 90 tracks that I have purchased from the iTunes Store. I recently realised that not all of the purchased tracks appear in the built in ‘Purchased’ list - which is a bit of a pain since I only backup purchased music. Is these something I can do to make these appear properly? The ones I have noticed, I have manually added to the ‘Purchased’ list. Does this mean that they’ll be included in a backup?

- Mark

If your primary concern is simply ensuring that your purchased tracks are backed up, and you are using iTunes’ built-in backup functionality (found under File, Back Up to Disc), then there’s no need to be concerned about the purchased playlist

iTunes’ built-in backup feature backs up purchased music on the basis of the file type, and doesn’t concern itself with the playlists that these tracks are contained in, so in this case all purchased music that is anywhere in your iTunes library will be backed up regardless of whether or not it appears in the “Purchased” playlist.

That having been said, the Purchased playlist is actually just a standard iTunes playlist with a special icon. You can add and remove tracks as with any other playlist, or even delete it outright. If you delete it, iTunes will simply re-create it automatically the next time you purchase music from the iTunes Store.

If you want to create a playlist that tracks all purchased music anywhere in your iTunes library, then the simplest solution is to use a Smart Playlist. Simply create a new Smart Playlist by using the File, New Smart Playlist menu option, and specify the criteria for “Kind” contains “Protected” OR “Kind” contains “Purchased” similar the following:

Ensure that you set the “Match” option to “Match any of the following rules” since you want this to be an either-or condition. It is necessary to search for both “Protected” and “Purchased” tracks since traditional iTunes tracks are listed as “Protected” whereas iTunes Plus tracks show up with a file type of “Purchased” instead.

I have one large playlist that has all the songs I want synced to my iPod Nano. I have another smaller playlist for running to which contains all the songs that are on the one large playlist. Is this unecessarily using up memory space on my iPod? If so, how can I create a sublist from the large playlist so I don’t duplicate songs and use up memory space?

- Kingsley

As long as you are using automatic synchronization of these selected playlist to your iPod, then the tracks will not be duplicated regardless of how many different playlists they are in, provided that only a single copy exists in the iTunes library itself. If you have duplicate entries in your main iTunes library, then these duplicates may transfer to the iPod as well, since as far as iTunes is concerned, they would be different tracks.

However, for the same track which simply appears in more than one playlist, iTunes recognizes that this track has already been synchronized to the iPod, and doesn’t synchronize it again. In this case, only the playlist entry is synchronized to the iPod, and it references the same track that is in your other playlist, in much the same way that this works in iTunes itself.

Note that if you are transferring content to your iPod manually via drag-and-drop, then copying a second playlist of the same tracks may result in the tracks being duplicated on the iPod. This has been corrected in more recent versions of iTunes, but can still occur under certain circumstances.

I recently restored my fourth-generation iPod using iTunes and now it shows a picture of an AC adapter and a wall socket. I bought an AC USB charger and plugged it in but nothing happened, so now I have an iPod that just shows that picture and can’t be used. What do I do now?

- Anthony

Until the very final set of color models, the fourth-generation iPods shipped with a FireWire-based AC adapter and cable. After completing a firmware restore or upgrade, the 4G iPod required connection to an AC based power source to complete the process. Despite the fact that these iPod models could charge over USB, for the purposes of a firmware restore they would only recognize a FireWire-based power source for this purpose. Note that FireWire and USB each supply different voltages and in fact connect to different pins in the Dock Connector port.

If you have access to the original AC adapter and FireWire cable that shipped with your iPod, simply connecting these should be sufficient to complete the firmware restore process. Failing this, you will need to find another FireWire power source to complete the process. This can be either an older iPod charger (most iPod chargers made prior to 2005 were FireWire-based), or simply an iPod FireWire cable and powered computer FireWire port, such as those found on any Mac and some desktop PCs (note that PC laptops which support FireWire frequently use a smaller unpowered 4-pin FireWire port).

If you live near an Apple Store, you could also try taking your iPod in to the Genius Bar and seeing if they can assist you, since many of them should still have iPod FireWire cables available.

Note that the final firmware update that was made available for the color-screened fourth-generation iPods (ie, iPod photo and iPod color) eliminated the need for a FireWire-based power source to complete a restore process, since these models began shipping with USB power adapters shortly before they were discontinued. As a result, if you are using a color-screened iPod, it would be a good idea to get this upgrade to the latest available firmware version to avoid running into this problem should you ever need to restore your iPod again in the future.

I frequently travel with my iPod classic. I keep my music on a removable drive which I don’t take on the road. If I sync the podcasts without the external drive plugged in, iTunes removes all my music. I’ve found that Winamp will manage the music just fine, but its interface with podcasts is a bit clunky. With no particular loyalty to iTunes or Winamp, what’s the best way out of this dilemma? I can’t be the first person to want to sync a podcast on the road.

- Chris

If you are using the same iTunes library database and simply disconnecting your external hard drive, there should not be any problem with your music being removed if you sync your iPod while the hard drive is disconnected. iTunes will not remove content from your iPod as long as it remains listed in your iTunes library database, regardless of whether the actual files can be found or not.

To make this work properly, you should leave your iTunes library database in its default location on your laptop’s hard drive (ie, your C: drive), and simply point your iTunes Music folder to the external hard drive under your iTunes Advanced preferences. When your external hard drive is disconnected, iTunes will show exclamation marks beside any tracks that are on the external hard drive, but syncing your iPod will not result in these tracks being removed from your iPod, since they are still listed in your iTunes library.

In fact, when your external hard drive is not available, iTunes will simply revert to the default iTunes Music folder location on your C: drive, so you can download podcasts, and even purchased tracks and import CDs while you’re travelling. When you return to your desk, simply connect the external hard drive and restart iTunes. The Music folder will revert back to the external hard drive location, and you can transfer any content that you downloaded or imported while on the road back to the external hard drive by using the Advanced, Consolidate Library option.

You can find more information on this in our iPod 201 article, Managing your iTunes Library on an External Hard Drive.

I uploaded photos onto my iPod classic from a folder on my iMac. However I cannot find a photo folder on my iPod into which the photos have been placed. They are obviously on the iPod as I am able to view them from the iPod itself, but when I open my iPod in iTunes, I cannot get to the photos because there is no photo folder in iTunes and the files are not visible. Why does my iPod not create a folder for the photos? how can I do this myself?

- Joy

Actually, you would not normally see a “Photos” folder on your iPod via iTunes itself. iTunes doesn’t really provide any way to manage or view your photos—it merely synchronizes them to your iPod from a specified folder.

To access the photos folder on your iPod, you need to select the option to “Enable Disk Use” for your iPod and access it through the Finder simply as an external hard drive. To do this, connect your iPod, and then select it in the source list on the left-hand side in iTunes, and choose “Enable Disk Use” from the “Summary” tab and click the “Apply” button.

You should then see your iPod appear in Finder as a removable drive. When you select it, you should see the “Photos” folder listed there:

Keep in mind that unless you have selected the option in iTunes to “Store Full Resolution photos” this folder will not contain any particularly useful information, since iTunes stores the images for viewing on your iPod in its own optimized format. Not only are these images inaccessible as normal photo files, but they have been resized into iPod-specific resolutions, which are generally much lower than the resolution of the original photos (the maximum resolution stored by the iPod is approximately 720x480). You can access these photo libraries using third-party software, but since the resolution is so low, you’re far better off to simply opt to store the full resolution photos from iTunes in the first place, in which case iTunes will make a copy of each original photo and store it in a “Full Resolution” folder under the “Photos” folder.

You can find more information on how this all works in our Complete Guide to Displaying Photos on iPod + iPhone.

I keep all my iTunes related libraries on external hard drives, meaning my music files and library index files are on one external drive and movies are on another external drive. These could be combined to a single external hard drive but neither can fit on the system drive. I have no problems with setting iTunes to see the music library but cannot get iTunes to recognize the movies on an external drive. What setting or understanding am I missing here?

- Scott

Storing media content in multiple locations in iTunes can be a bit complicated, since iTunes only allows you to specify a single iTunes Music folder, which is where it expects all of its content to live.

If you want to keep some content elsewhere, the simplest solution is to place that content where you want it to be located, and then turn OFF the option to “Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library” under your iTunes Advanced preferences. When you import content with this option disabled, iTunes will leave this content in its original location, and simply reference it from there, rather than making a copy in its own music folder.

The disadvantage to this process is that iTunes will not organize or manage this content, since it’s outside of its music folder. Therefore, if you change the tags for these tracks, they will not be automatically renamed, and if you delete them from your iTunes library, iTunes will not offer to delete the original files—you’ll have to go and clean those up yourself.

You’ll also need to be cautious about using the “Consolidate Library” option, since this will try to copy all of this external content into your iTunes Music folder location, which will presumably not have enough storage space to hold it all.

Note that if your content is already in your iTunes library and you want to do this, you will have to copy it out to the new location, delete it from your iTunes library, and then reimport it from the new location, with the “Copy Files…” option disabled.

If you’re using a Mac and are a more advanced user, another option is to create Unix-style symbolic links to certain sub-folders, or to create a mount point within your existing iTunes Music folder that connects the external drive within the files system (so for example, the folder /iTunes Music/Movies actually references the second hard drive directly). The mount point option can also be done on Windows with NTFS file systems. In either case, this is generally only recommended for more advanced users who have an understanding of the Unix or NTFS file systems, but it will effectively allow you to span your existing library across multiple drives by creating operating-system level links between those drives while iTunes still believes it’s dealing with a single music folder.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

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

See the rest of the Archives...

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

10-31-08: iPod charging accessory compatibility, Adding tracks to multiple albums, Removing pre-installed games, Transferring contacts from iPod touch to a second computer, iPod touch accessory compatibility, iPod synchronization to a new computer

10-24-08: Importing folders with M3U files, AV cables with 2008 iPods, Moving iTunes libraries between computers, Unknown albums after importing music, Newly added tracks don't show up on iPod

10-17-08: Backup up your iPod, iPods and viruses, Using an iPod on Mac and Windows, Managing photos on an iPod manually, Adding iTunes Shared Music to iPod, iPod video out

10-3-08: Displaying lyrics on iPod touch, Calculating playlist sizes, Transferring tracks to iPod in manual mode, Purchasing older iPod models, Using iPhone without phone service, Shuffle modes

9-26-08: iTunes HD TV episodes showing up twice, Shure MPA-3C and iPod touch, Synchronizing iPod to a new iTunes library, Problems updating iPhone applications, Managing iTunes media files on an external hard drive, Managing multiple iPods on one computer

9-19-08: Removing Genre column in iTunes 8, Syncing TV Shows by playlist, Recovering Mac-formatted iPod on Windows, Recovering photos from iPod, XtremeMac Luna X2, iPod flash memory capacity, Restoring older iPod models

9-12-08: Managing iPhone Backups, iPod disk mode and deleted items, iPod Plays only single tracks, iPhone and T9 predictive text, Copying ratings and play counts from iPod to computer, Automatically retrieving CD information and album artwork

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

8-8-08: iLounge Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Horwitz responds to reader questions on all things iLounge, including technical issues related to iPhone 3G, and behind-the-scenes editorial issues

8-1-08: iPhone Edition: Switching between apps, Car charging accessories, Activating older iPhone models, Sending MMS, App Store in wrong language, Excel and A2DP support

7-25-08: MobileMe on iPhone for Calendars only, Buying iPods for International use, Voice recorders for 4G iPods, Free Music for iPod, Problems transferring purchased content to iPod, Playing AAC files in Windows Media Player

7-18-08: Ask iLounge iPhone v2.0 Edition: Installing apps on multiple devices, Converting videos for iPhone 3G, Activating first-gen iPhones, Saved photos on iPod touch, Push e-mail support

7-4-08: Recovering a corrupt iPod, Hard cases for iPhone, Reimporting CDs into iTunes, iPod shows only Other content, Managing multiple audio formats in iTunes, Optimum iPod video output cables

6-27-08: Creating Smart Playlists for Purchased items, Keeping place in multi-track audiobooks, Backing up iTunes before a reformat, iPod Games on 5G and classic, Editing CD tracks before import, Getting Album Artwork automatically

6-20-08: Third-party iPod management tools, Transferring large files on iPod, Shuffling On-The-Go Playlists, Removing played podcasts from iPod, Continuously playing one track, Moving iTunes from PC to Mac

6-13-08: Artists not appearing on iPod, Unchecked items do not play in iTunes, iTunes shows incorrect CD track information, Podcast support on older iPod models, Upgrading to a new iPod, Photo albums on iPod touch

6-6-08: Downloading YouTube videos onto iPod, Selling old iPod models, Fit iTunes Window to Screen, Handing down an iPod, Dock Compatible iPod cases, Problems transferring music from iPod to Mac

5-30-08: Burning iTunes purchases to an MP3 CD, Playing iPhone via computer, Pre-loading a gift iPod on another computer, Music Video playlists on Apple TV, Music videos on 2G iPod nano, Importing existing MP3 and WMA files into iTunes.

5-23-08: Finding and backing up purchased music, Syncing duplicate tracks to iPod, Restoring 4G iPod and AC power, Syncing iPod to a laptop when travelling, Finding photos on iPod, Storing a large iTunes library in multiple folders

5-16-08: Using the iPhone with integrated in-car Bluetooth, Problems with iPods and depleted batteries, Transferring content to a new iPod, iPod displays audio but no video, Removing photos and album artwork from iTunes, Overdrive Media and iPods

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

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

Next: Free Music for Your iPod or iPhone

Previous: Ask iLounge 5-16-08

Comments

1

I had my ipod nano on the counter and as I walked away it fell, but did not hit the floor because it was conected to my earphone which I was still wearing.

However, it stopped functioning (from the jolt?). All I see is the backlight, and I get no sound or any visual.

What are my options, besides tossing it?

Posted by Jim on May 25, 2008 at 11:46 AM (PDT)

2

I had the same issue as Chris. I wanted to be able to sync my iPod with my laptop while away from the external drive. iLounge’s external drive instructions article worked like a charm, except for one problem.

In my case, for some reason, the iTunes Music Folder didn’t automatically revert back to the external hard drive. When I tried to consolidate the library (to move a podcast and a ripped CD to the external drive), iTunes immediately began giving me alerts about items in my library that couldn’t be found in the laptop’s iTunes Music Folder.

Moral of the story: always double-check to make sure you have the correct location of the iTunes Music Folder set before clicking on ‘consolidate library’.

Posted by fondy442 on May 25, 2008 at 1:27 PM (PDT)

3

i just got my ipod a few weeks ago and it is not letting me sync movies onto it but it will let me sync my songs?

Posted by nikkie on May 26, 2008 at 5:40 AM (PDT)

4

Hi,

Are there any rumors of a new Ipod nano coming out?

Thanks,

Breta

Posted by Breta on May 28, 2008 at 10:18 AM (PDT)

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