Ask iLounge 6-21-07

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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:

How do I set up a playlist of Podcasts? I want to listen to certain Podcasts before I consider others I have downloaded. I don’t want to create a new playlist each day of individual podcasts episodes, I simply want to say “if Coverville episodes are present play first, if ESPN PTI episodes are present play those second, etc’

- Rand

This is certainly possible through the use of iTunes’ smart playlists feature, and there are various options available depending on exactly what you’re trying to accomplish.

A smart playlist similar to the following should be enough to get you on the right track:

The option for Podcast is true will ensure that only tracks that are actually podcasts will be selected. Play Count filters out those podcasts that you have already listened to, and Date Added limits your smart playlist to include only podcasts added within a certain time frame.

The Limit option is also useful in this context, and can be used to select only a certain number of podcasts, grouping them by criteria such as Album name (the Podcast series is normally stored in the “Album” field in each track), or by other criteria such as “Date Added” which would allow you to limit your smart playlist to either only your oldest or newest unlistened podcast episodes.

Once the smart playlist has been created, you can then choose a sort order for it by clicking on the appropriate column headings in iTunes, which may help to group your podcasts into a more appropriate order based on your listening priority.

For more complicated needs, a series of nested smart playlists can also be used. In this case, individual playlists or smart playlists could be configured to contain individual podcast subscriptions, for example, and then a single master smart playlist would be used to aggregate the content of the individual smart playlists, using the Playlist is… criteria. This is generally the only way to accomplish more complicated nested “AND/OR” conditions when building playlists with more complex criteria.

One other point that should be noted: If you’re using a recent-model iPod, such as the 5G with v1.2 firmware or the 2G Shuffle, your podcasts will only play through sequentially if you have the shuffle mode turned OFF on your iPod, due to changes in the more recent firmware versions. Since all podcast episodes are set to “Skip when Shuffling” by default, if the iPod’s shuffle mode is enabled, selecting a playlist of podcasts will only play a single episode and then stop. The iPod’s shuffle setting can be enabled or disabled from within the Settings menu on the iPod.

Gracenote CDDB is not recognizing the two different disks of a two-disc set. When I insert the CD into iTunes, Gracenote lists the tracks from disc 2 for both discs. In other words it will not import Disc 1 with the correct tracks and this is making me crazy as I want Disc 1 in my laptop and in my iPod. Please help me override Gracenote somehow!

- Steve

Much of the information in the Gracenote CD Database (CDDB) is based on user submissions, and unfortunately this means that the information in Gracenote’s database is not always accurate.

The good news, however, is that you can edit the track information for any given CD yourself prior to importing it into iTunes. This is done in much the same way that you would edit track information for a track you’ve already imported: Once you’ve inserted the CD that you wish to import, simply go to the listing of tracks by selecting the CD from the iTunes source list, and edit each track by selecting the track you wish to edit, and choosing File, Get Info, or right-clicking on the track in question and choosing Get Info from the context menu.

In the track info properties, simply enter the correct information for each particular track. Note that you can also use the Next and Previous buttons to move through the listed CD tracks in order so that you can correct the information for each one. An even faster way to do this is to simply use CTRL-N/CTRL-P (on Windows) or CMD-N/CMD-P (on a Mac) as the keyboard shortcuts to the Next and Previous buttons, respectively.

If there are properties such as artist, genre, or album name that you want to change for several tracks at once, you can edit multiple CD tracks as well simply by selecting multiple tracks before choosing the Get Info option.

As an added bonus, once you’ve updated this information, iTunes will store it in your database, so if you ever insert this CD again in the future, iTunes should remember the changes you’ve made and display the track information correctly.

After you’ve entered the correct information for your CD, you can also share this with the rest of the world by uploading it back to the Gracenote database. To do this, simply choose Submit CD Track Names from the Advanced menu in iTunes. This will upload your information to the Gracenote database, submitting it for review by Gracenote’s editorial staff to help correct and update their database.

I have already used 4 of my 5 computer authorizations available to me. How do I deauthorize a computer I no longer have access to? I read someone else’s query about the same matter in a previous article, and your response indicated that I could go to the Music Store and select “Deauthorize All” from my account settings page, but I cannot seem to do this, as the “Deauthorize All” button does not appear for me.

- Shauna

The “Deauthorize All” button will only appear in your iTunes Store account settings once you have actually reached your five-computer limit for authorizations. The primary purpose of this function is to allow you to reset your authorization count in the event that you cannot authorize any additional computers due to having reached your limit. Prior to reaching this limit you therefore wouldn’t have a need to deauthorize any other computers as long as you still have authorizations remaining.

Note as well that you can only use the “Deauthorize All” option once per year. If you have already used the option within the past year, the button will still appear (providing you have reached your five-computer limit), but attempts to select this option will result in a dialog box advising you of this and on what date you will be able to use the deauthorization option again.

While it is always a good practice to deauthorize any computers you will no longer be using (in addition to removing your iTunes library and any other personal data from them), forgetting to do this for an inaccessible computer does not put any of your personal data or iTunes account information at risk. Even on an authorized computer, iTunes requires entry of your iTunes Store user name and password in order to perform any iTunes Store transactions, such as purchasing new content and viewing or updating your iTunes Store account information. A computer left authorized will be able to do no more than play any existing tracks that have been previously purchased with your account and are still stored on that particular computer.

Further, the “Deauthorize All” option in the iTunes Store will not proactively force deauthorization of any remote computers—rather it just resets the authorization counts in your iTunes Store profile and invalidates all keys previously issued for those computers. The authorization keys are not removed from the remote computer itself until it reconnects to your iTunes Store account to download new content.

If you are still concerned about iTunes Store authorization keys being stored on a computer that you no longer have access to, you can always contact the iTunes Store Customer Support team, explain the situation to them, and ask them to manually reset your authorizations.

I recently needed to restore my iPod by connecting to iTunes and doing a Restore. During the restore, all my stored music was erased from the iPod. When i went to transfer my playlists from my iTunes library back to the iPod, the songs I had purchased from the iTunes Store would not load. All other playlists loaded normally. How do I load these iTunes purchased songs onto my iPod?

- Dennis

The most common cause of purchased tracks not transferring from your iTunes library to your iPod is your computer either not being authorized to play these tracks, or the authorization keys having become invalidated or out-of-date somehow.

You can reauthorize these tracks either by selecting Authorize Computer from the iTunes Store menu in iTunes 7, or simply trying to play one of your purchased tracks in iTunes itself. In either case, you should be prompted for your iTunes Store userid and password. Once you enter this information, the necessary authorization keys should be downloaded from the iTunes Store and your music should sync properly to your iPod.

How do I transfer pictures on my iPod that aren’t from my computer to my own PC?

- Jen

Depending on where these pictures came from, and what options were selected when they were synchronized to the iPod, there are a couple of ways to do this.

The simplest and best way is if the Store Full Resolution Photos option was selected when these photos were originally transferred to the iPod. If this is the case, then a full-resolution copy of each picture will have been stored on the iPod alongside the converted ones for iPod display. You can access the full-resolution copies by going to your iPod in “Disk Mode” (via Windows Explorer or Finder) and looking in the \Photos\Full Resolution folder. Your pictures will be organized into sub-folders by Year, Month, and Day.

To access your iPod in Disk Mode, simply ensure that the “Enable disk use” option is select in the iPod “Summary” tab (in iTunes). This will cause your iPod to remain connected after a synchronization finishes, and you should be able to find it listed in Windows Explorer or Finder (Mac). From there you can just browse to it as you would to any other hard disk.

If the “Full Resolution” folder does not exist, then the “Store Full Resolution Photos” option was not selected, and the only versions of the photos you will have to work with are the re-sized versions that were created by iTunes for iPod display.

These images are stored in a proprietary file format, and are converted by iTunes during synchronization to resolutions appropriate for each model of iPod. Although there are third-party tools available to convert these back to normal JPG files, you may find that it’s not worth the effort of recovering them, since the resolutions could be considerably lower than the original images.

In the case of the fourth-generation color iPod (or “iPod photo”) and the fifth-generation iPod, the largest resolution stored for each image is approximately 720x480 image, suitable for on-screen television viewing. This equates to a 0.4 megapixel image, and will likely be considerably lower in resolution than the original photos, but could still be acceptable if there is no other alternative.

The iPod nano, on the other hand, does not support any form of TV output, and therefore does not store any images in a resolution higher than that of the iPod nano screen—176x132, basically thumbnail size (or 0.023 MP in digital camera terms). In this case, it is probably not at all worth the effort of trying to transfer these images back unless they are the only copies that you have remaining.

If you do not have the full-resolution copies stored, and you still want to attempt to transfer the smaller-resolution files back to your computer, there are a few utilities out there that can accomplish this. For Windows, XPlay Photo Browser (free, available on VersionTracker) will work with older model iPods such as the 4G iPod photo, and for newer iPod models, Tansee iPod Transfer Photo ($20, http://www.tansee.com ) is another possibility. Mac users should look at Keith’s iPod Photo Reader (free, http://www.cs.unm.edu/~kwiley/software/keithsIPodPhotoReader.html ) for older model iPods, or FileJuicer ($15, http://echoone.com/filejuicer/ ).

More comprehensive information on iPod photo storage and the various resolutions and image formats used by the iPod can be found in our iLounge Discussion Forums in the thread titled Photo Storage on the iPod - The Gory Details.

How do I delete a playlist and/or On-The-Go playlist from my iPod after I’m done listening to it? I deleted all of my playlists on iTunes but it wont sync correctly and I can’t delete it from the iPod itself. How do i do this? I’m mainly worried about the On-The-Go playlist.

- Justin

You can’t actually delete the On-The-Go playlist itself, however you can clear out the content of it prior to syncing with iTunes.

Normally, if you add any tracks to the On-The-Go playlist, they will remain stored until you sync your iPod with your iTunes library, at which point the content of the On-The-Go playlist will be transferred back to your iTunes library, with a name of “On-The-Go” following by a sequence number. Once the On-The-Go playlist has been transferred back to your iTunes library, it becomes a new standard playlist, and will be synchronized back to your iPod as any other playlist would. The content of the built-in On-The-Go playlist on the iPod will be cleared, preparing it for the next time you want to queue up additional tracks.

To delete the On-The-Go playlist that is created in the iTunes library, it’s simply a matter of selecting it and deleting it as you would any other playlist. This will also remove the corresponding playlist from the iPod itself. The built-in On-The-Go playlist cannot be removed from the iPod however, but it should be empty following a successful synchronization with your iTunes library.

If you want to prevent your On-The-Go playlist from syncing back to iTunes, the solution is to simply clear it prior to connecting your iPod to your computer. To do this, simply select the On-The-Go playlist from your iPod “Playlists” menu, and scroll down to the bottom until you see the “Clear Playlist” option. Select this and all of the tracks in your On-The-Go playlist will be removed. This will prevent an On-The-Go playlist from being created in iTunes when you sync your iPod.

Help!!! There are a handful of songs on my iPod that I can only locate if I search for them by song title, not by artist. I’ve checked the tags, and they look fine. Does anyone know how I can fix this?

- Henry

The most common cause of this problem is tracks that are set as “Part of a Compilation” within the iTunes track properties. As discussed in last week’s column, the “Compilation” flag can be used to filter out certain artists from being listed on the “Artist” menu on the iPod and in iTunes. By extension, if only some of the tracks by a particular artist are set to “Part of a Compilation,” then the artist name will still appear on the “Artist” menu, but tracks flagged as “Part of a Compilation” will not be listed under that particular artist. Instead they will be listed under their specific album name, accessible via the “Albums” or “Compilations” menu options.

The fastest way to check this is to turn OFF the Compilations setting on the iPod itself, which can be found under the Settings menu. This will cause the iPod to ignore the “Part of a Compilation” flag, removing the Compilation menu from the Music section, and causing all tracks to be listed properly under their artists. If turning this setting OFF on the iPod solves the problem, then you can go back into iTunes and ensure that the “Part of a Compilation” setting is UNchecked for those particular tracks. See last week’s column for more details on how this setting works and how to change it.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

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

See the rest of the Archives...

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

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

Next: Total iPhone 2-Year Costs: Charts & Details

Previous: YouTube on Apple TV: Our Thoughts, and Yours

Comments

1

I’ve been trying to find a way to convert already-downloaded podcasts to a lower bit-rate, so that I can put more of them on my 2 gig Nano.

When I follow the usual iTunes procedure: go to Preferences, select ‘Advanced,’ then .mp3 ‘custom’ settings - then select the particular podcast I want to convert, and go to Advanced and select ‘convert selection to .mp3…’

The conversion APPEARS to take place: the little orange ball-thingy that indicates conversion shows up, and after a while I hear the cute ‘lil iTunes twinkle that announces completion of a task…

But when I search for the converted file - NADA! Can’t find it anywhere.

Searching iTunes help was no help either.

Is it impossible to convert podcasts? I can’t imagine why, since they reside on my HD…

Thanks,

Sandy Mitchell

Posted by SandyMac on June 22, 2007 at 9:26 AM (PDT)

2

I have had my IPod Nano for about 5 months. Have about 100 songs on it. Used it this weekend, needed to be charged, put the charger on it and it said “charging”, left and came back about five hours later and the screen was black, all done charging.
I went to turn it on and nothing happened, no change from a balnk black screen. Checked the “hold” button, not orange…not on.
Tried holding the “menu” button and the “on” button down at the same time for a minute or two, nothing happened. Tried an hour later, IPod went on but screen light grey and blank. No menus items, no lists, nothing just a grey “on” screen. Tried the earbuds, music plays, I can skip to songs, but cannot see anything on the screen. How do I retrieve my playlists, songs, artists, etc., anything on the screen?
Thanks!
Jan

Posted by JMD5 on June 25, 2007 at 8:42 AM (PDT)

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