Though Apple lets you know how many iTunes Store-downloaded songs can fit on each iPod, readers often ask us how many songs from their existing library can be squeezed onto a given iPod hard drive or flash memory chipset. In this week’s Ask iLounge column, we answered that question by debuting the iPod Storage Calculator, a new tool that lets you quickly estimate how many compressed audio files of various types will fit in any current or past iPod’s storage capacity.
Though Apple lets you know how many iTunes Store-downloaded songs can fit on each iPod, readers often ask us how many songs from their existing library can be squeezed onto a given iPod hard drive or flash memory chipset. In this week’s Most people will find that their existing collections consist of songs compressed at bitrates ranging from 96 to 192 kbps, so we’ve provided automatic calculations for each major bitrate in that range. A handful of listeners will have larger, less compressed files ranging up to 320 kbps, and we’ve included calculations for those bitrates, too. If you’re a really hard-core audiophile, you may insist on Lossless-formatted files – if so, you can use the custom calculation field to make a best guess, or the Lossless field that’s set to an average rate of 850 kbps.
We hope you find the new Storage Calculator useful. As always, your comments are appreciated.
18 comments
what about us 6GB mini owners?
-Brian
what about us 6GB mini owners?
-Brian
This seems like it should be a Dashboard widget.
Nice little use of JavaScript, but now that iPods can do so much more than songs, isn’t a calculator for song capacity a little limiting. Also, trying to figure out my average song length is fairly challenging. I have songs ranging from 30 sec clips off marching band CDs from audio podcasts running over one hour.
This is a great – and long overdue – addition to the site. I remember spending quite a while calculating out storage space amongst iPods before I bought my 40 GB 4th Gen back in 2004. It’s nice to know I won’t have to engage in that task again when I decide to reup (full touchscreen video iPod, here I come!) . . .
This seems like it should be a Dashboard widget.
Run it on iPod on.the.road should be great… or fun…
Modifying this tool so the user can check how many songs can fit into xxx MB of remaining space would make this calculator even more useful. Could you allow the user to input the remaining disk space and have a setting which leaves “iPod Size” a free-floating variable? Even an iPod size setting that corresponds to an exact 1 GB of available space (not 0.93 GB of approx. useful disk space) would make this calculation easier. Thanks!
This little tool is great! I’ve always wanted to know an iPod’s capacity in hours, and now I can easily determine that by setting the ‘average song duration’ to 60 minutes. Great work, iLounge!
Nice little use of JavaScript, but now that iPods can do so much more than songs, isn’t a calculator for song capacity a little limiting. Also, trying to figure out my average song length is fairly challenging. I have songs ranging from 30 sec clips off marching band CDs from audio podcasts running over one hour.
This is a great – and long overdue – addition to the site. I remember spending quite a while calculating out storage space amongst iPods before I bought my 40 GB 4th Gen back in 2004. It’s nice to know I won’t have to engage in that task again when I decide to reup (full touchscreen video iPod, here I come!) . . .
Run it on iPod on.the.road should be great… or fun…
Modifying this tool so the user can check how many songs can fit into xxx MB of remaining space would make this calculator even more useful. Could you allow the user to input the remaining disk space and have a setting which leaves “iPod Size” a free-floating variable? Even an iPod size setting that corresponds to an exact 1 GB of available space (not 0.93 GB of approx. useful disk space) would make this calculation easier. Thanks!
This little tool is great! I’ve always wanted to know an iPod’s capacity in hours, and now I can easily determine that by setting the ‘average song duration’ to 60 minutes. Great work, iLounge!
ok….so, now how do you find the average length of ALL your songs when you have a +1000 song library??
ok….so, now how do you find the average length of ALL your songs when you have a +1000 song library??
“how do you find the average length of ALL your songs when you have a +1000 song library”
Divide the total playtime that iTunes notes at the bottom on your library (1 day = 1440 minutes) by the total number of songs. There’s your average song length.
“how do you find the average length of ALL your songs when you have a +1000 song library”
Divide the total playtime that iTunes notes at the bottom on your library (1 day = 1440 minutes) by the total number of songs. There’s your average song length.