[underground]

I can't get on with itunes - as a way of getting music onto my shuffle off the PC, not as a player.

Does it have to create it's own music library and hence create a set of duplicate files? Maybe I just need to mess about with it more but it seems shit.

Anyone use any replacements for itunes that do the same stuff to the ipod but better?

[unclesomebody]

Well, winamp supports full ipod integration, so you could give that a try. I detest itunes with a passion and have used winamp for years. You can also use foobar but this isn't easy to set up, so I would stay away unless you want to invest many hours making it look and work as you would like.

Other than that there is retail software like anapod explorer which you are expected to pay money for, if you are that way inclined. There is also a freeware utility which is a small exe file that lives on your shuffle. You just drag and drop music onto the shuffle (as you would any USB stick) then run this small program and it creates the necessary database structure for your shuffle. This doesn't work with any other ipods. I can't remember the name, but I'll find a link for you.

Hope that helps.

[underground]

Well, winamp supports full ipod integration, so you could give that a try. I detest itunes with a passion and have used winamp for years. You can also use foobar but this isn't easy to set up, so I would stay away unless you want to invest many hours making it look and work as you would like.

Other than that there is retail software like anapod explorer which you are expected to pay money for, if you are that way inclined. There is also a freeware utility which is a small exe file that lives on your shuffle. You just drag and drop music onto the shuffle (as you would any USB stick) then run this small program and it creates the necessary database structure for your shuffle. This doesn't work with any other ipods. I can't remember the name, but I'll find a link for you.

Hope that helps.

Wicked, that certainly does help - the freeware would be ace if you could discover the name, just the job.

When i upgrade to a 'proper' one, I'll investigate the other options - just started using foobar after I got a bit tired of winamp bloating up, but may revisit...

This is something i happened upon just now http://www.poddox.com/

[unclesomebody]

So, get yourself to http://shuffle-db.sourceforge.net/

Or, just go straight to the download page http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=136446

It's pretty straightforward. Good luck.

[dobbin]

Winamp is a great thing imho. However, if any of you bought an ipod touch or a jesus phone, then it doesnt support them yet. Apple have changed the device class and you can no longer write to the file system. Cheers apple.

[slackline]

Apple's iWhatever range are very pretty, simple to use and do just work, but all the DRM crap makes them about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Fortunately there are plenty of alternatives on the market and I'm not worried about looks as long as it works.

[underground]

Apple's iWhatever range are very pretty, simple to use and do just work, but all the DRM crap makes them about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Fortunately there are plenty of alternatives on the market and I'm not worried about looks as long as it works.

Any suggestions as to options these days? I was looking at an 80Gb classic.

What's DRM and why does it render the device useless?

(sorry for the dumb questions)....

[unclesomebody]

I've got an ipod classic 160gb and it works just fine with Winamp. I don't use the calendar functions, or watch films on my ipod, I use it solely for music. Since my music collection contains a lot of flac files, winamp transcodes those tracks to lame mp3 when I choose to put them on my ipod. It does this all automatically once you've set up your preferences, and I find it works perfectly. The album art works, and winamp can also auto tag your music. If you want to start using the other features of your ipod classic then winamp might not do it, but as I say, I only use it for music (or as an external hard drive when moving around big files!).

[rc]

No idea about compatibility with iPod but I've been using MediaMonkey for a year or so and it works fine.
It is free, and has a very quick/easy tagging interface (whereas before I'd have to go to MP3Tag or something to sort out messed up track names/artwork etc).
Comparison of wmp winamp itunes MM here

[slackline]

Any suggestions as to options these days? I was looking at an 80Gb classic.

What's DRM and why does it render the device useless?

(sorry for the dumb questions)....

DRM == Digital Rights Management

Personally I plumped for an COWON iAudio XL5 a couple of years ago and its been a delight.  Plugs in and is recognised as a USB hard-drive straight away under any M$-windows and GNU/Linux.  Its got a built in radio and microphone both of which you can record from on the fly (haven't actually bothered trying the microphone yet as I've not needed to so can't comment on the quality, but records fine from the radio if your not moving around and altering signal strength).  Plays videos that have been suitably converted (free software out there for the OS I use), but this is a feature I won't bother with in future when I replace it.  Also allows you to store and read text files, which is handy but tedious to read things when I was grabbing free text books from Project Gutenberg.  Decent sound quality, and excellent graphic equaliser.

The one down side to it is that you have to organise your playlists outside of the unit, but I rarely bother with playlists myself so its not much hassle.  Oh and it doesn't do the whole genre/artist way of organising things, but I know what I've got on it and where it is.

Haven't used anything else (bar wife's iPod nano) so I'm not qualified to speak on the merits/downside to anything else.

[Bubba]

I used Anapod Explorer for a while and it was fine as a straight up iTunes alternative.

But really I think the best thing I ever did was install Rockbox on the iPod. You don't need to replace the Apple shiteware, the two can run co-exist. You can just drag drop your files onto the iPod and navigate to them via an Apple-like tag driven system, or via a folder structure, which is what i prefer.

The other main advantages of Rockbox for me are that it supports many other formats such as .flac and has fault free gapless playback which is great for mixes.

[slackline]

Personally I plumped for an COWON iAudio XL5 a couple of years ago and its been a delight....

Forgot to mention it also acts as a USB host so I can plug my camera in and copy pictures onto it when the SD card is full and I'm away traveling. 

[underground]

Thanks to all for your replies - shuffle_db has been brilliant and really easy to use - so the shuffle is being a bit more enjoyable than it was at the moment and I'm continuing to load it up with stuff I rarely listen to because I just choose other stuff over it, and some gems are cropping up. Pain not really knowing what they are due to lack of screen though...

Rockbox looks good but won't work with a Classic, so it would seem, but I've a while to do some research on ipod options and their alternatives....

[underground]

I just took delivery of a new 120Gb classic, and have already read about the perils of upgrading the firmware to 1.2 / 1.3.

Otherwise, I believe i must install itunes to amend the settings for 'enable disk use' and 'start itunes when connected', in order to use winamp instead.

are there any other tips or things I should know before i take it home and start messing?

[slackline]

I just took delivery of a new 120Gb classic, and have already read about the perils of upgrading the firmware to 1.2 / 1.3.

Otherwise, I believe i must install itunes to amend the settings for 'enable disk use' and 'start itunes when connected', in order to use winamp instead.

are there any other tips or things I should know before i take it home and start messing?

Its clearly not the be-all and end-all, since there are plenty of other mp3 stores/options, but you might want to hold onto your receipt.

[underground]

I just took delivery of a new 120Gb classic, and have already read about the perils of upgrading the firmware to 1.2 / 1.3.

Otherwise, I believe i must install itunes to amend the settings for 'enable disk use' and 'start itunes when connected', in order to use winamp instead.

are there any other tips or things I should know before i take it home and start messing?

Its clearly not the be-all and end-all, since there are plenty of other mp3 stores/options, but you might want to hold onto your receipt.

Ah yeah, no fuck that, I had no intention of using the itunes store, it's just that the tutorial I read said that I'd need to use the software to make the initial setup changes to enable winamp management....

[Bubba]

As an aside, Rockbox have just released v3.0, three years after the previous full release. It's great.

I know I keep banging on about Rockbox but it's a freaking great alternative to yer Apple iPod firmware.

[underground]

Well, I ended up using itunes 8 in the end. Because not all my files are tagged that well, trying to use the winamp library is a right pain. And things like mp3tag don't come back with decent results. Mediamonkey used to but doesn't seem great now. Bah.

[underground]

Humph. Getting to grips with this ipod bizniz now, and working out how to use the Godfather etc.

Now I'm beginning to realise that the volume is quite limited on this version of the classic, from what the Google tells me it's an EU thing, but as the firmware is encrypted, it can't be fixed.... some flipping good when it's not possible to drown out traffic noise even with earbuds....

[Bubba]

Use Rockbox and there's no volume limit

[underground]

Use Rockbox and there's no volume limit

Tis a Classic bubbs, the Rockbox won't work cos it's got encrypted software inside 

[Paul B]

Humph. Getting to grips with this ipod bizniz now, and working out how to use the Godfather etc.

Now I'm beginning to realise that the volume is quite limited on this version of the classic, from what the Google tells me it's an EU thing, but as the firmware is encrypted, it can't be fixed.... some flipping good when it's not possible to drown out traffic noise even with earbuds....

yup i've got the same problem with mine. Some senheissers improved things a bit but not enough. H & S cr*p 

[underground]

Humph. Getting to grips with this ipod bizniz now, and working out how to use the Godfather etc.

Now I'm beginning to realise that the volume is quite limited on this version of the classic, from what the Google tells me it's an EU thing, but as the firmware is encrypted, it can't be fixed.... some flipping good when it's not possible to drown out traffic noise even with earbuds....

yup i've got the same problem with mine. Some senheissers improved things a bit but not enough. H & S cr*p 

Rubbish int it - my CX300 blocks a bit, but the JBL Reference ones are still like listening to a free radio from the petrol station. Disappointing.

[slackline]

Use Rockbox and there's no volume limit

Tis a Classic bubbs, the Rockbox won't work cos it's got encrypted software inside 

  Another great reason to avoid Apple and M$ who are both proponents of closed source software and DRM (although DRM is thankfully loosing support) which ultimately only server to cripple the options to the paying end user.

Give it time and someone will reverse engineer things to get Rockbox working on your iPod (eventually).

[Bubba]

It's always the same - Apple kit looks nice but's overrated.

[Paul B]

I have to say I felt the new Nano (i think it was the Nano) the other day and was very underwhelmed, sharp edged, dodgy hold button. Blargh.

[Jim]

It's always the same - Apple kit looks nice but's overrated.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Anyone watch the Gadget show just now? I only caught the last few minutes. What was the alternative to iTunes they recommended?

[slackline]

Anyone watch the Gadget show just now? I only caught the last few minutes. What was the alternative to iTunes they recommended?

If its the one on Channel Five.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Anyone watch the Gadget show just now? I only caught the last few minutes. What was the alternative to iTunes they recommended?

If its the one on Channel Five.

Yeah I know but last nights is not online yet, I was just looking for a quick answer.