iPod Shuffle

[G0DESS]

Sorry, I couldn't find the Ipod thread. I am STILL the only person with out an iPod I swear. I feel old. Gawd... Anyway. Can you guys clarify: Do I have to purchase my music through itunes? I dL my music through another source and I already have about 4500 songs and Chalupa was told by a guy that we had to purchase the songs through itunes in order to dl into the ipod. Is this true??? I want the Shuffle.


G

[tyrantisius]

Don't have an iPod and never will.

Apple sucks, get something better/more reliable.

[grayfox7]

No, you don't need to purchase anything from the iTunes store.

[G0DESS]

So I will be able to just upload from a 3rd party?

[doom3x]

My understanding of things is a bit hazy as far as the jargon is concerned, but Apple has proprietary rights ONLY for songs you buy through them. Let's say you've got those 4500 songs downloaded through other legitimate (or in my case less than legitimate sources). As long as they're in a regularly recognizable format (MP3, etc), the Ipod should have no problem playing them. If they're not, iTunes has a conversion feature, as do many other commercially available music players. The trick is that if at any time you DO actually buy a song from iTunes...you can't put that on a non-Apple music player. Clear? Anything you already have should play on an Apple product, or any other product in the right format, but anything you buy FROM APPLE itself will not play on something that isn't an Apple product.

I'm fairly sure everything I just said is accurate...anyone who knows more can feel free to correct or add to that. I've got about 30,000 songs and I've never had any trouble playing them with iTunes or adding them to an iPod. Occasionally I have to convert them from another format (.wav files, for example), but otherwise, perfectly fine. I've got one of the new nanos by the way...beautiful little thing. Also, Tyrant, bite your tongue. Apple's DRM may suck the big one, but their user interface, at least as far as their music products are concerned, is pretty damn good.

PS-The method you'd use G, is that once you have the iPod, and you've got all the songs on your computer in one place, you'll have iTunes "Add folder" (whichever folder your music in) to your library. It'll import every file that's in a readable format into iTunes. Then you simply create a "New playlist" from the File menu, and right click whichever songs you want to add to the playlist. After that, you're good to go. Whoever told Chal they had to be iTunes downloaded files was misinformed...

[LostPeon™]

What Doom said basically sums it up.

It's easiest to use the iTunes application to "sync" your music with your iPod. However, you are not required to purchase music from the iTunes store. On a related note, if you've purchased music online at other locations, these songs may have digital protection that make them "locked" and incompatible with iTunes and/or your iPod directly. Often, you can only play these songs on a specific music player, such as Windows Media or Real Player. What you can do if you can't play these songs on iTunes or your iPod, is burn them to an audio CD and then re-import the music back to your computer as a regular mp3 file that can be played virtually anywhere.

If you've only got music that you've burned on your computer directly from CDs, then you've got no worries and they're most likely mp3 format, which is 100% compatible with any iPod.

Again, it's most likely easiest to load your music from your computer to your iPod via iTunes. It is possible other ways or using other programs, but it can be a hassle.

[boozledorf]

tyrantisius said:

Don't have an iPod and never will.

Apple sucks, get something better/more reliable.

Lies! Apple is SO much more reliable than doors...I mean windows...

[G0DESS]

Doors? LOL! Booz you're so goofy! OK OK I'll get it already! I wanted the shuffle because it's so cute tiny and I can just attach it to my sports bra while working out. Question- Can I put the shuffle into one of those speaker things (sorry I don't know what they are called lol). I don't think I can. If not, how about the Nano?

G

[♦Whot♦]

g0dess said:

Doors? LOL! Booz you're so goofy! OK OK I'll get it already! I wanted the shuffle because it's so cute tiny and I can just attach it to my sports bra while working out. Question- Can I put the shuffle into one of those speaker things (sorry I don't know what they are called lol). I don't think I can. If not, how about the Nano?

G

...headphones? earphones? stereo?

Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure all iPods can.

[doom3x]

I think what G is talking about, Whot, is the iHome stereo systems that Best Buy and Apple stores sell that feature little docking ports for iPod players. As far as I can tell just by looking at display models G, they do *not* have a spot for the shuffle to be hooked up. I could be wrong about that, since I'm not familiar with how the Shuffle is hooked up to things, but the port they use is the same as the nano/regular iPods use to hook up to your computer. The standard white, ubiquitous Apple USB cord is what I'm talking about. If you're unsure, ask at a local Apple store or in a Best Buy if they can hook Shuffles up. It might even say on the box, but my gut says they don't. I know Nanos can be hooked into the Apple home stereo systems though.

[boozledorf]

Yeah, Doom, I think that they do work like that. I can't be sure, though, as I've only known 1 person who had a shuffle, and I didn't try plugging it into the iHome.

About something you said earlier, converting file formats: Would it be possible to format a .midi file in such a way that I can put it on my iPod? I have the Zelda theme music (which, admittedly is just 30 seconds long, but I want it nonetheless) and Around the World, by Daft Punk (which, the exact opposite, is about 8 minutes long), but they're both midi files, and I can't put midi files on my iPod. iTunes (or is it ITunes if it's the first word in a sentence?) can play them fine, but my iPod doesn't support them.

[Cryme Tyme]

The shuffle doesn't have the same attachment as the other iPods do so no. But I have an iHome

[dxlightning]

iPods are nice; they're strong, so they'd be perfect for working out because you wouldn't have to be freaking out about whether you'll drop them, they're reliable because they've got an amazing warranty, and they're pretty conveniently sized.

However for ease of file transfer, I'd still suggest a Creative Zen Vision: M 30 or 60 gig. I use one now, and it's literally drag and drop in my windows explorer.

For money's sake, the Shuffle is always a good choice. Just remember, though, that this means you can't choose your music. You just have to go with what it has on there. It will group them together sometimes but you'd have to memorize your playlist to have much control over your songs.

[Cryme Tyme]

Okay:
1) I just put my iPod on shuffle and listen to w/e song comes up
2) If you just select the manually manage music option, then you can just drag and drop with the iPod

[Clucky!!!!!sdf]

you could always get the new nano, which is about the same size as a shuffle, and use a jogging iPod wristband..