Yea, but keeping the music as mp3 on the computer is part I hate. I have 130g ipod video and a 60g hard drive. So I don't want to store mp3's on the computer, but I don't want to lose them. MY last mp3 player was a true mp3 player I could store the mp3 on the device and was able to play them too with no need to convert anything.
Now with the icrap I have to convert the files to an icrap format for the player to play them, and also store the files on the icrap as mp3's. In a nutshell I have every song loaded twice, once as mp3 and once as the icrap format, takes up twice as much space, but lets me keep the computer pretty clean of mp3's.
I would like just to drag and drop my mp3 into a player and it just works, like my Creative zeen use to, or like my N800 does.
No, you need iTunes to copy music files to your iPod (I personally like iTunes). And, I'm not completely certain, but iTunes may convert the music files to m4p before transferring them to your iPod, but if you're managing your file manually, the ones on your computer should remain mp3s.
There is a setting in the iTunes Preferences to do this:
Edit>Preferences>Advanced:
Uncheck the "Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized" and "Copy file to iTunes..." options.
Tim
All 200Gb of my music is mp3. It's all been encoded with iTunes. The files are stored on the pod as whatever it was on the computer, so if it was a mp3 on the computer, it's a mp3 on the pod.
Yea, but keeping the music as mp3 on the computer is part I hate. I have 130g ipod video and a 60g hard drive. So I don't want to store mp3's on the computer, but I don't want to lose them. MY last mp3 player was a true mp3 player I could store the mp3 on the device and was able to play them too with no need to convert anything.
Now with the icrap I have to convert the files to an icrap format for the player to play them, and also store the files on the icrap as mp3's. In a nutshell I have every song loaded twice, once as mp3 and once as the icrap format, takes up twice as much space, but lets me keep the computer pretty clean of mp3's.
I would like just to drag and drop my mp3 into a player and it just works, like my Creative zeen use to, or like my N800 does.
Amen!
Just because of this the iPod nano I got as gift is collecting dust... I use the N800 instead. Also, I have big collection of movies that are encoded in divx or xvid... those play fine on N800 using Mplayer, but for the iFlop would require format conversion... Too much hassle.
Well my ipod video isn't collection dust, it's just not my main player anymore. Instead it's being used as very expensive external hard drive. IMHO is all it's good for.
I haven't used itunes to sync my 4th gen ipod in years, but when I did use it, it kept all of my files as mp3s. By default, it rips CDs into AAC format, but you could change that to mp3 as well (I just use audiograbber). There was an option for it to "organize" your library which you DO NOT want to do, since it changes file names and directory structure.
I've been using Winamp to manage my ipod for the last couple of years now. It comes with a built in ipod/mp3 player plug in, and you use the Media Library screen to sync and copy music. It also lets you copy songs both ways (to the ipod, or from the ipod to your pc) which itunes didn't let you do. Just install winamp, run it, then plug in your ipod and it will ask if its an mp3 player you want to sync.
another option is a program called ephpod, which has a pretty good user interface to sync your ipod, and none of the bloat that comes with iTunes (which I also hate btw).
Man, this market space still feels so immature to me. This morning I was trying to get some of my son's WMA songs (from walmart.com via gift card) to either my N810 or E62-- no go. Neither device will play them. And the file management fiascos mentioned here are another gripe of my own.
IMO the ultimate solution is web-based media storage of ANY format that can be downloaded/streamed to ANY player at ANY time with NO unreasonable restrictions-- EASILY. Whoever creates that will rule the world.
I think you're kind of missing the point to why I don't like ifop.
Say, I'm at work which will not let us install media software and want to listen to music. It would be nice if I could plug in the ipod and have windows open it as an external drvie and just start playing mp3. Sometime my ifop's battery would die and would want to do just that. Instead what I see is folders of files supported by no standard media player like "windows media player". To add to that the ifop will not play while plug into the computer.
Now, Wouldn't have been so much nicer it apple would stuck with a standard format so that there's no need for iTunes or any other 3-party program to load and unload music?
Everyother mp3 player...plays mp3's why not the ipod?
Man, this market space still feels so immature to me. This morning I was trying to get some of my son's WMA songs (from walmart.com via gift card) to either my N810 or E62-- no go. Neither device will play them. And the file management fiascos mentioned here are another gripe of my own.
IMO the ultimate solution is web-based media storage of ANY format that can be downloaded/streamed to ANY player at ANY time with NO unreasonable restrictions-- EASILY. Whoever creates that will rule the world.
The reason could be DRM: I also "won" 20 songs (WMA format) in a credit card "raffle", downloaded them to my PC, and tried to transfer to the N800, didn't play. Only after I removed the DRM infection from the files they played fine on N800. I hate that DRM crap!
Now, Wouldn't have been so much nicer it apple would stuck with a standard format so that there's no need for iTunes or any other 3-party program to load and unload music?
Yes... except that Apple has a vested interest in iTunes.
The reason could be DRM: I also "won" 20 songs (WMA format) in a credit card "raffle", downloaded them to my PC, and tried to transfer to the N800, didn't play. Only after I removed the DRM infection from the files they played fine on N800. I hate that DRM crap!
