iPod Drag/Drop

[Rii]

Is there a way I can coax my iPod into playing music placed directly on the drive via drag-and-drop rather than futzing about with iTunes? I'm currently re-downloading iTunes (71MB ) as it refuses to launch without its partner-in-bloatware Quicktime, which I uninstalled as I use VLC to handle .mov stuff.

 

[CaptainHawk1]

Is there a way I can coax my iPod into playing music placed directly on the drive via drag-and-drop rather than futzing about with iTunes? I'm currently re-downloading iTunes (71MB ) as it refuses to launch without its partner-in-bloatware Quicktime, which I uninstalled as I use VLC to handle .mov stuff.

Not that I'm aware of. Just change the file associations of QT so that it doesn't play .mov files.

 

[Rii]

Not that I'm aware of.

Balls.

Just change the file associations of QT so that it doesn't play .mov files.

Oh that's not a problem, I was merely describing the immediate circumstances surrounding my latest fit of frustration with iTunes. I'd much rather not have to deal with it at all. I've done what I needed to get done, so it should recede to a low-level annoyance until the next time I'm in a hurry.

 

[Jadzia]

Is there a way I can coax my iPod into playing music placed directly on the drive via drag-and-drop rather than futzing about with iTunes? I'm currently re-downloading iTunes (71MB ) as it refuses to launch without its partner-in-bloatware Quicktime, which I uninstalled as I use VLC to handle .mov stuff.

The only way to do exactly what you've asked is with a custom operating system replacing the ipod operating system. I think one popular os is called rockbox. It is simple to install but it's not to everyone's tastes. With that you can use it just like a usb memory stick, and it can play whatever files you drag/drop on it.

Otherwise the ipod requires the library file updated whenever new songs are added to the hidden itunes folder.

However, there is more software that can write the library file than itunes. winamp can do it with simple drag/drop from the media library.

 

[Garrovick]

Even in my Linux, there is no "Drag and Drop" iPods are proprietary devices that Apple only wants to be used with iTunes.

There are work arounds, but most are more hassle that they are worth.

For "Drag and Drop" a device that is MSC capable is required. My Sansa E280 is one such device. There are MPT/MSC devices and then the iPod device. I have no idea about a Zune though.

I will never again fall into the iPod Abyss.

 

[Rii]

The only way to do exactly what you've asked is with a custom operating system replacing the ipod operating system.

Balls again. I like the iPod OS, or at least the UI side of things.

It's I think one popular os is called rockbox. It is simple to install but it's not to everyone's tastes. With that you can use it just like a usb memory stick, and it can play whatever files you drag/drop on it.

I'll check it out, thanks.

However, there is more software that can write the library file than itunes. winamp can do it with simple drag/drop from the media library.

I've never picked up on the idea of software-managed "media libraries" at all. My filing system is NTFS, and my media manager Windows Explorer.

 

[Jadzia]

I've never picked up on the idea of software-managed "media libraries" at all. My filing system is NTFS, and my media manager Windows Explorer.

It doesn't matter

I assume at least you have specific folders with your music files in?

In winamp media library, click the button bottom left and open the options. Click on add a media folder or watch folder or whatever it is called, and point it to wherever you keep your music files. If you want to be very rigorous, just add C:\ and tell it to recurse subdirectories

If your files all have id3 tags, then there should be an option on that page to use them, if not tell it to just use filenames.

Now click scan. It may take a couple of minutes. It will scan your media folders and extract id3 tags to build the media library.

when the scan is done, all your files should be listed under 'All'.

Next, there should be an icon for your connected ipod under removable drives.

drag drop files from the media library panes to this icon, and they will copy over, and it will automatically update the ipod's library file.

 

[CaptainHawk1]

Yeah, I just discovered last night with my iPhone that I can only associate it with one copy of iTunes at a time which totally pisses me off.

I have iTunes at work and at home and at home I have all my downloaded mp3's on my computer and at work I have all of my CD's that I brought from home and ripped to the work computer. Imagine my surprise when I went home last night and attempted to sync my iPhone with my iTUnes and it told me that in order to do that I had to completely erase all of the songs on the iPhone becasue my iPhone was already associated with another Itunes.

It's my iTunes MOTHERFUCKER!!!

 

[Rii]

Thanks for the pointers Jadzia, I managed to find a plug-in for Foobar2000 with similar functionality as you described for Winamp. The important thing is that I no longer have to deal with iTunes or Quicktime.

 

[Omnius]

You can with the open source firmware Rockbox.
http://www.rockbox.org/

You can even play FLAC files.

 

[Rii]

^ I had a look at Rockbox but my iPod model (6G Classic) isn't supported.

 

[Rii]

iTunes apparently took exception to being unceremoniously kicked to the curb, and decided to deal some damage to my system on its way out. Specifically it rendered my DVD-RW drive inoperable. Fortunately the error codes supplied by Device Manager led me to this article and this fix from Microsoft. Congratulations, Apple, until today I'd never heard of an application rendering hardware inaccessible to the OS.

 

[CaptainHawk1]

iTunes apparently took exception to being unceremoniously kicked to the curb, and decided to deal some damage to my system on its way out. Specifically it rendered my DVD-RW drive inoperable. Fortunately the error codes supplied by Device Manager led me to this article and this fix from Microsoft. Congratulations, Apple, until today I'd never heard of an application rendering hardware inaccessible to the OS.

Not for nothing, and I'm not a torch carrier for Apple, but sounds like an MS problem (specifically Vista, as the article implies) and not a problem with iTunes. I've uninstalled iTunes on XP and I've never had any problems but I will keep this article in mind if I need to uninstall it off my Vista machine.

So, thanks for that tip.