[NA]I Shuffle Files[NA]

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
20,322
Location
west Texas
Display Name
Display name:
Dave Taylor
I was going to make a backup of what I have on my I-S but it appears to be blank! The music is there, plays fine - but when I plug it into the tested and working USB port, the window shows zero files/folders/data.

How do I access what is there?
Don't really like Itunes.
 
If you want to safeguard your music, just back up the iTunes library on your hard drive. It'll contain all the music files. That's how iTunes puts them on your Shuffle in the first place. No need to copy them from the iPod to make backups.

-Rich
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I was going to make a backup of what I have on my I-S but it appears to be blank! The music is there, plays fine - but when I plug it into the tested and working USB port, the window shows zero files/folders/data.

How do I access what is there?
Don't really like Itunes.
Click to expand...

Dave,

That's normal - The MP3 files won't show up when you plug it in as a disk because then you could just go and give all of your copyrighted music to your friends, and then the record companies REALLY wouldn't like Apple (and wouldn't sell things on the iTunes store).

Blame the RIAA. :yes:

However, Rich was right - If it's on your Shuffle, it got there via iTunes so you already have a "backup." Now, if you were to lose all your music on your computer, there are programs that will extract the music off the iPod but it's not a "normal" feature.

As for using something besides iTunes to feed the shuffle, I think you're SOL but I don't know - I think iTunes is OK so I've never looked for an alternative.
 
this is music I copied from my CDs (and now want to move to my new computer). I must have transferred it to iTunes (and converted the files) a long time ago.
I guess I have to dig out the CD's again? Crazy.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
this is music I copied from my CDs (and now want to move to my new computer). I must have transferred it to iTunes (and converted the files) a long time ago.
I guess I have to dig out the CD's again? Crazy.
Click to expand...

Huh? Why don't you just copy the files from the old computer to the new one? :dunno:

On the Mac, the files live in ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/ and are put in subdirectories of artists, then albums. I'm assuming you're on Windows XP, so they should be in My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93358
 
This is why you avoid Apple software/hardware for MP3s. Most normal MP3 players work as a Mass Storage Device of some sort. Copy/Paste (or drag/drop) and its done.

Or, download iTunes, let it control whether or not your content is legal, deal with the loss of data (because, of course, Windows doesn't pay well with iTunes, not the other way around :rolleyes), and deal with not being able to retrieve the content.

Cheaper, more reliable, and not riddled with excuses. Avoid the iPod/iTunes.
 
SkyHog said:
This is why you avoid Apple software/hardware for MP3s. Most normal MP3 players work as a Mass Storage Device of some sort. Copy/Paste (or drag/drop) and its done.

Or, download iTunes, let it control whether or not your content is legal, deal with the loss of data (because, of course, Windows doesn't pay well with iTunes, not the other way around :rolleyes), and deal with not being able to retrieve the content.

Cheaper, more reliable, and not riddled with excuses. Avoid the iPod/iTunes.
Click to expand...
You have to understand that all mp3 players are not created equal. Some are designed to be a mass storage device to play simple mp3s. This is what you are talking about above.

Others are designed to tie into the big record labels with the ability to get any song on it for a dollar in an instant with a single click or two. This is what the Ipod is. This is what the Microsoft Zune is.

Neither the Ipod OR the Microsoft Zune allow you to just copy music off. This is what the RIAA/Record labels forced them into. I own a Zune, and let me tell you, you can't just copy files off it either.
 
Last edited:
jesse said:
You have to understand that all mp3 players are not created equal. Some are designed to be a mass storage device to play simple mp3s. This is what you are talking about above.

Others are designed to tie into the big record labels with the ability to get any song on it for a dollar in an instant with a single click or two. This is what the Ipod is. This is what the Microsoft Zune is.

Neither the Ipod OR the Microsoft Zune allow you to just copy music off. This is what the RIAA/Record labels forced them into. I own a Zune, and let me tell you, you can't just copy files off it either.
Click to expand...


Nope, Zune's following the same trend. My Creative Labs MP3 player is the bee's knees. Great sound, and works as a MSD. And I never have to use iTunes!
 
SkyHog said:
Nope, Zune's following the same trend. My Creative Labs MP3 player is the bee's knees. Great sound, and works as a MSD. And I never have to use iTunes!
Click to expand...

Can you buy a song and have it on there with a click or two? Can you buy about any TV show and have it on there with a click? Can you rent movies with a click and watch them? Can you buy movies and watch them in an instant? Can you watch 1/2 the movie on your Apple TV, click, and watch the other half on your Ipod on the airliner? All of this with just a click or less? These are the features that some people desire and in order to license these kind of deals you have to build in limitations.

Obviously if you don't desire this sort of feature set it would be silly to buy one.
 
jesse said:
Can you buy a song and have it on there with a click or two? Can you buy about any TV show and have it on there with a click? Can you rent movies with a click and watch them? Can you buy movies and watch them in an instant? Can you watch 1/2 the movie on your Apple TV, click, and watch the other half on your Ipod on the airliner? All of this with just a click or less? These are the features that some people desire and in order to license these kind of deals you have to build in limitations.

Obviously if you don't desire this sort of feature set it would be silly to buy one.
Click to expand...

Yes. No. Yes. Yes. Yes. Possibly (how do you get it with less than 1 click?).

If you know where to look, getting MP3s/Movies/TV Shows is fairly easy. Transferring to a MSD is cake (easier than firing up iTunes and praying it doesn't crash in Windows).

Literally:
1) Fireup your music downloader (be it Napster, Limewire, iTunes (if you really want to), Rhapsody, mIRC :)))etc.
2) Search for the song you want
3) Pay for/download the song you want
4) Drag file to mp3 player.

vs.
1) Lauch iTunes
2) relaunch iTunes, because it crashed
3) Search for music
4) Download music
5) Restart iTunes, as it just crashed
6) etc. etc.

Yeah, its that bad on Windows for some people. But the problem is not in the software, its in Windows.


Either way, even if it is the same number of steps, its still easier, because you can (imagine the horror from the RIAA), move the files between the MP3 player and you computer multiple times. As it should be done. You own that file. Its a file, on your computer, like a text document or a picture. Its yours.

And you know this, Jesse. You know that I'm right. Its not any harder to use a non iPod than it is to use any other MP3 player. You pay less for the other MP3 player and get more features.
 
SkyHog said:
And you know this, Jesse. You know that I'm right. Its not any harder to use a non iPod than it is to use any other MP3 player. You pay less for the other MP3 player and get more features.
Click to expand...

No Nick--you are not right--there is not an MP3 player out there that provides the same multimedia experience as Apple. I don't even OWN one anymore and I'm willing to admit that my Microsoft Zune doesn't even come close. But I've also owned the generic MSD players (creative) etc and NONE of those provide the same experience that Microsoft or Apple does.

I don't think you're seeing what I am trying to say. I'm not saying that the Ipod or the Zune is the ultimate mp3 player. If all you want to do is play mp3s and have a simple device you would be stupid to buy either. But if you want a complete multimedia experience that, for the most part, just works. You get one of the two.

I don't think you're going to open up a little bit to see that there are many different angles to building a device. They are not all created equal. They are not all designed for the same target audience. One is not better then the other. It all depends what you want. Myself--I want the ability to not have to dick with the latest Spyware of the week mp3 service that runs out of business three days later. I'd rather it just work--and for that reason--I have the Zune.
 
Last edited:
SkyHog said:
This is why you avoid Apple software/hardware for MP3s. Most normal MP3 players work as a Mass Storage Device of some sort. Copy/Paste (or drag/drop) and its done.
Click to expand...

So does the iPod - You just can't see the songs. I used to use my iPod as a backup drive!

Or, download iTunes, let it control whether or not your content is legal, deal with the loss of data (because, of course, Windows doesn't pay well with iTunes, not the other way around :rolleyes), and deal with not being able to retrieve the content.
Click to expand...

Frankly, there's not a whole lotta reasons why you'd need to retrieve songs from an iPod, and even less of them that are legal. Apple had to kowtow to the &*()&)*) RIAA early on just to make the iTunes Store at all. Steve Jobs has done a lot to get DRM removed from the industry, and ironically most of the labels (except EMI) are offering their DRM-free music anywhere BUT iTunes to get back at him.

As far as iTunes and Windows, I hear it's not so hot - Just like M$ products on the Mac, they tried a little too hard to keep the code base the same, and they ended up creating a big fat pig of a program. I think Windows users dislike it even more because it works like a Mac program and not a Windows program ("Where's the Properties button?").
 
iTunes works OK on my PC.
 
jesse said:
No Nick--you are not right--there is not an MP3 player out there that provides the same multimedia experience as Apple. I don't even OWN one anymore and I'm willing to admit that my Microsoft Zune doesn't even come close. But I've also owned the generic MSD players (creative) etc and NONE of those provide the same experience that Microsoft or Apple does.

I don't think you're seeing what I am trying to say. I'm not saying that the Ipod or the Zune is the ultimate mp3 player. If all you want to do is play mp3s and have a simple device you would be stupid to buy either. But if you want a complete multimedia experience that, for the most part, just works. You get one of the two.

I don't think you're going to open up a little bit to see that there are many different angles to building a device. They are not all created equal. They are not all designed for the same target audience. One is not better then the other. It all depends what you want. Myself--I want the ability to not have to dick with the latest Spyware of the week mp3 service that runs out of business three days later. I'd rather it just work--and for that reason--I have the Zune.
Click to expand...


You misunderstand me, somehow. I'm not saying the Zune is awesome. I'm also not saying "Hey guys, steal music!" If you have the files on your computer somehow (how they get there is up to you, but iTunes is not the only place to buy music), its easier (yes, always) to transfer to an MSD than it is to deal with iPods and their proprietary loading methods.

How one gets the music is up to them. Rhapsody is legal, iTunes is legal, and I'm sure there are other ways that are legal too. I would NEVER steal music, so I have no idea how to get music for free, but when it appears on my computer, its sure nice to just drag the music to my mp3 player and listen to it.
 
SkyHog said:
You misunderstand me, somehow. I'm not saying the Zune is awesome. I'm also not saying "Hey guys, steal music!" If you have the files on your computer somehow (how they get there is up to you, but iTunes is not the only place to buy music), its easier (yes, always) to transfer to an MSD than it is to deal with iPods and their proprietary loading methods.
Click to expand...

Disagree. Even using it as an MSD, you still have to choose the files you want and drag them to the MSD. Using iTunes, all I have to do is plug in the cable, and it does the rest automatically.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
its toast, Kent.
Click to expand...

Oh. Well, that sucks.

Do you actually have all your music on the Shuffle? (I ask because I think most folks' music libraries are too big to fit on a Shuffle.)

If so, there are utilities available online for extracting your music from an iPod. I used to tell people to search on VersionTracker, but it appears that VersionTracker doesn't do windows software any more. Google is your friend.

If not, (ie the stuff that's on your shuffle is just a random assortment of stuff) I'd think it'd be easier to get back to a complete music library by digging the CD's back out, if that's all you had was music from CD's. There's a preference in iTunes that will let you do this fairly easily. When it sees a CD inserted in the drive, it'll find the album/track info off of CDDB, label everything, rip it to your drive, and spit the CD back out. All you have to do is feed it CD's, when it spits them out put in another one. Preferences->Advanced->Importing, change the popup by "On CD Insert:" to "Import CD and Eject." Also, make sure "Automatically retrieve CD track names from internet" is checked.
 
Thanks Kent
Yes I am one of those with a huge library of a grand total ~60 songs; whoo-hoo what a wild guy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top