I got an iPod

[Stuart]

Well, despite all my previous comments about the iPod (and in particular the battery problems), I finally got a 20 gig one. Battery life is fine, and it is nice being able to charge from firewire (although the iPod seems a bit picky about being charged from pc Firewire ports (powered or not). It seems perfectly happy to charge from the firewire port on the eMac at work though.

The only thing I still don't like is iTunes. Luckily, there are replacements.

For encoding, if you have Adobe Audition (will possibly work on Cool Edit 2000 as well) and Nero 6, there is a plug in that will enable you to use Audition to create an iPod compatible MP4 file. Nero can also do this out of the box, but you need the plug in and Audition if you want to convert multiple files. The plug in is at http://www.saunalahti.fi/cse/files/cool_neromp4.zip
Apparently, dbPowerAmp will as well, but I had major problems using this (the iPod would not read the files).

For managing the iPod, there is Anapod Explorer which is quite good, but not free.

There is also Ephpod for a damn good freeware alternative.

[JediMaster]

I got the 80GB Archos Av380.. I love it

Glad the iPod is good

[John Smiths]

Originally Posted by scastle

<snip!>

The only thing I still don't like is iTunes. Luckily, there are replacements.

<snip!>

If you are using iTunes in Windows i can understand that - works terribly on my laptop, but under OS X it's amazing! I can't fault it...

[Neil]

I don't have any problems with iTunes for Windows (XP)

The only thing I would like to know is how to get tracks that are now in my iTunes directory converted to mp3/wav so that I can burn them to a CD, & listen to them in the car.

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Neil

I don't have any problems with iTunes for Windows (XP)

The only thing I would like to know is how to get tracks that are now in my iTunes directory converted to mp3/wav so that I can burn them to a CD, & listen to them in the car.

If you have a burner on the machine with iTunes on you can burn an audio CD or an MP3 CD directly from iTunes. You can set the type of CD to burn in the preferences dialog.



To create a CD, make a playlist with the tracks you want and click on the "Burn Disc" icon at the top-right of the iTunes window.

[Neil]

That is knowledge, cheers for that-I'll give it a go now.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Neil

I don't have any problems with iTunes for Windows (XP)

The only thing I would like to know is how to get tracks that are now in my iTunes directory converted to mp3/wav so that I can burn them to a CD, & listen to them in the car.

No real technical problems with it (it does actually run fine on my computer). I just hate the User Interface.

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by Neil

I don't have any problems with iTunes for Windows (XP)

The only thing I would like to know is how to get tracks that are now in my iTunes directory converted to mp3/wav so that I can burn them to a CD, & listen to them in the car.

You can rip into iTunes as an MP3 file, which will work fine with your 'Pod.

Also, the new Real Player support AAC files, and will play the tracks ripped in this format by iTunes - and I seem to remember that this will burn CDs.

Of course, so will iTunes - it has a very simple but effective burning program built into it, which will let you burn an MP3 CD-Rom or a standard audio CD.