Political Crossfire Forums

VBach37 · Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: New Hampshire

Can iTunes music be placed on an mp3 player other than an iPod, and if not, is there some way to change the music files so that they can be placed on an mp3 player? My iPod has completely ceased functioning, and nothing on Apple's tech-support seems to help so I'm considering getting a new mp3 player, and never buying anything from Apple ever again.

FCTE · Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Posts: 18561 Location: Illinois

VBach37 wrote: Can iTunes music be placed on an mp3 player other than an iPod, and if not, is there some way to change the music files so that they can be placed on an mp3 player? My iPod has completely ceased functioning, and nothing on Apple's tech-support seems to help so I'm considering getting a new mp3 player, and never buying anything from Apple ever again.

I'm going to need you to be a little more descriptive as to what "not functioning" is.

Does it power up?

Does the hard drive spin?

Is it simply locked up?

What generation of player?

How long have you had it?

How much do you use it?

I don't believe iTunes is compatible with any other player and the music is Apple DRM locked. The only way is to burn everything to disk and upload it into the new mp3 players program, which is very lengthy pain in the ass project, not to mention a huge waste of disks, but first lets see if your iPod really is dead before all that.

David · Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 11844 Location: Louisiana

Which version of iTunes are you using?There's some compatibility issues with earlier versions.This site is supposed to have a list of compatible non iPods but it's probably down since I keep getting a can't connect error message:
www.macaddict.com/forums/topic/43806

Gus · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 7253 Location: Tampa, FL

iPod support is superb, I've used it many times and it is infinitely better than anything else you can get. Is the iPod still under warranty?

Pzatchok · Joined: 15 Nov 2004 Posts: 6546

No Ipod music will not play on anything not licenced for it.

France is trying to force this issue but Apple has told them that they will simply stop selling to all French ISP's.

Good for Apple. If you don't want Itunes buy from some one else.

VBach37 · Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: New Hampshire

Alright, I'll give the full deal. A dew months ago, I connected my iPod to my laptop to add some music. The "Do Not Disonnect" screen flashed, but the computer failed to recognize that the iPod was even connected. I couldn't even tell it to disconnect the iPod safely, because apparently the computer couldn't even tell anything was connected. I had periodically had similar instances, though nothing this bad, and simply unplugging the iPod had never had any adverse consequences, but this time the iPod continued to display the "Do Not Disconnect" screen long after I unplugged it from the USB port. I retrospect, I know I should have checked tech support before unplugging, but that's old news. Anyhow, my iPod eventually stopped displaying the "Do Not Disconnect" screen, but now had the Folder w/exclamation point icon. I tried resetting the iPod, but thad solved nothing. I downloaded the most recent iPod updater, but the Computer still would not acknowledge the iPod. I ultimately sent the iPod in to Apple to get a replacement under my warranty.

However, when I plugged this new iPod into my computer, i got a message telling me that before it could interact with iTunes, i would have to install the most recent iPod software. The install started, but then failed (I can't remember what the error message was). The result was that now this iPod had a black hard-drive just like the one it replaced. I tried installing the iPod software from a different computer.... and it worked. Thinking my problem at last solved, I proceeded to start putting music on the iPod. First the computer froze during transfer (I mean completely froze i.e. nonresponsive to any and all input, until I ultimately had to turn it off with the power button). The next time I tried, the iPod displayed the "Do Not Disconnect" screen for a few seconds, and then apparently stopped trying to connect, because the "DND" screen disapeared, and the computer failed to acknowledge the iPod. The next time, I succesfuly transfered a few CD's worth of music... before the compute froze again. And this time the iPod began displaying the folder w/exclamation error icon again. Since then the iPod has occasionally done strange things, like when I woke up to go to work one morning, and heard a strange sound. It was my iPod buzzing (i think it was the hardrive spinning), and emiting a faint siren-like sound. This was at about 5 am after several hours of not being touched or interacted with in any way.

In terms of the root of the problem, I can only conclude that something is wrong with my computer, as I doubt that two succesive iPods both went berserk by chance. Most importantly, the original problem came up just about a month after the hard drive on my laptop was replaced. I have absolutely no idea how to find out what is wrong with my computer that is causing its inability to communicate properly with my iPod. I have had no problems with any other USB devices. As of this moment, when attempting to activate my iPod, I get the icon depicting a sad (or arguably dead, judging by the x-eyes) iPod, and instructions to visit apple.com/support/ipod. I have certainly tried finding solutions amongst the forums and articles there, but the ones i've tried to use have all failed, and the articles are a maze of information I have trouble navigating succesfuly.

Gus · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 7253 Location: Tampa, FL

Jeez that sounds like a computer problem. Maybe a strange USB controller or something.

David · Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 11844 Location: Louisiana

Are you plugging in directly to the computer's USB port, or into a USB hub.

sparsely · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 1687

Pzatchok wrote: No Ipod music will not play on anything not licenced for it.

France is trying to force this issue but Apple has told them that they will simply stop selling to all French ISP's.

Good for Apple. If you don't want Itunes buy from some one else.

What sυcks is that it's now virtualy impossible to find a commercial device taht will play an audio or display an image/video file
without it being transcoded unnecessarily, adding bloat and obfuscation to a technology that worked just fine without it.
This DRM crap has been forced on us, and even if you go non-apple, they all that that Windows "Plays for sure" bulls**t.
The files "play for sure" on my harddrive and any audio application I open them with, but for some reason that's not okay for a portable device. :-?

VBach37 · Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: New Hampshire

David wrote: Are you plugging in directly to the computer's USB port, or into a USB hub.

It's plugged directly into the USB port.

Pzatchok · Joined: 15 Nov 2004 Posts: 6546

IF you have one, try putting in a different USB card.

I know that almost no one is willing to tinker with a computer let alone instal a new card.

But If you have one laying about give it a try. I picked one up for less than 26 bucks. I keep it around just in case now.

My router lost one of its hard drive controlers so an old add-on card gets around that problem now. I suspect the same is happening to your USB controler.