Itunes cost

UKDTweak

UKDTweak

UKDTweak

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Joined
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Hi guys, new to the world of ipod touch, wife bought me one....

Anyhow, just went to the Apple site to get Itunes as I beleive it is needed to activate the ipod? and see its the only legit way to get files on it...

My question is, is the above correct and why do you have to pay for a minimum of one years subs? I thought you were charged according to what you downloaded from the store???

What am i missing here /Noobie

/EDIT, seams the link i thought was for Itunes is for something else? found another link on the site to download :confused:
 
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Might be thinking of MobileMe nothing to do with buying music etc from iTunes. Just a push service Apple offer for e-mail and other files.

iTunes doesn't have a subscription model just yet.
 
Well I got it downloaded and installed and have to say, Itunes is the Most annoying peice of rubbish ever, It auto scanns ALL drives and adds what it finds, I cant find any way to stop it searching and adding my files...

Why cant i simply tell it to monitor a specific folder and ignore the rest????

Its so bad im considering returning the touch, cant be bothered with the hasstle, I had to create my own playlists to add only the songs i want rather than have to dig through pages of tracks!!! dumb software.
 
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UKDTweak said:
Why cant i simply tell it to monitor a specific folder and ignore the rest????
Click to expand...
You can't let it monitor a specific folder, but you could create a playlist where you put the music of that folder into. Then select the iPod in the iTunes window, and at the Music part, choose to sync only the playlists that you choose, and then put a check mark next to the playlist. Then click on Synchronize.

And about the activation; the iPod Touch uses the same software as the iPhone. The iPhone needs to be activated, due to the exclusive carrier of each country. Now the software on the iPod also wants to be activated, but iTunes just needs to tell it that it's activated. It doesn't cost anything though.
 
Delete the library. (cmd+a or ctrl+a then press delete).

Then go to File -> Add to library and just select the files you want. When iTunes installs it asks if you want it to scan for music, you must have clicked yes by mistake.
 
Cheers for the info guys, still not perfect, have to make playlists on the pc then transfer to ipod ??? stange way to do things, should be possible on the ipod itself.... dumb Apple :(
 
No you don't.

Just let it transfer all the music in your library automatically. No need to make playlists unless you want to.
 
Erm, i have looked and checked forums, its a common complaint, I dont want to copy All my hundreds of mp3's to the ipod, nor do i wish to spend an hour scrolling through the list to select or deselect the files i want, i just want to transfer specific files in specific folders, as with most devices... As I said, i found the easiest way seams to be via play lists, my god man, READ first!! Im not raging, just pointing out a major niggle with an otherwise neat product.
 
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This isn't meant to be a harsh dig, but everyone (be it forums or in person) i've heard complain about the workings of iTunes pretty much is complaining about things they could change if they understood how it worked/took the time to find out.

As a Windows user as well as a Mac user, I can understand how if you go-with-the-default-flow of iTunes it can seem like it's taking over your computer.

Pages 6-9 & 30-31

If you want more specific answers on how to sort iTunes, answer these:

1. Are you wanting to use iTunes are your primary music player or just something to put music onto your Touch with?

2. Are you wanting to import your whole music collection into iTunes or just some of it?

3. Do you want it to manage your music-life? in other words, are you going to be ripping with it and do you want it so it manages your music? By manage music anything in the iTunes Music folder (or another folder you tell it to) is arranged by artist & album automatically when imported.

4. Are you wanting iTunes to auto-sync (ie. shove everything in iTunes to your Touch)/limited auto-sync (ie. just the playlists you select - which is what you have currently settled on)/or manual (ie. drag & drop from within iTunes)?
 
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UKDTweak said:
Erm, i have looked and checked forums, its a common complaint, I dont want to copy All my hundreds of mp3's to the ipod, nor do i wish to spend an hour scrolling through the list to select or deselect the files i want, i just want to transfer specific files in specific folders, as with most devices... As I said, i found the easiest way seams to be via play lists, my god man, READ first!! Im not raging, just pointing out a major niggle with an otherwise neat product.
Click to expand...
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13152392&postcount=3 (pre/post edit?)

It's entirely up to you whether it uses the entire disk as your iTunes library source. I'd bet that most users don't use it that way.

If you want to sync the entire contents of a root folder to the iPod then make that and only that folder your iTunes library source by using 'Add To Library' and telling the iPod to sync it all. Subsequent additions to the folder won't be automatically picked up, but just point iTunes at the folder again after you've placed stuff in.

If you only want a subset of that iTunes library on the iPod then set it to manual management and drag and drop what you want.
 
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Okay so, lets calm down first....

UKDTweak said:
Well I got it downloaded and installed and have to say, Itunes is the Most annoying peice of rubbish ever, It auto scanns ALL drives and adds what it finds, I cant find any way to stop it searching and adding my files...
Click to expand...

It asked you when you installed it if you wanted to scan for music, just because you didn't read it that doesn't mean to say its iTunes fault. Also same goes with your original post, if you read the screen you would realise it was referring to either Mobile Me or asking you to register the iPod warranty and then for your card details to get an iTunes account for single purchases, genius recommendations and album artwork.

UKDTweak said:
Why cant i simply tell it to monitor a specific folder and ignore the rest????
Click to expand...

As far as I know it won't monitor a folder but after the initial scan you told it to do you can simply add files from a folder of downloads using the file menu option and then clear / delete the original folder as iTunes organises music into the right Artist > Album > Song folder structure for you.

UKDTweak said:
Its so bad im considering returning the touch, cant be bothered with the hassle, I had to create my own playlists to add only the songs i want rather than have to dig through pages of tracks!!! dumb software.
Click to expand...

If you go to your music library then hit the menu 'View' then 'Show Browser' Command + B / Control + B. You will get a Column view style browser which allows you to filter the view rather than having a massive list sorted by the columns at the top which is more akin to the way WMP works...

I hope this helps you and changes your mind about iTunes/iPod software.
 
Unknowndomain...
I missed the option Not to scan after install, honestly did not see such an option?
My first post related to my going to Apple's site, clicking a Big Button that Said "Download Itunes".... this link then took me straight to a sign up process, I admit though I got to the page direct from google, but never the less, it was confusing.


Fillado.

1. Are you wanting to use iTunes are your primary music player or just something to put music onto your Touch with?

Just to put my music on.

2. Are you wanting to import your whole music collection into iTunes or just some of it?

Just selected files.

3. Do you want it to manage your music-life? in other words, are you going to be ripping with it and do you want it so it manages your music? By manage music anything in the iTunes Music folder (or another folder you tell it to) is arranged by artist & album automatically when imported.

No. I want to manage my music myself, I already have my music sorted into folders such as: ABC, DEF, GHI etc, then within each group they are arranged by artist then album.

4. Are you wanting iTunes to auto-sync (ie. shove everything in iTunes to your Touch)/limited auto-sync (ie. just the playlists you select - which is what you have currently settled on)/or manual (ie. drag & drop from within iTunes)?

I have it set to auto synch, but only playlists I have set up as I want my music kept in the groups already made. Basicly I have a folder that I copy music to before burning to DVD for my car stereo, this is grouped by folders, Rock, Dance, Soft, R&B, then serveral albums by Artist - Album name. I wanted to keep this struckture on the Ipod and found the only way to do this was playlists, which now I understand how they work, is simple enough.

At the end of the day, my point is that Apple seams to want to control how you use your Ipod, the freedom is there if you look around the setting, but the defaults are terrible.
Other than that, Im enjoying my New Ipod...

One last question though, I have converted my .avi collection to Mpeg-4 using a free converter recomended on various forums... the software gives the choice of H264 or Mpeg-4, both options seam to be the same resolution and bit rate, Is there any advantage of one over the other, and is it normal that the skip forward button does Nothing or is it the video type im using? The skip backward works fine.

Thanks again.
 
UKDTweak said:
Unknowndomain...
I missed the option Not to scan after install, honestly did not see such an option?
My first post related to my going to Apple's site, clicking a Big Button that Said "Download Itunes".... this link then took me straight to a sign up process, I admit though I got to the page direct from google, but never the less, it was confusing.


Fillado.

1. Are you wanting to use iTunes are your primary music player or just something to put music onto your Touch with?

Just to put my music on.

2. Are you wanting to import your whole music collection into iTunes or just some of it?

Just selected files.

3. Do you want it to manage your music-life? in other words, are you going to be ripping with it and do you want it so it manages your music? By manage music anything in the iTunes Music folder (or another folder you tell it to) is arranged by artist & album automatically when imported.

No. I want to manage my music myself, I already have my music sorted into folders such as: ABC, DEF, GHI etc, then within each group they are arranged by artist then album.

4. Are you wanting iTunes to auto-sync (ie. shove everything in iTunes to your Touch)/limited auto-sync (ie. just the playlists you select - which is what you have currently settled on)/or manual (ie. drag & drop from within iTunes)?

I have it set to auto synch, but only playlists I have set up as I want my music kept in the groups already made. Basicly I have a folder that I copy music to before burning to DVD for my car stereo, this is grouped by folders, Rock, Dance, Soft, R&B, then serveral albums by Artist - Album name. I wanted to keep this struckture on the Ipod and found the only way to do this was playlists, which now I understand how they work, is simple enough.

At the end of the day, my point is that Apple seams to want to control how you use your Ipod, the freedom is there if you look around the setting, but the defaults are terrible.
Other than that, Im enjoying my New Ipod...

One last question though, I have converted my .avi collection to Mpeg-4 using a free converter recomended on various forums... the software gives the choice of H264 or Mpeg-4, both options seam to be the same resolution and bit rate, Is there any advantage of one over the other, and is it normal that the skip forward button does Nothing or is it the video type im using? The skip backward works fine.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

I understand but I try not to complain about things and make silly claims, either way no harm done, I assume you understand these things now, and I am happy to help answer your questions either way just might not be so friendly if your being nasty about iTunes as I love iTunes + iPhone. Anything else I can help with?

EDIT: With regards to your last question h.264 would work in iTunes if its file name is .m4v after compression, and depending on the type of h.264 and also the size etc... it may work on iPhone/iPod
 
Cheers Unknowndomain, no harm, its just niggles, though i can see my posts were a little harsh on itunes :)

The converted files have the .mp4 extension i think... am at work so can't check, They play fine and I can hit the skip back button during the playback of any of the video's to restart them, however, the skip forward does not work and when the video selected has finished playing, the ipod returns to the menu rather than playing the next file... is this normal?
 
Yeah its basically saying thats the end of that playlist...


If you had a podcast with one episode it would go to the menu....

IMG_0009.PNG


But if your on the first episode of 5 on a podcast it would go to the next until it reached number 5 and then go to the menu...

IMG_0010.PNG


The iPod function works like a playlist and when it runs out it goes to the menu, only way to stop it doing that it either turn on repeat 1, repeat all or shuffle modes. You can do this in portrait mode by taping the artwork once to reveal the scrubber and then choosing the icons under the scrubber...

IMG_0008.PNG
 
Do you have the original touch? mine is a gen 2, and my screens are a little different, for example, your'e second to last pic... I dont have Videos next to playlist/Artist/Songs.... mine is playlist/Artist/Songs/Albums.

My videos were all synch as a single playlist, but only play one at a time rather than in succession.
 
No I have an iPhone sorry to confuse you but its basically the same cept you have a video app I have a video button.

Might be a limitation of the video app vs the iPhone, so I will try to look next time I go to work (tomorrow) if I get the chance, okay. :)
 
Ah, well it appears the video app wont play files in succession like the music player, nor will it play a playlist like the music player, just plays one video at a time and auto returns to the menu instead of playing the next file, unless its the video format im using, cant find anything on google though so dont know.
 
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