We want a new iPod-managing plugin and might even pay you to write one, [TOS #6: split from “[seemingly abandonware] iPod manager”, “foo_dop”] Options

[Bryter]

Just now i am realizing how important this component was for me. Just now i realize how terrible and slow iTunes is. I started using Media Monkey in order to sync my iPhone, and while it works rather well, it is to bloated and slow when compared to Foobar.
I would be willing to pay in order to have foobar work with iOS 5+. Aren't there any programmers who are willing to work on this?

[zzeitg]

Hi all,
serious question (as iPod manager seems to be definitely dead... )...

I truly hate iTunes and especially the album art adding process!
But is there another alternative app, which would simply allow me to drag & drop album folder (to iPhone directly, or in 2 steps over the app) and include album art from "folder.jpg" on-the-fly, similar way like ipod manager used to?????

I really loved this possibility to simply highlight albums (in foobar) which I'd like to copy to my iPhone/iPod and send them to the device without having to niggle with each and every album (art) separately.
I can tell you that for me it's so boring, time swallowing and annoying process to add the album art in iTunes and first then copy the music, that I rather stopped using my iPhone as music player.

(I know that I could start using iTunes library, but 1) I still use foobar as main music player; and 2) with huge music collection it's again slow to scan everything and rescan it everytime there's something new. I find having one alphabetically organized music folder much faster and well-arranged solution.)

This post has been edited by zzeitg: Aug 29 2012, 23:38

[Takaji]

I would be willing to pay in order to have foobar work with iOS 5+. Aren't there any programmers who are willing to work on this?

Echoing this as well. I'd be willing to make a small contribution if some sort of donation fund was set up.

[Peter]

It seems that interfacing with the current-generation iPod hardware requires reverse-engineering Apple software, not just using published APIs or reverse-engineering database formats. Hence the current situation.

[mudlord]

How much will the contract be for this work?
Will it involve payments towards relevant devices?

Last contract I did netted $900 which yielded $450. I guess custom RE work will cost much much more....

This post has been edited by mudlord: Aug 30 2012, 07:37

[Bryter]

It all depends on how many people are ready to pay for such component.

[mudlord]

You are forgetting the rate which the developer also wants to be paid at.

Normal work is usually 50-60 a hour. This will be a lot more since its very specialized.

[Sixth Street]

Yeah I don't see the HA foobar community coming up with funds to pay a competent software developer enough to make it worth his/her time. I'd be willing to contribute up to $100 myself, but only upon receipt of a working component, which a developer worth their salt probably won't agree to.

This post has been edited by Sixth Street: Sep 1 2012, 00:44

[mudlord]

It seems that interfacing with the current-generation iPod hardware requires reverse-engineering Apple software, not just using published APIs or reverse-engineering database formats. Hence the current situation.

I'm curious as to whether they did *any* obfuscation on iTunes. Surely they could have encrypted the EXE with some proprietary VM protection. Just like Spotify did with Themida.

[skace]

I probably donated around $100 dollars to musicmusic over the life of foo_dop. I'd be willing to do the same for a fully functional replacement. And while this may not match the kind of numbers mudlord is looking for to fund a full-time programming job, it certainly should seem somewhat appealing for an otherwise free component to a free music player.

However, I'm not going to beg or hold my breath. If the desire for a decent ipod music sync program does not exist on the internet, then I will either have to adapt to utilizing the tools that are available or a different music player. I haven't properly weighed my options but continually sinking 100s of dollars into 3rd party software is not a very intelligent solution to the problem as anyone might be able to conclude.

[Kohlrabi]

However, I'm not going to beg or hold my breath. If the desire for a decent ipod music sync program does not exist on the internet, then I will either have to adapt to utilizing the tools that are available or a different music player. I haven't properly weighed my options but continually sinking 100s of dollars into 3rd party software is not a very intelligent solution to the problem as anyone might be able to conclude.

You could also take this to Apple and ask them to offer an API to interface with, or refuse to buy hardware made by vendors who prohibit third-party usage of their hardware. It's not like the iPod is the only portable music player out there.

I probably donated around $100 dollars to musicmusic over the life of foo_dop.

Two Sansa Clip+s.

This post has been edited by db1989: Sep 5 2012, 09:36

Reason for edit: merging posts, removing extra full quote

[mudlord]

what kohlrabi said.

[sundance]

I don't have an iOS device (yet), but maybe JakPod could be useful for you.
It's written in Java, so you should be able to run it on many platforms.

(from the author's page)
Basic Features:
-Transfer music from PC to the iPod (mp3, m4a, m4b, mp4, m4v, m4p)
-Transfer music and videos between two iPods (including cover art)
-Transfer music and videos from the iPod to a computer (including cover art)
-Search and filtering (filtering works with playlists too)
-Copy static playlists from iPod to iPod
-Clone an iPod (only makes sense when using identical models)
-Backup & restore of iPods
-create playlists
-add/remove artwork (directly on the iPod)
-edit track informations (directly on the iPod)
-find albums/tracks without cover art

.sundance.

[eahm]

The absolute best non-iTunes iOS manager is CopyTrans.

This post has been edited by eahm: Sep 15 2012, 05:57

[frogworth]

The absolute best non-iTunes iOS manager is CopyTrans.

It seems to centre around copying from your iOS device. Maybe it does let you manage and upload music to it too, but the power of foo_dop to me was in the features that are missing from all the alternatives including MediaMonkey - foobar2000-style features, it seems to me.

• copy artwork to iTunes library even if not embedded in the files
• alter metadata on upload - e.g. I like putting [%date%] before %albumtitle% so my albums are in chronological order
• transcoding FLAC on the fly to iDevice-compatible formats (I didn't use it but a lot of peeps did)
• upload playlists, even auto-playlists. Despite this, foo_dop's one failing was being unable to properly manage device-side playlists

I now have a (somewhat) complicated method involving copying the files to another location and then running scripts to change %albumtitle% etc, and using mp3tag to embed the cover art as foobar won't do that. And then uploading using iTunes because at least it works. Not exactly ideal.

This post has been edited by frogworth: Sep 15 2012, 12:50

[marc2003]

using mp3tag to embed the cover art as foobar won't do that.

yes it does. look under the tagging context menu.

[frogworth]

using mp3tag to embed the cover art as foobar won't do that.

yes it does. look under the tagging context menu.

Oh, sorry, I don't mean that you can't embed album art, but I'm not sure I can automate it very easily - i.e. Masstagger doesn't support embedding artwork.
Automation is the key. mp3tag lets me update everything (tags, embedded artwork) all the files (duplicated in my "to upload" folder hierarchy, and deleted once uploaded) with one click.

[marc2003]

well you can batch attach artwork using the GUI but even that won't help with those extra tasks you've got going on. mp3tag it is then.