foo_pod - Foobar2000 meets the iPod, iPod -> Foobar2000 0.8 Options

[Otto42]

Cliff notes version: Don't use foo_pod with the new firmware.

Unless you *need* the podcast menu or something, I would avoid the new firmware at all costs, period. Regardless of whether you use foo_pod or iTunes or whatever.

The new firmware breaks Smart Playlists. Period. They're just flat out broken.

Wait until they get a fix. Having a podcast menu isn't really worth it for the cost of broken SPL's, IMO.

[richard123]

I used the latest updater on my shuffle, but the latest firmware for the shuffle is 1.1, which is unchanged from the 2005-03-23 version. I filled the shuffle using iTunes 4.9, then tried using foo_pod. foo_pod won't recognize.

Is that because I'm using the latest iTunes? If so, where can I find the prior version?

This post has been edited by richard123: Jul 20 2005, 17:04

[zot]

I am having the same problems, I upgraded to the new firmware and its completely incompatible with foo_pod.  Since I upgraded to the new firmware I am now having to reset my ipod to factory defaults and replace all the music for the second time tonight.  Needless to say, I'm a little pissed.  Not with foo_pod just at the situation in general.  I understand this is what happens with third party software when the hardware developer doesn't want you using third party software but its still a gigantic pain in the ass.  Seriously.  Sorry for venting. 

Cliff notes version: Don't use foo_pod with the new firmware.

There's been plenty of warnings not to do that, so I wouldn't get too pissed.

Most recent is from Aero's latest post:

Note that I am not using the latest firmware or the 4.9 database format on a daily basis, so use at your own risk.

And
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ndpost&p=310394

Edit:Added second example.

I said I was pissed about the situation and not pissed at anyone on the software end.

[Aero]

Ok, here is the situation on the iTunes 4.9 database format/new firmware.

As several people have said, the latest firmware (2005-06-26) is not recommended, because of a variety of problems - the most serious being that dynamically updating smart playlists are broken (Apple acknowledges this problem, so hopefully it will be resolved in the next firmware release).

Although I thought I had foo_pod working with writing iTunes 4.9 compatible databases, this does not work correctly in foo_pod 0.9.9k.

Don't use foo_pod's iTunes 4.9 database format until this is resolved. This is no advantage of using this format for now, even if it did work.


That said, I believe you can write iTunes 4.7/4.8 format databases and they will work even on the latest firmware. So if you must use the latest firmware, write iTunes 4.7/4.8 format databases. Note that foo_pod can read iTunes 4.9 format databases, it is just writing that doesn't appear to be working at the moment.

[drbeachboy]

I used the latest updater on my shuffle, but the latest firmware for the shuffle is 1.1, which is unchanged from the 2005-03-23 version. I filled the shuffle using iTunes 4.9, then tried using foo_pod.  foo_pod won't recognize. 

Is that because I'm using the latest iTunes? If so, where can I find the prior version?

You can find the iPod Updater 2005-03-23 for Windows here: http://www.apple.com/ipod/hp/download/

[richard123]

I used the latest updater on my shuffle, but the latest firmware for the shuffle is 1.1, which is unchanged from the 2005-03-23 version. I filled the shuffle using iTunes 4.9, then tried using foo_pod.  foo_pod won't recognize. 

Is that because I'm using the latest iTunes? If so, where can I find the prior version?

You can find the iPod Updater 2005-03-23 for Windows here: http://www.apple.com/ipod/hp/download/

According to Apple, this contains the same shuffle firmware as the 2005-06-26 version:

iPod Updater 2005-06-26 includes new iPod Software 1.2 for iPod with color display, new iPod software 3.1 for iPod with Click Wheel and new iPod software 1.4 for iPod mini. iPod Updater 2005-06-26 contains the same software versions as iPod Updater 2005-03-23 for all other iPod models.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/

I thought the reason foo_pod could not read my shuffle was because I loaded the shuffle using iTunes 4.9, not because of a firmware issue.

Where can I find the earlier version of iTunes?

[zyrill]

Where can I find the earlier version of iTunes?

i'm terribly sorry, but you can't - not legally, that is: apple does not provide any old versions neither of itunes nor of the ipod-firmwares. the only thing you can do is dig out your install cd that came with your ipod and use the versions they put on there... well and maybe a friend of yours has an old firmware lieing about. i'm sorry to say those are the only options...

[etotore]

One more feature request, please!!!

Is there a way to add files from audible.com ".aa" extension.
Maybe a directory pointer because foobar can not read them.

I had to install itunes to solve it


BR
Tormod

[Roninr6]

the one thing that im still in need of is the abililty to right click on playlist names in the playlist editor and be able to rename, and delete them.

the double click to rename doen not work on my PC really. it takes my 15-20 tries to finally get it.

other than that I really like this plugin, and I appreciate you hard work, Its so nice not having to use Itunes.

[clunesy]

It is said that Itunes is not required to use foo_pod, but I beg to differ slightly.
I am running itunes 4.8 and 60 Photo ipod with firmware 1.1 (23rd May release).
If I either load mp3s directly after a firmware reflash, or choose the rebuild database option, my ipod goes into a perpetual reboot cycle, showing the apple for a few seconds, clicking and showing it again.

The only way to get out of this, is by loading one mp3 in itunes before doing my main sync in foo_pod and by staying clear of the database rebuild ! I'm using 0.9.9j.

Anybody else seen this ?

This is definitely still a real problem for me. Hope you can replicate.

http://www.aqyt18.dsl.pipex.com/iTunesDBfoo.rar

is the DB built or rebuilt from scratch by foopod. It sends my 60gig photopod

(windows format, firmware 1.1, 2nd wave of photopods with no dock or AV cable - HP brand)
into a perpetual reboot. The only way to fix is to mount it in disk mode, open itunes (4.8) load one mp3, let it update, then reboot the pod again. All is then well.

http://www.aqyt18.dsl.pipex.com/iTunesDBok.rar

is the database that follows loading one file with itunes.

If you just make modifications to an itunes-generated DB with foo_pod all is also well. Any ideas ?

regards

Clunes

Just read your original post which asks for a database with only one song in it - sorry ! I don't have time any time soon to empty/reload my ipod. Aero - are the big databases any use to you?

Clunes

Sorry to be a drag - me again - Aero, do you think you might have five mins just to see if these DBs crash your pod ? all the best

Clunes

[Mike Giacomelli]

Where can I find the earlier version of iTunes?

i'm terribly sorry, but you can't - not legally, that is: apple does not provide any old versions neither of itunes nor of the ipod-firmwares. the only thing you can do is dig out your install cd that came with your ipod and use the versions they put on there... well and maybe a friend of yours has an old firmware lieing about. i'm sorry to say those are the only options...

Actually, Apple leaves the old downloads up for all versions of iTunes back to 4.2. The trick is just in finding them since they are not sensibly named

Heres 4.7 which I happen to have handy:

Edit: I can't figure out how to cut out that stupid redirector to akamai. Try this link instead:

http://www.mpex.net/software/download/ituneswin.html

Try google for 'itunes akamai'. I managed to get 4.2, 4.5, and 4.6 with some effort a while ago while testing something.

This post has been edited by Mike Giacomelli: Jul 28 2005, 20:05

[blizeH]

Two quick questions:

1) I assume this will automatically synch the iPod with the Database/Music Library in the exact same way iTunes does?

2) Any idea when a 0.9 version will be released?

Thanksx

[Chaser]

concerning 2): when 0.9 goes final, the sdk will be released and it is likely that aero might the update the component!

[blizeH]

Only likely that he *might* do it? Haha. Oh my.

I hate to say this, but looks like I might have to re-install iTunes then, especially since from the looks of it I have the latest version of firmware on my iPod which won't work with foo_tunes anyway

*cries*

[Otto42]

foo_pod will work fine with the latest firmware, if you leave the experimental "write 4.9 databases" turned off.

However, the latest firmware for 4G and up iPod's has serious issues just by itself, so I'd try to revert it back to a previous version anyway.

As for whether he might do it or not, well, until the SDK is released, he *can't* do it, so there's your main reason it can't be done yet.

[blizeH]

Ahh I see, thanks.

All I want it to do is basically every time I add a song to the Media Library it'll synch it to the iPod, everytime I remove a song from my hard drive/Media Library it'll again synch it and delete it from the iPod. I assume that foo_pod does this without any troubles? If so, I'll stick it out and see how it goes!

Thanks Otto

[quazi]

Here's a weird one for you guys: Is there any way foo_pod could check the battery life while my iPod is connected?

[Otto42]

No. The computer just sees the iPod as a hard drive. There's no secret method of communication or anything, it's just a hard drive. Nothing more.

[eyemthatguy]

I am prepared to be beaten down for this question... knowing that here goes..

how, if its possible, do I send my lossless (flac/ape) to my ipod as .wav?

[Mike Giacomelli]

I am prepared to be beaten down for this question... knowing that here goes..

how, if its possible, do I send my lossless (flac/ape) to my ipod as .wav?

Set up the transcoder in foo_pod to convert all lossless files to wav. Its in the options, and pretty straightforward. However I recommend you don't use wav. It'll waste battery and space on the ipod. Instead, convert it to ALAC (or even LAME/AAC unless you have some insanely good headphones and really can ABX lossy audio). Same audio, smaller file size.

[Aero]

One more feature request, please!!!   

Is there a way to add files from audible.com ".aa" extension.
Maybe a directory pointer because foobar can not read them.

I had to install itunes to solve it   

Nope - there is no way for foo_pod to add songs to the iPod (at least add them and put them in the database so that they are playable) if the format is not playable in Foobar.

The technical reason for this is that a song in the iPod database needs some basic information about the songs - information like song length and other details about the song. If Foobar can't play the song, there is no way for foo_pod to get this information. Also, I would guess that most .aa files are DRM'ed.

[Aero]

Here's a weird one for you guys: Is there any way foo_pod could check the battery life while my iPod is connected?

I don't know of any way to query the battery state, and I don't see anything in the iPodService interface that is even close.

[Aero]

I am prepared to be beaten down for this question... knowing that here goes..

how, if its possible, do I send my lossless (flac/ape) to my ipod as .wav?

Set up the transcoder in foo_pod to convert all lossless files to wav. Its in the options, and pretty straightforward. However I recommend you don't use wav. It'll waste battery and space on the ipod. Instead, convert it to ALAC (or even LAME/AAC unless you have some insanely good headphones and really can ABX lossy audio). Same audio, smaller file size.

I'm not sure that transcoding to .wav will work. I haven't tried it, but it might fail when foo_pod tries to write metadata to the WAV file.

But MG is right - transcoding to ALAC (using Otto's iTunesEncoder script) is probably a better idea than writing uncompressed WAV files.

[Aero]

Sorry to be a drag - me again - Aero, do you think you might have five mins just to see if these DBs crash your pod ?  all the best

Yes, I took a look at your iTunesDB file and it promptly crashed my 4G iPod, requiring going into Disk Mode to recover.

Unfortunately, the iTunesDB file is so big that finding the one thing that is causing the problem is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So I haven't made much progress in figuring out the problem - if you can reproduce it with a smaller set of files, it would help my debugging efforts.

[Slaanesh]

I'm having a serious problem with foo_pod. It only has the "Update iTunesDB on iPod" choice in it's list of choices. I cannot send songs to the iPod either. Please help!