Falling in love with my Ipod all over again!

[slapnpop]

After a couple years of regular use, my ipod had lost the prestige it once had in my mind. My battery didn't last very long anymore, and I found myself wishing for this or that feature that I didn't have. Then at work one day I dropped it while it was playing, and the thing just froze up. It wouldn't play, it wouldn't turn off, even the hardware reset wasn't working.

So I did a little research at ipod lounge and learned how to open my ipod up with a guitar pick, and futz with the innards of the thing. I unplugged the battery and plugged it back in, and the thing was working again.

I figured if it was this easy, I'd see about changing out the battery for a new one. I found the best deal (for me) was to be had at kokopelli music. I was able to get a new 1100mAh (lasts 74% longer than the orignal) for ~$30, and they will replace it for the cost of shipping for life, so I'll never have to buy another again. My ipod lasts ~12-14 hours on a full change now! :dribble:

While I was at it, I also found out about Rock Box, and aftermarket operating software for the Ipod and some other MP3 players. Not only can I just dump Mp3's (and many more formats than an Ipod will normally play) directly onto the removable drive, but it adds a whole host of other new features! I no longer have to have that peice-of-crap itunes installed! This is perhaps the best feature. There is more than I can go into here, but the short list includes: finer volume control, greater format flexibility, graphic equalizer, customizable graphics and menus, and add-on applications and games. There are some bugs, with it being an open-source project, but I'm loving the results so far. Definitely worth toying around with.

Now my Ipod is a new animal. I'm using it more than I had been before, and actually moving music on and off the thing regularly since I don't have to use Itunes. It also makes it much easier to grab songs off a friend's PCs and vice-versa, as the Ipod just behaves as a removable drive, no special software required.

 

[GunMD]

That sounds pretty cool...especially since you didn't have anything to loose by opening it up in the first place. Seeing as how it was DOA.

 

[slapnpop]

Yea, I was nervous about opening it up while it was working properly.

Now that I've done it though, I realize how easy it is to do! I can strip the thing down to the separate replaceable components and re-assemble it in about 90 seconds. It's really difficult to do the first time, but once you figure out the trick it's cake.

Oh, and you don't have to open it up to change the software out, you do that all from the computer.

 

[GunMD]

Do you have the hard drive based version or a newer flash memory type? (Such as the Nano)

 

[slapnpop]

Gen4 20Gb hard drive. (thought I'm thinking of replacing the drive with a larger unit. They are standard IDE laptop drives.)

 

[GunMD]

Are you able to use the HDD version on the bike w/out any issues? I always assumed that the vibration would cause problems.

 

[slapnpop]

I have used it quite a bit in my jacket pocket, and never had a problem with it. I also use it in the car much much more (very stiff suspension). I have heard of others having problems with the HDD units rigidly mounted to the bike, even laying in a tank bag.

 

[devanator]

I no longer have to have that peice-of-crap itunes installed! This is perhaps the best feature.

That is one thing that I have hated also. My boy has a Creative Zen and uses Yahoo Music. My wife and daughter have an ipod and HAVE to use itunes. I would like it if their was just one music manager available on the computor. So I presume by what your saying, we should be able to use the yahoo music if we want to for both with that new software right? And also if we would want to uses that new software, does that prohibit us from using itunes every now and then? I not the most computor savy person around, even though I like playing around with the stuff.

devanator/Mike

 

[slapnpop]

I'm not familiar with Yahoo music, so I can't say for sure. If the program lets you store MP3 file directly, then it'll work. You can even use explorer and just move the files around, you don't need any software.

Rockbox will let you dual-boot into the original ipod software, but the two softwares store the files differently. So, unless you want to keep two copies of the files on the ipod, you'd only use one or the other.

That being said, you could use Itunes to access the files, and adjust the tags,etc. You'd want to use the "let me keep track of my files" option, and just add the tunes from the ipod to your library.

 

[devanator]

I'm not familiar with Yahoo music, so I can't say for sure. If the program lets you store MP3 file directly, then it'll work.

With Yahoo Music, it lets you use a variety of mp3 players with it. Not all of them, but a large variety. IPODS are not on the list. It works the other way for for my boys Creative Zen, Itunes isn't compatible with it. So we have two music managers and a lot of the same music downloaded twice but in different formats. He recieved the Creative Zen as a gift from his Uncle, that is why we have to have the two different music managers. So I would like to have one music manager. It would just simplify things. Does Your Ipod work the same as before as far as the volume control with that new software. I checked the sight out and it sounds pretty sweet.

devanator/Mike

 

[slapnpop]

The volume has 10x more adjustability. That means I have to roll the wheel 10x as far for the same change in volume, but I like it better.

 

[mdisher]

there are other tools out there that will let you mount, play from and move music back and forth to and from the pod w/o using iTunes.

Just do a google search for iPod utilities.

I looked at that open source package a long time ago and wasn't all that excited because of the bugs at the time but perhaps it's time to revisit it.

-MD

 

[BrunDog]

Check out Yamipod and XPlay. The latter works in Windows Media Player.

-BD

 

[odot]

I think this thread should be moved to the "software" area.

 

[Rogue]

I'm ready to get an Ipod. I just put a sound system in my new cage and for an extra $40.00 I added an Ipod inteface, so I tested it with a co-workers Ipod.... too cool!

Now I need an Ipod, it looks like for bang for the $$ the hard drive ones are the best deals but I would want one I could use on the bike. Slappy's sounds like it holds up on his bike, any experiences of hard drive Ipods failing on bikes?

 

[slapnpop]

To avoid confusion and mis-understanding, I do NOT normally ride with music/ipod. I have done it before on some long interstate hauls, but it's not part of my normal riding rig. I only have about ~30 hours of Ipod use on the bike, but no problems there.

 

[Rogue]

To avoid confusion and mis-understanding, I do NOT normally ride with music/ipod. I have done it before on some long interstate hauls, but it's not part of my normal riding rig. I only have about ~30 hours of Ipod use on the bike, but no problems there.

I have my XM for my main music on the bike but would want to take the Ipod along on long rides to use incase I got tired of listening to XM (hasn't happened yet) or was in the mood for something specific.

 

[Toecutter]

While I was at it, I also found out about Rock Box, and aftermarket operating software for the Ipod and some other MP3 players. Not only can I just dump Mp3's (and many more formats than an Ipod will normally play) directly onto the removable drive, but it adds a whole host of other new features! I no longer have to have that piece-of-crap itunes installed!

Is it fairly easy, for an untrained monkey, to download and install on the iPod?

 

[slapnpop]

Yes, faily easy with decent instructions on the website.