Suggestions: iPod Software for Windows

[scathing]

Does anyone know where I can find track management software for my iPod that doesn't suck copious amounts of dog's balls?

MusicMatch Jukebox has always fucking sucked, and giving it away for free with iPods hasn't made it any better. Its got the world's shittiest interface, its ugly, its resource intensive, and the only thing it has going for it is the fact that since Apple released the newer iPod updater, I don't have to install it when I install the software for my iPod.

I've also tried Ephpod. Marginally better, but it feels the need to change all of my fucking ID3 tags when I'm transferring files onto my iPod. So not only do I have to put up with the illiteracy that seems to be a pre-requisite when it comes to entering information into the CDDB (who the fuck is 9 ichn Nails?), I also get one or two Linkin Park tracks classified as hip hop.

I've tried Media Center, but unfortunately I don't have a Ph.D in obfuscation to work out how to use the fucking thing.

I just uninstalled iTunes from my system. That people think iTunes is a good piece of software just goes to show how retarded humanity is these days. After spending half an hour adding my music to its playlist, its decided to re-write all of my ID3 tags too! And, unlike Ephpod, its edited them on my computer's hard drive too. Now I have to go through and edit all of my MP3s to remove the checksum codes from the comments, and fix the genres and the spelling.

iTunes also seems to have problems editing ID3 tags. Namely, you can't fucking do it. I ran a search in their Help; the best you can do is go to the Internet and retrieve info. Which is why I want to fucking edit them in the first place (because people on the Internet are cunt farts that can't pass primary school english). By randomly clicking on the field you want to edit, it turns out you can change them (great undocumented feature, you fuck-knuckles)...but only in iTunes' music library database, and not the ID3 tag of the file itself.

Some times I miss my Zen. Creative's Playcenter isn't the prettiest or resource light of applications, but at least the interface was straightforward and it didn't feel the need to fuck about editing my ID3 tags.


So can anyone suggest software for me to transfer songs to my iPod for people who aren't animated fertiliser that hasn't had the sense to stay lying down? I've just downloaded and installed the iPod plug-in for WinAMP (which is probably the best MP3 player I've used because it just plays MP3s), I'll let people know how it goes.

[locust]

Originally posted by scathing

I just uninstalled iTunes from my system. That people think iTunes is a good piece of software just goes to show how retarded humanity is these days. After spending half an hour adding my music to its playlist, its decided to re-write all of my ID3 tags too! And, unlike Ephpod, its edited them on my computer's hard drive too.iTunes also seems to have problems editing ID3 tags. Namely, you can't fucking do it. I ran a search in their Help; the best you can do is go to the Internet and retrieve info. Which is why I want to fucking edit them in the first place (because people on the Internet are cunt farts that can't pass primary school english). By randomly clicking on the field you want to edit, it turns out you can change them (great undocumented feature, you fuck-knuckles)...but only in iTunes' music library database, and not the ID3 tag of the file itself.

At some point during the install or when you first run it, iTunes for Windows pops up a dialog asking whether you want "iTunes to organise your music file collection" or something along those lines. It sounds like you clicked yes when you actually wanted to click no.

As for editing the tag info (dunno if it's ID3 or the iTunes database - who cares about ID3, I do all my playing on iPod+iTunes), "Get Info" under the File menu is what you want. The shortcut key is Command-I on the Mac, nfi what it is under Windows.

[scathing]

Originally posted by locust
At some point during the install or when you first run it, iTunes for Windows pops up a dialog asking whether you want "iTunes to organise your music file collection" or something along those lines. It sounds like you clicked yes when you actually wanted to click no.

I clicked "no" to that. I was quite specific about it, because I remeber thinking that I didn't need a program fucking about moving all my files into other subdirectories based on its own internal logic. I'm not a Mac user; I actually care about how my computer runs and where my files are put. I like to choose where it goes, so I can retrieve it later.

As for the latter, the Get Info retrieves it from the Internet (from the various descriptions provided). My issue is that I don't want to retrieve it from the Internet; I want to edit the ID3 tags myself (for portability when I transfer to my other MP3 player, and when I burn MP3 CDs for in-car use, or when sending to a friend).

The database that all these music managers run don't provide anything (for me) that the ID3 tags don't already do, so in other words they're an answer to a question I didn't fucking ask.

While I realise some people feel the limp-wristed need to rate their music and count how many times they've listened to it, for me the fact that I *have* the song means I fucking rate it, and if a song listening counter is a "killer app" for you.....please just euthanise yourself now.

[Maestro]

Does the iPod automatically come up as a removable disk when you plug it in? Because if it does, you could just use Windows Media Player 9 (got irony?).

It does all the stuff you want... I personally prefer it over Creative Playcentre and WinAMP, so at least IMHO it's not a bad program overall. You can tell it whether or not you want it to change your info from online and it actually listens to you, and if you change stuff it stays changed.

It'll transfer playlists from wherever you want to whatever directory you want on the target device so, as I say, assuming that it comes up as a drive you're all set. I notice that there are no WMHQ iPod drivers on the Microsoft site - you can imagine that I am shocked and appalled.

[scathing]

Originally posted by Maestro
Does the iPod automatically come up as a removable disk when you plug it in? Because if it does, you could just use Windows Media Player 9 (got irony?).

Windows Media Player 9 doesn't have iPod support. The iPod maintains an internal database for all your songs, and renames them to 4 number long filenames in various 4 number long directories (for lower searching times, apparently, since you can choose to turn this renaming off).

Yes, it detects as a removable disk in Windows that you can manipulate with Windows Explorer. But, the "player" can't read the files you've copied across that way.


I use WMP for listening to songs on my computer. The only reason its been pipped over WinAMP is because of the album covers in Windows Explorer, and the fact that I can dock the mini player to the taskbar. That latter feature is the best thing ever.

[Maestro]

Apparently XPlay (http://www.mediafour.com/products/xplay/) will marry iPod to WMP, but I don't know how good it is. There's a trial for it on that page, so you could give it a shot I guess.
Originally posted by scathing
the fact that I can dock the mini player to the taskbar. That latter feature is the best thing ever. Very, very true.

[MisterBishi]

Anapod Explorer is good, but it's $25 and I'm tight. Why am I resurrecting this thread? Because I saw somebody looking at it in the Who's Online page. :cool: