HELP - New to Ipod - Doesn't Bl**dy Work

[Chicklet]

I have just stopped procrastinating and bought an ipod.
I have music on laptop that I can see and play with in Windows Media Player.
I am *sure* I have managed to "sync" them onto the Ipod cos it was er, "whirring" a little and when I look at the e-drive in my computer when it's plugged into the laptop I can see the files on it as .wma files - but when I try and look on the thingy itself there's nothing there - what on earth 'ave I done wrong???

(please don't say download itunes and do it again, not an option)
thank you!!
C

[ducasi]

An iPod will only play music placed on it in the right format by iTunes.

[Chicklet]

An iPod will only play music placed on it in the right format by iTunes.

sigh, ta. shame no-one has thought to tell the staff at Curry's that eh? I deliberately and clearly told them I didn't have and couldn't use i Tunes - and was told it doesn't matter, if I have XP I will have suitable software....back to the shop with the black elephant then....

[straycat]

You can use an iPod just fine without iTunes - here's one way - and I'm pretty sure that the way you've been doing it will work fine.

The problem is simply that an iPod won't play .wma files (which is an MS-proprietary format) - you'll need to convert 'em to mp3.

[ducasi]

You can use an iPod just fine without iTunes - here's one way - and I'm pretty sure that the way you've been doing it will work fine.

The problem is simply that an iPod won't play .wma files (which is an MS-proprietary format) - you'll need to convert 'em to mp3.

I wonder why Chicklet can't use iTunes, and whether that means she will not be able to use WinAmp and the software you point to, or any other similar software.

Either way, you do need some sort of software to manage the task for you. Just copying your music files onto an iPod will not work – they need to be in a hidden directory structure with the right names, and there needs to be a whole bunch of other control files along with them.

(Oh, and one thing that iTunes does do is convert (non-protected) wma files into mp3 files to make then playable on an iPod.)

[Lynn]

I was thinking of getting an Ipod - this is putting me off though. Its clearly not straightforward for me to put existing music that I already have onto one.

[David Bailey]

I was thinking of getting an Ipod - this is putting me off though. Its clearly not straightforward for me to put existing music that I already have onto one.

It's not that difficult - as long as you just remember that you (pretty much) need iTunes installed on your PC - it does the converting stuff for you, which is handy.

[Lynn]

It's not that difficult -

I'm blonde remember? And a girlie. And I'm the 'work it out rather than read the manual' type. Lost cause really.

as long as you just remember that you (pretty much) need iTunes installed on your PC - it does the converting stuff for you, which is handy.

OK. Got that (I think). How do I get iTunes? It would make sense for it to come on a free disc when you buy an Ipod I suppose.

[WittyBird]

I'm blonde remember? And a girlie. And I'm the 'work it out rather than read the manual' type. Lost cause really..

*** Lynn get a grip. I'm a girlie and can manage it. It aint fecking rocket science.

How do I get iTunes? It would make sense for it to come on a free disc when you buy an Ipod I suppose.

It does come with an installation disk

*If DavidJames can do it, pretty much anyone can.

*Disclaimer - Unless your really stupid.

[ducasi]

I was thinking of getting an Ipod - this is putting me off though. Its clearly not straightforward for me to put existing music that I already have onto one.

iTunes makes it easy, just so long as you are able to install it. You could try installing it now and getting familiar with it. It makes a pretty good music player in itself.

http://www.itunes.com/

[ducasi]

It does come with an installation disk

The iPod nano doesn't come with a CD any more – but it's easy to download...

[WittyBird]

The iPod nano doesn't come with a CD any more – but it's easy to download...

Well it did when I bought mine a few weeks ago.

[Lynn]

*** Lynn get a grip. I'm a girlie and can manage it. It aint fecking rocket science.

I was being slightly sarky...

iTunes makes it easy, just so long as you are able to install it. You could try installing it now and getting familiar with it. It makes a pretty good music player in itself.

http://www.itunes.com/

Good idea. You can also buy music that way as well can't you - would be good to download tracks that I want.

As soon as I get broadband of course!

[WittyBird]

I was being slightly sarky...

No, Really?

[Lynn]

No, Really?

*Goes off to shed to build another rocket*

[ducasi]

Well it did when I bought mine a few weeks ago.

That before or after the recent revamp of the nano line? Perhaps it depends where you buy it, but one of the "features" of the revised model was smaller packaging that didn't have a CD.

Not that it matters greatly...

[David Bailey]

Well it did when I bought mine a few weeks ago.

Mine hasn't - just a little CD-less box.

But iTunes is downloadable free (see http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/), in fact I'd done that previously anyway to manage the music on my PC.

[Whitebeard]

But iTunes is downloadable free (see http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/), in fact I'd done that previously anyway to manage the music on my PC.

But that's going to take just a wee while on Lynn's dial-up line.

Soon forget don't we ?

[ducasi]

But that's going to take just a wee while on Lynn's dial-up line.

Soon forget don't we ?

I'm sure someone local to her could download it and burn a CD for her.

[David Bailey]

But that's going to take just a wee while on Lynn's dial-up line.

Not impossible - I downloaded it on my slow-as-hell ISDN line.

Just leave it going overnight