iPod touch Copy files to ipod touch without itunes or any other media player

Graeme82 · Jan 9, 2010

Hello guys,

I'm looking to transfer music files onto my ipod touch and ipod shuffle by copying and pasting the files rather than using the itunes interface (or any other media player for that matter). I have just bought the 8GB ipod touch and have had my ipod shuffle 1GB for around 2 years now.

The reason I need to do it this way is that I'm going to be travelling and won't have a laptop or macbook. I will however have a very nifty and very thin/small/light hard drive which will hold all my music and videos so that I can change my ipod music regularly. I will more than likely be able to use friends' computers as I am meeting people dotted all over the world but you can only sync with 5 computers as far as I'm aware so this isn't practical (unless there is a way to hack this).

I believe it's fairly straight forward to do what I'm talking about on Windows as it acts more like a USB device and I won't have to start iTunes to access the ipod but how can I do this on the mac (I'm currently using an iMac running Snow Leopard or OS X 10.6)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If you need any more information to help then let me know.

Thanks guys,
Graeme.

chown33 · Jan 9, 2010

Maybe this:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1478

Found by googling search terms: ipod touch as hard drive

The kb article may give you some other ideas for search terms.

Graeme82 · Jan 9, 2010

chown33 said:
Maybe this:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1478

Found by googling search terms: ipod touch as hard drive

The kb article may give you some other ideas for search terms.

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

I've already tried that method and it didn't work unfortunately. It looks as though the part used as a hard disk is partitioned from the part that is used for playing the music. There seems to be no interaction, so playing the files doesn't work once they are on the ipod.

I've found a few pieces of software which can get the music off of the ipod but none that can put it on without being interfaced through a media player.

An option I had thought of is that I can install one of these media players on whatever computer I'm using and do it that way which is fine assuming it is my friends computer or I have access to install on a public computer (unlikely - at least I hope it is) but of course this takes time and is a pain, but more importantly the times where I do not have access to friends computers I will be unable to change my music, which again isn't really practical for me.

Any other ideas?

Thanks again,
Graeme.

Night Spring · Jan 9, 2010

Unfortunately, you can't get an ipod to play music/videos by simply copying the files onto the ipod. There is an iTunes database on the iPod that the iPod reads in order to play the media, and this database needs to be updated. In order to update the database, you need some kind of program, and the way to do it most stably is with iTunes.

There's two ways to think about this. First is that the five-computer limit only applies to DRM protected media. If your friends all have iTunes on their computers, then you can swap media on and off your iPod using their iTunes, so long as they are all non-DRM. I believe most music purchased from iTunes can now be upgraded to non-DRM versions. If you have DRM videos, I'm afraid you're out of luck.

Second, there are iPod media management programs that run off a USB drive or even from an iPod itself. But most of them don't work with the Touch. I know they work with the Nano and Classic, but not sure if they do with the Shuffle because I've never owned a Shuffle. And it's been a while since I've used them so I don't remember their names or know which ones are up to date. But I'm sure you can get more info on the iTunes&iPods subforum.

swiftaw · Jan 9, 2010

You'll have to use iTunes, but I would imagine that most of your friends' computers will have iTunes. What you should do is this:

On you Hard Drive make sure that as well as all your music you have your iTunes library database files. Then, when using your friend's computer, hold down the alt/option key while launching iTunes. This will allow you to choose which iTunes library to open. Select the one on your external. This will open your library and you should be able to then move songs to/from your iPod.

Graeme82 · Jan 9, 2010

Night Spring said:
There's two ways to think about this. First is that the five-computer limit only applies to DRM protected media. If your friends all have iTunes on their computers, then you can swap media on and off your iPod using their iTunes, so long as they are all non-DRM. I believe most music purchased from iTunes can now be upgraded to non-DRM versions. If you have DRM videos, I'm afraid you're out of luck.

Swiftaw said:
You'll have to use iTunes, but I would imagine that most of your friends' computers will have iTunes. What you should do is this:

On you Hard Drive make sure that as well as all your music you have your iTunes library database files. Then, when using your friend's computer, hold down the alt/option key while launching iTunes. This will allow you to choose which iTunes library to open. Select the one on your external. This will open your library and you should be able to then move songs to/from your iPod.

Thanks very much guys. I think this answers my question. I didn't realise that the 5 computer max was just for DRM files. All mine are non-DRM so this should be ok.
So once it reaches the maximum of the 5 computer limit then it will function normally for non-DRM?

I was thinking about exporting my iTunes library but I thought it was going to be more difficult than that. Over complicating things as usual! So if I can do that then that's fine. Is there an option to change the iTunes library on start up for Windows?

Thank you very much for your help everyone. Very much appreciated.

Graeme.

Night Spring · Jan 9, 2010

Graeme82 said:
TI was thinking about exporting my iTunes library but I thought it was going to be more difficult than that. Over complicating things as usual! So if I can do that then that's fine. Is there an option to change the iTunes library on start up for Windows?

On Windows, you hold down the shift key while starting up iTunes, and keep the shift key down until the "pick library" dialogue box pops up.

And if all your media is non-DRM, the five-computer limit has nothing to do with you. Just forget about it, it complicates matters to even think of it.

And while it's true that you can copy your iTunes library to a portable hard drive and take it with you, personally I think that's only necessary if you want to sync the media to your iPod. If you are manually managing your media, there's no reason to be swapping libraries. (Remember, your friends have to swap back when you are done!) Just drag and drop the media straight from your portable drive to the ipod -- don't let them get imported into your friends' iTunes, because if you do, they'll have to delete all your stuff off their iTunes.

I suggest doing a trial run of both methods on your computer to see which one suits your needs better.

Graeme82 · Jan 10, 2010

I'll do a couple trial runs before I leave.

Thank you for your help.

TraceyS/FL · Jan 10, 2010

Graeme82 said:
I will more than likely be able to use friends' computers as I am meeting people dotted all over the world but you can only sync with 5 computers as far as I'm aware so this isn't practical (unless there is a way to hack this).

Just an FYI - this isn't what you think it is. Pardon me if you have figured this out already

The 5 computer thing is related to how many computers iTunes purchased materials can reside on (with DRM). You can "authorize" up to 5 computers to play the content - which can then sync with an "unlimited" amount of iPod devices.

However, each iPod device can only sync with ONE computer. When you plug it into your friends computer - it will tell you that it is synced with another computer, and do you want to sync with "this one". Which then will erase all your stuff and give you a blank slate to start with. If you are using apps, this will erase all the info in them.

That said, i do not have experience with using "manually manage" - so hopefully that will work for you.

If it was me, i'd be apt to move (copy) my library to that portable drive and just use the method of changing the library at start up. Then you have your playlists and counts and all that jazz...

Hopefully playing with it before you leave you get something that works easy for you!

Most of all - enjoy your travels!!!!

Night Spring · Jan 10, 2010

TraceyS/FL said:
However, each iPod device can only sync with ONE computer. When you plug it into your friends computer - it will tell you that it is synced with another computer, and do you want to sync with "this one". Which then will erase all your stuff and give you a blank slate to start with. If you are using apps, this will erase all the info in them.

That said, i do not have experience with using "manually manage" - so hopefully that will work for you.

Last time I tried, you could drag and drop media from a manually managed ipod Classic and Nano all you wanted from any library without iTunes threatening to erase all content. I haven't tried this on a Shuffle since I've never owned one. I think it works on a Touch without affecting apps (as long as the music/videos are manually managed), but I admit I'm not 100% certain. And I too, would like to wish the OP a good journey!

TraceyS/FL · Jan 10, 2010

Night Spring said:
Last time I tried, you could drag and drop media from a manually managed ipod Classic and Nano all you wanted from any library without iTunes threatening to erase all content. I haven't tried this on a Shuffle since I've never owned one. I think it works on a Touch without affecting apps (as long as the music/videos are manually managed), but I admit I'm not 100% certain. And I too, would like to wish the OP a good journey!

I borrowed my Dad's Touch for a few days before i bought mine. When i connected it, it zapped his apps - but left their movies. I have no idea how they were syncing them - so i'm not sure if it's the drag and drop thing or not (they are on a Mac if it matters).

However, there isn't a way to manually manage apps, so the question becomes, can you do anything with with drag and drop if you tell it to NOT sync with the "new" computer. I might have to go try it on the kids computer and see what it does....

If i can work up that much ambition right now! LOL!

Graeme82 · Jan 13, 2010

TraceyS/FL said:
Just an FYI - this isn't what you think it is. Pardon me if you have figured this out already

Hi,
I had worked this out by now thanks. I originally thought that it was a 5 computer maximum, which always angered me because, who are Apple to say how many computers I can use my ipod on?! I realise now the reality of what it means but still feel the same way.

As yet I haven't given this a shot as I've been busy working to save money for my adventures but I hope to get round to it soon and I will post my results, that is, which method was easier for me once I've tried it.

TraceyS/FL said:
Most of all - enjoy your travels!!!!

Night Spring said:
And I too, would like to wish the OP a good journey!

Thank you very much guys. I appreciate it

Graeme82 · Jan 15, 2010

Do any of you know a good set of bluetooth headphones to go with the iPod Touch? I'd prefer the big ones that go over your ears like ear muffs (can't think of their proper name) rather than the in ear ones.

I was looking at these: Jaybird Bluetooth Headphones But reviews are scarce and mixed. Also wonder if these would work right out of the box? They sell them bundled with a bluetooth adapter for ipod but I assume that is for the other ipods without bluetooth already on them. Does anyone agree?

Night Spring · Jan 15, 2010

Graeme82 said:
Do any of you know a good set of bluetooth headphones to go with the iPod Touch?

Attaching an unrelated question to a thread isn't likely to get you answers. I'd suggest you ask this in the iPhone accessories subforum, as all bluetooth headphone that work with the iPhone also work with the 3rd gen Touch, and there's more traffic in the iPhone forums, making it more likely you'll get helpful input.

Graeme82 · Jan 16, 2010

Night Spring said:
Attaching an unrelated question to a thread isn't likely to get you answers. I'd suggest you ask this in the iPhone accessories subforum, as all bluetooth headphone that work with the iPhone also work with the 3rd gen Touch, and there's more traffic in the iPhone forums, making it more likely you'll get helpful input.

No worries,

I've posted this as a new thread

Thanks,
Graeme.

Search

Search

iPod touch Copy files to ipod touch without itunes or any other media player

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

chown33

Moderator

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

Night Spring

macrumors G5

swiftaw

macrumors 603

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

Night Spring

macrumors G5

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

TraceyS/FL

macrumors 601

Night Spring

macrumors G5

TraceyS/FL

macrumors 601

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

Night Spring

macrumors G5

Graeme82

macrumors newbie

Our Staff