iPod Bought a new car - iPod Classic is no longer compatible. What now?

[machenryr]

So I just bought a new car. My main music and podcast source has been my iPod. I don't like streaming or radio so much. I like my tunes on shuffle. Sometimes I have long drives and this is my sanity balm. The new car, of course, won't recognize the iPod Classic. The technology is TOO OLD??? You'd think you should be able to plug in a USB MP3 device and go, but no.

My iPod has the capacity of 160GB. I USED to think that was a lot. I suppose I could get the new iPhone 11, right? Or there's a iPod Touch whatever for $400 that has capacity of 256? I have a new Mac Pro that will only run Catalina, which means no iTUNES!!!!!!! What the hell??

So what suggestions for my situation? I'm the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it guy, but I've changed too many things in the last couple of months. I'mdlike to hack catalina to operate iTunes so I can get all my playlists and audio. I'd like to keep my iPod up to date and use it in my new car. I don't like streaming for music. I have my own great playlists I want to keep creating with.

What should I get? This is a brand new 2020 car. Bluetooth and Apple devices are good. Just not THIS. Sheesh.

 

[cmaier]

So I just bought a new car. My main music and podcast source has been my iPod. I don't like streaming or radio so much. I like my tunes on shuffle. Sometimes I have long drives and this is my sanity balm. The new car, of course, won't recognize the iPod Classic. The technology is TOO OLD??? You'd think you should be able to plug in a USB MP3 device and go, but no.

My iPod has the capacity of 160GB. I USED to think that was a lot. I suppose I could get the new iPhone 11, right? Or there's a iPod Touch whatever for $400 that has capacity of 256? I have a new Mac Pro that will only run Catalina, which means no iTUNES!!!!!!! What the hell??

So what suggestions for my situation? I'm the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it guy, but I've changed too many things in the last couple of months. I'mdlike to hack catalina to operate iTunes so I can get all my playlists and audio. I'd like to keep my iPod up to date and use it in my new car. I don't like streaming for music. I have my own great playlists I want to keep creating with.

What should I get? This is a brand new 2020 car. Bluetooth and Apple devices are good. Just not THIS. Sheesh.

What difference does it make if there is no iTunes? The music app is pretty much the same deal (since we are talking about music). It supports all your playlists and audio, and has the same interface. Why would you want iTunes instead?

 

[machenryr]

I don’t want iTunes instead. I use iTunes to keep and update my playlists. For me they are hand in glove. I have a LOT of my own music in my own library, uploaded from audio, not in the cloud.

 

[konqerror]

The technology is TOO OLD??? You'd think you should be able to plug in a USB MP3 device and go, but no.

It's actually because iPod features require use of a proprietary protocol, paying a license fee to Apple and the incorporation of an MFi authentication chip. Part of this was due to DRM requirements.

There's simply not enough iPods out there to justify this in most industries; I got an AV receiver 2 years ago that dropped this feature as well.

 

[machenryr]

I’m so old school! I’m a musician audio engineer. I still have to print CDs, but I had to BUY an external CD player/burner today for references. I no longer have one. The new Macs don’t. The new cars don’t. Sheesh.

 

[cmaier]

I don’t want iTunes instead. I use iTunes to keep and update my playlists. For me they are hand in glove. I have a LOT of my own music in my own library, uploaded from audio, not in the cloud.

You aren‘t making any sense. ”Music” is the new name of the music portion of the iTunes app. It’s the same code. They just removed the movies and apps stuff from it. It’s exactly the same.

 

[machenryr]

I don’t think it is exactly the same. Without a hack my playlists don’t show up. My audio is — well I can’t give it. It looks like you have to download the sings from iCloud. I don’t want that. There a threads here about trying to hack music so our playlists show up.

I’d LOVE to be wrong. I just need you to show me how I can import my library and get all of my playlists and actual audio files. Please. I need it back. Happy to be wrong!

 

[cmaier]

I don’t think it is exactly the same. Without a hack my playlists don’t show up. My audio is — well I can’t give it. It looks like you have to download the sings from iCloud. I don’t want that. There a threads here about trying to hack music so our playlists show up.

I’d LOVE to be wrong. I just need you to show me how I can import my library and get all of my playlists and actual audio files. Please. I need it back. Happy to be wrong!

No. It’s exactly the same. It does not insist on the cloud. What are you talking about? I have 8000 songs and dozens of playlists from “iTunes” and they all showed up fine.

You don’t have to do anything to import your library - installing the operating system just does it.

 

[machenryr]

Well it hasn’t for me. Have you see those couple of threads about this very thing in the Catalina forum?

 

[cmaier]

Well it hasn’t for me. Have you see those couple of threads about this very thing in the Catalina forum?

I saw a couple bugs around june of last year or something. Are you installing Catalina over a Mojave installation, or is this a new computer? If a new computer, and if you aren’t using migration assistant, you need to manually import the library (which is easily done). Otherwise it is automatic, and it works fine.

Anyway, you are complaining about nothing. itunes was a bloated mess, and splitting it into separate programs for iPhone syncing, video, and audio was the best thing that ever happened to it.

 

[throAU]

Its likely your car may be able to read audio from USB flash.

Worth a shot - just copy your media to USB stick and see if it will read it.

My Alpine head unit will do that, purchased last year.


That said, if your car is carplay compatible, i'd definitely consider getting an iphone and kill two birds with one stone. CarPlay is great - even if for no other reason than Waze.

 

[amgff84]

I saw a couple bugs around june of last year or something. Are you installing Catalina over a Mojave installation, or is this a new computer? If a new computer, and if you aren’t using migration assistant, you need to manually import the library (which is easily done). Otherwise it is automatic, and it works fine.

Anyway, you are complaining about nothing. itunes was a bloated mess, and splitting it into separate programs for iPhone syncing, video, and audio was the best thing that ever happened to it.

Pretty sure he was only asking for help...

 

[cmaier]

Pretty sure he was only asking for help...

Yeah, but he wasn’t accepting it.

 

[joelovesapple]

What about running it through the AUX port? 'Sheesh'.

 

[machenryr]

Yeah, but he wasn’t accepting it.

What do you mean I wasn’t accepting it. I need explanations to accept something. Brand new 2020 Mac Pro. Catalina. No migration assistant. Clean install everything. I used the internal Music import library commands. Pointed to the iTunes library on another external SSD. But I got no play lists. Organization was haphazard.

You don’t have to be rude. I wasn’t. If you can explain yo me where I’m wrong, great. I’m not a Luddite. I’ve been around Macs since 1985. I’m old but not stupid, exactly. Lol.

 

[throAU]

Yeah, but he wasn’t accepting it.

Well, the original problem is "playing my content on my new car".

 

[machenryr]

What about running it through the AUX port? 'Sheesh'.

This is such a new car, I don’t know where it is, but I did think about that. I like the functionality of having the access on the car dashboard rather than fumbling with the iPod while driving.

 

[machenryr]

The car is a brand new Mercedes Benz. I would think I’d be able to access my iPod, but I guess they figure that you should be able to afford getting rid of an old iPod Classic. But that iPod Classic is PERFECT for me.

 

[amgff84]

The car is a brand new Mercedes Benz. I would think I’d be able to access my iPod, but I guess they figure that you should be able to afford getting rid of an old iPod Classic. But that iPod Classic is PERFECT for me.

I'd call Crutchfield and see if they have any suggestions for head units, even if they are a few years old. The problem with that is I am willing to bet your touchscreen controls half your car too.

 

[machenryr]

I'd call Crutchfield and see if they have any suggestions for head units, even if they are a few years old. The problem with that is I am willing to bet your touchscreen controls half your car too.

Boy. I’m really behind here. What’s Crutchfield? A car audio/media company?

 

[BigMcGuire]

Boy. I’m really behind here. What’s Crutchfield? A car audio/media company?

Looks like it - https://www.crutchfield.com

 

[joelovesapple]

If it was me driving a brand new Mercedes, I wouldn't mess about with the existing setup as the above poster said; it probably controls a lot of the vehicle functions as well.

 

[amgff84]

Boy. I’m really behind here. What’s Crutchfield? A car audio/media company?

Yupp, very helpful.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-KQNI8edqv0B/
[automerge]1582111814[/automerge]

 

[retta283]

I saw a couple bugs around june of last year or something. Are you installing Catalina over a Mojave installation, or is this a new computer? If a new computer, and if you aren’t using migration assistant, you need to manually import the library (which is easily done). Otherwise it is automatic, and it works fine.

Anyway, you are complaining about nothing. itunes was a bloated mess, and splitting it into separate programs for iPhone syncing, video, and audio was the best thing that ever happened to it.

iTunes 3/4 were way better than Music will ever be. iTunes 12 is not so hot though, it became messy during the poorly done 32-64 bit transition, IMO

 

[machenryr]

iTunes 3/4 were way better than Music will ever be. iTunes 12 is not so hot though, it became messy during the poorly done 32-64 bit transition, IMO

That sounds about right. The last iTunes was a mess. I’m not happy with Music so far. It seems like it’s formatted around Apple Music streaming cloud stuff? I don’t use it. So it isn’t very user friendly for me. Not quite intuitive like i like Apple products to be.