Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

I pod and windows

Sabenth

Sabenth

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 24, 2003
888
3
UK
Hi guys as a windows soon to be very mac user i have been lookin at getting a 10 gb i pod with my new i mac as a music maker and listner i thought hey that sounds like a good idea then this little thing poped into my head can a mac i pod plug into a windows based system and download mp3s from it so long as the pc has a firewire port reason for this my old 486 mp3 jukebox isnt networked to my more upt todate pc system but i can put my firewire card in it but before i go tampering with mr gates software can i do this little operation .......


Comments sugestions all welcomed...
 
A Windows iPod can be transformed into a Mac iPod by plugging it into the Mac and running the iPod updater...

However a mac iPod can not be used on a PC at all since the file format is HSF which Windows can not see. (not sure about Linux and the line)...

The Windows iPod uses a fat32 file system..
 
You could use xplay. It's software to open a mac ipod on a pc. I use it because of a lack of harddrive space on my powerbook. It works really well.

Other than that i think it would take changing the format of your ipod, like bbd115said, which could be somewhere between a pain and impossible.
 
Originally posted by bpd115
A Windows iPod can be transformed into a Mac iPod by plugging it into the Mac and running the iPod updater...

However a mac iPod can not be used on a PC at all since the file format is HSF which Windows can not see. (not sure about Linux and the line)...

The Windows iPod uses a fat32 file system..
Click to expand...

Macs can read FAT32 so a windows iPod will work with both Macs and PCs right outta the box. If you buy a PC iPod and run the iPod updater it will convert it to a Mac iPod and you won't be able to use it w/yer PC w/o third party software.

So, in short a PC iPod will work (as both an MP3 player and HDD) w/your PC and your Mac right out of the box.


Lethal
 
Macs can read fat 32, but doesn't the iPod when used as intended with the Mac, need to be in HSF?

Oh well I'll find out Saturday when I get my new iMac...
 
Originally posted by bpd115
Macs can read fat 32, but doesn't the iPod when used as intended with the Mac, need to be in HSF?

Oh well I'll find out Saturday when I get my new iMac...
Click to expand...


Nope. AFAIK the PC iPod works flawlessly on both platforms(There were a rash of posts concerning this a few months ago).


Lethal
 
Originally posted by LethalWolfe



Nope. AFAIK the PC iPod works flawlessly on both platforms(There were a rash of posts concerning this a few months ago).


Lethal
Click to expand...

so what is the point of having a windows ipod and a mac ipod? y dont they just have one that works on both? i am going to get a 17" powerbook and throw out my pc so do u think i should switch it to a mac ipod or just leave it as it is in case i need to use it on a windows computer? is there any benefit to having a mac only ipod?
 
Originally posted by rideahyperLite


so what is the point of having a windows ipod and a mac ipod? y dont they just have one that works on both? i am going to get a 17" powerbook and throw out my pc so do u think i should switch it to a mac ipod or just leave it as it is in case i need to use it on a windows computer? is there any benefit to having a mac only ipod?
Click to expand...


I think they have 2 iPods because the PC iPod is not offically supported to work on the Mac. For whatever reasons Apple didn't want to mess w/making an iPod that was 100% compatible w/both systems. Maybe it was too difficult to make an iPod that they could guarantee would work on both, I dunno.

If you do a search for "PC iPod" you might still be able to find the old threads.

Lethal
 
It is true that the PC iPod works fine with a Mac. In fact I am the person who did all the tests a while back to quiet the doubters.

The big difference between a PC iPod and a Mac iPod is the included software package. I believe this is the main reason they sell the two.
 
just wondering.. if i brought my ipod to an apple store would they get all pissy if i plugged it in and started downloading things? my connection at home is 56k and its starting to get ridiculous.
 
Originally posted by rideahyperLite
just wondering.. if i brought my ipod to an apple store would they get all pissy if i plugged it in and started downloading things? my connection at home is 56k and its starting to get ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I think they would. If for no other reason they you could just drag 'n drop any software on the display Mac yer using onto your iPod (there was a big whoo-haa 'bout this when the iPod was first released)


Lethal
 
you know what amuses me the most about all of this is the fact that either way a real i pod not a pc port seems to do a hell of a lot more than the pc version i was talking to the guy who sugested the i pod in the first place in the shop shouldnt have mentioned the fact that i make music even if at this point in time its demo matrial now i want one and i want it now just have to wait now thats all
 
Originally posted by Sabenth
you know what amuses me the most about all of this is the fact that either way a real i pod not a pc port seems to do a hell of a lot more than the pc version i was talking to the guy who sugested the i pod in the first place in the shop shouldnt have mentioned the fact that i make music even if at this point in time its demo matrial now i want one and i want it now just have to wait now thats all
Click to expand...

:confused:

by "real" iPod do you mean a Mac iPod? And if so what can it do that a PC iPod can't?

I usually don't gripe 'bout spelling or grammar, but a period everynow and then really makes things easier to read. :)

Lethal
 
it would help if i used grammer wouldnt' it. and I do mean the one and only orginal I POD ....
 
Originally posted by LethalWolfe


:confused:

by "real" iPod do you mean a Mac iPod? And if so what can it do that a PC iPod can't?

I usually don't gripe 'bout spelling or grammar, but a period everynow and then really makes things easier to read. :)

Lethal
Click to expand...

I think he's referring to the iPod as the original as opposed to all the copy cat MP3 players that have hit the market that look just like it.
 
What I am gathering is there is no diffrance what so ever between both versions of the ipod. So why make 2 diffrent i pods and claim one is mac one is pc when we now all know there the same. still donst make any diffrance i am still getting one
 
Originally posted by Sabenth
What I am gathering is there is no diffrance what so ever between both versions of the ipod. So why make 2 diffrent i pods and claim one is mac one is pc when we now all know there the same. still donst make any diffrance i am still getting one
Click to expand...

The difference is the included software and the formatting and rom that is installed in them at the factory.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit


The difference is the included software and the formatting and rom that is installed in them at the factory.
Click to expand...

Well, that and you get a 4-6 pin f/w cable with the PC iPod. Not sure if you still get the 6-6 pin cable as well. If so, there's no reason for a mac user to get the mac iPod since you get more software and more hardward for the same price!
 
So the diffrance comes down to software not hardware as such..... seems to me that windows based stuff is not that great anyways but i will avoid getting into that debate just to state thats one reason i am switching..


HERES TO NEW FOUND GLORY OF Ilife and my new supperdrive..
 
Originally posted by JustAGuy


Well, that and you get a 4-6 pin f/w cable with the PC iPod. Not sure if you still get the 6-6 pin cable as well. If so, there's no reason for a mac user to get the mac iPod since you get more software and more hardward for the same price!
Click to expand...

I have never seen the 4-6pin adaptor with the Win iPod. The 5gig Win iPod I have been using has a 6 to 6.
 
hangon a second guys whats the diffrance between 6-5 or 6-6 pin this is kind of confusing. I mean I know when i get everything out of the box plug it all in it should all work fine. unlike somthing i have just found on my pc which has now decided it needs a re boot because of an update....
 
theres only one real difference that i noticed

Ok, I started with a PCPOd and then i bought an ibook. At first i fugred why not keep it in fat32. Then one night i decided to switch it to HFS+ and i noticed something. The HFS+ is noticeably faster on a MAC than the PC pod was. Now this all makes sense but its soemthing to think about it the grtand scheme of things. Also my iPod would sometimes say "safe to unplug" after unmounting thhe fat32 and it woudl erase al lthe songs neway. Just a few things to think about.
 
Originally posted by Sabenth
hangon a second guys whats the diffrance between 6-5 or 6-6 pin this is kind of confusing. I mean I know when i get everything out of the box plug it all in it should all work fine. unlike somthing i have just found on my pc which has now decided it needs a re boot because of an update....
Click to expand...

There are 2 kinds of FW connectors. 6 pin and 4 pin. The 6 pin provides power, while the 4 pin does not.


Lethal
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back