new iPod firmware
I’m not a fan of computer hardware that behaves the wants to, rather than the way I tell it to. My wife thinks it’s a control issue. She’ probably right.
I was getting peeved that the music on my (gifted) iPod wasn’t readable by anything that couldn’t decode the iTunes database structure. Well, the music is readable, but you can’t tell what song you’re clicking on unless you memorize the length and size of every song. The names are replaced with things like FWOX.mp3 in folders of similar names with dissimilar tracks (not of the same album). Plus you couldn’t copy (decoded) music from the iPod to another computer unless you purchased it through iTunes and were transferring it to one of your five approved machines. And you couldn’t play open-source music formats (ogg, flac, etc)
Well, I fixed that.
Solves all problems iPod related. Well, software related.
I installed the opensource firmware for my iPod. Then I used the tool for converting the iTunes database and can play music. I didn’t reformat or anything, just installed over existing ipod data.
Not only can I play ogg files, and mpeg video, but many other lossless forms as well. It acts like a regular removable hard disk now, and can play and transfer files (and pictures etc) from anywhere on the drive.
And it’s theme-able. Different skins and fonts etc. Works on my charger/fm broadcaster. Linux, XP, osX all good.
They have firmware for many other players as well. not for my myMusix, but oh well.
I’ll have to find another podcatcher besides iTunes. But that won’t be much of a problem.
yay.
