Topic: FLAC playback on iPod Touch?

[Brian Skalinder]

Nope, still gotta have iTunes.

I suspected as much.  Oh, well.

But in iTunes:
1)  Plug in her device.  It should show up under "Devices" in the left column.  Click on the Summary tab if not already highlighted, and then click on "Manually Manage Music and Videos".
2)  Go to your Library, at the top of the left column, and browse your media.  Select what you like and drag it onto the device icon.  It will copy those songs to that device, except if that device is already linked to another iTunes account.

Thanks!  Part of the problem is that I don't want to use iTunes to manage my media library, so I've only installed iTunes on her computer.  Sounds like I have two options:

• Install iTunes on my computer and sync her device(s) using my computer.  (Does iTunes support multiple root directories in its library, or must all music be stored within a single parent directory?  I suspect the latter from what I've found searching around, but hopefully I'm wrong.)
• Copy the music I want to share onto her computer, then add to her local library, then copy across to her device(s) via iTunes.

While this link doesn't show drag and drop, it shows some of the other "hoops" one might want to jump through.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/how-to/#video-sync

Thanks, I'll take a look.  Looks familiar, I think I've seen it before, but didn't quite find what I was looking for.  I'll explore further.

[keytohwy]

Nope, still gotta have iTunes.

I suspected as much.  Oh, well.

But in iTunes:
1)  Plug in her device.  It should show up under "Devices" in the left column.  Click on the Summary tab if not already highlighted, and then click on "Manually Manage Music and Videos".
2)  Go to your Library, at the top of the left column, and browse your media.  Select what you like and drag it onto the device icon.  It will copy those songs to that device, except if that device is already linked to another iTunes account.

Thanks!  Part of the problem is that I don't want to use iTunes to manage my media library, so I've only installed iTunes on her computer.  Sounds like I have two options:

• Install iTunes on my computer and sync her device(s) using my computer.  (Does iTunes support multiple root directories in its library, or must all music be stored within a single parent directory?  I suspect the latter from what I've found searching around, but hopefully I'm wrong.)
• Copy the music I want to share onto her computer, then add to her local library, then copy across to her device(s) via iTunes.

While this link doesn't show drag and drop, it shows some of the other "hoops" one might want to jump through.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/how-to/#video-sync

Thanks, I'll take a look.  Looks familiar, I think I've seen it before, but didn't quite find what I was looking for.  I'll explore further.

I'd go with option two that you outline.  Keeping her iOS device synced to her iTunes account just seems easier to me.

I think what you are otherwise asking is can iTunes manage multiple libraries.  It can.  On the Mac you hold the option key when launching iTunes and you'll be prompted to point to a library or create a new one.  This is great for storing libraries on NAS's, etc.

All of this being said, there are apps out there that say they allow drag and drop loading of iPods directly from the, err, what is is called in Windows, Explorer?  Whatever it is you browse the files system in.  Anyway, these apps say they bypass iTunes.  Google will provide links.  I've never tried them.

Good luck!

[Brian Skalinder]

Thanks for the help, key.

[keytohwy]

Thanks for the help, key.

no problem.  Thanks for the respectful dialog.  I'd still like to hear from Hi and Lo...

And to the thread's original point, I hope some good info was shared.  It's truly awesome that we have not only a FLAC player for iOS, but the developer is a TS.com member!

keytohwy

[keytohwy]

Not quite off topic, can this app stream FLAC to an iphone 3GS over wifi? If not does anyone one that does.

Many thanks.

Rob.

Take a look at AirFoil.  Does what you want...

[rastasean]

I also feel Brian's stress. Apple has made it very hard on purpose to require itunes to transfer music/videos to the idevices. Would it make any sense that every time you connect your camera to your computer that you're required to import the photos via propriety software like the apple photo thing?* When I connect my camera to the linux PCs it prompts to open when different software but I can just drag and drop to/from the computer. But just because apple makes it difficult doesn't mean there are not ways around this. I prefer my jailbroken iphone over the standard apple iphone. We're 4(?) generations into the iphone and there's still only one layout and all the icons still look the same...talk about stale. (there could be ways around this by purchasing other themes but jailbreaking is free, safe, and provides multiple sources of software).

Do ipods require you to sync the device to a computer/itunes account? That's another very silly thing...



*Understand that this is just an analogy and I know that you're not required to use any apple software to transfer photos.

[keytohwy]

I also feel Brian's stress. Apple has made it very hard on purpose to require itunes to transfer music/videos to the idevices. Would it make any sense that every time you connect your camera to your computer that you're required to import the photos via propriety software like the apple photo thing?* When I connect my camera to the linux PCs it prompts to open when different software but I can just drag and drop to/from the computer. But just because apple makes it difficult doesn't mean there are not ways around this. I prefer my jailbroken iphone over the standard apple iphone. We're 4(?) generations into the iphone and there's still only one layout and all the icons still look the same...talk about stale. (there could be ways around this by purchasing other themes but jailbreaking is free, safe, and provides multiple sources of software).

Do ipods require you to sync the device to a computer/itunes account? That's another very silly thing...



*Understand that this is just an analogy and I know that you're not required to use any apple software to transfer photos.

I hear what you are saying, but "on purpose" and "difficult" are different things.  There's nothing "difficult" about plugging in an iOS device and syncing it.  You can certainly add layers of complexity by adding multiple users, multiple computers/libraries and multiple devices.  But really, do you expect Apple to rely on a third party for this stuff?  The "walled garden" or whatever you want to call it is working well for Apple, and users seem to like it.  You certainly don't have to like it.  And as a Linux user, you really don't have a choice.  But are you pissed at Apple for forcing the iTunes issue, or pissed because it is difficult? 

Do iPods require you to sync to a computer?  For now, yes.  Perhaps with iCloud and iOS5, maybe not. 

Why do you have to sync to a single computer/account?  Can you imagine the theft that would take place somewhere like in a college dorm, where I could just go down the hall and connect my iPod to everyone's computer and steal their music?  That's theft, and that's not right.  So yes, you need to link the iPod to a computer/account.

[rastasean]

Why do you have to sync to a single computer/account?  Can you imagine the theft that would take place somewhere like in a college dorm, where I could just go down the hall and connect my iPod to everyone's computer and steal their music? 

There's a hundred ways around this but I know the real reason is for apple to protect their bottom line and make it more difficult to transfer music to the ipod/iphone. The fact of the matter is that the idevices don't mount like virtually all other devices I've used and it does require you to use itunes. Having it mount on the system like other devices does not mean they are relying on third parties, it just means they are not afraid of competition but it seems quite clear they are afraid of competition.

Is the walled garden the default theme? Its working well since its the only theme on the iphone so of course they wouldn't know who likes it and who doesn't.

There's nothing "difficult" about plugging in an iOS device and syncing it.

You have to download an application that when it first came out (and I used it very often) was ~20-40MB and now its 78-80MB and growing filled with fluff and junk that I don't really care for; you have to create an itunes account and sync it with apple; you have to sync the device to your computer. I am able to mount the iphone on the linux machine and see all its directories but the music files are arbitrarily named and so are the folders--on purpose.

Hopefully this thread will provide information to me on how to copy files from the iphone to the desktop using itunes...can you do that or can you only go from PC to iphone?

Keytohwy, have you ever heard of rockbox? http://www.rockbox.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockbox

The Rockbox project began in late 2001 and was first implemented on the early Archos series of hard-disk based MP3 players/recorders (including the flash-only model Ondio), because of owner frustration with severe limitations in the manufacturer-supplied user interface and device operations. ... Instead, it offered a greatly improved user interface and added plug-in functions absent in the factory firmware.

This project clearly shows that there are millions of people dissatisfied with the status quo of current, stale firmware pushed out to these music players so action was taken to replace and make the firmware better. Too bad the developers at apple try to prevent this so much with their constant iphone 'upgrades' (rockbox is used on the ipod but the same principal applies to those who want to jailbreak it and apple continues to do the almost mandatory upgrades on the iphone).

[spyder9]

Confirming that the FLAC player works at 16 bit & 24 bit on the iPod Touch 4G.  Gapless too. 

Had no problems loading via iTunes.  Just followed the developer's instructions and everything works perfectly.

[rhinowing]

I think Windows has something to do with it, actually.  I hear time and time again about Windows users frustrations with iTunes, calling it bloated, and a CPU hog.  From a UI perspective, they are nearly identical, though.

I think it's a bad port from the mac version. It simply bogs down and eats an incredible amount of CPU once the media library gets large enough. That introduces lag for simple tasks such as selecting an album or viewing a file's properties. Before I stopped using itunes, it would take 4-5 seconds for me to add artwork to a track or change it's tags. it's a bummer, because I liked the UI when it worked.

[sunshinetom]

I just find a step by step guide on how to play FLAC on iPod in lossless or lossy way at http://www.bigasoft.com/articles/how-to-play-flac-on-ipod.html
This guide applies to:

    * Convert FLAC to Apple Lossless or AIFF to play lossless FLAC on iPod Touch, iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPad2, iTunes, Quicktime, iMovie, FCP, FCE.
    * Convert FLAC to MP3 to play FLAC on iPhone/iPad/iTunes/iPod/Quicktime/iMovie/FCP/FCE/Windows Media Player in lossy way.
    * Convert FLAC to other audio formats including lossy AC3, AU, M4A, MP2, OGG, RA, and WMA.

[ScoobieKW]

VLC Streamer will stream anything that VLC can play to your iDevice. The caveat is that VLC does not support gapless playback so it will have gaps between tracks.

Not quite off topic, can this app stream FLAC to an iphone 3GS over wifi? If not does anyone one that does.

Many thanks.

Rob.

Populating a device is simple in iTunes, select the tracks in your library (not the albums, but the tracks) and drag to device on left.

My biggest gripe about iTunes, is that it doesn't autodiscover files in folders. If my wife logs into windows on her profile, adds new cd's they don't show up in my iTunes when I log in. I have to use a third party app to update the catalog. PITA.

[keytohwy]

Populating a device is simple in iTunes, select the tracks in your library (not the albums, but the tracks) and drag to device on left.

My biggest gripe about iTunes, is that it doesn't autodiscover files in folders. If my wife logs into windows on her profile, adds new cd's they don't show up in my iTunes when I log in. I have to use a third party app to update the catalog. PITA.

If you and your wife and sharing an iTunes library, you should also make sure that the xml files are in a common directory.  That way, if either of you rip a CD, they'll go to the common directory AND the xml files will be updated.

Bear in mind that this effects other things like play counts and playlists as well. 

Hope that helps,
keytohwy

[ArchivalAudio]

I would say that I am a Mac user and have been since 1988..

so I do Have a iPod 5.th gen which is RockBoxed (so does my wife)
and I drop and drag Flac and Shn files onto the RockBox.
I don't use iTunes except on my main computer to stream FM radio stations.
iTunes does not make it easy to play Flac files, and I see no reason to copy files and have two sets of Flac and ALAC files for lossless play back

on my Mac I use Cog to play flac and shn file sets to listen to music
unfortunately you still can not RockBox any ipod newwer than 5.5 gen - so not touch etc

[fleish]

I think Windows has something to do with it, actually.  I hear time and time again about Windows users frustrations with iTunes, calling it bloated, and a CPU hog.  From a UI perspective, they are nearly identical, though.

I think it's a bad port from the mac version. It simply bogs down and eats an incredible amount of CPU once the media library gets large enough. That introduces lag for simple tasks such as selecting an album or viewing a file's properties. Before I stopped using itunes, it would take 4-5 seconds for me to add artwork to a track or change it's tags. it's a bummer, because I liked the UI when it worked.

I've noticed this more & more recently on my mac version of iTunes. I used to update iTunes a lot and would blast through setting track names or whatever with no delay in saving the data and switching to the next (command-n) track or whatever. These days, there is a very noticeable lag - complete with pop-up window saying "working/in-progress" or whatever it is. Luckily I don't update iTunes data much these days.