Goodbye iTunes!

[The Biffer]

After reinstalling all of my software thanks to XP SP2 requiring me to do a total reload of my OS, I went to reload iTunes so I could set up the iPod.

First problem was that it decided to erase all of the songs from the iPod as soon as I plugged it in. Lovely work there.

Second problem was it then decided to tell me that the sortware was not properly installed and that I needed to reintall iTunes to get it to work.

Tried that three times (twice from included CD, once from download) and still the same problem. Then found a light at the end of the tunnel...... Realplayer.

Now I'd always thought Real was not a great piece of software, and that it didn't offer much. Until this morning, at about 4.30am (thanks to the baby) I'm sitting at the PC, and come accross the latest version of Real, which somehow has got around the proprietary software thing with iPod, and now works perfectly with the Pod.

Highly recommend from my point of view. Anyone got further experience or info?

[mcs328]

From what I heard...the current version of Real does get around the current version of iTunes proprietary software. In future releases of iTunes, this may not be the case. Isn't there a legal bruhaha going on between the two?

[Cantacuzene]

I wouldnt install RealVirus even if it was the only program that worked.

[The Biffer]

From what I heard...the current version of Real does get around the current version of iTunes proprietary software. In future releases of iTunes, this may not be the case. Isn't there a legal bruhaha going on between the two?

I think there still is some legal stuff going on between the two.

Simply put, and maybe this is something Apple need to be aware of, I only chose to switch to the Real player because after multiple attempts I could not get the iTunes to work properly with my iPod. It had worked fine before, but now it does not, and nothing I could find on any Apple sites would tell me how to fix the problem.

Real slipped in seamlessly (I did make sure to uncheck all the other things it wanted to give me, and uncheck the "do you want tons of junk emails" box), and it so far appears to work great. It also rips CD's faster than I've seen iTunes, WMP or Musicmatch do.

[The Biffer]

I wouldnt install RealVirus even if it was the only program that worked.

That was my feeling before. I'd never liked anything that Real did.

I'm going to give it a few days to see what changes it might make to my machine, but so far it seems OK. Until someone else issues iPod functionality, it seems to be the only alternative to iTunes (which I would probably still be using if the damn software would work).

Of course the moral of the story really is that had XP SP2 not totally f*cked up my PC and caused me to reinstall the OS, I would probably have never found a problem with iTunes in the first place.

[bachviet]

No iPod and no Real Player for me...

[LPMiller]

there is a new version of itunes out today.

[verve247]

There is a corporate version of Real that is a lot less spy-ridden. Google around.

[sho.gun]

Hmm have you guys heard of ml_ipod? It's a plugin for winamp that will let you transfer songs to your ipod straight from your winamp media library. The day I got my ipod I installed the winamp plugin, didn't even bother with iTunes and everything works without a hitch.

link: http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=138888

oh, realplayer = spawn of satan.

[The Biffer]

oh, realplayer = spawn of satan.


You guys don't hold back do you! People seem to be on one side or the other about real player, and no middle ground!

I'll look into that Winamp plugin you mentioned. I've always liked Winamp, and it is a little bit less of a system drain than realplayer tends to be.

[SmokeyDP]

I agree with all of the Real Player comments made above, but their latest version seems to be less intrusive. I gave it a try and its MUCH better IMHO...

So you lost all of the songs that you bought by reinstalling the OS??

[The Biffer]

So you lost all of the songs that you bought by reinstalling the OS??

Fortunately I have an external drive that I was able to copy accross to by accessing the screwed up computer through Safe Mode. Then once the dust (proverbial and literal) had settled I copied them back accross. Rest assured that I'm maintaining a copy of all my data for when (not if) is happens again.

[Cheesypuff]

Buffering!!!!!!!

[ApltnHkyMutt]

you could have chosen in your itunes settings to not autosync with your ipod if you didnt want this to happen. Thats the way mine is. works great. i tell it when to do its business.

[The Biffer]

you could have chosen in your itunes settings to not autosync with your ipod if you didnt want this to happen.

Yup, I could have done that, but I didn't know there was a problem with iTunes until it was too late, so it would be a moot point now.

The captain of the Titanic COULD have chosen not to plow into the iceberg, but he did. Byegones in that case too.