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More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: 0239666 on February 24, 2007, 03:28:38 pm

Title: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 24, 2007, 03:28:38 pm
Basically I am just wondering how you enable the gapless feature on the iPod?
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: JimH on February 24, 2007, 03:39:43 pm
You may need newer firmware on the iPod.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 24, 2007, 04:00:47 pm
How do I get newer firmware?
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: Magic_Randy on February 24, 2007, 04:09:47 pm
You have to use iTunes.  It will check if you have the latest version of the firmware and allow you to update it if needed.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 24, 2007, 04:54:29 pm
Will this automatically happen when I open iTunes or do I have to go to a certain place on the menu? And also how can I confirm if its up to date?
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: Magic_Randy on February 24, 2007, 06:10:38 pm
Will this automatically happen when I open iTunes or do I have to go to a certain place on the menu? And also how can I confirm if its up to date?

Yes.  Open iTunes and connect the iPod.  Click on the iPod in the tree.  You will see multiple tabs on the right.  The summary tab tells you if the iPod is current and allows you to update or restore the iPod.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 24, 2007, 07:20:53 pm
I got it set up. But I'm afraid its not completely gapless. There is still a bit of a skip or pop between tracks.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 25, 2007, 07:39:20 am
Do you reckon you guys could get the iPod more gapless between tracks. I like the way you guys are taking the initiative and fixing all the iPod flaws. Because there is no way I'd be able to get the Apple Software team to listen to me.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: Magic_Randy on February 25, 2007, 10:43:22 am
there is no way I'd be able to get the Apple Software team to listen to me

This is definitely an advantage of working with a customer focused team like JRiver.  Companies like Apple would rather not have the input than invest in the cost of collaborating with the customers.  It takes a lot of time and effort to manage this type of customer interaction. 
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: benn600 on February 25, 2007, 10:17:48 pm
This is exactly why I gave up with other players and bought an iPod.  Since everyone has it, MC just works with it!  It was the best decision I ever made.  I also like the sound of my iPod Nano better than my previous player.

I have a question.  What is the point of gapless and why is it so important to people?  Does it mean you won't have a 1 second gap between songs?  If the song fades out by itself, then it will effectively have silence unless the tracks can crossfade.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: RFB on February 26, 2007, 12:39:39 am
The point of gapless is that there are certain albums that were intentionally recorded with no gaps between songs.  Two examples would be Pink Floyd's The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon.

With the iPod (and other players that can do gapless), these albums can be enjoyed in a state closer to what the artist(s) intended.

Rick
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: benn600 on February 26, 2007, 12:42:37 am
What about storing the entire album as a single file?  Wouldn't ripping to a single file be easy as long as it didn't include a gap?  Otherwise, rip to FLAC, cut the gaps out in Audacity, and you're golden with a perfect copy of the original data but without the gaps.  I know I have some Pink Floyd...I'll look into it.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: dcwebman on February 26, 2007, 09:36:25 am
Not to mention live albums are usually gapless.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 26, 2007, 09:36:53 am
If you have a hip hop mixtape. You want it in individual tracks beacause it contains all different artists. So you can check your iPod to see what artist is performing now. If it was one big file you would't be able to know whos performing and featuring. Unless you know before hand. The reason the need to be gapless is because thats exactly the way the dj made it and it breaks the play when there is gaps. Kinda of enoying if there is a sudden silence during an intense mix.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: benn600 on February 26, 2007, 11:08:44 am
But the average CD today is not meant to be played gapless, right?  Most CDs start with a unique intro and fade out or stop instantly with some silence.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: 0239666 on February 26, 2007, 12:15:42 pm
Thats not the point. Its the fact that the iPod puts in gaps that aren't on the original disc even if there is fade ins and outs.

P.S.Whats an average CD?
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: prod on February 26, 2007, 07:13:20 pm
P.S.Whats an average CD?

most of benn600's, possibly? :D

only joking benn600 - on the topic of why need gapless, I think it's plainly obvious it's a feature many people want. I can think of dozens of CD's (new & old) that have a few tracks on them that merge into the next track. Then there's the CD's where all the tracks merge in (mix stuff, dance acts, live sets and the like). Ripping as one mp3 doesn't cut the mustard, and a 1 second gap just sounds horrible.

Also, when you've got a long random playlist, it just sounds good to play seamlessly from one track to the next, without the "dead air" in between.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: benn600 on February 26, 2007, 07:41:05 pm
I strongly support this feature.  How do I enable it or activate it on my 2nd gen 8GB black Nano?
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: prod on February 26, 2007, 08:30:44 pm
You don't have to do anything, it should just work. I recall from forum posts on this topic that MC analyses the information at the time of sending the audio file across to the iPod. If the audio file contains the required LAME info, then it will (?should) play gapless, simple as that. Files encoded with a certain version of LAME or higher will contain the required information - however, I can't recall which version, but I know it's certainly not a recent release.

Edit: Making sure your iPod firmware is the latest release might help as well.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: Magic_Randy on February 26, 2007, 09:05:59 pm
P.S.Whats an average CD?

4 3/4" ;)
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: benn600 on February 26, 2007, 11:32:43 pm
Average CD:
Any compact disc which can be described by a simple majority of United States' citizens to be, generally speaking, among the mainstream music compact discs and, therefore, common topic of discussion for friends, family, and co-workers, due to reasonable radio airtime and marketing support using methods such as music videos, singles, tours, and posters to create further awareness among the public, thus creating a continuous circle of interested individuals who broaden overall awareness of a particular track or group.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: datdude on February 26, 2007, 11:48:27 pm
Average CD:
Any compact disc which can be described by a simple majority of United States' citizens to be, generally speaking, among the mainstream music compact discs and, therefore, common topic of discussion for friends, family, and co-workers, due to reasonable radio airtime and marketing support using methods such as music videos, singles, tours, and posters to create further awareness among the public, thus creating a continuous circle of interested individuals who broaden overall awareness of a particular track or group.
...not because the music is good, but because it's 'cool' and thus the reason why most mainstream music sucks these days.
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: Mr ChriZ on February 27, 2007, 08:09:12 am
I think you need most of your collection to be average,
because otherwise the good stuff wouldn't sound so good!  :)
Title: Re: Gapless on the iPod
Post by: benn600 on February 27, 2007, 09:11:46 am
I am on a huge rating rampage.  I've got ~3500 songs rated of my 11,000.  The problem is distributed:

1) We all have limited time.  Why would I waste my time listening to music that I don't INSTANTLY enjoy.  Some music can be liked if a taste is obtained through listening.  Why would I want to waste my precious listening time when I can just listen to my favorites.  My 3,4,5 star songs add up to 3.5 days--I only listen to music about 1/4 of the day (6 hours) on average.  That's about a month of brand new music of just the stuff I rated good--that I immediately enjoy listening to.

2) I went through my old MP3 collection that I essentially "threw out" but backed up when I switched to FLAC.  I then went to the store and bought lots of used CDs.  Anyway, I found almost 100 CDs that I will eventually buy.  I already ordered 70 or so but add the 100 and that's close to 200 CDs or pretty close to exactly 2,000 more songs.  Once I get these Cds, I won't have a huge resource for finding songs I like.  That MP3 pile was tailored to me--it was mine!