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[SteveG]

There have been recent functional additions for iPod in Media Center 11.1 Beta so let's use this thread to summarize current new features supported by different iPods.

The beta of MC11.1 is available in a thread on the MC board here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=3.0

This is only a list of the most recent additions.

iPod Video - Supports video playback. Supports Album Art. Can take advantage of MC option to disable album art if you elect to do so.  Soundcheck on iPod  enabled using MC's replay gain setting.

iPod Photo - Supports Album Art. Can take advantage of MC option to disable album art if you elect to do so. Internally recognizes some previously unrecognized iPod photo devices. Soundcheck on iPod  enabled using MC's replay gain setting.

iPod Shuffle - Updates playcounts correctly. 

[pank2002]

Video support?! So will we see photo support soon? That would be great.

Thanks Steve!

PS: Panes in iPod-view is another new feature! However, last time I checked they were placed in the side ? (as opposed to the top)

[SteveG]

Photo support is high on the list of things to do next for iPod.

Steve

[lOth]

what else is on your list (high or low)? 

[SteveG]

Robust photo support is first and is a decent sized project to do it right. Other current priorities are assuring that all the recent changes are perfected and working well. After that, sifting through smaller requests.

[LonWar]

You forgot to mention that you can now use Sound Check!!  Yay!!

[Chris Shaw]

Mapping of custom MC tags to iPod tags?

[SteveG]

You forgot to mention that you can now use Sound Check!!

Thanks, I edited the top entry to reflect this.

Insert Quote
Mapping of custom MC tags to iPod tags?

This needs to be done and is also a priority. Thanks.

[tlongacre]

Am I right to assume the stuff that works for the iPod photo works for the Nano as well? (Album Art)

[SteveG]

Yes, it should work corrrectly as well.

[risingdamp]

Many congratulations Steve on getting this far.  iPod support in MC is now far superior to any other media player.  Well done and thanks.

[JimH]

Strong words!  And thanks (on Steve's behalf).

And thanks to Matt and Rick for major assists.

[Chris Shaw]

> Mapping of custom MC tags to iPod tags?

This needs to be done and is also a priority. Thanks.

Excellent. Once this is in place, it will be a definite reason to drag my HTPC from 10.0 to 11.1. Many thanks

[lOth]

Steve,

very small request that has more to do with the UI. Can we finally have an 'eject' button somewhere? (in the AW?)

Having to expand the tree, right click, left click to eject the iPod, sort of defies the purpose of integrating sync in the AW.

[edit: and another small request: would it possible to have the data (playcount and rating) synced only after you press the sync button?]

[SteveG]

very small request that has more to do with the UI. Can we finally have an 'eject' button somewhere? (in the AW?)

We have an option to auto eject on close. If we enabled an option for auto eject after sync, would that  be more in line with what you would like?

[edit: and another small request: would it possible to have the data (playcount and rating) synced only after you press the sync button?]

Not without modifiying the logic that the changes that occur when the data syncs from the device are taken into account when deciding what files should be sent or deleted from the iPod.  Currently the sync iPod to MC data sync occurs immediately when opening the sync window so that the displayed information on what is to sync is accurate after the iPod dynamic data is accounted for in MC.

Many congratulations Steve on getting this far.  iPod support in MC is now far superior to any other media player.  Well done and thanks.

Thanks for that.

[lOth]

We have an option to auto eject on close. If we enabled an option for auto eject after sync, would that  be more in line with what you would like?

Definitely. That would be even better than a button.

Not without modifiying the logic that the changes that occur when the data syncs from the device are taken into account when deciding what files should be sent or deleted from the iPod.  Currently the sync iPod to MC data sync occurs immediately when opening the sync window so that the displayed information on what is to sync is accurate after the iPod dynamic data is accounted for in MC.

I understand. Actually, it was a very selfish request. The reason why I asked is because I use a little program called audiopod to sync my iPod data to last.fm before I sync with MC. Sometimes I just forget to do this before I click handheld player in the AW and my data is lost for last.fm. I guess I'll just have to be more careful... Ideally, for this to work we would need a new version of the audioscrobbler plug-in that would allow to cache playing info (thus including tunes played on the iPod) before sending the data to last.fm. But I'm off topic now... Sorry

[razumik]

lOth,

Off topic, but thanks for mentioning audiopod.  I have always been a little frustrated that last.fm really only showed about half of the music that I actually listened to...though i am sure that I will now run into the same problem you do when I forget to run it first :-)

[pank2002]

We have an option to auto eject on close. If we enabled an option for auto eject after sync, would that  be more in line with what you would like?

This would be nice IF you can somehow improve the ejection so Windows will be 'happy' with it. As it is now Windows complains when the iPod is removed from it's dock if ejected with MC.

[lOth]

razumik, have a look at this thread for more info:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=29776.0

As it is now Windows complains when the iPod is removed from it's dock if ejected with MC.

That doesn't happen to me.

[Dutch Peter]

Will 'date modified' be incorporated in the sync logic.
Maybe as an option?
I have seen it as a new feature in one of the 11.1 builds, but got confusing feedback after reporting it did not work.
As you may know, I would like it very much.

[SteveG]

I use a little program called audiopod to sync my iPod data to last.fm before I sync with MC.

Can you elaborate on last.fm? What is it?

This would be nice IF you can somehow improve the ejection so Windows will be 'happy' with it. As it is now Windows complains when the iPod is removed from it's dock if ejected with MC.

What OS are you running? MC 'eject' on iPod should make the PC happy about iPod's removal on XP. Maybe not on 2000.

Will 'date modified' be incorporated in the sync logic.
Maybe as an option?

It is currently, but inconsistently. This will be improved and enhanced eventually.

[lOth]

Can you elaborate on last.fm? What is it?

From the audiopod website:

AudioPod is a tool written in Java that will parse the "iTunesDB/Play Counts" file from an iPod and submit played tracks to last.fm."

How it Works ¶

When you listen to a track on your iPod, a reference and play time of that track is saved in a file named "Play Counts". Upon syncing your iPod, this file is parsed and the iTunesDB play count field for that track is incremented. AudioPod takes advantage of the "Play Counts" file by parsing the iTunesDB and "Play Counts" and grabbing the last time played. It then grabs the track information which was parsed from the iTunesDB and submits these tracks to AudioScrobbler. "


For more info have a look here

[RobotX]

Mapping of custom MC tags to iPod tags?

This needs to be done and is also a priority. Thanks.

Is this the ability to group multiple artists anyhow we choose, like the "album artist" tag? If so, is there an eta?

[Chris Shaw]

That would one use of it. i.e just map MC's "Album artist (auto)" tag to the iPod's Artist tag.
Ideally, it would be flexible enough that you could map anything to anything. e.g. map "[Year] - [Album]" to Album so they appear in the right order. Or map anything to Composer, to make it a useful organisation tag.

[pank2002]

What OS are you running? MC 'eject' on iPod should make the PC happy about iPod's removal on XP. Maybe not on 2000.

Win2K with the newest SP. It's a local version but I doubt that's relevant in this case.

[SteveG]

RobotX,

Is this the ability to group multiple artists anyhow we choose, like the "album artist" tag? If so, is there an eta?

Yes, although cjdshaw points out some other possibilities that will be opened up with this feature. There is not an eta.

Steve

[SteveG]

Win2K with the newest SP. It's a local version but I doubt that's relevant in this case.

MC eject is not fully compatible with Win2K. More work needs to be done in this area eventually.