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General discussion

Play mp4 on ipod shuffle

Jan 5, 2010 5:03AM PST

I am a newbie so please excuse me if I am asking a dumb question.

I have a music video file that I've managed to convert into MP4 format. I am trying to play it (the music) on my iPod shuffle which only plays audio. According to Apple (http://support.apple.com/kb/TA38530) this format is supported, but I am not able to play it. Can this be done?

Thank you.

Discussion is locked

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iTunes probably still sees this as a movie file
Jan 5, 2010 5:44AM PST

and, as such, will not even put it on your shuffle.

Connect your shuffle and in iTunes, select the shuffle in the left hand column.
Bring up the playlist that is actually on the shuffle and check to see if that file is there. It probably isn't.
Find the MP4 track and, using iTunes, convert it to MP3 or AAC.
Add it to the playlist that you sync to the shuffle and sync again.
Should be ok now

P

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Thanks.
Jan 5, 2010 8:15AM PST

Thanks. iTunes does see the file as Movie, and unfortunately the option to convert to MP3 or AAC are greyed out for this MP4 file. Anything else I can try? Thanks.

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Third party software
Jan 5, 2010 9:00PM PST

to extract the audio from the video file.

Audacity may work, VLC may have that option and might QuickTime.

P

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Do iTunes and iPod have to be in sync?
Jan 6, 2010 3:10AM PST

Thanks. I managed to convert the file into MP3, but my problem is I am not able to copy it to my iPod.

Is it true that iTunes must be in sync with iPod in order to transfer a file from iTunes to iPod?

When I followed iTunes help file to manually drag the file from iTunes to iPod it complains that they are not in sync and asks if I want to erase the content on my iPod and sync it with my (almost empty) iTunes.

I don't want to transfer the songs from my iPod to iTunes (to make them in sync) because I will need to authorize iTunes on this PC (and use up one of my few authorizations). This PC is a temporary one that I will only be using for the next 2 weeks.

If I manually drag the file over on Windows explorer I can't play it, as expected.

I have iPod Shuffle generation 1, don't know if it is supposed to work this way. Thanks again!

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Don't worry about it
Jan 6, 2010 4:13AM PST

After a lot of research, I think it's supposed to work this way, so I will try other alternatives listed under cnet reviews, or just forget about it. iTunes is really non-user friendly in my opinion.

Thanks again!

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You're welcome
Jan 6, 2010 9:40AM PST

Not that un-friendly.

It does certain things, doesn't do others. Just like a lot of programs out there.

On the sync thing, if you connect an iPod to a computer that is not it's usual one, it will ask about syncing with that machine.
Remember that the Sync is only one way, Computer to iPod.

Authorization can can be revoked at any time

P

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Thanks
Jan 7, 2010 1:15AM PST

I wasn't aware that authorization could be revoked. That would help.

But anyway, I tried one of the recommended iTunes alternative on CNet (SharePod), and it's extremely easy to use.

Something irrelevant... I was shocked to see how difficult and time consuming it is to fully uninstall iTunes (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1925). The un-installation took me over an hour. I almost thought that the uninstallation process died.

Thanks again for your help!

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(NT) That is a bad link to the uninstall article
Jan 7, 2010 2:25AM PST
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Close Bracket
Jan 7, 2010 4:23AM PST
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(NT) Got it, thanks
Jan 7, 2010 9:23AM PST