Question in re ipod/mp3 thingers

[Caligulette]

So, I have a macbook g4 whatsit, and though I have been loyal to Apple (because they were the local guys when I was growing up), I am not exactly enchanted with the combination of proprietariness and invasiveness ("here, we have an update for things which you do not need, download it."). The other day while buying the new printer, I saw these little, wee ipods with video. O- the temptation (no, I do not have the money).

My question: I have dowloaded some tv/movie things via itunes to the mac. Is there a device not made by apple which would play them?

[Watser?]

You could install Miro, it plays Ipod files (also has channels where you can download all kinds of video files).

Miro - free, open source internet tv and video player (http://www.getmiro.com/)

[Ensign Steve]

If you bought the videos from iTunes, then the iPod is the only device that will play them, because they are encrypted to prevent sharing or stealing or pirating or whatever. If you got the videos some other way (off the internet or your own DVDs) you should be able to play them on a Zune or other types of devices like that, if they are "DRM free" (not protected files). But yeah, any videos you purchased from iTunes is iPod only, for now. There's some antitrust stuff going on in Europe that's fighting against that, but here in the US, anti-piracy trumps antitrust.

[Ensign Steve]

Oh, also, not your original question, but I do totally recommend the iPod as a device. Is good. :)

[Uthgar the Brazen]

Oh, also, not your original question, but I do totally recommend the iPod as a device. Is good. :)

:unnod:

[Caligulette]

Ok.

So now I have another question- how *do* I get things form a disc onto the computer? They seem un-downloadable, as it pops up a different thinger to play them (that's...ahh...as specific as I can get. :blush: ).

[Ensign Steve]

You mean CD or DVD? From a CD it's easy, you can do that from within iTunes.

From a DVD you have lots of very confusing options. I think Handbrake is the easiest, though.

Handbrake Lite 1.1 - MacUpdate (http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22065)

[Caligulette]

DVD's. I have been able for the most part to upload cd's- thoug- an example of the invasive nature of the thing- it always goes online, offers me several "choices" of which cd I want to upload and leaves me screaming "I just want the one I put in your slot!" and then the 'splainin' to the people around me...

[Watser?]

DVD's. I have been able for the most part to upload cd's- thoug- an example of the invasive nature of the thing- it always goes online, offers me several "choices" of which cd I want to upload and leaves me screaming "I just want the one I put in your slot!" and then the 'splainin' to the people around me...

:patpat: It does that so you don't have to type in the names of artists and songs manually. So if you click on the one you put in it will list the tracks.

[Ensign Steve]

It's making guesses on the artist and track names, so you don't have to enter them yourself, and sometimes it has more than one guess. If you want to turn that off, you can go to Itunes > Preferences > Advanced > Importing and untick "Automatically retrieve CD track names from the Internet" but then you'll have to enter them yourself.

[JoeP]

I am not exactly enchanted with the combination of proprietariness and invasiveness ("here, we have an update for things which you do not need, download it.").

That at least is exactly the same as Micro$not.

[Ari]

I just turn the auto updater thingy off.

[Kyuss Apollo]

Yay, go bloatware. Send me more--my computer was running too fast.