[jrochkind1]

Hm, I wonder if I'll still be able to sync music and podcasts to my iPod.

My 10-plus-year-old iPod is rock solid technology, hardware and software, just keeps on working. At this point it feels like some retro SF alternate vision of the future we could have had, with simple easy to use things that never broke.

[stevewillows]

It depends on the version, but you can really trick out iPods. I've got an iPod Video (5.5) with an iFlash Quad [1] (up to 4x micro SD cards) with a 2000mAh battery, running Rockbox [2]

I also replaced the rear panel since I didn't need the beefy 80gb version, and also the lock / headphone jack so they were both solid black.

Rockbox is excellent because it runs off of a basic folder structure, but also has a library option.

You can do the iFlash mod and still use iTunes / the original OS if you like, but Rockbox has proven to be superior in all ways.

If you're on a Mac, be sure to format the main card with a Windows box so its Fat32.

[1] https://www.iflash.xyz/store/iflash-quad/

[2] https://rockbox.org

[arafa]

Seems interesting, especially since I used to use Rockbox. But my iPod Classic/6G is in the Rockbox unstable category and has apparently been that way for 2 years. Bummer, I still use mine all the time. :(

[BigJono]

I've been using Foobar2000 with some iPod plugin to sync my iPod classic for as long as I can remember. It's never failed me yet. That could be another option.

[patrickk]

Which plugin?

I've been trying to break free from iTunes with a modded 5.5 gen, but Rockbox caused endless errors where non-corrupted songs would skip constantly(1). Wiped back to the default Apple firmware, and voila, no skipping. I tried an iPod plugin for Musicbee, and it appeared to work (files were syncing in Musicbee) but the songs and playlists didn't appear on the iPod. So back to iTunes sadly. I'd love to kick it to the curb.

(1) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19712077

[stevewillows]

I used to use iPod Manager [1].

When you add songs, do it from the original firmware. With the iFlash and all that, transferring files while loaded into Rockbox will cause the issue you mentioned... a lesson I learned after transferring about 80gb of FLACs.

When you boot the iPod, lock it right away and it'll boot to the normal firmware. The transfer speeds are better than using disk mode.

https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_dop

[patrickk]

Thanks for the tip! I did some foobar2000 research yesterday and came across that component. It appears to work, next step is to convert remaining songs to mp3 so everything works as expected. I like foobar2000 lightweight 'feel', Musicbee feels like an explosion of panels everywhere by comparison.

I'm using the original firmware with a while now, it's less error prone and the UI on rockbox isn't exatly polished.

[arafa]

Thanks for the suggestion. Other friends of mine swear by Foobar2K, but I can't stand the interface (a combination of hard for me to use/configure and bad aesthetics), so much so that I still prefer to use Winamp.

[stevewillows]

The port status for the 6G does look pretty good, though.

https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IpodClassicPort

[arafa]

Good to know, thanks! I didn't see this.

[bedhead]

I still have my first-gen iPod and it works great. Battery life isn't too terrible all things considered, I get about 2-3 hours from a charge which I've been told is great compared to others. The looks I get from people are priceless. Teens stop me on the train to ask what it is and their jaws hit the floor. It feels like it's made of solid uranium it weighs so much. I can't even add new music anymore, luckily I have a lot of good stuff loaded.

It's a shame what's become of iTunes though...just an awful app.

[rusk]

It might be the excuse I need to try out rockbox … https://www.rockbox.org

[skybrian]

Apple just released a new iPod Touch, so it seems it will survive in some form:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/remember-the-ipod-ap...

[saagarjha]

iPod Touch runs iOS, though, so it might not have the same appeal.

[koyote]

Do you walk with your iPod in your pocket?

The reason I am asking is because I am surprised yours has lasted so long. I had two and they broke within two years due to the mechanical hdd inside. (the headphones also broke, within a month each time; really put me off buying Apple products again)

[jrochkind1]

Yeah, I've got a nano 4th generation, no moving parts in there, it should last forever, or until the battery goes, but battery still going just fine for me, can play more music than I've needed without a recharge.

[scrooched_moose]

The Nano/Shuffle/Touch lines (2005+) all used flash memory. I'm not aware of many issues with the Mini line either due to the much smaller hard drive.

[kalleboo]

If this does turn out to be a rewrite, I assume they’ll handle it like the iPhoto -> Photos transition, where if you already had iPhoto you could keep using it (supposedly iPhoto still works on Mojave), it just won’t get updated.

[radicaldreamer]

Yes, that’s why the new Mac music app is supposedly built from iTunes code (probably the device support components) rather than the iOS Music app code.