Talk:Comparison of iPod file managers

Merge all tables in one spreadsheet
How about merging all the tables in one ODS File (or PDF)? and publish it on wikimedia or sth? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 145.254.130.4 (talk) 14:47, 3 September 2009 (UTC)

New Software to Add to List
DOPISP (http://www.mgtek.com/dopisp/) is an excellent plugin which enables Windows Media Player to manage iPods [PEC]. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.93.84.240 (talk) 03:06, 13 September 2009 (UTC)

i will suggest iPod Magic one of a good iPod Manager Software iPad Manager —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.52.124.142 (talk) 05:14, 7 December 2010 (UTC)

CopyTrans Manager is also not included in the list, for what it's worth. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.213.198.254 (talk) 15:45, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

YAMiPod is another excellent iPod manager that is FREEWARE and requires no installation (stand-alone executable file). Stable versions are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It has a built-in music player, allows editing of tags, repair utility (for recovering damaged song database), and so much more. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Fred perkins (talk • contribs) 20:04, 17 October 2012 (UTC)

Merge Tables
I think the two tables would be much more useful if they were merged into one table, with "OS Support" as an extra coloumn. Opinions on this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.105.2.123 (talk) 15:03, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

Yeah i definitely agree - makes it easier without having to refer back.86.96.228.89 (talk) 09:58, 18 October 2008 (UTC)

Yes, in general I agree that one table makes it easier to track all the info on each product, rather than shifting up and down the page to see what it does on other criteria. Only caveat is that table may get rather wide. But till then, yes, I vote for merging the first two tables. Beginnersview (talk) 03:35, 16 May 2009 (UTC)

Flagrantly inaccurate!
Since when does iTunes allow extraction of music from the iPod? The whole point of the "sync to iPod system" is to try to enslave the iPod to iTunes, and to prohibit the copying of tracks from one computer to another via iPod. You can only sync iTunes with an iPod, not an iPod with iTunes. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.225.91.186 (talk) 16:54, 8 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Since version 7.0. It only works for extracting FairPlay purchased songs from an iPod onto the PC/Mac, and you must then authorize that computer with iTMS as one of the 5 machines that are allowed to share a single iTMS user account.  Any non-purchased songs will be wiped from the iPod, and the iPod will thenceforth be synchronized with the new computer's library instead of its original computer. Goosnarrggh 16:46, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Clementine compatibility
Lists Windows column as "YES" incorrectly. While Clementine is a comparable media management program to others listed, it is not and has never been capable of Ipod management in a Windows OS. ref: https://github.com/clementine-player/Clementine/wiki/Portable-Devices — Preceding unsigned comment added by 104.1.204.13 (talk) 22:14, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

Rockbox firmware missing?
Does anybody else thinks this list lacks for "Rockbox"? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.160.81.87 (talk) 05:06, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Agreed.--62.24.167.51 (talk) 13:39, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

Perhaps I'm missing the point - I have Rockbox installed on my Ipod video as an alternative operating system for the Ipod hardware. Does it do more -- Why should it be added?--82.17.72.97 (talk) 19:18, 27 May 2009 (UTC)

Foreign characters?
Why is there no information on foreign character support? From this discussion, I can see that such a column was included at some point but was removed and I cannot find it by sifting through the history. Why ON EARTH would you remove such an important fact, even if the information was incomplete, and why was it not restored???

Linux?
Uh, why don't we see any Linux comparisons here? I know of at least one, that is gtkpod. Maybe it's the only one available for Linux, but it should still be listed here as it is a decent manager. — Jeremy | Talk 04:08, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

Extract foreign (russian) titles
Why is there a whole column for "Extract foreign (russian) titles"? What's so special about Russian as opposed to Japanese, Chinese, Arabic...? HenryFlower 22:08, 6 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Russian text is all I've tested any of them with.  I'm not sure if other languages would be supported so thats all I can say for sure.  A better term like 'non-unicode' would work better if it were true.  All I know is that foreign character support is important.  Corktin 08:25, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

What do you mean by extract? Do you mean display? In this case, iTunes since version 6.0 if not earlier has been able to display my Russian songs as well as some random Norwegian songs. Am I misunderstanding the column?

Changed to Non-English

Suggestions
The name of the different columns are not very intuitive. For example, what does "Import into iTunes" mean? or "Extract Music"? Either renaming, or providing a more thorough description below somewhere would be helpful. Also, what does it mean if a box is just white? Unknown? I think that could be indicated somewhere as well.

Keith 15:19, 23 December 2006 (UTC)

Rythmbox should be added as an option on linux only supported players. I'm running Ubuntu and Rythmbox is auto detecting my iPod, but I have not fully explored its functionality. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.188.121.142 (talk) 10:47, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

Hey, how can iTunes import videos from iPod? I have not understood this functionality. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.255.75.121 (talk) 18:00, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

Windows versions
MediaMonkey (and maybe others) should NOT be in that table since it don't interface with the iPod directly (without Itunes being installed). You want something not to use itunes but you still have to install itunes for it to work... it's rubbish... not a solution. Edit : After some tests... most of those softwares don't work without itunes... it sucks big time! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.237.0.199 (talk) 03:00, 23 July 2022 (UTC)

The Windows table would be much more usefull if it listed which win versions the various programs support. People wanting support for say win98 (which apple itunes does not offer) should not be forced to research each program separately to try to find a possibly useful one. -69.87.204.122 23:33, 9 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Nobody uses Windows 98, because it is old and crappy. GNU/Linux is now far more advanced than it, to the point that running Windows 98 is something only a museum should do for public speculation.Rj.amdphreak (talk) 22:25, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Other people's opinions of what versions of Windows are old and crappy, are just that, opinions, and have no place here. I agree this information should be included. Last time I checked (some time ago now), Sharepod was W98 compatible, but not for the newer iPod/iPhone devices because these require the iTunes drivers from Apple. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 61.8.13.206 (talk) 10:20, 18 May 2012 (UTC)

DRM'd/Protected AAC music files & videos?
Why not have a column that indicates which players will sync the iTunes Store user keys to the iPod, thus making it possible to play music and videos purchased through the iTunes Store?

This might be useful information for third-party developers who want to know whether it's possible to write an app that can replace iTunes for syncing, but still allow you to buy music through iTunes. It could happen. Brian Tiemann (talk) 21:19, 5 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Yeah it could happen, sorta. Anyone worth his spit in music and computer industry will know there are better stores out there, in terms of respecting freedom and music quality. An effort should be made to work with non-DRM'd and non-abusive companies like HDtracks and Jamendo. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rj.amdphreak (talk • contribs) 22:27, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

support of new iPod database format?
Wouldn't it be good to have a column display the status of support of the new database format? Furthermore i find it confusing that some managers are explicitly listed for supporting it while others aren't. 81.10.249.154 (talk) 14:54, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

Wouldn't this column be better labelled as "iPod classic / Nano 3G support"? Acorn95 (talk) 11:56, 4 July 2008 (UTC)

Multiple iPods?
What, if any (or all), of these programs supports managing the playlists on a collection of iPods? -- ke4roh (talk) 00:39, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

ipod touch/iphone support?
Should a field be added for touch/iphone support under the transfer features table? Something like itouch/iphone support. I myself am trying to find an ipod manager which supports the ipod touch other than itunes. --EvilMonkeySlayer (talk) 09:25, 4 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Ha, well you could try for a few more years. There won't be one any time soon, because Apple doesn't want to give away the only thing that keeps people addicted to the iTunes Store. It's a control aspect, and it's immoral and should be illegal, but it is legal because they put it in their terms of use and terms of service. Of course, nobody reads that stuff. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rj.amdphreak (talk • contribs) 22:30, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

Sync library database with filesystem
If you move or delete any files on disk - software like MediaMonkey or Winamp will automatically track changes, removing orphaned files from database and updating file locations. ITunes cannot do that without 3-rd party tools. It's an important feature, worth to be included in the table... --Varnav (talk) 17:17, 5 July 2008 (UTC)


 * iTunes is a media manager, the idea is that you use iTunes to manage your media. Delete a file within iTunes and it will ask if you want to delete the actual file. Please stop trying to insert your personal gripes into Wikipedia. AlistairMcMillan (talk) 19:07, 5 July 2008 (UTC)

iMPware
I did a quick google search for "iMPware" and couldn't find anything on it. Possibly this is spelled wrong or doesn't really exist? I'm suggesting correcting it or removing it entirely if nothing can be found on it. Miakiah (talk) 22:22, 14 October 2008 (UTC)

foobar2000 (w/ mod_dop)
Somebody should include this iTunes alternative completely: Using foobar2000 with the iPod manager. Nikolaik (talk) 02:07, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

Removed Non-neutral name
Media Widget is Media Widget, not "Media Widget Easy iPod Transfer". —Preceding unsigned comment added by NeverDump (talk • contribs) 15:07, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

Include new column to indicate iPod format (Windows or Mac)
I recently started having issues with whether my iPods were formatted Mac or Windows (that is, the HD/Memory inside the iPod). Some software will only work with one or the other. In exploring some of these SW apps, I found that EphPod only works with Windows formatted and it suggests converting your Mac formatted to Win in order to use it. I am not sure if this difference is still case with newest gen of Flash memory iPods, but the difference is definitely important on the slightly older ('middle-aged') HD iPods that I have ; Beginnersview (talk) 03:46, 16 May 2009 (UTC)

Apple Are Excluding 'Us'
Most of these applications have worked with various Ipods as described, but each time an Ipod is updated, the third-part applications often fail. Apple actively remove the hooks that these applications use, and update iTunes to cope. --82.17.72.97 (talk) 19:37, 27 May 2009 (UTC)

Call for help -- we need a compatibility table that details "versions of Ipod firmware" versus "versions of Ipod replacement application" -- a  compatibility matrix --82.17.72.97 (talk) 19:38, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

I will add a table with the iPhone and iPod Touch firmware soon. Some of these iPod managers are compatible with the fw. up to 1.1.4, a few with 2.x and actually no one with fw. 3.0 09:49, 16 June 2009 (UTC)NeverDump —Preceding unsigned comment added by NeverDump (talk • contribs)

FWIW, my iPod Touch has FW 3.1.3 and IS supported by SharePod (which used to be listed here but seems to have been deleted). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.70.43.107 (talk) 12:57, 29 December 2012 (UTC)

Photo transfer tools
Photo transfer tools are missing. Is a new chart or a new dedicaced page better? —Preceding unsigned comment added by IRed (talk • contribs) 14:49, 18 June 2009 (UTC)

x64 bit Windows OS
I think we should add under Operating system support if the iPod manager supports Windows x64 bit. Does anyone agree? 98.84.39.185 (talk) 18:17, 4 August 2009 (UTC)

Songbird is missing!
There is one cross-platform manager missing. Songbird. It has compatibility with all but the iPod Touch and iPhone. See this chart: http://wiki.songbirdnest.com/Docs/Device_Support/IPod_Device_Support the home page for songbird is http://www.songbirdnest.com —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rj.amdphreak (talk • contribs) 22:41, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Songbird support for iPhone and iPod Touch
There is report that Songbird may work with the open-source mlipod plugin designed for winamp. the mlipod (M L ipod for clarification) plugin was recently updated to support iPhones and iPod Touches. sources: http://blog.songbirdnest.com/2009/08/05/open-sourcing-the-ipod-add-on/

http://mlipod.cvs.sourceforge.net/mlipod/ —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rj.amdphreak (talk • contribs) 22:45, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

CopyTrans Manager
A few things about changing the ?'s to Yes's on the Media organization and transfer features:

Copy Smart Playlists- i assume its Genius, in that case, yes Copy DRM free music and videos- yep, its on there can go from one to another

And for a source, .. yeah, I am! GD1223 (talk) 00:33, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

Program automatically downloads!
When I clicked reference #2, "^ "Import iPod Music from iPod to iTunes, create library backup". WindSolutions. Retrieved 2010-04-20," the link took me to a page that automatically downloaded the CopyTrans program! I was stunned -- am sure this violates Wikipedia policy, although I can't find a specific reference (unless the program is malware -- I certainly hope it isn't). I've deleted the reference, as well as reference #1, which also linked to an automatic-download page. Additionally, I've started a discussion of this incident on Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents.

Languorous Lass (talk) 22:43, 2 May 2010 (UTC)

iTunes-free solutions
I came here to see if any work without installing iTunes as well ? --195.137.93.171 (talk) 17:04, 25 February 2012 (UTC)

Rename to 'iOs content managers'?
These programs and article don't only apply to iPods but many iOs devices - iPhones and iPads too. It should be named something more broad like that. Tom (talk) 18:36, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Out of Date and Missing Information Templates
I've added Out of Date and Missing Information templates. It is missing prominent iOS device managers including Sharepod - http://www.getsharepod.com/ - and many others including some referenced in this article - http://www.macworld.com/article/1145725/ipodextraction_roundup.html. It is full of out-of-date information too, including what I removed in that doubleTwist doesn't even support iOS anymore. Please improve it. Tom (talk) 12:32, 3 July 2012 (UTC)

Limitations field
Many of these limit the number of songs that can be transferred, at least in the free / trial versions. This info is hard to find; Wikipedia is ideal for supplying it. For example,
 * iExplorer free copies up to 10 songs, per http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ie-free-vs-paid.php while
 * Senuti free copies up to 1000.
 * iRip free copies up to fifty, per http://www.avforums.com/threads/irip-or-irip-2.1392854/. Correction needed: iRip IS downloadable for free.

24.4.140.255 (talk) 20:39, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

Floola
I just found this page while looking into Floola but was surprised that it's not listed here. Is there any particular reason for this? Thank you. -- X — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.30.165.160 (talk) 15:14, 29 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Ages ago someone decided to remove all Players that don't have their own wikipedia article as "spam". Floola was one of them. SilentGuy (talk) 13:17, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Doing without iTunes ALTOGETHER. Dishonesty or obfuscation (or sheer ignorance)...?
Surely the number 1 question people want to know is Can I do entirely without iTunes? Nowhere does it say whether any of these allow you to do without iTunes. If an iTunes installation is necessary in order to use any of these "alternatives" with a device, say an iPod, surely it is dishonest not to say so. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.123.13.228 (talk) 11:54, 16 October 2014 (UTC)

What is the objective of this table? To be a comprehensive list or rather a selection of iPod managers? And what criteria should the selection be based on?
Today I entered Floola and YamiPod into the table. Shortly afterwards my edits were deleted. I noticed now that I was not the first to list these two programs (as well as others). The lack of both is also noted in the comments above.

I could not quite follow the reasoning behind the repeated removal of entries to the table. Mostly the point seemed to be that only programs should be entered that are also featured in a Wikipedia article of their own.

Although I am not sure whether this should be a criterium since the existence of a Wikipedia entry alone is probably not a reliable proof of quality or relevance of a program.

This is the comment I placed on the talk-page of the person who deleted my edits:

"I just noticed that you have repeatedly been removing entries from the list, mostly quoting WP:STANDALONE, WP:WTAF and WP:EL.

Skimming through the content of these I did not really seem to find any point in WP:STANDALONE supporting the removal of those entries.

WP:WTAF starts off by saying: "This essay contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. Essays are not Wikipedia policies or guidelines."

WP:WTAF and WP:EL do support the removal of red links and possibly weblinks but not the removal of the whole entry. See for example this passage from WP:WTAF:

"While lists (especially stand-alone list articles) can serve a navigational function, lists are primarily a form of encyclopedic content. Thus, an entry often may simply present encyclopedically relevant facts from the cited reliable sources and not link to a separate article on the narrow subtopic (which by itself might be encyclopedically relevant but fall short of independent notability) of that particular list entry. One of the main distinctions between lists and article categories in that lists may contain non-notable entries (though some high-level lists' inclusion criteria are not so broad)."

I have personally been looking for a suitable iPod manager for quite a while now and I am frequently surprised to find ever more -and often better- software serving this purpose.

When I feel the need to try a new program I love to be able to refer to this list and see which ones are worth considering. And in doing that I prefer a comprehensive list before all other considerations such as style or conciseness.

Another point to perhaps consider is that it requires quite an effort to edit three large tables and research the details about each program in order to enter as much information as possible. Seeing this being deleted by a third party who might not be as involved can be quite frustrating, to say the least."

Now that several people have repeatedly entered the same programs into the list only to see them being removed again I would like to spare other wikipedians the effort and would suggest to at least put a warning on the edit-page of the article. Maybe like this:

"Please do not try to add programs A, B, C ... to the list since they are not considered relevant and will be removed anyway."

I would consider this an important step in order not to frustrate well-intentioned contributers and make editing wikipedia more effective.

thanks, Kai

PS: Also, a weblink I placed in the article has been removed. The website it points to is -admittedly- full of ads. In case anyone would like to have a look at it anyway, there is some information about iPod handling software such as you can do so here.
 * AnyTrans
 * Senuti
 * Winamp
 * YamiPod (was apparently made be the same person as Floola, with Floola maybe being its successor)
 * CopyToy
 * iPod 2 iPod
 * GTKPod — Preceding unsigned comment added by Lysincos (talk • contribs) 08:21, 24 March 2017 (UTC)

PS 2: I just noticed the comment placed above the article "Comparison of iPod managers":

"This article is missing information about a lot of iOS managers. (July 2012)".

So there seems to be a problem of communication or coordination. While some are noting the lack of a good many programs in the list, someone else has been deleting all new entries for some time now. How could this be resolved?

-- KaiKemmann (talk) 22:09, 1 April 2016 (UTC)

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