HT201649: iPod shuffle: Playing audiobooks and podcasts

Learn about iPod shuffle: Playing audiobooks and podcasts
tholaday
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Podcast-related Playlists will not Sync with 4th Generation Shuffles, iTunes 11.1 and later. True?

Updated to iTunes 11.1 to support IOS 7 on my iPhone. An unhappy by-blow of this change was that my playlists (smart and otherwise) containing podcasts will no longer sync to my 4th generation Shuffle. Yes, the podcasts sync, but not the playlists. This means I have to keep fiddling with the controls of the shuffle, changing from one podcast folder to another while I am trying to work, exercise, or drift off to sleep. I am deeply disappointed in the way this change was sprung on users (the whole behavior of podcasts and podcasts playlists in general). I am getting used to using the Podcast app on my iPhone (though I'm not happy about it). But when it comes to the Shuffle, well I simply lost the function that was the MOST IMPORTANT function for me. I only listen to podcasts (mostly) and audiobooks (a little) on my Shuffle. The latter work fine. The former do not. Anyone have a realistic work-around to create podcast playlists? The only thing I can thing to do is to convert the media type to Music first, but dang that is clunky and tedious.

iPod shuffle (4th generation), iOS 7, iTunes 11.1

Posted on Sep 22, 2013 11:08 PM

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tholaday

Q: Podcast-related Playlists will not Sync with 4th Generation Shuffles, iTunes 11.1 and later. True?

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  • by Kenichi Watanabe,Helpful

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Sep 23, 2013 1:47 AM in response to tholaday
    Level 8 (39,133 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 23, 2013 1:47 AM in response to tholaday

    When you select the shuffle in iTunes, there is a row of buttons starting with Summary.  Next to Summary are the buttons (to set up automatic syncing) for the various iTunes media types, such as Music, Podcasts, etc.

     

    When you select that playlist with podcast for syncing, do you checkmark it on the iPod's Music screen, under Playlists?  If you do, uncheck it there and go to the iPod's Podcasts screen instead?  At the bottom of that screen, find that same playlist under Include Episodes from Playlist, and checkmark it there.  When you Apply, does that make your playlist with podcasts sync to your shuffle?

     

    I previous versions, I think iTunes DID sync podcast episodes on playlists that were selected on the iPod's Music screen, and I seem to recall thinking that was wrong because settings on the Music screen should only affect music syncing.  Maybe that long-time inconsistency was fixed in the new release.  Hopefully, that's the reason for your problem with syncing podcasts on playlists.

  • by tholaday,

    tholaday tholaday Sep 23, 2013 8:27 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 23, 2013 8:27 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

    I think you are on the right track Kenichi! Here's the behavior I am observing now.

     

    In the summary screens for the iPod (when it is plugged in), the Music tab no longer shows any of your podcast-related playlists.

     

    I did not see the playlists in the Podcasts tab either, but this is because I had the sync all button checked, which means it is a 'simplified' screen. (See my explanation below on my podcast management style as to why I use this set up.) I didn't think to uncheck this to see if the playlists were now in that tab. They probably are, but my laptop is at home.

     

    Two things.

     

    1. I'm still not happy that this change in the behavior of Podasts in iTunes and IOS7 was unannounced and that users were left to figure it out on their own. There has been a lot of unneccessary grief among myself and my podcast listening friends as we "figured it all out." If you are listening Apple, do better!

     

    2. Regarding my methods. I uncheck podcasts as I listen to them. I don't count on the "played/unplayed" switch because I often fall asleep listening to podcasts, which means they are droning on but I am not hearing them. I use a smart playlist where media = Podcast, only checked items are sync'd, and the sort order is date released. This allows me to listen to the casts in chrono order. Between the smart playlist and the sync-all setting in the Podcast tab for my device, the only thing I have to do is to periodically uncheck the individual podcasts I have (really) listened to already.

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Sep 23, 2013 12:04 PM in response to tholaday
    Level 8 (39,133 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 23, 2013 12:04 PM in response to tholaday

    I understand what you are saying about the "All" setting.  You can set the iPod's Podcasts screen to

     

    Automatically include all episodes of selected podcasts

     

    and then put a checkmark next to every podcast on the list.  You can then also checkmark your smart playlist with podcasts under Include Episodes from Playlists.

     

    You can provide feedback to Apple here

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/

     

    I think it's a good idea to make Include Episodes from Playlists visible, even if the screen is set to include all episodes from all podcasts, because the user may want to listen to their episodes (from one OR MORE podcasts), in a particular order from a playlist.