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Podcasts on Shuffle - !!??

Given I-Tunes integration with podcasts is it not reasonable to expect that we would want to listen to them on our Shuffles? Why is it so difficult to get a shuffle to recognise a podcast? The only way I can get my shuffle to load a pod cast is to drag the podcast to the desktop, delete all references to the podcast from I Tunes (in Library, subscribed podcasts etc) and then drag the MP3 file directly into my Pod playlist before updating the Pod itself.

This is very convoluted. Is there an easier way, given that Macs / Apples are meant to be both smart and easy to use?

Powerbook G4, Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Posted on Jul 14, 2006 8:01 AM

Reply
32 replies

Jul 14, 2006 3:35 PM in response to Robin Hillier

The way you're doing it is very confused and confusing and isn't at all necessary.

I play podcasts on the Shuffle all the time. Simply load them into the Shuffle, as podcasts, from the podcast 'playlist' in the Source column. They play normally with two pretty well-known limitations:

a) They only play in the "Play In Order" position, and

b) They are always found at the top of the Shuffle's playlist when played as in a) above.

Jul 15, 2006 1:09 AM in response to Robin Hillier

Thanks for the reply. Just so I get this right:
First I update my Ipod playlist using Autofill, but only with changes to music (I have tried to add podcasts to my 'autofill from' playlist folder, which is fine, but they then WILL NOT upload to the Shuffle.)
Next I manually drag any podcasts I want directly onto the shuffle icon, where they display at the end of the list, but will play first, if 'play in order' is selected?

Is that the 'correct' method? Because it is not 'obvious' to me...

Jul 15, 2006 8:40 AM in response to Robin Hillier

1) There is no option to Autofill from the Podcasts playlist. The option is simply not there.

2) Podcasts are, and can only be, dragged directly to the Shuffle icon (in Source). Autofill doesn't work on them at all, no matter where they are.

3) If you Autofill with music first, just make sure you leave room for the podcasts you'll be adding. I usually do the podcasts first for just that reason.

4) See the relevant KB article http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300558

Jul 26, 2006 5:47 AM in response to Robin Hillier

In the past, I was able to place one or more bell sounds between my podcasts, enabling me to know where I was on the shuffle. With the latest update, that ability seems to have been removed. Now, the podcasts play in order, no matter if songs are in between on the "in order" playlist. I wish I had the previous ability to place sound markers in between the podcasts.

Sep 16, 2006 8:00 PM in response to suhrmesa

I so agree. Why all of a sudden are Podcasts handled in any other way than mp3 and as it used to be. The new way is very unintuitive (after all, i sort my files carefully in iTunes, eject my pod and on reinjection, all podcasts are scrambled and on top of my list) and, whats even worse for me, i can no longer decide in which order the podcasts will be played. Whats that? thanks, iTunes 7.

H "i'm so fed up with apple oversmarting and underestimating me" olger

Sep 16, 2006 9:37 PM in response to trotsky66

There are instructions in the forum itunes for windows, using itunes in a thread called re:itunes 7 & source list in a post by riffraf. I have my shuffle autofilling from a smart playlist. It involves making 2 smartlists and in get info choosing "no" for "skip when shuffling" Please go to the source as I can't re-explain it - but it works.

Oct 5, 2006 1:56 PM in response to Nailzaz

I have found a fix that seems to work. I'm going to be as thorough as I can in describing the process I used.

I am using iTunes 7.0.1 and iPod software 1.1.4 on a Windows XP Home system. I have folder options in Windows Explorer set to show hidden files and folders.

I have two iPod Shuffles: one that is working correctly, and one that has the symptom of not being able to order podcasts or intersperse podcasts and songs.

For each Shuffle, I attached it and in iTunes I checked the box under its "Settings" tab to "Enable disk use" and then ejected it.

I attached the WORKING Shuffle, and from the Windows XP Start Menu went to "My Computer". The Shuffle showed up under the "Devices With Removable Storage" as "OWNER'S IPO (M:)". I opened it and opened the folder "iPod_Control" and copied the folder inside, "iTunes", to the Desktop.

I then ejected the Shuffle from iTunes and used the "Safely Remove Hardware" system tray icon to eject the Shuffle.

I then attached the NON-WORKING Shuffle, and after iTunes mounted it, I exited iTunes. I navigated to its folder, "M:\iPod_Control\iTunes", and deleted all of the contents of that folder. The files were named iTunesControl, iTunesDB, iTunesPlaylists, etc.

I then opened the folder on the Desktop, "iTunes" that I saved from the WORKING Shuffle, and copied it's contents to the "iTunes" folder of the NON-WORKING shuffle.

I then started iTunes, with the NON-WORKING Shuffle attached, and it showed the name of the WORKING Shuffle under "DEVICES" IN the source list. I guess this name was stored in one of the files. I clicked on the name to rename it, and then copied some podcasts from a playlist to it. They copied in the order I had sorted them in, and I was able to intersperse music with the podcasts. I ejected the NOW-IT-IS-WORKING Shuffle, listened to it to make sure it actually was working as expected, and re-attached it to make sure the custom order persisted, and it did.

It seems to be working totally as intended now. As an experiment, I clicked the "Restore" button, to see what would happen, and let it restore the ipod, and it reverted to it's previous improper behavior. So, I just repeated the process described above, and it's working fine again.

I am going to keep this "iTunes" folder from the WORKING Shuffle in a safe place, in case something goes wrong and I need to fix it again.

To summarize, I basically copied the contents of the M:\iPod_Control\iTunes folder of the WORKING iPod Shuffle, to the M:\iPod_Control\iTunes folder of the NON-WORKING Shuffle, and then renamed the NOW-IT-IS-WORKING Shuffle in iTunes, and all is well.

I think it is obvious that there is something corrupted in the contents of M:\iPod_Control\iTunes of the Shuffles that are misbehaving, and it's likely that either iTunes 7 or the firmware updater are at fault. Maybe Apple will be able to fix this soon.

I hope you can find a way to make this work for you, maybe borrowing a friend's Shuffle, or if necessary I can mail you the files from my WORKING Shuffle.

Nov 23, 2006 5:59 AM in response to smyr

I wish I could shuffle podcasts. In shuffle mode I only get songs. If I want to listend to podcasts I have to chose "play in order" and then I find podcasts at the beginning. Sometimes this would be good for me, but other times I want music randomly intersperced with podcasts.

I tried the "skip when shuffling" option, but all my podcasts are already set at "no". What's the deal?

Nov 23, 2006 7:19 AM in response to jpfreeman

There are certainly unique behaviors with iTunes and podcasts. While not a way to snuffle podcasts, I did finally discover something that cured multisegment poscasts from playing in the wrong order on my gen. 1 Shuffle.

The podcast sort order in the iTunes "Podcasts" master playlist, is inherited by the iPod Shuffle. This sort order is NOT visible in any other playlist, or even in the iPod's playlist, but IS reflected on iPod playback.

VERY COUNTER-INTUITIVE!

I access podcasts via a Smart Playlist of "recent podcasts", and add them to a "add to iPod" playlist prior to sending them to the iPod. After arranging/sorting everything as desired, I drag my "add to iPod" playlist to the top of the iPod playlist. All the content is added, and appears to maintain the sequence I had chosen. (Interesting to note the sequence in which each file transfer completes, as this reflects the actual playback order.)

As it turns out, the sort order of podcasts in the Podcasts master playlist are not reflected in any other playlist (as expected), nor when looking at the iPod Shuffle playlist (as expect), but ARE honored on playback (NOT expected!).

Bottom line, if they are sorted correctly in the master playlist, they will playback in the right order.


Mac OS X (10.4.8)



Jan 1, 2007 9:13 AM in response to smyr

What exactly does the "skip when shuffling" checkbox do for you? If your ipod is in shuffle mode it won't play that song?

Apple needs to learn that EVERY item in an interface needs an entry in the help file. It's the first basic principle of writing good help.

This whole thing just got me really agitated with my new shuffle.

Podcasts on Shuffle - !!??

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