Clean iPod Install and Syncing Music Under Linux

[Noah0504]

Okay, here's the deal.  I want Rockbox to be the only firmware on my iPod.  I've done it before, but I can't remember the process.  Also, I suppose the first step would be to format my iPod, and I wonder if it would be best to do so under Windows or Linux.

I also would like to know the best way to sync music under Linux to my iPod running Rockbox.

[lights0ut]

I've heard some discussion against formatting an iPod from linux (VFAT is different from FAT32?) anyway, you should use itunes to format the iPod. I'm not sure about how to remove the apple OS, but since the rockbox bootloader loads rockbox by default, I don't see the need to remove the apple OS (but do what you like )

Anyway, under linux I think using krusader is easiest for me(it is a file manager for KDE) . Krusader can synchronize any two folders (it views two at once, like total commander). You can also use amarok to manage your iPod, rhythmbox does something similar.

[saratoga]

Haven't tried it, but the easiest way is probably to install rockbox, then delete the ipod control folder.

[Raineer]

I also wouldn't recommend removing the iPod firmware, it's completely unobtrusive (i.e., doesn't load unless you specifically tell it to) and I can't completely replace it yet on my 5G.  I had no use for it until I found out that "TV out" wasn't supported under Rockbox.

For Linux, I don't even use a program to "sync" anything...you can just access it in pure disk mode and setup the file structure anyway you want, Rockbox builds the database itself. I just keep a directory on the root of the iPod called "My Music" that is a mirror copy of the same dir under /home/xxx/MyMusic

Since I have to use the iPod firmware to play videos with TV-out I had to find a Linux program that will build the DB in iPod format....gtkpod does this perfectly and very easily.

[GodEater]

If simply copying from your PC to your DAP is too much to keep track of - I recommend rsync under linux.

[bluebrother]

(VFAT is different from FAT32?)

Just for the record, VFAT is an extension to FAT and not limited to any specific version of FAT. VFAT only adds the ability to have long file names, and Linux works with VFAT just fine.

[Vortex]

VFAT only adds the ability to have long file names, and Linux works with VFAT just fine.

Well, the question is: does Rockbox or your player's original firware work with vfat?

[GodEater]

I've never heard of a firmware which doesn't work with VFAT / FAT32.

[Chronon]

I also wouldn't recommend removing the iPod firmware, it's completely unobtrusive (i.e., doesn't load unless you specifically tell it to) and I can't completely replace it yet on my 5G.  I had no use for it until I found out that "TV out" wasn't supported under Rockbox.

For Linux, I don't even use a program to "sync" anything...you can just access it in pure disk mode and setup the file structure anyway you want, Rockbox builds the database itself. I just keep a directory on the root of the iPod called "My Music" that is a mirror copy of the same dir under /home/xxx/MyMusic

Since I have to use the iPod firmware to play videos with TV-out I had to find a Linux program that will build the DB in iPod format....gtkpod does this perfectly and very easily.

It does cause Rockbox to take longer to boot.  Yet I do agree that it remains worthwhile to keep the Apple firmware on the machine, both for video (if you have a 5g iPod) and for USB transfers (I believe that the "Disk Mode" only uses USB1.1).

[Raineer]

It does cause Rockbox to take longer to boot.  Yet I do agree that it remains worthwhile to keep the Apple firmware on the machine, both for video (if you have a 5g iPod) and for USB transfers (I believe that the "Disk Mode" only uses USB1.1).

I just learned today that it does load both of them regardless, sorry for the mis-statement.

I still also think it's worth it to keep it in place, I haven't found anywhere that it "hurts" to do so. While the plugin for Rockbox is functional, even the information on this very site states that the native 5G video playback is better (and I have observed this myself)

Still, for audio, it's 100% rockbox for me