How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Write tutorials for Linux Mint here
More tutorials on https://github.com/orgs/linuxmint/discu ... /tutorials and (archive) on https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial
Forum rules
Don't add support questions to tutorials; start your own topic in the appropriate sub-forum instead. Before you post read forum rules
Post Reply
civint - too lazy to log on

How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by civint - too lazy to log on »

SO here's the deal - I got an ipod classic (silver 80GB) a few weeks ago, and its great but its hard to get working in linux right? It took me ages looking on ubuntu form and on wordpress to find out how to get it to work with amarok etc. But it works fine, up to a point.
Here is my 2 cents worth of how to get it working in a satisfactory fashion.

1. Install libgpod 0.6.0, and compile from source yourself using checkinstall
1.1. Go here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...ease_id=553119. Download this file: libgpod-0.6.0.tar.gz. Save it to your desktop, your home folder, wherever. I put it on my desktop.

Unzip it. I use console commands:

Code: Select all

cd Desktop/
tar -zxvf libgpod-0.6.0.tar.gz


cd libgpod-0.6.0
Don't change out of this directory 'till we're done.

Now you've decompressed the source code for libgpod. Before anything else, make sure you've got the required dependencies installed:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install build-essential libglib2.0-dev libgtk2.0-dev libsgutils1-dev checkinstall
now:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get build-dep libgpod2
FYI: Build-dep installs all the required dependencies for a program, but not the program itself. This is perfect, 'cause we don't WANT the version of libgpod that's on apt right now. We want the one we're about to compile:

5. Compile it!

Code: Select all

./configure 
make
6. Now we build a debian install:

Code: Select all

sudo checkinstall
You'll get a prompt that says: "should I create a default set of package docs?" Just press Enter to say YES. On the next screen, type whatever description you'd like. Maybe something like "Compiled libgpod-0.6.0". Press enter again. This is what will show up:


*****************************************
**** Debian package creation selected ***
*****************************************

This package will be built according to these values:

0 - Maintainer: [ you@yourcomputer ]
1 - Summary: [ Package created with checkinstall 1.6.1 ]
2 - Name: [ libgpod ]
3 - Version: [ 0.6.0 ]
4 - Release: [ 1 ]
5 - License: [ GPL ]
6 - Group: [ checkinstall ]
7 - Architecture: [ i386 ]
8 - Source location: [ libgpod-0.6.0 ]
9 - Alternate source location: [ ]
10 - Requires [ ]

Enter a number to change any of them or press ENTER to continue:
Type 2, press Enter. Enter libgpod2 at the prompt. It should now look like this: 2 - Name: [ libgpod2 ]

Press Enter to commit the changes. The package will get automatically installed.

Okay one last thing: we link the libraries:

Code: Select all

sudo ln -s /usr/local/lib/libgpod.so.3 /usr/lib/libgpod.so.2
sudo ln -s /usr/local/lib/libgpod.so.3 /usr/lib/libgpod.so.3
then all you have to do is run floola, which you can get at http://www.floola.com

and enter your ipod generation (classic for me) and the fire wire id which you can ifnd out by typing

Code: Select all

sudo lsusb -v | grep -i Serial
and its the 16 digit code that appears (there is a fair amount of data that comes up, not much but enough that might confuse, but its the 16 character one, no more, no less) and enter that in the box where prompted, and youre away!

I hope this helps some people, since I really could have done with something like this when I was starting out with my ipod+linux(-itunes)=hassle/adventure


follow your nose around the menus and it's all fairly self explanatory and it takes little to no effort to get running. A few minutes in the command line, a little time spent in XP (or none if your using your ipod straight out of the box) and youre done.


++++bear in mind that if you have used your ipod with something other than itunes for the setup then this wont work, but since most everyone I know has access to a windowsXP pc (you need it for itunes v7.5+) this asnt an issue++++

and much thanks to Ghostbea121 on the ubuntu forums whose instructions for getting gpod installed!

If anyone feels like stickying this post for general use then pleases do so, mods!

civint
User avatar
NoClue!
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 1:51 am
Location: Chicago

Re: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by NoClue! »

As enjoyable as you made that seem, I think I'll just boot to xp and use itunes.

We need to start taking the ipod seriously folks. Another hurdle for linux.
civint - too lazy to log on

Re: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by civint - too lazy to log on »

As enjoyable as you made that seem, I think I'll just boot to xp and use itunes.
I'm Just thinking seriously, since not everyone has the oppurtunity (misfortune?) to run XP, or mac, and this is the only way to do it currently, since gpod0.6.0 is still 'unstable' unless yo use sid (another reason for mint to use sid as a base over ubuntu)
i'd hate to see what it's like getting it working with hassle
Its not ntearly as hard as I think I made it seem. It took me maybe, half an hour, tops to get all my 'choons' to my ipod using this method...
We need to start taking the ipod seriously folks
We are, thats why people have cracked all the fun fun fun drm filled hash checks and what have you that the ipod uses, and made gpod and apps like floola, since Ipod is proprietary to the core being produced by apppple (the third p is for proprietary)and it will only support the 'main' OSes since linux is still a long, long long way away from being a desktop solution, since it's still far too complex for your average computer user (stuff like xandros, linspire etc is the closest we have, and seriously, if thats what the linux desktop is gonna be like, I'm not sure I want to be a part of it!)
OU812
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: California, USA

Re: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by OU812 »

Doesn't amarok play nicely with ipods?

john
Nixed242

Re: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by Nixed242 »

OU812 wrote:Doesn't amarok play nicely with ipods?

john
I tried Amarok, and hated it. I have all of my music on a firewire drive, and when I pointed Amarok to the music, it started copying all 60 gigs of music to my Linux partition. It filled all the space on my linux drive, and I had to reinstall mint because there wasn't enough free space to boot. I don't understand why there's no check box to keep Amarok from copying music over when it sets up a library. Maybe I missed it?

I discovered Songbird recently and highly recommend it. Even though it's only at version 0.4, it plays great with my iPod in Linux. It offers a lot of useful plug-ins. I can even manage and view my audio and video Podcasts through it! It's the closest thing to iTunes on Linux. I tried RythmBox and ATunes as well, but with Songbird I expect to be dual booting a little less.

If you want to try Songbird their homepage is http://www.songbirdnest.com/ There's a video demo on their site.
User avatar
Zwopper
Level 10
Level 10
Posts: 3054
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: Deep in the Swedish woods
Contact:

Re: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by Zwopper »

Why not:

Code: Select all

apt install hipo
...or...

Code: Select all

apt install gtkpod
Both works like a charm for me.
Image
My artwork at deviantART | My Band - Electric Alchemea
CREA DIEM!

Lenovo U330P | i5 | 16GB | 128GB - SSD | Elemantary OS 0.4
jasonwatkins
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:08 am

Re: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by jasonwatkins »

i personally find yamipod very easy to use ..

only slight hiccup is that it takes a little longer to load because I have 20gb of music on mine ..
TjankMjaster

REVISIT: How to get an ipod working without all the hassle

Post by TjankMjaster »

Digging up an old converations here:

Having reviewed this and everything else I could find on using an Ipod with Mint, of all the information in this thread, what has changed since Jan, 2008 to now.
Is gtkpod / libgpod still the best way to get an Ipod to sync up? Songbird working? My Ipod and MS Access are the last two thinks that link me to dealing with Windows'. I'm using my wife XP laptop for those 2 things,.. everything else, I live and breath Linux Mint (and love it).

I've tried Amerok, but I can't figure out how to find the ipod or get my library of music to load from my external USB harddrive. I've played with gtkpod, but without libgpod, it doesn't seem to work, and I can't get libg to install (probably because I'm doing it wrong) Don't know anything about Songbird.

Right now I don't have the processing power to run virtualbox and XP for Itunes, which may change in the near future, but if I don't have to go down that road, all the better.

I guess my question is, what should a Uber-Newbie linux user use to sync up music AND videos to my ipod? and not just WHAT to use, but how the heck to get it to work? I'd rather stumble my way through this world, than go back to being a Win-Zombie.

HELP.
thx,
Paul
Post Reply

Return to “Tutorials”