Looking for a way to add music to iPod without iTunes

[drabina]

I am looking for a way to update my iPod without iTunes. The reason for that is, that I do not want (or need) to have the music imported and sitting in iTunes as I never use iTunes to play the music. So it takes GBs on my hard drive and the only time I use it is couple of times a year when I update my iPod.

Best way for me would be to drop folder(s) into a mounted iPod drive. The folder names would become playlists. This way I could have all the music on DVDs and just update what I need and when I need it.

I have downloaded add2ipod script but I do not know how to use it. It did not come with any instructions.

Thanks.

[cwtnospam]

One advantage of having them on your hard drive is that you've got a backup for your CDs, with the only disadvantage being the space they take up. Files sitting on your hard drive do little more than take up space unless they're accessed. Do you really need to save a few gigabytes of hard drive space? Drives are cheap these days.

[Jay Carr]

You could, if you wanted, put your entire iTunes library on a DVD. Whenever you need music from it, just hold down the option key when you launch iTunes, navigate to the library on the DVD and load it. Load times might be a bit interesting...but it should work. Assuming the library can fit on a DVD...

[J Christopher]

Assuming the library can fit on a DVD...

I think you could do the same with multiple DVDs provided the tracks from every DVD are contained in the iTunes library, iTunes is set to not keep the music organized or copy to the iTunes Music folder, all the DVDs have identical names, and the iPod is set to not erase current content when updating.

Personally, I think keeping the iTunes Music folder on an external drive is a much more practical and more easily implemented solution. As has been pointed out, hard drive space is cheap. A quick search revealed that a 500 GB external drive can be found for about four times the price per GiB as quality blank DVDs can be found.

Dabrina, what is the capacity of your iPod?

[drabina]

I have backup of all the CDs. Backup is on the DVDs and I would like to use them to just drag and drop music that I want onto the iPod. I really do not want to use iTunes for that because I want to be able to drag one song or a whole folder to be transferred to iPod.

I know that hard drive space is cheap but like I said I am on a laptop and I have at least 10 other ways I can use the 10GB worth of space that all the MP3s are taking.

[J Christopher]

You can drag and drop one song or a whole artist, album, genre, playlist, etc. onto the iPod with iTunes. I'm not sure there is an easy way to do it without iTunes. Keeping your iTunes library off your internal hard drive is a different issue. That can also be done, and there are several ways to do it, some easier and more practical than others.

Again, what is the capacity of your iPod?

[cwtnospam]

I still don't see why you don't use an external drive. You could keep the iTunes library on it, and use the drive as a backup for your laptop, which you know you need! No need to mess with fragile CDs/DVDs.

[drabina]

Guys, I was just asking if there is a way to drag and drop music files onto the iPod without iTunes. I am really not interested in finding any other way or messing with iTunes libraries on multiple DVDs or using external hard drive together with iTunes.

I think it is going to be easier to get a different MP3 player that allows that. I like Apple but in some cases their "limitations" (or whatever you want to name it) are really annoying.

Have a nice weekend.

[J Christopher]

Guys, I was just asking if there is a way to drag and drop music files onto the iPod without iTunes. I am really not interested in finding any other way or messing with iTunes libraries on multiple DVDs or using external hard drive together with iTunes.

I think it is going to be easier to get a different MP3 player that allows that. I like Apple but in some cases their "limitations" (or whatever you want to name it) are really annoying.

Have a nice weekend.

We're trying to help you, but we need you to answer our questions.

What is the capacity of your iPod?

[J Christopher]

Guys, I was just asking if there is a way to drag and drop music files onto the iPod without iTunes. I am really not interested in finding any other way or messing with iTunes libraries on multiple DVDs or using external hard drive together with iTunes.

I think it is going to be easier to get a different MP3 player that allows that. I like Apple but in some cases their "limitations" (or whatever you want to name it) are really annoying.

Have a nice weekend.

We're trying to help you, but we need you to answer our questions. Messing with iTunes libraries on multiple DVDs won't be any more complicated than messing with songs from multiple DVDs in Finder. If you want the simplicity of easy drag and drop without shuffling DVDs, then you will have to use a storage medium that can hold all your music.

However, there is possibly some middle ground, if you will just answer the question:

What is the capacity of your iPod?

[drabina]

What is the capacity of your iPod?[/I]

Sorry, I have missed your question. My iPod has 8 GB capacity. So all the MP3s I need for it will fit onto 2 DVDs. Not too much shuffling around :) Plus that's a lot cheaper than getting external hard drive.

[chabig]

Guys, I was just asking if there is a way to drag and drop music files onto the iPod without iTunes.

Sorry...no.

[Scorpio32]

You can use Aimersoft iPod Copy Manager, it's totally free, and it can help you put video and music to ipod idrectly without iTunes or copy music and video from iPod back to computer, that's very convenient for me, you can get it here: http://www.aimersoft.com/ipod-copy-manager.html