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Re: libgpod 0.8.2 not working with ipod nano 5th gen

After trying over and over to find out why libgpod is unable to keep its
promise, I started looking for alternative software which does not rely
on this lib.

The only tool that stood up to the task was the one I underestimated
most: jakpod (http://www.jakpod.de/en). Simply mounted the ipod and
started sending files over, very much like I would do with an ordinary
two column file manager. And the transfer speed is very impressive
(starts at 20mb/s and remains no less than 10mb/s, which means what?
something like 10-15 albums per minute). After sad hours of dull
research on web and many remounts, itunes, windows and all, I can't stop
praising this software for its features.

However, there are downsides: it's not part of debian distro and it's
license restricts commercial use, so it could only reach through
non-free repo also only if (unlikely) deemed crucial. Moreover, it's
java and java apps tend to look real ugly and to go mad now and then.

Nonetheless, I'm considering writing a perl script to fetch source code
tarball and extract it to /opt or /usr/local/bin creating appropriate
menu links and icons (jakpod.sh does not work, it informs some weird -
to my knowledge - shell pattern: "cd ${0/jakpod.sh/}" and doing so it's
java starter remain hidden in the two line script). Since I'm no perl
monk, it should take me sometime to get the code right, but I'll come
back here when I do.

BTW, after I used this tool I tried once more gtkpod to see if it would
be able to see the sqlite database created by jakpod. To my great
surprise and to gtkpod's shame, it could see the database but it refused
to work within it saying its not hashed so they can't be certain. Well,
seriously, it's a gadget and it's music digital data, not the mainframe
of nuclear power station. The main goal should be accomplishing the task
of sending files, not the task of verifying hash summaries, names,
encryption or whatever. It's software to handle apple's junkware, not to
comply with its purposeful malicious features which encrypts song file
names and basically puts obstacles to what could ordinarily be achieved
with a simple file manager. To top it all, I've connected it to iTunes
then and it worked just fine, no complaints about hashes, nothing.

-- 
-- André Nunes Batista
--- Begin Message --- 
Hi there!

I recently installed Debian Wheezy on someone else's computer, but I'm
having a hard time syncing ipod nano 5th gen with
banshee/clementine/rhythmbox.

As far as I could find out, they all rely on libgpod from gtkpod
project. This library states that support to ipod nano 5th gen was added
on 0.8 source code release. Debian wheezy version is 0.8.2 and so it
should work.

I found out some blog and forum posts stating similar problem: ipod is
recognized, music files can be added and removed, but after
disconnecting it, the music files are do not show up in the menus. Once
I got an error message stating some problem with SQLite database, but
not anymore.

Some people claim to have solved this issue connecting the ipod to an
iTunes to initialize it or generating some hash and writing it
to /Ipod_Control/Device/SysInfo. However this did now work for me, ipod
still remains unmanageable.

Firmware version is 1.0.2.

Does anyone have a clue to solving this issue? I am guessing the
firmware upgrade may have trashed the work of libgpod developers. That's
so apple style...

Thank you!

-- 
-- André Nunes Batista

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