book

iPod and iTunes Hacks

by Hadley Stern

October 2004

Beginner to intermediate

456 pages

12h 36m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Getting CleanGetting Rid of ScratchesThe Ugly Truth About Pretty Chrome
On the RoadAt the GymIn the WaterWater-resistant cases.Waterproof cases.Headphones.All-Terrain iPod
The Belkin Media ReaderThe Belkin Digital Camera Link
Over-Ear HeadphonesIn-Ear HeadphonesThe Shure E Series.An in-ear earphone for your ears only.Final Thoughts
Choosing the FM TransmitterMore Shopping DecisionsSome CaveatsGetting the Best Results
Building the FM Transmitter AmplifierPreparing the FM transmitter.Building the circuit.Using Your New AmplifierHacking the Hack
Connecting Your iPod to Your StereoA True iPod Portable SolutionHacking the Hack
Two iPods and a Mixing BoardConnectivity and amplification.Pitch control and beat matching.Scratching.Two iPods and a Computer
Getting the IR SignalRecording the SignalPutting the Signal on the iPodReady, Aim, Fire
Repositioning the RemoteHacking the RemotePowering the iPodFinal Thoughts
Gathering the SuppliesCreating the DesignTaking a MoldRemoving the MoldCoating with PlasticSanding, Painting, and Cleaning UpHooking up the Electronics and Installing the ConsoleThe Final Installation
Anatomy of an iPod RemoteSecond-Generation Button CodesThird- and Fourth-Generation Button CodesBit-Banging Versus Serial PortImplementationThe FutureResources for Hacking Your Remote
Getting StartedPirate BroadcastsAdvanced Broadcasting Techniques
Opening the CaseRemoving the BatteryInstalling the New BatteryPutting It Back Together
Opening the iPodRemoving the Hard DriveInstalling the New BatteryInstalling the Hard DrivePutting It Back Together
Removing the Plastic End CapsOpening the iPod MiniRemoving the BatteryInstalling the New BatteryPutting It Back Together
Building the Charger
Removing the Hard Drive and BatteryReleasing the Main BoardFlipping the LCD and Installing the AcetateRefastening the Main Board
Installing SoftwareConnecting iPod to PDAStarting the Application
Why Cardboard?Designing the CaseCutting, Folding, and AssemblingHacking the Hack
Using Your Dead iPod to Get a New iPodUsing Your Dead iPod for a Different Purpose
SoftwareHardwareHacking the Hack
HardwareBluetoothSoftwareHacking the Hack
HardwareNetworkSoftware
Buying a Headphone AmplifierCost and portability.Specifications.Features.Building Your Own Pocket Headphone AmplifierThe circuit.The power supply.Assembly.
HardwareGetting Linux to Talk to iTunesServer-Side File SharingOption one: Samba.Option 2: NFS.Managing Your Library
NewsHacking the Hack
On Hold?ResetScan the Hard DriveDiagnostics
Converting Your iPod
Text-Based Games Available for Your iPodNon-Text-Based iPod GamesHacking the Hack
iStory Creator from iPodSoftThe Hardest PartHacking the Hack
Getting the Files onto Your iPod
Organizing Your FilesFormatting Your FilesLinking Your FilesHacking the Hack
On the MacOn Windows
On a MacOn Windows
On WindowsOn the Mac
Getting the AudioAudio HijackAudio Hijack ProGetting the Files into Your iPodThe Code
Setting Up Your Linux DesktopNormal UsageDownloaded MP3 Files and ID3 Tags
Getting Started with Visual StudioWriting the CodeCode ExamplesGetting the iPod device nameGetting the hardware version and drive letterObservations and IssuesHacking the Hack
InstallationFireWire/connection setupLocating your iPodBacking upPartitioningKernel installationUserland installationFinishing upStarting Linux on the iPodWriting Your Own ApplicationsHacking the Hack
On WindowsCanto Pod.EvilLyrics.On the MacGoogle Lyric Search.LyricTracker X.Hacking the Hack
Mac Plug-insWindows Plug-insHacking the Hack
Ripping by HandAutomated Ripping with AppleScript
On the MacOn WindowsHacking the Hack
Track AttributesAdditional AttributesSmart PlaylistsArtist name.Workout.High school tunes.Rockin’ in the free world.Lose the streams.Fresh mix.Never been listened to.Clean tracks.Live hour.Hacking the Hack
iPod MiniTuneRateriTunes “volume hotkey”Name that iTune!
Introducing MyTunesDownloading and Installing MyTunesCustomizing MyTunesOpening MyTunesDesign ConsiderationsExtending ChordControlling iTunes RemotelyUpdating MyTunes Features
iTunes, Perl, and TerminaliTunes, Perl, Apache, and mod_perliTunes, Perl, and TkFinal Thoughts
On the MacOn Windows
Hacking the Hack
Hacking the Hack
Single-Player ModeTwo-Player Mode
The CodeUploading your current track data.Displaying track data on your site.
iTMS-4-ALLThe iTMS ProtocolThe CodeSearching the iTMS with wget.Cryptography programming in Perl.iTMS-4-ALL.
Writing AppleScript Scripts with Script EditorAppleScript for iTunes: A Primertell statements.Objects and referencesget and set (and sometimes copy).ConditionalsRepeat loops.Consulting the dictionary.Basic DebuggingThe iTunes Scripts MenuAlternatives to the iTunes Scripts MenuFinal Thoughts
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the HackHacking the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
The CodeRunning the Hack
lameitThe codeRunning the hack.flacitThe codeRunning the hack.id3hackThe codeRunning the hack.vchackThe codeRunning the hack.vctoolThe codeRunning the hack.vcid3The codeRunning the hack.flacmp3The codeRunning the hackstriptocThe codeRunning the hackFinal Thoughts
Turning Your Computer into a Music ServerThe Mysterious IP AddressAccessing Your Music
Creating the PlaylistCreating a new playlist.Naming your playlist.Saving songs to your playlistCompleting your playlistBurning Your Mix to CDSetting your preferencesBurning.Creating CD LabelsThe Final Touch: CD Covers and Tray Liners
On the MacOn Windows
ConnectingRecordingFinalVinyl for Mac OS XConverting to MP3/AAC.

Content preview from iPod and iTunes Hacks

Convert Text Files into iPod Books

Convert the many readily available text files on the Web into readable iPod notes.

Since there aren’t a ton of books out there to read on your iPod, if you want more choice you will have to get down and dirty and convert some text files yourself. Finding source material isn’t hard; check out Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.net)for thousands of free books.

Getting the Files onto Your iPod

For the purposes of this hack, I’ve decided to go with one of my favorite authors, James Joyce. Rather than overload my iPod with something as grandiose as Ulysses, I’ve decided to download the much shorter collection of short stories, Dubliners (available from Project Gutenberg at (http://www.gutenberg.net/text01/dblnr11.txt), as shown in Figure 3-14. Feel free to choose another text to walk through these steps with me, although if you haven’t read Dubliners, I highly recommend it.

Figure 3-14. Project Gutenberg etext of Dubliners, by James Joyce

After saving this file to my local drive, I need a way to convert it into something that the iPod can handle. The iPod can read any plain-text file put in its Notes folder, as long as the file isn’t greater than 4 KB in size. Any text in the file over the 4-KB limit will be cut. As dblnr11.txt weighs in at 388 KB, a ...