IPod Shuffle Without ITunes

shuffle gray

Martin Fielder did most of the hard work when it comes to using the iPod Shuffle without iTunes. All you have to do is copy the music over to your Shuffle like a normal mass storage device. Then run the database builder which takes care of all of the dirty work. Ohad took care of the final loose ends for Windows users by converting the Python script to an exe. Head over to his blog to pick up the zip file and start managing your own music, because… well… you’re not an idiot.

44 thoughts on “IPod Shuffle Without ITunes

  1. Nice hack technically, but does it worth it ?
    iTunes rocks regarding songs management – the only reason one would like that would be to use open softwares, but it stops here …

    At least now *nix users can use that script – but on windows, gime a break :)

  2. can you have a little bit of both worlds?

    I like managing my songs on my shuffle thru iTunes, specially because of the smart playlists, I just choose my mood (depending of where I’m heading to (Gym, work, etc) and it just feels it up perfectly for me.

    I would like however to have this .exe on my shuffle (and run it off of there) in the case that I go for example, to somebody elses house and want to copy a few mp3s to my shuffle, without having to wait to get to my house to add it to my iTunes to listen to it.

    I was doing this same thing with another software kinda like this called yamipod ( http://www.yamipod.com ) which now has support for the shuffle as well, and it accomplishes this same thing. With the added feature that you can actually play the songs as well out of the shuffle, running the same program, in any computer.

  3. Not to discourage all this cool hacking, but the best solution for itunes haters is to buy a different brand player, a fully featured player really should include this functionality by default.

  4. My old Clie, the two RCA lyras I own, and the little crappy Benq player I threw into the river… None of the above required any special software to load mp3’s onto it. Just dump the files onto the flash memory or directly to the unit’s internal memory and away we go.

    ALL personal media players should be that easy. Too bad compatibility is still such an issue or I’d buy a nice video player.

  5. I created a portable exe version of rebuild_db myself a few weeks back. If you want instructions on how to do it yourself (so you can use a custom icon or modified script, for example), check out my thread on ipodlounge:

    http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthread.php?s=1ca53535717cd2e7c96dfa773befe30d&threadid=96705

    The advantage of using my method is that you only get the solitary exe file as an output, which looks a lot nicer and is easier to organise than an exe with several other dlls and such.

  6. i think i downloaded a corrupt program (database builder) and i wasnt working.
    i tried downloading it from a diferent source and now it functions perfect.
    thanks to those trying to help

  7. mlipod also supports the Shuffle, as does the foo_pod plugin for the foobar 2000 player. Using foo_pod will also give you ReplayGain volume leveling on the iPod or iPod shuffle.

    Both of these program’s support for the Shuffle were developed independantly from Martin Fielder’s code, BTW. I know, because I figured out most of the Shuffle formats myself to get it done. :)

    Info about the Shuffle’s file formats can be found at http://www.ipodlinux.org/ITunesDB

  8. @belinda: Design-aware people and audiophiles are idiots, then? ;)

    btw. the latest versions of the database builder shuffle your songs pretty well even if you put them on the shuffle in iTunes.

  9. What I like about it is that it is writen in python, so it will run any where, you can organize the music HOWEVER you like, as opposed to having it automaticly stuck in folders like /iPod_Control/Music/F00/QXMI.mp3
    ( I got a shuffle for cristmas :-D )

  10. I suggest (for Win users) the iShuffle program posted and commented here by agoraphobeus… because: I MADE THe program !!! :)
    These application it’s very simple to use… only run iShuffle from your iPod drive and your files located on the “Music” folder.. will be detected by your iPod Shuffle. That’s All!!
    For more info, visit the website: http://agoraphobeus.free.fr/iShuffle/index.html (the website, was made by agoraphobeus) thanks again!!

  11. That fix is brilliant! Now I can sync to the iPod (a present, not really my choice) from Windows Movie Player, and within a couple of extra clicks it’s all ready to go! Thanks so much, it was driving me crazy why it wouldn’t work!

  12. Why doesn’t everyone just get WINAMP 5.xx series, and use the media library???

    What is all the fuss about??
    This has been around for a few years already.

    Open winamp->check box to view the “media library”->”portables”

    now, what is all the fuss about again?

  13. What the? Just google SharePod. It let’s you use your ipod on someone else’s computer without screwing it up for life. You just have to follow the instructions, and you can use your ipod on your friends computer. Works with windows only, i think.
    DOWNLOAD NOW!

  14. all u gotta do is find an mp3 type song and save it in a folder. (it can be any folder) Then open the folder. go to the song u downloaded, and open it in iTunes. once it opens in iTunes, the song should start playing.(the song is found in ur music library on iTunes) drag the song to ur iPod and there you go. it acts like its already been paid for.

  15. Hi, does anyone know if this project is still working? I’ve tried to run the script on a G3 shuffle, but I still get that annoying voice telling me to synch with iTunes. I couldn’t even if I wanted to as Apple don’t make a Linux version.

  16. I’m watching a Star Trek Voyager episode where Voyager and its crew are deteriorating into uncontrolled neuro-memetic fluid trying to return to a protective planetary environment where the real Voyager was duplicated.
    The dupe has just now disassociated within view of the real Voyager leaving nothing but globules floating in space, unidentifiable.
    Voyager itself failed to identify or communicate with the approaching ship and so the duplicate forever remains unknown, uneventful, irrelevant, it’s crew, their egos, their fears, the FTL ship, the technology, the genius, are but nothing.
    On this app’s webpage it seems apposite.

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