Preparing music collection for ipod.

[issachk]

Hello I am looking in on getting a ipod video for christmas and I am wondering what kind of stuff I should do to prepare my music files for the ipod. I have them loaded from WMP in MP3 format. How does the ipod determine album art? Since wmp art is stored in a hidden file. Also, what about converting some video is that a possibility??

[Galley]

You can use Tag&Rename to download album art. There's a 30-day free trial. You can choose to not only save the image inside the file, but also as "Folder.jpg" in the album folder.
http://www.softpointer.com/tr.htm

[iPodIzzy]

i'm getting an iPod video 5th generation for xmas too and i'm gonna see if the iPod accepts WMA music format, coz if it does, it follows that windows media will work!

[hotphil]

If you're planning on using iTunes, it converts WMA to AAC in order to play it on the iPod.

[issachk]

Thanks. The art it displays in I-Tunes will be the same for I-pod? What is a good image size?

[Galley]

iTunes automatically resizes the artwork to display on the iPod. I prefer 300 x 300 for my artwork.

[issachk]

Oh shoot I have it all set at 200 by 200 will that look crappy?

[issachk]

Oh also, what do the ratings do? Will it have anything to do with shuffle mode?

[david_safc]

just a tip...if u plan on getting one 4 xmas buy it now. theyre gettin really hard to find

[issachk]

Even online??

[catpodder]

Yes, they are predicting a shortage as we get closer to Christmas. The ratings in iTunes usually apply to SmartPlaylists if you use them. I have a SmartPlaylists of all my songs rated at least 5 stars, plus some others that factor in the genre, grouping, and/or rating.

I usually use MusicMatch to supertag all my music and then bring it into iTunes. It will go out and bring the album art down as well, but it's stored within each track.

[issachk]

Ok Thanks for the info. I have actually imported my librbry to Itunes, added the album art and began rating the songs. The 200 by 200 is a good size?