Skip at the beginning of Apple Lossless tracks?

[dreamword]

I just got a new 8GB 3G nano yesterday, and loaded it up with some Apple Lossless and MP3 tracks. The MP3s play fine, but almost every new Apple Lossless track I play, the audio starts, the time counter gets to 0:01, then the audio stops for half a second, the counter resets to 0:00, then quickly counts up to 0:02 and the audio begins again.

The whole process takes about half a second, but it's really annoying.

Is anyone else having this problem? (Am I the only one crazy enough to be using Apple Lossless files on a nano?)

Seems likely to be fixed in the next firmware rev, but I want to make sure it's not just my particular nano.

[northforest]

I have the same problem with my new iPod 3rd generation Nano. When playing a song that was stored in Apple Lossless format, the music stops for a moment during the first few seconds then resumes.

It's annoying that songs stored in the highest quality format don't play correctly. Apple's web site for Nano (under Tech Specs) says "Skip-free playback" and lists Apple Lossless as a supported format.

The problem isn't consistent. It doesn't happen on all songs that are in Apple Lossless format. And after you start playing a song that does have a problem, if you go back to the beginning it plays fine. The song will even play fine if you go back to the menu and reselect the song. However, turning the iPod off and reselecting the song usually recreates the problem, especially if you've played other songs in between. Maybe that's due to a memory buffer.

I checked the warranty, which provides free return shipment of iPods for the first 180 days, so I'll wait a few months to see if Apple fixes the problem in a software update. If not, I'll return it.

[MyLifeGear.com]

I just got a new 8GB 3G nano yesterday, and loaded it up with some Apple Lossless and MP3 tracks. The MP3s play fine, but almost every new Apple Lossless track I play, the audio starts, the time counter gets to 0:01, then the audio stops for half a second, the counter resets to 0:00, then quickly counts up to 0:02 and the audio begins again.

The whole process takes about half a second, but it's really annoying.

Is anyone else having this problem? (Am I the only one crazy enough to be using Apple Lossless files on a nano?)

Seems likely to be fixed in the next firmware rev, but I want to make sure it's not just my particular nano.
I noticed this same problem on mine. I think that I figured out the problem though as have a few others on this forum. If I select an album using cover flow this happens exactly as you are describing. The song starts for about 2 seconds, a small skip, maybe 1/2 second long and then continues fine throughout the rest of the album. I stopped using cover flow to select my tracks and albums and this has not happened since. Kind of sucks because cover flow is such a beautiful way to select music and a large reason for my upgrade. Hope this helps.

[northforest]

My iPod Nano 3G continues to stutter during the first few seconds of songs that were stored in the Apple Lossless format with a bit rate above 780 kbps.

Thank you for suggesting that cover flow causes the problem, but I have the problem when I am not using cover flow. This is how I can make the problem happen:

1) Turn on the iPod nano.
2) Click the menu button until you reach the first menu.
3) Select "music" then select "songs."
4) Start playing any song and let it continuously play.
5) When it gets to the next Apple Lossless song that was recorded at more than 780 kbps, it chokes during the first few seconds then continues playing.
6) You can replay the same song without having the problem, until you turn the iPod off and on again.

I usually get the same problem if I choose "music" and "songs," then play five seconds of each song, then press the right (fast forward) button to go to the next song.

Maybe Apple tested the Nano using songs purchased from iTunes in AAC format. However people who have songs in the Apple Lossless format (at more than 780 kbps) are going to find this problem annoying.

Steve, Olympia, Washington