iPhone and iTunes Stuff

Batch File to Backup your iTunes settings!

Download the iTunes WinXP and Win 7 Backup batch files here (ZIP)

The MS-DOS batch file has the following features:

  • Backs up everything to the location specified below. Simply modify the path shown in bold within the quotes on this line in the batch file with the path to your backup location:

         PUSHD "\\Dellvostro\fantom\0 - MyBook BACKUP\iTunesBackup" > NUL
  • Find the BACKUP LIST section within the batch file and modify the paths to that of your system. You must also change all occurance of "Ken" to your login name.
  • Creates a BACKUP.LOG file each time it runs. Modify the path in the following line to represent the path on your system that you want the log file to be:

         CD "D:\USER SYSTEM FILES\Ken\My Documents\Backup Batch Files"
  • It creates a folder for each backup at the destination drive called IPHONE_mm-dd-yy, where mm-dd-yy is the date of the backup.
    • iPhone Backup Folder Screen Shot
  • The above batch file does NOT backup any of your media files such as: music, video, ebook, or pictures.
  • It then deletes all backups older than 2 weeks
  • iPhone and iPod touch: About backups
  • About iTunes iPhone, iPod Touch, iOS backups

Transfer iPod to computer and iPhone to iTunes

Your iTunes library is empty, but your music is still on your iPod? Do not connect your iPod to iTunes without an iPod backup and risk an unwanted synchronization and deletion! Copy iPod to computer and safely recover iPhone or iPod library. CopyTrans transfers: music, videos, podcasts, audiobooks, smart playlists, artworks, ratings, playcounts, date added and many more! Backup iPod to PC and iPhone to iTunes the correct way!

CopyTrans screen shot

Click on the screen shot image to the right to enlarge it

Go to the CopyTrans Home Page

Watch CopyTrans on YouTube

TouchCopy

TouchCopy Home Page

Copy your iPod content to iTunes.
Works with all models of iPod, iPhone or iPad.

  • Transfer Music, Playlists, Podcasts and Videos.
  • Copy Artwork, Ratings, Play counts and other data.
  • Backup Photos from any iPod, iPhone or iPad.
  • Manage Contacts, Calendars, SMS and Notes.
  • Use your iPhone or iPad as an external hard drive.
  • Comes with free updates and free customer support.

iTunes v10 (64-bit) Selective Installation

The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware:


If you haven't already figured it out iTunes is bloatware! So if you're a techie than you'll find this interesting on how to install iTunes without the bloatware.

DETAILS

  • Apple Software Update is that any attempt to “update” iTunes will install the other, unwanted packages as well.
  • I will instead check for a new version any time by clicking Help, Check for Updates.
  • WARNING: You must install in the following order and you cannot change the file names.
    • QuickTime.msi (If you download and install QuickTime separately, it won't work and you'll have to run this in Repair mode.
    • QuickTime.msi
    • iTunes64.msi
    • AppleApplicationSupport.msi
    • AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi
  • Both iTunes64.msi and AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi will default to install to C:\Program Files (x86)
  • Accepted default iTunes64.msi and AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi to:
    C:\Program Files
  • AppleApplicationSupport.msi and AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi gives asks to Repair or Remove and I choose Repair
  • Not AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi
  • Not Bonjour64.msi
  • Not SetupAdmin.exe
  • Stop iTunesHelper.exe from auto loading (MSConfig)

iPhone and iTunes Version Histories

The TXT files are best viewed by downloading to your computer. Right click a link and choose "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..."

iTunes Version History

iPhone Version History

These programs seem to be the most popular iTunes alternative:

HandBrake

Official Web Site

Handbrake Tutorial (ripping DVD's)

HandBrake is an open-source program designed to convert MPEG video (including DVD-Video) into an MPEG-4 video file in MPEG-4 Part 14 (.mp4) or Matroska (.mkv) containers.

The program is used to convert DVDs into other forms so they can be viewed on iPods, iPhones and with the Mac QuickTime Player.

Supported file types

Input:

  • DVD, DVD image, DVD VOB files, MPEG-TS, Matroska, AVI, mpeg-4, etc
  • Handbrake cannot at present encode from DRM-encrypted videos purchased from iTunes or found on DVD or Blu-Ray discs. However, if VLC is installed under a Unix-based system, encrypted DVDs can be read as well.

Output:

  • Container formats: MP4, MKV, and M4V (also AVI and OGV until 0.9.4).
  • Video Codecs: x264 (with H.264 output), FFmpeg (with MPEG-4 ASP output) and Theora (1 or 2 passes or constant quantizer encoding)
  • Audio: AAC, MP3, Vorbis, AC-3 pass-through, or DTS passthrough. (supports encoding of several audio tracks).

Batch encoding

HandBrake supports batch encoding through the Windows, Linux, and OS X GUI, though jobs must be queued one by one. It is also easily automated using the HandBrake CLI (command line interface). The third-party HandBrake Batch Encoder makes use of the CLI to enable queueing of several files in a directory or tree at once.

Features

  • Chapter selection
  • Soft subtitles (not permanently rendered to frame)
  • Integrated bitrate calculator
  • Picture deinterlacing
  • Cropping and scaling
  • Grayscale encoding.

Check out "Clone2go DVD Ripper" for an even better (although not free) alternative

Tips

  • Beware of programs that remove duplicates as they don't take into account duration,
  • Kbps quality or live vs studio version or mixing variations. This why it is so import to name and tag your music accordingly. Many auto tag features assume u have albums of music as it uses the album info to fill in the blanks. I have to believe most people accumulate singles not albums.
  • Jailbreak iPhone and get Cydia App (ZIP)
  • Shure Music Phone Adapter
    a stereo mobile headset, providing inline microphone and controls for music-enabled phones and portable devices.

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