Listen to music while charging iPod
Like many others, I had the same curiosity of how could I keep my IPOD charging while playing videos from IPOD to my TV. This is very necessary if you are watching a 3 hrs movie. Apple gave this simple steps which absolutely works . I would recommend this while watching the movies on TV. But, I think it would be a good idea to revert back to the Autamatic Updates once you are done wathcing. In that sense, it will atleast keep you IPOD and your ITUNES in synch.. Just my 2 Cents :)
Learn how you can play songs from iPod while it is charging.
You can charge iPod using the Apple iPod Power Adapter or you can charge iPod by connecting it to your computer using the FireWire cable. Windows computers and Macintosh computers (with Mac OS X 10.3.4 and later) can also use the high-power USB 2.0 cable with the iPod mini.
When charging iPod using the iPod Power Adapter you can play music just as if the charger was not connected.
When using a cable connected to your computer, though, iPod’s buttons no longer work, and iPod’s display does not show the standard menu. Instead, only a FireWire icon or the message “Do not disconnect” appears on the display. Despite this, you can still play songs from iPod through your computer. Follow these steps:
1. Connect iPod to your computer using the included FireWire cable.
2. Open iTunes, if necessary.
3. Select iPod in the Source list.
4. Click the iPod Options button in the bottom right corner of the iTunes window.
5. Click to enable the “Manually manage songs and playlists” option.
6. Click OK.
You should now be able to select any song from iPod and play it through the computer.
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You can charge your iPod from your computer’s usb port and listen to music directly from your iPod (not through your computer’s sound system) by clicking the “eject ipod” button in iTunes, but not actually unplugging the iPod.
Does it have to be apple brand? How about using a third party accessory to charge the ipod. Can you still listen to music/do whatever? Connected and not connected to the comp. Beacuse it has a power adapter as well as USB.
Re Comments from Patrick. This works however the Ipod doesn’t charge once it’s ejected. Surely there must be away to play tunes from an Ipod directly while charging via USB.
You can listen to iPod while it is charging on your computer. There are 2 ways to do this:
1. On Windows, go to My Computer and you should find that your iPod is listed as a Removable Drive. Right click on it and select Eject.
2. Eject your iPod on iTunes.
ALEX – Thanks a lot! Helped.
The right click drive and “eject” is the best for Windows, for me, I use my iPod from my Mac, and at work I have a PC, so iTunes wants to re-format it all the time… silly iTunes.
Eject, Charge, Listen.
Alex,
While your way does let you play music you lose the ability to charge your ipod. Pretty much the only way to play and charge on a computer is to have iTunes installed on it which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
wes – alex’s method for windows does charge while letting you listen simultaneously. just tried it.
thanks for the tip, and down with itunes !
This method does works indeed…
Thx!
Maybe Alex’s method depends on the type of ipod. I have just run my 5G ipod batteries down to nothing then used the method described above. After playing 2 or 3 songs the batteries died and the ipod turned off. This method may work for earlier ipods but certainly does not work for me.
Worked on iPod Video, thankfully. Installing iTunes on all of my four regular computers is a serious pain, just putting it on one was bad enough.
Anyone knows if using the ipod while it is charging affect the lifetime of the batteries ?
Windows eject feature disables power on the USB slot as well, silly windows.
Linux users can just eject the device and the USB will still feed power to the iPod.
worked great with Vista on a gen4 ipod. Thanks.
Does not work with my 5.5G ipod and Win2000.
It works with the new iPod classic without iTunes. Eject from the my computer screen and not from the icon in the system tray and it doesn’t kill the power to the usb
I don’t know the specifics, but it seems to be an issue where the computer is turning off power to the USB port. This sounds like it is OS dependent, not iPod dependent. I just tried my 2G Nano and when I stop the device, it stops charging.
If someone has one where it stops charging and wants to get brave, cut open a wire, find the VCC+ and GND, and see if there’s a voltage across them. If there’s a voltage, then you know is the iPod. If not, it’s the OS.
The way I get around this is with a small piece of electrical tape doubled over and put in the connector to insulate the two middle conductors of the USB connector, but it’s dangerous as it could get stuck in your computer. A better solution is to open the connector, find the DATA+, and install a switch.
HA, sorry Bill, I didn’t see your comment. You are completely 100% correct. I tried that and it works fantastically! Thanks a million.
EVERYONE>>> SEE BILL’S COMMENT!
None of these methods work for me I’m afraid. Win 2k latest ipod video (5th gen?)
You’re running windows 2k you idiot. Get with the times at least.
works excellent with bill’s comment (ejecting from My Computer) on XP sp1. and a 30GB iPod Vid.
Thanks!
You can listetn to songs while charging it through computer. You have to eject your ipod and standard menu appears. Charging also does not stop. Enjoy!!
with mine i can listen to music while playing but i have a serious problem and dont know what to do .i have a 30gb ipod that charges when connected to the laptop(dell latitude) but does not show the ipod as a drive in my computer. it stil plays all the songs that where added before bt now does not even show that a usb item is added to the computer but it is charging.
what shud b done???????????????????
Manex, Try the link given below. You might be able to find the solution .
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3677902
hey Rahmansaher, thnx for the site but eish i did read all the posts in there bt not even one of them could even help me at all, infact i think jus like many other ipod holders on that site, i think that apple sucks, and it has the poorest customer care i have ever seen or heard. i jus dont know what to do next bcoz i own a 30 gig ipod and to me its an expensive thing, cant even afford another1(not apple)