iTunes Alternative recommendations?

Hello-

I am looking for recommendations for a free downloadable alternative to iTunes. I have an iPod shuffle. It is the model that preceded the new ultra small shuffle. I am running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit.

I am not interested in iTunes as I had problems with it before and I don't use the iTunes store (arguably the best feature).

My basic requirements are:

1. Syncs with and can manage my iPod without having to go through a bunch of hacks or hassle - don't mind downloading a plug-in or add-on though.
2. Ability to copy music from the the iPod to the player.
3. Rip/copy CD's
4. Library to organize music
5. Would be nice if was "light" and didn't hog system resources like iTunes can.
6. Stable and not too buggy

Anyone have a recommendation?

Thanks!
dpm

 

Well i know mozilla is working on something like that called songbird, its not done yet but you could try it

 

Songbird has a bug that can be harmful to the iPods, like wiping out their content inadvertently. I would not recommend it, just yet.

cheers ...

 

you could try winamp.

 

winamp won't do what he wants, he needs to sync with his ipod, and as far as i know winamp cannot do that.

 

Apple, in all it's wisdom, has been issuing firmware updates that intentionally break iPod Touch functionality with iTunes alternatives like Songbird. The reason for this, of course, is that Apple only wants you to use iTunes. I've personally looked into this and there simply aren't any iPod Touch managers out there.

 

I wouldn't mind itunes so much if it wasn't sooooo sloooooooooow.
An alternative would be nice for my ipod touch

 

Here's one ! Spotify

 

spotify isn't an alternative, you need to pay for service, at least in the states.

Bog are you sure about that? any proof or ways around it?

 

My mom actually has an iPod Touch for work/organizing and listening to audiobooks; I spent some time for her looking around for anything that could deliver similar iTunes functions to the Touch. The only possible workaround is to keep the Touch on a certain older firmware version so that it can be used with non-Apple software. But the bottom line is that Apple is trying its best to keep users tethered to its pathetic media manager. That's what many of the firmware updates contain; the device uses encrypted data that can only be unlocked by iTunes.

 

^ And this is why people should not blindly buy iPods because they are "cool".

 

CopyTrans Manager - Freeware

http://lifehacker.com/5375286/copytrans-manager-is-a-snappy-and-light+weight-itunes-alternative

I haven't used it, but saw this after seeing your thread. The guys over at Lifehacker seem to like it, maybe give a shot.

 

For a user like me who loves using alternative firmware and modifying software, the iPod Touch is both really attractive yet ultimately repellent at the same time. I hate iTunes and I don't even use it.

 

Even if it does not sync I assume the iPod is compatible with Winamp and I can at least manage what is on my iPod manually, correct?

I've done some reading and found articles and other forums recommending MediaMonkey and Foobar2000. Anyone have experience with either, good or bad?

In addition to Winamp does anyone have experience using their iPod with another player that they would recommend? The inability to sync isn't a deal breaker.

Thanks for your help!

-dpm

 

i use mediamonkey and i like it. i dont use it to sync though. regrettably i use itunes to sync. but if there is a way to do it with songs and videos in MM i would love to know.

 

I use Windows Media Player... but it doesn't offer iPod compatibility. If I needed compatibility with the iPod Shuffle, I'd probably use Winamp. MediaMonkey isn't bad either, but the UI is a little cluttered for me.

If you like the iTunes user interface, I suggest J River Media Jukebox. The free version is audio only -- but that do the trick for your Shuffle. It says it supports iPods, just like Winamp and MediaMonkey also do, but I haven't tried it with any of them so I don't know which models work well.

EDIT: Oh yeah, Songbird also has an iTunes-like interface, and it's also worth checking out.

So... basically just try a bunch of 'em and see what works for you.

 

There's a plugin for Windows Media Player to make it ipod shuffle/nano/video/classic/touch compatible but ir's not free.

 

I used to use MM a year ago and i remember being able to sync it with my ipod

Personally i dislike itunes but i use it because i find it simple and i need to sync my ipod somehow! Mediamonkey felt really similar to itunes but i needed some time to get used to it.

 

a) rockbox works on all kinds of media player hardware. You're not limited to apple hardware.

b) jr media center, although it costs $50 (frequent 1/2 price sales), syncs with a high percentage of players out there including apple products.

 

Well, not all kinds... but some kinds. Check the rockbox site to see if your device is compatible.

J River is free if you want the version for music only. It's here: http://www.mediajukebox.com/

If you want it to handle photos and video, you need the paid version.

 

jukebox is no longer being developed or formally supported. It's based on MC 12, two plus years old. Current releases of MC are in the 14.70 range.

jukebox is perfectly serviceable in a music only environment. More so than some current-build competitors.