Transferring iPod "sync" from one computer to another

[asinclair]

I have this great, great 80G iPod, that I use extensively for music and videos.

So far, I have been "managing" it from the iTunes on my XP machine.
The sync setup I have is that music and videos are managed manually, and contacts are sync'ed with outlook.

Now, I recently purchased a MacBook (black) to use to actually manage my music collection. Now that I have transferred all the files, updated the tags, etc... I want the iPod to sync its music from the iTunes library in the MacBook.

Note, I am not asking how to get the stuff in the iPod out of it...

What I would like to know is what will happen to the VIDEO files currently in the iPod if I set it to sync its music (and only the music) with the powerbook ?

I have gone so far in iTunes that I set the settings I want for the music, then I get a dire warning that 'All existing content on the iPod "name" will be removed and replaced with songs and playlists from your iTunes library.'

Is it just that the 'language' has not been updated since iPod g4, and I can safely assume my video files (and contacts, etc...) are safe if I sync my music with the Mac?

Thanks for any comments. I am sure that others have faced the same dilemma before...

[lbj]

Negative. The iPod is a syncing device only. If you try to sync it with an "empty" iTunes on the new Mac, it will itself become "empty".

Search versiontracker.com for multiple programs that will allow you to pull songs off the iPod.

And this is just a guess, but those same programs will pull off the video as well.

[seb481]

DO NOT SYNC YOUR IPOD WITH YOUR NEW LAPTOP!!! It will empty your iPod in a sec!!!! You really don't want this.
What is recommand is getting an iPod to computer transfer software - http://ipodmediaselection.com/iPod-to-PC.htm - and transfer your files to your laptop.

[fryke]

But that's exactly what he _doesn't_ want. My guess is that the videos take up quite a large amount of space, he wants to keep them on the PC and _not_ on the Mac.

However: You simply _can't_ synch the music from one and the video from another computer, regardless of the computer platform(s).

[Ferdinand]

Though the new iPods (as far as I heard) have an option to keep the files, so they won't delete if you sync with a new iTunes app on another computer. But yes: you cant do that, as Fryke already pointed out.

[Brainstormer]

Just bought an iPod Shuffle today and to my dismay, found that I can't pull some tunes from one computer and some from another, it deletes everything that isn't on the second computer... I hate iTunes anyway, I use my macs for music, and iTunes has a habit of playing through my sample library after playing certain songs... really cumbersome and irritating! The way it 'syncs' with an iPod is the most annoying thing ever, basically I'll have to buy 2 iPods to get all the songs I want, or import all my songs into one mac, which is the last thing I want to do, I have my songs on different computers for different reasons, basically stuff I DJ with on one machine, and personal stuff on another. However, I would like both library's on my iPod.

Does anyone know of a piece of software that isn't iTunes where I can simply dump tunes onto my iPod... And Not erase them when I plug into another computer? ...Or at least a function I may have missed that prevents deletion when I plug into my second mac.

[CharlieJ]

Try VNC? I dont quite understand what you are trying to do :S

[fryke]

CJ: Why do you unearth an old thread and give a completely unnecessary and non-helping answer? Not enough new threads around today? :/