no 4pin F/wire for iPod? Bye2 Apple!! Hello NetMD! >_<

C

C-Fu

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Why the heck did apple create or allow 2 types of f/wire ports? I dont geddit...


When Ive finally saved up enough money, I went to the Apple store in Woollongabba (Australia) to get the 20Gig version.

Went there. No stock. The guy asked me to go to the City branch (which is not stated in Apple's site btw, how convenient). Okay then, so I have to go back to the City. :o

Okay so there are a couple of iPods left. Since I use both XP and OSX, I'd like to have the one that can be used on both machines.

nope, both are different. Wow. Though I did remember reading something about the Mac version that can be connected to XP, but I'm not sure. Plus it'd just be too troublesome anyway.

Since I have a Toshiba laptop that has a 4pin firewire port built-in, i asked for the Windows version.

And when I saw the iPod cable, it was a 6pin cable. I asked if they have a 4 pin cable and I just use the AC adapter to power the iPod, but either they don't know or there arent any.

How nice. After months years of saving, this sort of stupidity happens. Thanks Apple!

So now Im getting a Sony NetMD. Half the price, 40hrs battery life, no skippings, and I can record my lectures.



But... erm... can somebody pleaseeeeeee tell me if the 4pin iPod cable actually exists...
 
I can understand the frustration but I'm sure the devices were built for each individual platform as not many people use a wintel and a Mac to handle mp3s.
Why not just choose one and be happy with it? Personally, I'm glad my iPod can't/won't/shouldn't hook up to a laptop that doesn't have an Apple on it.
If you use pc and Mac for work, do you have a virtual pc program? If you did, perhaps you could have used that to bridge the gap between the two. But you got what you wanted, so good on ya.
 
You honestly expected the 20Gb iPod to be in stock in Wollongaba? Even in the cities here in Australia, such as Melbourne and Sydney, you have to order things in and wait a couple of days. That's just the way it is with many niche products out here, from Italian motorbikes to NetMD players. I'm surprised that Wollongaba even has an Apple dealer.

Anyway, I would skip the NetMD. An iPod will hold 4000 songs without needing to add anything. A NetMD player would require around 100 MD's to store that much ... running to around $500Au.

If you have both systems, just get the iPod for the one you use for your Mp3s. If you tend to use the Mac for music, get the Mac iPod. You can then get a 4-pin to 7-pin firewire adapter if you decide to use it with the PC.
 
It's not so much of the prob between choosing either the Windoze or the Mac version... it's the firewire thingy ya know. If someone someway someone would just say "hey, there will only be one firewire standard" none of this kinda prob would surface. Sooner or later someone ought to come up with a software that can make both iPods compatible with both platforms heh.

I asked if they can swap the bundled PCI firewire card for PC with a PCMCIA firewire card... nope. cant do that.

I really, REALLY wanna get an iPod you know... Ive been saving for like who knows how long :( and now when I finally have a pc that has firewire built-in, this sorta prob prevents me from getting one.

software's really not the issue, 'tis the hardware man.....
 
iPod should work just fine with an available 4-6 pin adapter cable, but I think the 6-pin is needed for the battery charger. There's no difference in the standards here. It's just that the battery charging takes advantage of the ability to carry the voltage for charging, the 4 pin will not provide that, I think. So get the iPod, purchase a 4 - 6 pin adapter, and remember that the battery won't charge unless a full 6 pin cable is attached (won't cahrge when attached to the PC laptop)
 
There is a very good reason there are two firewire connectors, a 6pin and a 4pin. A 6pin firewire connector has 2 pairs of wires for data, and one pair for power, the 4pin has just 2 pairs for data. So, a 4pin adaptor cannot power a device, but a 6pin can. Most non-laptop computers only have 6 pin, some have both. My wife's sony computer only has a 6pin firewire connector, so the sony MD player with the 4pin connector would need an adaptor. Would that be Apples fault? Firewire isn't the only protocol that has many different adaptors for the same cable. Serial is mainly done with 9pin and 25pin connectors, but there are also others that work. There are 5 main connectors that are used for SCSI. USB has 3 types of connectors. Different connectors are used on the devices for different reasons. It's the way of the world. Get over it.

Brian
 
Check the Apple Australia online store, the Windows iPod comes with a 4-6pin adapter included.
 

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You'll definately be able to use this on both machines. I've seen a friend do it with his 10 GB model.
From what I've found the best info on the 'pods can be gotten from www.ipodhacks.com or www.ipodlounge.com

The both have message boards. If you ask your question on there I'm sure it'll get answered.
 
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