iPod and iTunes 
iTunes is a program that can play audio, mp3, Internet radio and video. You can also use it to convert your songs into mp3 files, to burn audio cd's, listen to internet radio* and buy music at the iTunes Music Store.
(*beware: in case you have a download limit: internet radio counts as downloaded data!)
Getting started
The first time you start iTunes, it will ask you some questions, for example:
Note: Although iTunes can find your files for you, it's better to add tracks yourself. Otherwise, it will find all sound and pictures on your computer and add them in to its library, including email- and error sounds.
What can you see in the iTunes window?
'Music' - here you can see all the songs that iTunes has in its database
'Movies' - the movies in its database
'TV shows' - ditto
'Podcasts' - download radio broadcasting
'Radio' - this is your tuner for Internet radio
'90's Music, Music Video's et-cetera are suggestions for Play lists:
The largest Window shows you an overview of the songs in your Library or Play list.
At the top left you'll find buttons like 'play/pause' 'forward, backward and volume. At the lower left a button to make new playlists and one to show album illustrations.
At the lower right the eject, music store, and equalizer buttons.
Importing and playing cd's
Insert a cd into your Mac. Here we want to convert 'Private Dancer' by Tina Turner. In case you are online, iTunes will contact the Gracenote CDDB database and recognize Tina immediately. All songs will be displayed:
Note: In case you're not connected to the Internet, you'll only see songs listed by number. You'll have to name them yourself.
Import preferences
Before we start importing songs, we go to the iTunes => Preferences Menu. At 'Advanced' we choose encoding and quality. The default encoding is AAC, 'Advanced Audio Coding'. AAC was developed by the MPEG-group, who also developed MP3 and AC3 encoding). Here we choose MP3 192 kilobit per second:
Note: In case you'll be using the imported sons on an other MP3 player than the Apple iPod, choose the MP3 encoding instead of AAC encoding.
Importing
After making the encoding choice we can import our cd with one mouse-click. The import button is at the lower right of the iTunes window:
After a few minutes our cd has been transferred to our iTunes Library. We can let iTunes do its job while performing other tasks on our Mac. iTunes will make a sound when importing has completed.
TIP
What should I do with my existing MP3 collection?
Just open a Finder window with your MP3 collection, select them all and drag and drop them into the iTunes window. All songs will be imported automatically.
Save disk space
At default, iTunes will copy all songs into its Library at your hard disc.
Are your MP3's located at a specific place, for example a second hard drive and don't you want them to be copied to your main hard drive, go to iTunes => Preferences => Advanced to tell iTunes not to copy songs to its database.
With this, you are able to save a huge amount of disk space.
Make sure the drive is connected when you use iTunes, otherwise the program can't find the songs.
ID tags and other information per song
iTunes can relate specific information to a song. For example the Equalizer-settings, lyrics and illustrations. To adjust this information, select a song and choose 'Info' from the 'File' menu:
Note: You can use this to give names to imported songs in case you're not online or the cd is not recognized by the CDDB database.
Shut down that store
You can buy music, TV shows and films in the iTunes Music store. This option can be terminated. Go to 'Preferences' => 'Parental Guidance' and shut down the music store:
Burning cd's
iTunes can burn Audio, MP3 and data cd's. Before you start burning one, go to 'Preferences' => Advanced to make a choice what kind of cd you want iTunes to burn:
When you put an empty cd into the drive, the Information icon will change into a Burn icon. Click it to burn your cd:
Or choose the 'Burn Playlist to Disc' option by Control clicking on a Playlist:
Internet Radio
There are several internet radio stations pre-located. Go to the 'Advanced' => 'Open Stream' menu to copy the URL of your own favorite station.
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Listen to internet radio without using iTunes
There are several radio-stations who have their own Widgets. Otherwise, you can use the freeware program VLC (Video Lan Client) to listen to internet radio that won't work in iTunes.
Shortcuts in iTunes
Use the Control - click to generate a fast menu:
Note: Mac users with a multi buttoned mouse can use right-click
Share your music with iTunes
In case you have a network with multiple computers, all featured with iTunes, you can share your music among them (both Windows and Macs). Go to Preferences and choose which playlist to share and if there's a password needed.
Then go to 'Sharing' => 'Connect to shared music' to go to the computer with the shared music.
Deleting songs
When you delete a song from al Playlist, the song is not gone. You only delete a song from the iTunes database in case you delete it out of the Library.
Play .ogg files in iTunes
You can use the Ogg Vorbis plugin for QuickTime to play .ogg files in iTunes. In case you want the file on your iPod, first let iTunes convert it to MP3 or AAC file format. More info:
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/138840.html
The iPod
As soon as you connect your iPod, it will show itself on the Desktop:
Like this, you can choose to use it as an external hard drive.
In iTunes, your iPod is shown at 'DEVICES'. Beware to wait until the "OK to disconnect" before disconnecting your iPod!
Get songs on your iPod
In iTunes, just drag and drop your songs to your iPod and your done:
Remember that it is only possible to copy from iTunes to the iPod, not vice versa!
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Go beyond the limits
It's only possible to copy song to your iPod, not to copy songs from your iPod to your Mac. But there are several freeware/shareware programs who can add this functionality to your Mac. Just look for them at www.versiontracker.com
Want to play iTunes music on your hi-fi system?
Use a cable like this:
Note: In case you go wireless with Airtunes and an Airport Express. You'll need a cable like this too to connect the Airport Express to your Hi-fi system.
PRE LEOPARD BACKUP TIP
Where are the iTunes songs located on my hard disk?
Speech: speak to your Mac and let it speak to you
You can command your Mac with your voice. Go to System Preferences => Speech and configure this at the 'Speech recognition section:
Do you want the Mac to talk to you, go to Text-to-speech:
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