iPod Frequently asked Questions

What is an iPod?
An iPod is like a Walkman but with a hard disk which can store music, much in the same way the hard disk of your computer can store files.

Are iPods just a fad?
Definitely not. They are a logical progression of music technology just like the old gramaphone progressed to reel to reel tape, cassette tape, CD, DAT and Minidisc.

Why should I buy an iPod?
It can store a huge quantity of music, there are no CD's or tapes to carry around, and it fits in to your pocket or handbag.

Will an iPod hold my entire backing track or CD collection?
Emmm...how many backing tracks to you have and how big is your CD collection?! No, seriously, a 30Gb iPod will hold about 7,500 songs (600 albums). A 60Gb iPod will hold around 15,000 songs (1200 albums).

How long does it take to copy/transfer a CD to an iPod?
Depending on your computers speed, it should only take a few minutes to copy a full album. Don't worry...it doesn't take as long as it takes to play the album!

Is iPod music CD quality?
Technically no, but your ears will be hard pushed to tell the difference!

Is the iPod better than other digital music players?
Yes, that's why it's the best selling player in the world!

What else does an iPod do?
As well as carrying your CD collection and storing your backing tracks, it can play songs downloaded from the internet, serve as a portable hard drive for backing up computer files, play audio books, and operate as a dictaphone.

Do I need a computer?
Yes, or at least access to a computer.

Is my present computer good enough to use with an iPod?
That depends on how old it is and it's spec. See our section on "New to iPod" for more info.

How long does the battery last?
Depending on the iPod model and usage, you should get around 8 - 15 hours from an iPod battery. It should re-charge in about 3 hours.

What is the life of the battery?
The battery should be good for a couple of years of regular use. Unfortunately, you can't replace an iPod battery yourself - in fact there was some concern among original iPod owners that batteries could only be replaced by a qualified Apple Service Technician (and it was expensive)! However, more recently many third-party companies have sprouted up who will replace your battery for a fraction of the cost, and although they are strictly unofficial, most will do a good job and are worth considering.

How is the music stored on an iPod?
Music is stored as digital information using the binary numbering system (ones and zeros). A standard pop tune will be digitally represented by around 30 million ones and zeros. A 20GB iPod holds around 150 BILLION ones and zeros!

What is mp3?
MP3 is a computer file format which allows music to be "shrunk" in size yet still retain most of its original quality.

What is a bitrate?
The bitrate is the amount of ones and zeros that is used to encode each second of music. The higher the bitrate, the more ones and zeros represent the music and therefore the better the quality.

What is iTunes?
iTunes is a software program. Once installed, it allows you to organize and play the music stored on your computer.

Is downloading music illegal?
No, that's a myth! It is perfectly legal to download music. What is illegal is using copyrighted music that you have not aquired legitimately.

What is DRM?
DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and is a copyright protection that Apple use to embed special code in to a music file to help prevent illegal copying. Basically it imposes certain restrictions on a file such as how many computers it can be held on and whether it can be "burned" on to a CD etc.

What can I do with all my old CD's?
You could sell them on ebay if you wanted, and claw back enough money to cover what you spent buying your iPod! However, we do not recommend this. For one, it would be illegal to have the music on your iPod if you don't already own the original CD's, and secondly, what are you gonna do if your iPod breaks down or your computer crashes and you lose all your music? It's far better that you retire your old CD's to the attic...they may be worth a lot of money 20 or 30 years from now!.