Imod users anybody using Rockbox?

gary · « **Reply #20 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 12:44 am »

Here are some additional hints for anyone else trying to download Rockbox. Go to this thread and read the post by pijulius to DumbaDonf. It explains how to install the custom build for the iPod that makes the themes work (make sure you get the one for the iPod Photo) and it has another link for the package of fonts. I've got everything working fine so far, the only exception is that when I'm browsing my list of artists the with the scroll wheel the focus jumps around. Hopefully I'll get that taken care of tonight, and then I'll write up a detailed set of instructions to help people through this process (which is a little more complicated than it originally appeared to be).

Gary

robster · « **Reply #21 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 12:31 pm »

How do I safely eject/disconnect my Ipod from my computer while using Rockbock?
Also is the Twiki the resource for using Rockbox? it's down now.

Many thanks,
Robert

robster · « **Reply #22 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 12:45 pm »

Rockbox sounds GREAT!!!!!! I'm fumbling with it but so far the sound is SUPER! how do I find my list of albums on my ipod?

Many thanks,
Robert

gary · « **Reply #23 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 12:58 pm »

Quote from: robster on 12 Jul 2006, 12:31 pm

How do I safely eject/disconnect my Ipod from my computer while using Rockbock?
Also is the Twiki the resource for using Rockbox? it's down now.

Many thanks,
Robert

Use the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the system tray to remove the iPod before unplugging it and you'll be all set. The twiki is the main resource, it's down but you use google to search for what you want and then view the cached version. For instance, the FAQ is helpful and if you search for "ipod rockbox faq" it'll be first on the list. One other thing you need to know is that you need to hold down on "Menu" when plugging the iPod in if you want to keep using it while charging (connected to the a/c adapter that is and not a computer).

Quote from: robster on 12 Jul 2006, 12:45 pm

Rockbox sounds GREAT!!!!!! I'm fumbling with it but so far the sound is SUPER! how do I find my list of albums on my ipod?

Many thanks,
Robert

I posted more detailed instructions over on the iMod/Rockbox thread at head-fi. All you need to do is use Tag Cache and you can browse your albums just like you would on the normal iPod firmware (Artist/Album/Tracks).

Gary

robster · « **Reply #24 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 01:30 pm »

Many thanks Gary. I really do appreciate the help. Now how do I find the list of albums on my ipod?

Cheers,
Robert

gary · « **Reply #25 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 01:47 pm »

If you've updated the Tag Cache database and set the file type to "ID3 Database" then all you should need to do is turn your iPod off and back on again. When you press menu, it should bring up a file structure that looks basically the same as what you see with the iPod firmware (Artists/Albums/Songs/etc.). If that doesn't work, then maybe your database is corrupt. To fix this you just need to delete all the files on your iPod that have "tag" in the filename and then force an update in the settings menu.

Gary

robster · « **Reply #26 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 05:47 pm »

Thanks Gary.
Sorry to be a pain,but I'm still having trouble going back to my album,song,genre list.
When I shut down my ipod and turn it back on the album list,song list etc is shown and I can scroll through and pick a album or song to play,hit play and all is good.
But when I want to go back to my album,song list to play a different album. I hold down the menu button and at the bottom I make sure show files ID3 database is shown and hit the center button and it won't take me to my album/song list. The only way I can go back to my album/song list is to shut off and restart my ipod. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Again many thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Robert

gary · « **Reply #27 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 06:52 pm »

I haven't run into any problems like that. Have you tried deleting the Tag files and rebuilding the database? Several people have complained about problems with a corrupt database. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you except maybe you could search this forum or post to see if anyone else can help.

Gary

robster · « **Reply #28 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 07:38 pm »

many thanks Gary,I've figured my menu issue out. now i just need to figure out how to cut off the peak meters,I believe they are causing the music to have drop outs.

Best wishes,
Robert

robster · « **Reply #29 on:** 13 Jul 2006, 05:09 pm »

Thanks Gary for your very kind help. So far so good with Rockbox playing my lossless files. The sound quality is 20-30% better with Rockbox than Apple firmware,hard to believe!. The mids are so clean and great detail also better bass on my headphones and my tube amp and speakers. Now I need to try loading the fancey screen colors,well maybe not.
2 weeks ago I ordered an XIN Super Macro IV headphone amp and I can't wait what the RWA Ipod/XIN IVAmp/Rocbox combo will sound like.

Cheers,
Robert

gary · « **Reply #30 on:** 15 Jul 2006, 02:29 am »

Quote from: robster on 13 Jul 2006, 05:09 pm

Thanks Gary for your very kind help. So far so good with Rockbox playing my lossless files. The sound quality is 20-30% better with Rockbox than Apple firmware,hard to believe!. The mids are so clean and great detail also better bass on my headphones and my tube amp and speakers. Now I need to try loading the fancey screen colors,well maybe not.
2 weeks ago I ordered an XIN Super Macro IV headphone amp and I can't wait what the RWA Ipod/XIN IVAmp/Rocbox combo will sound like.

Cheers,
Robert

No problem, we're all in this together

The more I listen to my iPod now the more I'm blown away. Listening to Squeeze tonight I can't get over how many subtleties that I never caught before that are plain as day now. I'm thinking the improvement is definitely more than 20%, and I can't wait for the chance to compare this directly with some of the more expensive digital sources.

Definitely post your thoughts on the Macro, I'm thinking of upgrading my eBay CMoy amp and getting the new super micro and a pair of Shure e500's.

Gary

ted_b · « **Reply #31 on:** 15 Jul 2006, 02:34 am »

I've owned a Xin Supermicro for some time and use it with my Etymotic 4rs's and love it. it's the orginal non-upgraded one but loverly sound still the same. With lossless, Rockbox and the iMod you will be in heaven, I bet. It's my next step.....waiting for my Photo iPod order to come in.

robster · « **Reply #32 on:** 15 Jul 2006, 02:37 pm »

Well-a fellow from the Head-Fi forum who lives right down the road from me brought over his Cowan player and XIN super mini 3 amp and the XIN does sound better than my Portaphile V2 Maxxed which makes me happy since I ordered a XIN SMIV recently.
But I'm at total wits end with Rockbox,my Ipod hangs up too frequently in Rockbox. All my music is ripped in Apple Lossless at the highest bit rate,that could be one culprit. I have no clue how to change it over to a lower bit rate.
So I back to Apple firmware. I just don't have the brain power for Rockbox.Too much to know. I sure hope Rockbox has the bugs ironed out by Jan 2007. Cause the sound on the RWA ipod sure is GREAT!. It's a real let down to have to switch back to Apple firmware.Rockbox is giving me more gray hair. But thank goodness I have the RWA mod.

Best wishes,
Robert

gary · « **Reply #33 on:** 15 Jul 2006, 03:15 pm »

I might be lucky because mine's only frozen up on me once, and it worked fine again after restarting. Also the dropouts seem to have stopped once I set tag cache to "keep on disk" instead of "load to memory". For me it's somewhat buggy but still worth it, and like you said hopefully some of these issues will be ironed out with future releases.

The IV version of the Xin amps is supposed to be a big improvement over the older ones, and I've heard lots about the portaphile so I think I'm pretty much sold on getting a super micro IV. Probably order it today.

Gary

robster · « **Reply #34 on:** 16 Jul 2006, 03:19 pm »

I plan on selling my Portaphile V2 Maxxed for a very good price if interested $145 shipped. new cost is $240.

Cheers,
Robert

texendo · « **Reply #35 on:** 16 Jul 2006, 06:23 pm »

This is likely a stupid question, and it may need to be on a different thread, but can Rockbox be used instead of iTunes on my iMac to improve the playback sound quality as it reportedly does on the iPod? I ask because iTunes on the Mac is now my sole front end, and further gains in sound quality would naturally be most welcome. Thanks ahead for any insights.

geofstro · « **Reply #36 on:** 16 Jul 2006, 09:43 pm »

You need to think in terms of the platform. Rockbox is replacement firmware for the Apple firmware on the iPod. You could think of it as the operating system for the iPod, like WinXP or Mac OSX on their respective platforms.

If your iMac is a recent intel based iMac you can run Windows on it either with Parallels virtually or with Apples' BootCamp natively. Either way you would need a copy of Win XP. If your iMac is your main music source as I understood, you could them run Foobar 2K under Win XP. This would be the equivalent of RockBox on the iPod, in terms of its support of flac and various other possibilites for improving sound quality.

It's a pity there isn't a port or equivalent of Foobar under the Mac OS.

geoff

dc_guy · « **Reply #37 on:** 21 Jul 2006, 11:54 pm »

Gary,

I just started using Rockbox with my imodded iPod...and I'm getting the same Apple Lossless dropouts that he described. Is the solution to install a very simple theme? Or is there another way to fix this?

Also, Rockbox resets whenever I dock it. It can't handle the USB connection to the power brick, for whatever reason.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Marc

Quote from: gary on 11 Jul 2006, 11:03 pm

Quote from: Vinnie R. on 4 Jul 2006, 04:42 pm
Hi guys,

I just installed Rockbox on my iMod. I love playing my FLAC files on my iPod...this is VERY cool and the sound quality is awesome! I haven't yet compared it to the same tracks in iTunes.

For some odd reason, I am getting drop-outs in the music when playing my Apple Lossless files using Rockbox. I haven't had the time to go through all the setting and see if I can fix this. I'll have to also snoop around on the Rockbox wiki and any forums that talk about this (Headfi is probably loaded with posts about it).

Hi Vinnie

Are you still having the dropout issues? The same thing happened to me, but only when I tried using a graphic-intensive theme. If I switch to one of the regular themes it works fine.

Gary

gary · « **Reply #38 on:** 23 Jul 2006, 02:13 am »

Marc
Check out this post at head-fi.org for the settings I use, and make sure you use a theme like iCatcher or jBlackGlass that doesn't use the peak meters. I think there's also a new build up too and I'll probably try it this weekend to see if it works better.
Gary

robster · « **Reply #39 on:** 25 Jul 2006, 02:40 pm »

Hi Gary,
I loaded Jblackglass theme onto my 4G Imod,but when I look under themes I don't see Jblackglass. Does JBlackglass even work with a 4G?
Right now I'm using Icatcher and like it and installed the new fonts.

Cheers,
Robert