Anyone else feel that the shuffle on an iPod is complete crap?

Ok, I have over 13,000 songs. There's no reason for the iPod to play songs that it's already played after I started shuffling again after 300 or 400 played. It also shouldn't be playing songs from the same album after it's played three or four other songs. It even played two songs from the same album back to back. I think this randomization is complete crap. Anyone else experience this?

Ok, I have over 13,000 songs. There's no reason for the iPod to play songs that it's already played after I started shuffling again after 300 or 400 played. It also shouldn't be playing songs from the same album after it's played three or four other songs. It even played two songs from the same album back to back. I think this randomization is complete crap. Anyone else experience this?

JustPlainLucas

I think the shuffling just resets if you start shuffling again after it plays some songs, it just marks everything as unplayed and starts over again, so the only way to never hear the same song twice would be to set the iPod on shuffle and keep playing that way until it goes through all 13,000 songs in your library.

As for playing songs that are too "close" to each other, isn't that just chance? :P

I feel that infact the iPod itself is complete crap.

People get sucked in by the advertising and marketing (which is admittedly extremmely well planned out) but there are much superior products to the iPod in the mp3 catagory.

I have an 8gb Iriver. I plug it in, WMP opens up the sync panel, I just drag in whatever I want and it syncs it in 320kbps mp3. Great sound quality and it couldn't be easier. I can go to any computer and just drag the music out of my mp3 onto the computer. I have had it 2 years, it's been to Vietnam and back, never a problem...ever. I'd ask everyone wanting to get an iPod to just keep an open mind and know that there ARE other types of mp3 players.

I feel that infact the iPod itself is complete crap.

People get sucked in by the advertising and marketing (which is admittedly extremmely well planned out) but there are much superior products to the iPod in the mp3 catagory.

I have an 8gb Iriver. I plug it in, WMP opens up the sync panel, I just drag in whatever I want and it syncs it in 320kbps mp3. Great sound quality and it couldn't be easier. I can go to any computer and just drag the music out of my mp3 onto the computer. I have had it 2 years, it's been to Vietnam and back, never a problem...ever. I'd ask everyone wanting to get an iPod to just keep an open mind and know that there ARE other types of mp3 players.

PerilousWolf

I listen to 320 kbps mp3 on my iPod, and while I've heard that there are a number of devices out there with far superior sound quality (I haven't actually tested it first hand), I haven't been able to find any with a 120GB hard-drive, so I went with iPod.

I feel that infact the iPod itself is complete crap.

People get sucked in by the advertising and marketing (which is admittedly extremmely well planned out) but there are much superior products to the iPod in the mp3 catagory.

I have an 8gb Iriver. I plug it in, WMP opens up the sync panel, I just drag in whatever I want and it syncs it in 320kbps mp3. Great sound quality and it couldn't be easier. I can go to any computer and just drag the music out of my mp3 onto the computer. I have had it 2 years, it's been to Vietnam and back, never a problem...ever. I'd ask everyone wanting to get an iPod to just keep an open mind and know that there ARE other types of mp3 players.

PerilousWolf

isn't there a repeat option on the iPod like the one on iTunes? I've seriously never had this problem before...not in the past 3 years......GTA_dude

I think the shuffling just resets if you start shuffling again after it plays some songs, it just marks everything as unplayed and starts over again, so the only way to never hear the same song twice would be to set the iPod on shuffle and keep playing that way until it goes through all 13,000 songs in your library.

As for playing songs that are too "close" to each other, isn't that just chance? :P

black_cat19

Isn't there an option somewhere to adjust the tendency to play songs again by the same artist (or avoid them)? I remember having a slider to do that, but I can't seem to find it any more in iTunes - maybe they took it out.DJ_Lae

Well, the number of times played does not reset on iTunes, or the iPod I have, which is an 80 gig Video. And yeah, it is chance, but it seems greater than 1/13,000+ :?JustPlainLucas

Yeah, I didn't mean the actual play count resets, I meant when you turn off shuffle or go out of the current playlist and then turn shuffle on again or return to the previous playlist, the device just wipes the slate (not the actual play count, the "metaforical" slate, if you will :P) and randomly plays every song all over again.

[QUOTE="DJ_Lae"]Isn't there an option somewhere to adjust the tendency to play songs again by the same artist (or avoid them)? I remember having a slider to do that, but I can't seem to find it any more in iTunes - maybe they took it out.JustPlainLucas

Isn't there an option somewhere to adjust the tendency to play songs again by the same artist (or avoid them)? I remember having a slider to do that, but I can't seem to find it any more in iTunes - maybe they took it out.DJ_Lae

Yeah, I think they did, just the other day I was looking for that slider (which was there before) and just couldn't find it anywhere. Dunno why they would remove it, though... :(

Yeah, I didn't mean the actual play count resets, I meant when you turn off shuffle or go out of the current playlist and then turn shuffle on again or return to the previous playlist, the device just wipes the slate (not the actual play count, the "metaforical" slate, if you will :P) and randomly plays every song all over again.

black_cat19

Anyone try Genius yet? Isn't it supposed to be like Pandora, creating playlists based on the type of music you start with? This might be a good alternative to shuffle but honestly I have yet to try it.

Just throwing that out there ...

And yes, I agree the shuffle sucks. It sucks on the iPhone/pod and on my Xbox 360-they both constantly repeat songs or create an unbalanced mix.

Anyone try Genius yet? Isn't it supposed to be like Pandora, creating playlists based on the type of music you start with? This might be a good alternative to shuffle but honestly I have yet to try it.

Just throwing that out there ...

And yes, I agree the shuffle sucks. It sucks on the iPhone/pod and on my Xbox 360-they both constantly repeat songs or create an unbalanced mix.

my_mortal_coil

I've been realizing this with the Zune computer software. I've probably heard the same QotSA song 5 times in 4 weeks out or 3000 songs. That shouldn't happen. EVER. Someone needs to create a better shuffle algorithm for music players.

Luc. if u ask me iPod altogether is "complete crap".

But thank god nobody asks me.

Yep i agree. It also has a habit of using the same song pattern depending on what song you choose at first.

Yeah, I've noticed this. I think the Ipod just chooses a hundred or so songs and shuffles between them, no matter how many songs are on the Ipod.

christ, 13, 000 songs? i barely have 300 songs....lonewolf604

I have 292 exactly. >_>

Anyway though, I think the shuffle option is pretty useless. Generally when I listen to music I want to listen to something in particular, not just anything. I just don't see the appeal, maybe I will someday when I get a larger library of songs. :?