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Media (Apple) Software Media Linux

Simple Route To Linux On The iPod 190

Posted by Zonk from the penguin-in-your-pocket dept.
didde writes "MacWorld.com is showing users of the iPod a way to install and run Linux on their favorite portable music player. From the article: 'Imagine using your iPod and a regular old microphone to record studio-quality audio. Or sitting on a commuter train and playing Othello, Pong, Tetris, or Asteroids. All this and more is possible when you install Linux on your third-generation or earlier iPod. Best of all, one soft reset, and you're back in Apple's iPod operating system, listening to your tunes.' Sounds good to me. Now if I could just find my firewire connector..."
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Simple Route To Linux On The iPod More

Simple Route To Linux On The iPod

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  • Open and Shut, Perhaps... (Score:1, Insightful)

    by mfh ( 56 )
    This is predictable news, considering Linus' main machine is a "dual 2GHz G5 (aka PowerPC 970)". (source [slashdot.org]) Mac's salvation lies with Open Source for the reason that it goes against what Microsoft stands for. At some point Apple should take a stand and support more open technologies. Linux on the iPod perhaps should be a shipping option! What if computers were 95% OPEN instead of 95% SHUT? Now that's open and shut if you ask me.

    • Re:Open and Shut, Perhaps... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by aliasptr ( 684593 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:50PM (#12846943) Homepage
      The Linux on iPod project has been around for awhile and in a usable state too. I guess it's just news because MacWorld is giving it press time. Which is awesome in a way because it'll introduce more people to it and hopefully encourage further development. The MP3 player skips a lot but and isn't really usable but it's very very cool. There's a video of a much older release running on my iPod on my website if anyone's interested. More power to Linux on the iPod. Especially cool because from my understanding the iPod has no MMU. Anyway... corrections are welcome!

    • Re:Open and Shut, Perhaps... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by neverkevin ( 601884 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:57PM (#12847002) Homepage
      Then Apple would essentially have to maintain 2 operating systems on the iPod when Apple could just as easily add the same features to the current iPod OS.

      Besides, open source isn't going to help Apple over take Microsoft. Innovation, ease of use, and value will be a lot more effective.

    • Re:Open and Shut, Perhaps... (Score:5, Informative)

      by leoxx ( 992 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:58PM (#12847007) Homepage Journal
      Mac's salvation lies with Open Source


      Interesting since Apple has partnered with Microsoft to specifically undermine the open source [itweb.co.za] community in Europe.

      However, companies such as Microsoft and Apple Computer argue that they need broader patent protection to prevent open source companies, which give away their software and make money through service, from effectively expropriating their development costs.

  • Running a webserver (Score:5, Funny)

    by moz25 ( 262020 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:45PM (#12846901) Homepage
    More importantly, we need to run a web server on it. No linux installation is complete without apache and PHP on it. Now if another ipod has a browser on it, then my ipod can serve webpages to your ipod.

  • yes, but does it play OGG? (Score:3, Informative)

    by sTalking_Goat ( 670565 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:46PM (#12846913) Homepage
    well? does it?
  • 147 NES games on my flashcart... last's me just fine on 10 hour flights over the ocean... and better yet you can listen to your mp3cd player ... AND HAVE 200$ in your pocket!!! ;-)

    Tom
  • I've also seen a few linux drivers for modded devices that use the top serial port (next to the headphone port) - something the Apple firmware doesn't allow.

    Question - if a device has Linux (Desktop drivers) - does that mean it could be modified to work with the iPod - just recompiling the drivers for iPodLinux?

    • Re:Linux drivers (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Well, not exactly. The Ipod uses uclinux, which is a version of the kernel for processors without an MMU (Memory Management Unit). So the question is whether your driver is in this fork of linux.

      HTH,

      Stephane

  • Cool Possibilites (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Drakonian ( 518722 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:50PM (#12846940) Homepage
    I didn't realize Linx on the iPod was this far along/this easy to install.

    I'd love to be able to add On-The-Go support to my 1G iPod. Does anyone know if anyone has implemented that feature? I'd probably be interested enough to work on it myself if not.

    I gues the question is moot until the audio playback support is up to snuff/can handle real-time without skipping. That and play AACs from iTMS. (Could FairKeys be used?)

    • They're working on iPod-to-iPod connection - read: USB OTG.
      • hmm can USB OTG be done without special hardware?

        remember IPOD-IPOD could also mean firewire...
        • Good point...

          I forgot about that (I don't have any devices that support FireWire, so it's easy to forget about for me... if nothing else, my Dell has something printed on it that says "1394", but there's no port below it, so no FireWire...)

          And, I forgot that USB is a bit anal about devices being devices, and firmware not being able to work around that. IIRC, though, a host can mask as a device...

  • Additional uses (Score:5, Informative)

    by damiam ( 409504 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:50PM (#12846945)
    Just recently, there's been development on a video player, several more games (including DopeWars), and a few breakthroughs in support for the 4G iPods (including the Photo and mini). The 4G iPods are now capable of decoding Ogg Vorbis faster than realtime (this should be theoretically possible on older iPods, but would require a lot of decoder optimizations).

    Note, however, that the current interface isn't nearly as slick as Apple's, and that audio playback and recording is still a bit glitchy. So you probably don't want to use Linux if all you do with your iPod is play music.

  • Don't Overlook Rockbox! (Score:4, Informative)

    by meehawl ( 73285 ) <meehawl...spam+slashdot@@@gmail...com> on Friday June 17, 2005 @05:56PM (#12846994) Homepage Journal
    Rockbox [rockbox.org] is a couple of years further along than ipodlinux, and the iRiver port [rockbox.org] from the Archos is proceeding nicely. I think the two projects have a friendly [ipodlinux.org] rivalry [rockbox.org].
    • I switched my iRiver H140 over recently when they got playback working. It's fantastic to have true gapless playback and support for FLAC now. And the customizable "while playing screen" and large selection of fonts are nice. Rockbox is good stuff.

      -paul

  • cluster? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by BobVila ( 592015 )
    Is there some way to cluster a several of these linux ipods together? That seems like the next logical step to me. Either that or running a web server on one.

  • why... (Score:1, Insightful)

    by Jason1729 ( 561790 )
    I have an embedded app custom made for the iPod by a team of programmers dedicated to that one appplication. Why would I want to replace it with a more general OS and an app hastily written by a few people?

    Which is is going to make a better mp3 player? After all, the iPod makes a great mp3 player but the UI stinks for anything else.

    If I want to make a "studio-quality" recording, I'm not going to use an iPod and a regular old microphone. If I want to play tetris, pong, etc, I'll use my PDA with its ni
    • You're new here right?
    • I'm curious, what would you use to record high quality audio with?

      I'm looking for a good solution and maybe you've found one.

      • I'm curious, what would you use to record high quality audio with?

        I'm looking for a good solution and maybe you've found one.

        It really depends what and where you're recording, now doesn't it? If you're making a cheap home studio, a laptop with a decent interface [m-audio.com] and a couple condenser mics will do it. If you're recording concert bootlegs, you probably want a DAT recorder and a couple high-end dynamic mics if you can't get a feed from the mixing board.

    • Why would I want to replace it with a more general OS and an app hastily written by a few people?

      Well, first off, if I understand TFA correctly, you're not replacing OS - the two of them live side by side.

      If I want to make a "studio-quality" recording, I'm not going to use an iPod and a regular old microphone. If I want to play tetris, pong, etc, I'll use my PDA with its nice big touchscreen and more suitable hardware buttons instead of my iPod with its tiny screen and clickwheel.

      Which is fine, but w

    • Gawd, didn't I answer this like a year ago the first time this story appeared? OK, I'll do it again. There are 2 very good reasons to port Linux to the ipod:

      1) A certain class of frankly disturbed (and disturbing) class of people find it fun to port Linux to strange hardware. Well, it's better than Sudoku.

      2) If you put Linux on the iPod it means you can put software on that Apple aren't going to bother with, because they are market driven. For example, Apple know that Ogg support isn't worth the effort of

    • Sounds good ... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Heisenbug ( 122836 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @08:33PM (#12848100)
      If I want to play tetris, pong, etc, I'll use my PDA ...

      Sweet, so if *I* want to play tetris, pong, etc, I can use your PDA too? ...

      No?

      Oh, maybe saying that a free software install is worthless because you have hundreds of dollars of hardware that can do the job better isn't really that insightful, after all.

  • Studio quality my ass (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Rufus211 ( 221883 ) <rufus-slashdotNO@SPAMhackish.org> on Friday June 17, 2005 @06:01PM (#12847039) Homepage
    I'm sorry, but stating that you can record studio quality sound using an ipod is just inane. I mean it won't be terrible, but it'll be the same quality as any of the other small handheld recorders. I'm sure even a Soundblaster would do better at recording than an iPod.
    • True, if you're using a bargin bin microphone, all you're going to get is high-quality garbage.

      I'm surprised Apple hasn't released a GarageBand for iPod application yet. The best use for a portable device like that is not capturing studio sessions, but sketching out quick musical ideas.
    • Not to mention it is mono only. Which is great for a guitarist doing a solo gig, but no good for those of us that like to record the concerts we go to. The iPod would be the best cover ever. I have my doubts that the meatheads at the gates would consider taking it away from me.

    • I don't know what you're talking about. I tried it on my iPod and it sounded as good as anything else I've recorded in my studio apartment...
  • You can also replace the case and the headphones, and really make it your own, it would be brilliant!
    Just think, a Linux recorder/player with a revamped O/S and customized user interface.
    They will call it the iWas. (as in I was something completely different and fully functional before you tinkered with me)

  • Too pricey. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Kaenneth ( 82978 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @06:06PM (#12847072) Journal
    A iPod is expensive enough, without having to pay another $699 to SCO.
  • The download is a DMG file, so presumably the installer is only for Mac.

    Is there a Windows equivalent?
  • This will definitely put to the test an alternative user input mechanism. The iPod wheel is great for navigating menus, but how is it with text input? It may just be a better solution than graffitti and it certainly is better than what cell phones are doing (for the most part). It will be interesting to see all the different ways that people come up with to accomplish things using only a wheel and a few buttons.
  • These days linux is running on everything. It will really impress me if they could get it running on an iPod shuffle! Then of course, how would you know if it was working? :)

  • iPedantic (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Eil ( 82413 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @06:12PM (#12847118) Homepage Journal
    <PEDANTIC MODE="ON">

    You are not ever going to record studio-quality audio with a "regular old microphone" and an iPod.

    </PEDANTIC>
  • playing othello! the future is now my friends.
  • never accessed any feature of the ipod that isn't related to music or the calendar?
  • There will come a day when there will be a device that you can carry around in your pocket which will play movies, tv shows, music, video games (and emulate old systems), allow you to surf the web with minimal hassle and carry a low pricetag. The iPod ain't it.
  • 'Imagine using your iPod and a regular old microphone to record studio-quality audio...(snip)'


    Yea that and what other wonderful things could be achieved if apple where to really leverage the iPod platform as more than just a hip looking overpriced fashion accessory.
    • Yea that and what other wonderful things could be achieved if apple where to really leverage the iPod platform as more than just a hip looking overpriced fashion accessory.

      Well, if you look at it from a business perspective, it HAS done some wonderful thing. Apple has gone from a "they'll die any day now" company to a "iPods will overtake Macs in terms of revenue" company. It has gone from a "yeah, but they use a strange processor" to a "they use a standard processor". Face it, you may think that it is pr
  • It would be nice if it had enough power to play back Xvid or Divx video files, but if mp3 files skip under Linux, there's probably no hope. Does anybody know what processor the latest iMacs use?
    • An IBM PPC970 Processor, based on the IBM Power4 64 bit processor, with less cache and the Altivec Unit added on (I think there is a different unit on the Power4). You can get iMacs in 1.6, 1.8, or 2.0 GHz versions. That enough info?
  • Gee, I guess that money spent on studio microphones is all wasted, eh? :-)

    Seriously, why would I want to do this again? I can already play Pong on the train. I can maybe see as a musician wanting to record sound on the go occasionally, but given the user interface, how would you type into it for any general Linux-y kinds of stuff? I already hate using cell phones to type text... imagine on an iPod! Bleh.

  • Last time i looked 4G support was still 'coming soon', perhaps 'soon' has arrived?

    Nope, cant look myself as it wont load.
    • Source code and unofficial builds have been around in various stages of maturity for a few months. 4G iPods aren't officially supported yet, but a lot of people seem to have gotten theirs working.

  • Application Server (Score:3, Interesting)

    by nurb432 ( 527695 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @07:20PM (#12847601) Homepage Journal
    What would be cool is if you could run Xclients ( or i suppose cli stuff too ) on the ipod and use a 'local' pc to X11/Telnet to it..

    Take all your apps AND data with you as you travel...

    Yes, i know a laptop would do the same, but no where near the same formfactor...
  • Well I'm running Windows on my iPod Shuffle. Haven't blue-screened once.
    • Well, with my mad H4x0r sk1lz, using only a metallic chewing gum wrapper and a post it note, I turned my iPod Photo into a Radeon 9700 Pro!
  • "Imagine using your iPod and a regular old microphone to record studio-quality audio."

    Or I could just buy this mp3 player [creative.com] instead, which has built in voice recording, instead of having to hack an iPod.

  • Imagine? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Transcendent ( 204992 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @07:36PM (#12847708)
    Imagine using your iPod and a regular old microphone to record studio-quality audio.

    Hmm... don't think so.

    Perhaps the writer doesn't understand much about analog signals. I like the overall idea of the article, but that "little" exaggeration kind of deters me...

  • Regular mics? What about binaural? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by tsarin ( 217882 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @07:57PM (#12847834)
    The notion that I could record 24/96 audio on my 'pod with a "regular mic" is ludicrous. I have a pair of Core Sound [core-sound.com] binaural microphones, however. Provided I had the disk space, am I wrong in thinking that might make a sweet kit for bootlegging concerts?

    (Yes, yes, bootlegging's naughty, blah, blah, blah.)

    I've been able to get reliably decent boots on my ancient (as in, bought in '98) Sharp MiniDisc, even considering how lossy ATRAC is. By clipping the mics to the ends of the bows of my glasses -- i.e., an inch away from my ear canals -- I get a recording that's damned near exactly what I heard live. Using my iPod instead would be ideal. AFAICT, the recording wouldn't be compressed, the bit- and sample-rates are vastly higher, I'd be able to extract it digitally by mounting the device as a disk and venue security probably wouldn't look twice at an iPod.

    I think I know what I'm doing this weekend.

    • Its not 24/96. Its 16/96 in mono. Also, a high sampling rate does not make up for a crappy A/D converter. It probably has a horrible self noise rating. Basically, the guy was trying to make the point that Linux unlocks MORERATELY better recording abilities.
    • Its not 24/96. Its 16/96 in mono. Also, a high sampling rate does not make up for a crappy A/D converter. It probably has a horrible self noise rating. Basically, the guy was trying to make the point that Linux unlocks MORERATELY better recording abilities. Whatever you say about MiniDisc, Sony sure packed their MiniDisc Recorders with good A/D converters. Real audiophile stuff. You would find that compressed high quality recordings from the MD would sound better than the vast uncompressed crappy rec
    • Bootlegging is not naughty if you see Ben Folds, Phish, String Cheese Incident, or any other band who says recording their live concerts is OK [etree.org]
  • Imagine using your iPod and a regular old microphone to record studio-quality audio. No can do, this is slashdot. However, if you want, I can imagine a beowulf clusters of iPods.
  • I eagerly downloaded the installer, only to discover it does not work on iPods that have been formatted with FAT.

    That's a pity. I deliberately chose to format my iPod as a FAT drive since that would allow me to use it with all the OS'es I currently use (Linux, OS X, and Win32) -- I imagine many other nerds have done the same for just that reason.

    I don't remember seeing this restriction mentioned on the requirements pages, but maybe I missed it... If you have a FAT-formatted iPod, don't even bother downloa
  • Having installed this on my iPod in the past, I have 4 complaints:
    1. ASCII spaces in the mounted volume name of the iPod cause the installer to puke.
    2. Songs don't continue to play when you access the menu.
    3. The games (such as asteroids) don't have audio.
    4. Major complaint: try adjusting the volume on a playing song - the audio is interrupted. Suck!
    This was on a 2nd gen iPod. YMMV.

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