iPod firmware alternative

[Super-Duper Sombrero]

I have recently become frustrated with the iPod firmware. There are various things wrong with it, such as the lack of user customization.

I've seen various alternatives, but can anyone recommend a reasonably safe, me-friendly software? That would be awesome.

Some EQ customization would be nice, and maybe a way to dim the backlight (this may or may not be possible). I have a 1th generation iPod nano (2GB), if that's helpful.

[atmuh]

I use rockbox (www.rockbox.org)

plays a few more file formats (like spcs and nsfs) and has some fun pack in games, and the interface is customizable

only thing is it saps battery life a lot faster than apple's firmware, but you can boot into whichever one you want (if you're like me you'll go back to apple's because of the battery issue, except when you wanna play nsfs)

[Mewtation]

http://www.ipodlinux.org/Main_Page

iPod Linux. Also see:
http://www.ipodlinux.org/Loader_2

For iPL, which allows multiple booting of systems. My iPod currently boots three variants of iPod Linux, Rockbox, and the Apple firmware.

[Super-Duper Sombrero]

I tried using the automatic installer, but it didn't work. I guess it won't work with my version of apple firmware, so I need to manually install. Unfortunately, this requires the program ipod_fw.exe, which does not appear to be downloadable. Does anyone have this file?

Feel free to message me on Xfire (superdupersombrero) or AIM (SuperDSombrero).

[EdgeCrusher]

I'd be interested in maybe rockbox or something just to have more file formats available, but I don't know the first thing about changing them out. Anyone got a good manual for idiots on this?

[TCK]

The Rockbox manual. (http://www.rockbox.org/manual.shtml)

If I remember correctly though you've got an 80GB iPod, which sadly is currently unsupported.

[Super-Duper Sombrero]

OK, I got the stupid ipod_fw.exe file, but it get's confused at something. Also, the wiki file on installation instrustions (http://www.ipodlinux.org/Loader_2#Manual_installation)
seems to be missing some sort of files. Particularly, apple_os.bin does not exist. I tried using bootpartition.bin, but that certainly didn't work.

Did anyone install manually?

[TCK]

I've installed manually twice before. If I remember, you've got to dump the original firmware before doing anything else, ie. apple_os.bin. As for the command to do that, unsurprisingly I don't know off the top of my head :(

[Super-Duper Sombrero]

Ah. After much trial and error, I finally got the loader installed. But now it only gives me Apple OS, Disk Mode, and Sleep. No Linux or Rockbox...

I've tried to follow the instructions, but I think maybe the instructions suck, or I'm just terrible at this.

Either way, any help would be greatly appreciated...

[TCK]

Only thing I can think of off hand is to update the iPod firmware via iTunes (or downgrade to a previous firmware via iPodWizard), and start from scratch.

Ultimately though you're probably better off posting in the Rockbox forums or IRC.

[Mewtation]

Ah. After much trial and error, I finally got the loader installed. But now it only gives me Apple OS, Disk Mode, and Sleep. No Linux or Rockbox...

I've tried to follow the instructions, but I think maybe the instructions suck, or I'm just terrible at this.

Either way, any help would be greatly appreciated...

I think you've got to create a loader.cfg file. I use a 4gig Nano, with iBoy and Rockbox, so my file is as follows:

# iPodLoader 2.3 config file
backlight = 1
timeout = 10
default = 1
beep_duration = 0
bg_color = (157,215,208)
# here come the menu choices:
Apple @ ramimg
iPodLinux @ (hd0,2)/linux.bin
Rockbox @ (hd0,2)/hp/ROCKBO~1.IPO
iboy color @ (hd0,2)/iboykernel.bin /bin/iboy
iboy test @ (hd0,2)/iboykernel.bin /hp/iboy_newkern
Sleep @ standby
Disk Mode @ diskmode

But you might need something slightly different.

# iPodLoader 2.3 config file
# here come the menu choices:
Apple @ ramimg
iPodLinux @ (hd0,2)/linux.bin
Rockbox @ (hd0,2)/hp/ROCKBO~1.IPO
Sleep @ standby
Disk Mode @ diskmode

Try that. Just open Notepad, paste that into the document, save as loader.cfg (cfg is your file extension, make sure it gets through like that), and put the file in the root of your iPod.