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Installing iPodLinux on the iPod Nano

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the doing-it-just-to-do-it dept.

Joe Barr over at Linux.com (also owned by VA Sofware) has an interesting writeup on how he took his iPod Nano and installed iPodLinux on it, making it into a "dual-booting, sweet MP3-singing, iDoom-playing monster."

16 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. What's Next? by rtobyr · · Score: 3, Funny

    Doom on your iPod. Next thing you know, they're going to put Duke Nukem on the Atari 2600. Oh wait, they already did that.

  2. playing compressed video by vg1111 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have linux installed on my nano for the past 3 months and I am still looking for a way to play compressed video on it. If it can play compressed video then I don't need iPod Video.

    1. Re:playing compressed video by kestasjk · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It can, but on such a tiny screen and without only enough battery life to watch a couple of episodes it's not much more than a gimmick.

      --
      // MD_Update(&m,buf,j);
    2. Re:playing compressed video by josh42 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The iPod video has a special decoding chip for compressed video. It's a BCM2722, if I recall correctly. (And we still don't know how to work it.) The nano doesn't have that chip, so playing compressed video on it is going to be much, much harder, maybe impossible. We're working on it though. -- Josh

  3. Re:does it by rmezzari · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yes it does. I have it working on my 1st gen Mini. Im using Flydzilla too. I also have a game Boy emulator and several ROMs. You shoule be able to do the same using info from those sites below:
    http://www.dansfloyd.com/help.html
    http://ipodlinux.org/4G_Installer
    http://ipodlinux.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6099

    --
    "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds !"
  4. google video by missing_myself · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2998600329 06836240&q=ipod+linux

  5. oh yeah, by sk8dork · · Score: 2, Informative
    I was pretty active in the IPL community, and as far as I know they've got it working on every ipod so far, except for the shuffle. When I say they, i mean the forum goers, meaning only the 1st 2nd and 3rd gen ipods are 'supported' by the IPL Core Team. The forums are overflowing with helpful tutorials to do it on any ipod, yes including the nano and "video" (5G)


    In fact, here's my personal instructional video (for installing on nano) that I've had on Google video for some time. enjoy.

    --
    ...all cock-blockery aside...
  6. Re:Video Ipod? by Dash_Rantic · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yes, iPodLinux is currently running on 5G iPods. I think the screen refresh rate is currently pretty low, so it's not that useful just yet. They'll probably fix the problem soon, and then you wide-screen iPod people can be playing iDoom with the rest of us :) Read more: http://ipodlinux.org/ -Dash

    --
    I'm going to get out of this place alive, even if it kills me!
  7. No! No! No!!! by generic-man · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're not supposed to load Linux on your iPod Nano. The iPod Nano is for playing music and viewing photos only. Apple has clearly stated this right up front.

    • If you want to play Doom, then buy a Nintendo DS and the Doom cartridge. You should probably get a Game Boy Advance too so that you can play other games too (the GBA will play original Game Boy games, but the DS cannot). What the hell, get a PSP with the old firmware so you can load other games as well.
    • If you want to watch videos, then buy a portable DVD player. You can get them at Wal-Mart for less than $100. Burn your own DVDs, though... the MPAA doesn't need any extra money.
    • If you want to run Linux, buy a laptop. You can get a low-end Dell for $500, but buy it used so Microsoft doesn't get its tax from you.
    • Lastly, if you want to carry all this around, it's probably not going to fit in your pocket. So buy a Nissan Pathfinder and modify it to run on biodiesel. Then you're going to want to set up a small laboratory to refine your own biodiesel fuel. Trust me, this is going to save you a lot of money.

    Thank you for following all the rules.

    (that was a joke son)

    --
    For more information, click here.
  8. Will it work on a Shuffle? by madnuke · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It could be a portable usb linux firewall!

    1. Re:Will it work on a Shuffle? by generic-man · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The shuffle has an LED. Either you can send output to the user in Morse code, by blinking patterns of colors*, or by rigging up one of those cool systems where you wave the device around and it "draws" words in the air.

      Or just set up festival and pipe all messages through text-to-speech, outputting them through the headphone jack. Be creative! :)

      * This is how the Airport Express gives you feedback on its operating status. It's reminiscent of BIOS beep codes.

      --
      For more information, click here.
    2. Re:Will it work on a Shuffle? by forkazoo · · Score: 2, Funny
      Also, I can't imagine a music player without any network interfaces working very well as a firewall.


      That's why it's so secure! You just set the Cat.5 next to the iPod, and *nothing* malicious will get through!
  9. Re:Vorbis etc. by Fweeky · · Score: 4, Informative

    Rockbox is a working solution for playing Vorbis, MusePack, FLAC, WavPack, etc on the Nano, provided you're happy using daily builds.

  10. So, now I can... by lampiaio · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, now I can finally play Doom on my iPod Shuffle!

    ...by ear, that is.

    --
    My other account has mod points.
    1. Re:So, now I can... by generic-man · · Score: 2, Funny

      They can use a modified version of Doom for Touch-Tone Phones*.

      "Hello and welcome to Doom! There is a barrel in front of you. To shoot it, press PAUSE."

      (pause)

      "You have shot the barrel! The barrel explodes. You die! To respawn, press VOLUME UP."

      * Does not exist yet

      --
      For more information, click here.
  11. Re: ... and doom by Fweeky · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yup. Just confirmed it working in build 20060406. Runs pretty well too; better than some of the desktop machines I've played Doom on, ignoring the tiny screen and awkward controls ;)

    Now, where's my iPod keyboard, mouse and VGA-out adapter...