Bring your FLAC collection along.
iOpenPod can convert FLAC and other supported source files during Sync. It prepares audio for your iPod; it does not add native FLAC playback to Apple's firmware.
Conversion depends on your iPod
The correct output depends on the selected Device Profile and your conversion settings. A file extension alone does not establish compatibility: the codec, sample rate, channels, and available encoder also matter. iOpenPod inspects incoming media and checks prepared output against the selected iPod’s limits.
Start by checking your iPod model. Do not assume that every iPod supports the same lossless formats or video features.
Lossless audio or smaller files?
| Choice | Why choose it? | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Compatible lossless output, such as ALAC where supported | Keep lossless audio rather than deliberately encode a lossy copy. | Larger files use more storage. Device limits can require 16-bit output, resampling, or downmixing. |
| Compatible lossy output, such as AAC or MP3 | Fit more albums on the iPod. | Lossy encoding discards audio information; bitrate and encoder settings affect quality and size. |
Settings control lossless conversion, lossy encoding, and spoken-word media. Review those choices before a large Sync. A supported output format is not a promise that every optional encoder is available in your FFmpeg installation.
Convert FLAC during Sync
- Install iOpenPod and select your mounted iPod.
- Open Settings → Media Tools and set up FFmpeg and FFprobe. Confirm that the encoder you intend to use is available.
- Open Settings → Transcoding and review your audio conversion preferences. Check lossless and lossy choices against your storage needs and iPod capabilities.
- Choose Sync with Host, add the folder containing your FLAC collection, and select a small set of albums for the first run.
- Read Sync Review, including additions, updates, removals, estimated storage impact, and any items needing attention, then choose Sync Selected.
- Read the result, eject the iPod using the app, and verify playback on the device before moving a larger collection.
For the full first-run workflow, including Backup Snapshots and removal selection, see syncing without iTunes.
Does conversion change my original FLAC files?
Incoming media preparation creates the device-ready files separately on the Host; it does not replace your source audio with the converted output. This is distinct from optional Back Sync workflows that can apply supported metadata to Host files. Keep your original collection and its own backups.
When conversion needs attention
If FFmpeg, FFprobe, or the selected encoder is unavailable, check Settings → Media Tools and your encoder choice. Chromaprint’s fpcalc is for optional acoustic matching, not audio encoding. See media-tool setup.
Damaged, unreadable, or unsupported sources can fail preparation. A completed Sync may report skipped or failed items alongside successful ones. Read those results instead of assuming every selected track transferred.