I'm not sure why your iPod needs a screensaver, or whether this particular effect can really be called a screensaver, but since several of you have sent us this tip, there must be some interest in it!
This how-to is so short I'm going to re-post it all it here:
- create a folder on your iPod named "Demo Mode" - this requires that you have Disk mode enabled on the iPod.
- in iTunes, rename any video "Demo"
- keep the iPod connected and let it and iTunes idle for 2 minutes
- magically the "Demo" video will start to play
So really this isn't a screensaver so much as a tethered demo mode, which would have some usefulness in a retail or kiosk setting but not so much usefulness in any other setting. Plus, I think you can already designate videos (and certainly slideshows) to repeat or loop, so I'm not sure this is really needed it all! I may be wrong about videos repeating, though, so don't quote me.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-09-2006 @ 9:47AM
Modrak said...
Wow, cool ! :)
Must have been someone from Apple Store or a place like that :D
Reply
10-09-2006 @ 9:51AM
Rhaps said...
Doesn't work for me ?????
Reply
10-09-2006 @ 9:53AM
Nate MC said...
It will also erase your settings on the iPod and put everything back to default everytime the movie stops.
Reply
10-09-2006 @ 9:56AM
Modrak said...
Apple Store Demo mode...damn, I had so much fun with setting iPods to Japanese ;)
Reply
10-09-2006 @ 10:47AM
um said...
@modrak, it's really easy to set it back to english anyway.
lmao@demomode.
Reply
10-09-2006 @ 11:05AM
Matthew said...
Well, other than the little problems people are posting on, I think thats really pretty darn cool.
Reply
10-09-2006 @ 9:07PM
Tim O. said...
I just went to my local apple store this weekend and many of the display iPods had screensavers like this.. I was wondering how they did it. This is clearly a way for Apple to show off their video iPods and it does look pretty cool.
Reply
10-10-2006 @ 12:47AM
Derrick R. said...
Hmmmm...it's not working for me.
Has anyone tried this and had it actually work? If so please report.
Reply
10-10-2006 @ 3:32AM
zyphbear said...
It Worked fine for me, I had a small cute clip I had grabbed off YouTube (Very Public Domain/Creative Commons stuff actually: a Polar Bear swimming around) and tried it. It works great in the aspect of anytime it's actually plugged in and not syncing or being used it will play, but it really loses it's "flair" after the first time or two you do it when a major con being the settings that get reset to the defaults (esp the annoying Clicker!) and you can't change them back until you REMOVE the demo mode and restart your iPod (Just delete the "Demo Mode" Folder, the "Demo" Movie is harmless without the special Folder).
I guess even though I use the JBL Onstage to Listen to my iPod music at work (much easier than plugging in to special speakers), having a movie play when you hit pause and it still sitting there when EVERYTHING gets reset (including the place you were at when you paused what you were listening to) is not really great. I would also have to say while it was nice the first time, ok the second time, when I paused some music at work for a phone call (would be the third time) and then the sound from the clip started to play, it was slightly annoying.
Pros:
*Not Difficult to Setup
*Can have a nice little clip play when you are just letting your iPod charge
Cons:
*Resets all settings on the iPod first time Demo Mode is run, Keeps them at default until you remove this mode
*Sound Plays at normal volume, so be careful if you have it "idling" when plugged into speakers
*Loses the "Now Playing" Point of what you were listening to when it goes into "Demo Mode" (meaning you have to manually re-navigate through the menus to find what song/podcast/album/audio book you were at.)
*Pause Point may not save when Demo Mode Loads. (I have had some Podcasts that seemed to lose my saved point when I paused and it went "idle" when it loaded the movie.)
Cute Trick, not really worth it overall.
Reply
3-17-2008 @ 5:39AM
Seth Harlen said...
i know a better way that you can even make slideshows with your photos!
go to http://applegossip.freeforums.org/iphoto-slideshow-on-your-ipod-t34.html
Reply