birdJam Online Help

Is it hard to install birdJam myself on an iPod?

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:20:00 +0000

The vast majority of birders who "load their own" iPod indicate that it is a straightforward process: They just follow our installation instructions and things go smoothly. It can take quite a bit of time, however.

For example, if you are loading Eastern and Western bird songs, it can take as long as an hour and a half to go through the installation process simply because it takes a while to load the seven Stokes bird song CDs (3 Eastern and 4 Western) into iTunes.

Once the Stokes CDs are loaded and birdJam Maker is installed, then it's as simple as selecting a few options and pushing two buttons in birdJam Maker. (Easy!)

For fastest results, we strongly urge you to print out and follow our step-by-step installation instructions. You can view the instructions here:

How much space do both the Eastern and Western bird songs and photos require?

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:36:05 +0000

The Eastern and Western (Stokes) bird songs, combined, require about 750MB, or less than 1GB. This includes all of the playlists and photos that birdJam Maker adds.

This means that you can use an older 1GB iPod Nano as a nice birding tool. Or, any of the current model iPods that have a screen will work just fine. (The iPod Shuffle won't work because it does not have a screen, so you can't select the bird song to play.)

How do I decide which iPod model will be best for me?

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:54:52 +0000

Most people make the decision based on two major factors:

The amount of music they want to load onto their iPods in addition to the bird songs and photos, and,
The size of the screen that will work best for them.

If you are never going to load music (the human-produced kind!) or only want a few songs, the new 4GB Nano is more than sufficient for birdJam songs and photos.

The new model Nano and Classic iPods both have large enough screens to view the photographs adequately. However, the photos cannot be enlarged to full screen. So, on the Nano, the bird photos are pretty small.

Also, if you are concerned about eye strain, the Nano screen, being the smallest, is probably one to avoid. It works great for most people, but if you are worried about the screen text size, you might want to look at a Nano before buying one.

The iPod Touch and the iPhone have large screens and larger text and the photos take up the entire screen. If you really want nice photos, you'll want to consider the iPod Touch or iPhone.

The iPhone also has the benefit of built-in speakers. All the iPods come with earbuds, but the iPhone is the only model to include tiny speakers on the bottom of the unit. The speakers are not loud enough to call in owls, for example, but they work for species with high voices such as most warblers. (Note: Please see our recommendations for ethical use of bird songs in the field.)

If you are interested in an iPod Touch or iPhone, we recommend that you visit an Apple store to check them out. If you want an iPhone, you'll need to buy that from Apple or from an AT&T store. You cannot purchase an iPhone from us.

Are photos included with birdJam Maker?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:16:18 +0000

Yes! Photos are included with birdJam Maker for all bird species represented in the Stokes Eastern and Western CD sets.

Will birdJam run on brands of MP3 players other than the Apple iPod?

Fri, 09 May 2008 14:13:47 +0000

birdJam Maker is dependent upon iTunes which will only sync with the Apple iPod. Sorry about that.

However, our MP3 products work fine with other MP3 players. Our MP3 products include birdJam for Eastern Warblers.

How are the bird songs and photos organized?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:38:12 +0000

We organize the bird songs into "Playlists," which are essentially folders that will allow you to find specific bird songs very quickly. For more details, click here.

Does your birdJam Maker software organize my extensive collection of bird songs that I already own?

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:56:46 +0000

No, birdJam Maker only works with the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs, Eastern and Western Regions and the Cornell CDs for Costa Rica and Arizona/Sonora, Mexico. (Other modules may have been added since this was written--check out our online store for current information.)

Note that you can still use your iPod and iTunes to organize your own collection of bird songs and load them to your iPod in addition to the bird song collections that birdJam provides. We recommend that you create playlists in iTunes for your bird song CDs so that they load alongside the birdJam playlists.

Does birdJam Maker work with bird song CD sets other than the Stokes CDs for East and West?

Thu, 01 May 2008 16:19:31 +0000

birdJam Maker has been enhanced so that new add-on modules can be added to birdJam Maker for East, West or North America.

The first two add-on modules, added in Winter 2008, were for Costa Rica and SE Arizona/Sonora, Mexico. Both of these CD sets were produced by Cornell and are available from our online store. You'll need to purchase both the add-on birdJam Module and the associated Cornell CD set.

We expect to continue adding modules. Check our online store to see what else is available.

From where can I download an upgrade to birdJam Maker or how do I replace birdJam Maker if my computer crashes?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:29:08 +0000

Go to www.birdjam.com/upgrade.

You'll need your birdJam account email address and birdJam Maker serial number.

If you don't have these, please send an email via our support page and let us know under what name your copy of birdJam Maker was ordered so we can find and send your serial number to you.

I have a pre-loaded birdJam iPod and want to add music (the human kind) to my iPod; how do I do that?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:40:15 +0000

This is a situation where you could potentially wipe out the birdJam bird songs, so be deliberate in your actions. Note that if you should accidentally delete your bird songs and have difficulty restoring them to your iPod, you can always send your iPod to us for reloading! That being said, the easiest way to add music to your iPod is "Manually."

To get started adding your own music, first upload your music CDs into iTunes. We suggest that you create a playlist entitled "Music" or any other name that you choose. Drag and drop all the music that you want added to your iPod into your playlist.

Then, with iTunes open, plug your iPod into your computer. We pre-set all iPods to "Manual" mode prior to shipping them. After a moment, iTunes should see your iPod and will list it under Devices in the left-hand column. If you haven't changed the name of your iPod, it will be named "birdJam."

Now, drag and drop your new music playlist onto your birdJam iPod and iTunes will start syncing the new playlist songs without deleting the existing birdJam playlists. Once the download is complete, click the Eject icon next to birdJam under Devices, unplug your iPod and go.

Just be careful not to agree to have iTunes erase and sync your birdJam iPod or you could lose all the bird songs that we loaded for you.

The other option is to go through the complete birdJam Maker installation process so that you can automatically sync your iPod, using iTunes. Syncing options are discussed in the iPod features guide at www.apple.com/support, and we also discuss them in our step-by-step installation instructions accessible via the Help Menu in birdJam Maker.

Does birdJam Maker remove the narrated bird name that is on the front end of each bird song track of the Stokes CDs?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:20:56 +0000

Yes. birdJam Maker sets the track start time to AFTER the narrated bird name, effectively eliminating the bird name.

How to Delete All of the Stokes Tracks

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:05:12 +0000

Here's how to delete all of your Stokes CD tracks so that you can reload everything:

1. Open iTunes.

2. In the left column of the iTunes window, select 'Music' underneath LIBRARY.

3. In the top right corner of iTunes, type 'Stokes' into the Search Box.

4. Browse through the resulting list to be sure that it contains ONLY Stokes tracks. (You are about to delete all of these and we don't want any mistakes!)

5. Once you are sure that only Stokes tracks are selected, select any one track then Select All. (Edit menu: Select All, or Control-A.)

6. Press the 'delete' key on your keyboard.

That's it!

Now print out the Installation Instructions to use as a guide in re-loading everything. (See the Help menu in birdJam Maker for the Installation Instructions.)

Must I delete the current version of birdJam Maker before downloading a new upgrade?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:20:50 +0000

On Windows, yes, you must first delete the version that is installed on your computer, and then download and install the latest version from www.birdjam.com/upgrade.

Note that whenever you open birdJam Maker, it will automatically check to see whether there is a newer version available for download.

Does birdJam run on the new Apple iPhone?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:24:28 +0000

Yes, birdJam bird songs run on the Apple iPhone as well as the iPod Touch. Of course, we had to run right out and get iPhones the very first week (although we didn't camp out so we could buy them the first night).

iPhones are only available through Apple and AT&T, so if you want birdJam bird songs on an iPhone, you can load it just like your iPod or you can send it to us to load for you. We do carry the iPod Touch in our online store.

Can I enlarge the photos on the iPod screen?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:34:05 +0000

On the previous generation iPods (pre-Fall 2007), yes you can.

To enlarge photos to nearly full screen on those iPods, when a bird song with a photo is playing, just press the center of the click wheel two or three times and the photo will automatically enlarge. The number of times you need to press depends upon the other information you have saved for each bird.

On the 3G iPod Nano and Classic, no, the photos cannot be enlarged.

How do I repeat one bird song on my iPod?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:31:08 +0000

Problem:

I would like to repeat one bird song over & over on my iPod.

Solution:

To make a song repeat endlessly, go to iPod settings.

On your iPod, press Menu Menu Menu..., until you see the 'Settings' menu item.

Select 'Settings', then select 'Repeat->One'

That will cause one song to repeat until you press stop.

But don't torture those poor chick-a-dees too much by playing the screech owl over & over. :-)

How to Keep Bird Songs Out of Music Shuffles

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:30:55 +0000

Problem:

I like to use the shuffle mode to listen to my favorite songs and wonder if I'll get bird songs in with the shuffle.

Solution:

Yes, you will get bird songs in the shuffle. One way around this is to create a playlist of all your music and shuffle that instead of everything in iTunes. One easy way to create a music-only shuffle is to create a Smart Playlist where Genre does not contain 'Birding'. birdPod sets the genre on all its bird songs to 'Birding.'

Then set Shuffle on in iTunes and iPod settings and play your music-only playlist. You'll get a shuffled version of your music-only songs.

Also, in iTunes 7.1, Apple added an additional data item, 'Skip when shuffling,' to track options. You could set this for all of your bird song tracks. We do not set this with the birdJam Maker software because we know that some people like to shuffle their bird songs when self-testing.

In order to set the 'Skip when shuffling' option, select the bird song tracks that you want to set in iTunes and then press Ctl-I (Command-I on Mac). When the Info dialog box appears, select the Options tab and then check 'Skip when shuffling.'

What serial number do I use when I want to download a new birdJam Maker upgrade?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:26:48 +0000

Use the birdJam Maker serial number that is in one of the following places:

Under the birdJam CD in the CD jewel case
On the back of the birdJam Maker CD jewel case
Downloaded when you purchased a download of birdJam Maker

Do NOT try and use the serial number on your iPod as it won't work for this purpose.

I bought an iPod from you. What do I do with the Stokes CDs?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:33:32 +0000

Problem:

What am I supposed to do with the Stokes CDs that came with my iPod that I bought from you? Am I supposed to update something?

Solution:

You don't have to do anything with the CDs. They are mostly provided for backup in case you lose the bird songs on your iPod. The Stokes CDs are already loaded onto your iPod.

However, you may want to add things to your iPod (music, audio books, more bird songs, etc.) in the future. In this case, you may decide it is simpler to load all the Stokes CDs, and then run birdJam Maker so that you can easily sync your iPod with your computer.

Before doing this, try an easier method: Start by enabling 'Manually manage music [and videos]' for your iPod. You do this with your iPod connected to your computer. (Be careful to say 'No--don't erase and sync' your iPod when asked!)

In iTunes, with your iPod connected, you should see 'birdJam' show up under DEVICES in the left column in iTunes and a white iPod Summary page on the right side of iTunes. Near the bottom of the white summary page, check the 'Manually manage music [and videos]' box.

Now you can safely hook your iPod up to your computer without fear of accidentally erasing all the bird songs on your iPod.

While in manual mode, the only way to get new songs onto your iPod is to drag them onto your birdJam iPod icon in iTunes. So that's the first method to try. For anything that you want to add to your iPod, just drag it to the birdJam iPod icon in iTunes. (It's easiest to drag playlists rather than individual song tracks.)

****
Method 2 for managing your iPod is more complicated at first--but simpler later, especially if you want to add many new songs or playlists to your iPod.

This is the method described in the Installation Instructions document which is included in the Documentation folder included with birdJam Maker. This method involves using all the CDs that were included with your birdJam iPod. You'll also want the latest version of birdJam Maker. If you're not sure whether you have the latest version of birdPod Maker, try going to the birdJam Maker Upgrade Page or contact us at support@birdjam.com.

Once you've completed all the steps in the Installation Instructions document, you'll want to set uncheck the 'Manually manage music [and videos]' checkbox in iTunes. Then, whenever you connect your iPod to your computer, your iPod is automatically updated.

Can I add my own (or other) photos to birdJam?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:32:32 +0000

If you installed birdJam Maker and updated your bird songs on your computer, then it is easy to associate bird photos with bird songs using iTunes.

With iTunes open, select and play a specific bird song.

Notice the "Now Playing" box in the lower left corner of iTunes with the dashed line insert box: "Drag Album Artwork Here."

All you need to do is select the desired photo from your Pictures files, the internet or other source, and then drag-and-drop it into the Now Playing box.

Next time you sync your iPod with iTunes, the new photos will download.

Do photos work with all iPod models?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:37:18 +0000

Photos work on all iPod models with a color screen.

I hear narrator announcements

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:30:40 +0000

Problem:

I have heard 1 second (or less) of the announcer's voice on occasion. I was under the impression that birdJam Maker was supposed to eliminate this?

Solution:

You might be surprised to occasionally hear the narrated bird name when listening to your bird songs. This could occur because you manually set the start time of the bird song back to the beginning of the song track by using the scroll wheel on the iPod or the mouse slider in iTunes.

How can this happen? Well, birdJam Maker doesn't actually remove the narrated names. It just sets the start time for each track to AFTER the bird name narration. So, yes, you can manually move the start time (temporarily) back to the beginning and then you'll hear the bird name narration. But, if you use the play or rewind buttons on your iPod instead of the scroll wheel you won't hear the bird names.

If this is NOT what's occurring in your case, then please let us know which track this occurs on. For example, if it occurs every time you play the Western version of the Northern Cardinal, then we need to adjust our database to fix the problem.

Are the Stokes CDs required for birdJam Maker?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:39:36 +0000

Yes, for birdJam East, West or North America versions. You can buy the Stokes CDs from a number of sources including here on this web site. Or, if you already own a copy of them, you can use your own.

Can I optimize my iPod to play through small, portable speakers?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:28:20 +0000

There are a number of equalizer settings on your iPod to optimize sound for different types of music and playback methods. There is even a setting to optmize sound for Small Speakers! Start at the Main Menu on your iPod, select Settings, then Select EQ, and scroll down until you can see and select Small Speakers. You may also notice there is a setting for Bass Reducer which may be especialy helpful when you're playing owl calls.

How long will it take to learn how to use my birdJam iPod?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:17:33 +0000

In our latest birdJammer survey, the majority of our customers indicated that it took about 15 minutes to learn how to use the basic operating features and functions, and most others were comfortable within an hour. If you are brand new to using an iPod, you'll need to sit down with our Basic Operating Instructions and practice just a bit to get the feel for running your finger around the click wheel or scrolling with a touch screen.