i-Studio3

Best Price:
Having your entire music library available in a portable format is the wonder of iPod, but it’s only a fraction of what the micro miracle can carry. With i-Studio3, you can open your iPod to yet more media.

Features:
While iTunes copes perfectly well with ripping audio from CDs, it isn’t that great at transferring video to your iPod, unless it’s been saved in an iPod-compatible version in the first place. This is what i-Studio3 excels at – taking home-movie files and video content already on your PC and reformatting it for your iPod. It’ll also rip DVDs, so long as they’re not copy-protected (most are, unfortunately) and record internet radio streams, so you can listen to them on your iPod even when you’re away from the internet.

Performance:
The strong point of the software is its ability to convert existing digital video so it transfers straight to your specific model of iPod. You just choose a video file (any one of a plethora of common formats) and select the iPod model.

DVD-ripping is disappointing only because the program makes no attempt to get around copy protection, but at least you can rest assured you’re not breaking the law. As for the radio recorder, most mainstream stations don’t allow their streams to be accessed this simply, so you’re confined to a choice of smaller-scale, pirate or foreign programming.

Ease of use:
It lacks Apple’s slick presentation, but the learning curve is gentle enough. Certainly, the process of converting video is easier than most free programs offering this service because it’s specifically geared for the iPod. The other features are frustrating, though, because there’s no guarantee that they’ll work with your chosen DVD or radio station.

Value for money:
If you’re savvy about such things, there’s plenty of free software about that will do much of i-Studio does. Having several elements together in one suite would be more of a benefit if it was as good at the extra features as it is at converting video. As it stands, £24.99 seems a lot to pay for something that only lives up to part of its promise.