How to make a playlist loop

Question

I just bought a 5G video iPod a couple of days ago; it's my first and I know almost nothing about using it. Everything is working and the sound is wonderful. The problem is that there are apparently fewer controls than I'd expected and I haven't been able to control what it plays to the extent that I'd expected.
The iPod is synched with my Mac and has what is supposed to be identical library and playlists. However, the Mac has lots of playlists set to loop (repeat), and the iPod doesn't seem to have that information: it isn't looping playlists that are set to loop on the Mac.
Is this normal? And, whether it is or isn't normal, is there still a way to instruct the iPod with its own controls to loop a playlist? Another question: is there a way to instruct the iPod to shuffle a particular playlist and to determine the way it shuffles (example, by album instead of by song name)?
The "Shuffle" menu item seems to apply only to the entire (very large) library. I don't see a way to apply its function to a particular playlist.
In reply, please don't assume that I know anything about iPods. I don't, though I've looked through the pdf manual. Does anyone happen to know of any more complete online resources than the Apple manual?
Thanks for any help,
Mary

Answer 1

Congratulations! Once you have gotten the hang of it, you will wonder how you ever lived without you new little friend!
Anyway, in answer to your questions:
The iPod is synched with my Mac and has what is
supposed to be identical library and playlists.
However, the Mac has lots of playlists set to loop
(repeat), and the iPod doesn't seem to have that
information: it isn't looping playlists that are set
to loop on the Mac.
Your iPod will loop a playlist, but you have to tell it to do that. This is done as follows:
1) Select SETTINGS from the Main Menu
2) Scroll down and click on REPEAT until you the option ALL displays to the right of REPEAT (ONE will only loop one song)
3) Click Menu to return to the Main Menu, and then select the playlist you want to listen to. Your iPod will continue to loop this playlist until you stop.
Infact, your iPod will continue to loop any play list (or Album) you select until you change that setting. Unfortunately, you can not set the iPod to only loop some playlists and not others - at least I haven't ever found a way to do that - But the REPEAT Setting should allow you to loop whey you want to.
Another question:
is there a way to instruct the iPod to shuffle a
particular playlist and to determine the way it
shuffles (example, by album instead of by song
name)?
Like the REPEAT Setting, there is no way to have the iPod shuffle some playlists a certain way, and others another way. However, you can use Settings to accomplish the same thing. Here's how:
1) Select SETTINGS from the Main Menu
2) Scroll down and click on SHUFFLE until the option YOU WANT displays to the right of SHUFFLE. Your options are to shuffle by SONG or ALBUM.
3) Click Menu to return to the Main Menu, and then select the playlist you want to listen to. Your iPod will continue to shuffle the songs or albums in whatever playlist you select until you go back into settings and select SHUFFLE >>> OFF.
The "Shuffle" menu item seems to apply only to the
entire (very large) library. I don't see a way to
apply its function to a particular playlist.
This is true. The SHUFFLE on the Main Menu only applies to the entire library. But if you change the settings, as explained above, and then select the playlist you want suffled, you should be good to go.
Hope that this helps!