FAQ
Before You Buy
Are the Stokes CDs required for birdJam?
Yes, for birdJam East, West or North America versions. You can buy them 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.
How much space do both the Eastern and Western bird songs and photos require?
The Eastern and Western bird songs combined require about 750MB, or less than 1GB.
How are the bird songs and photos organized?
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.
Do photos work with all iPod models?
Photos work on all iPod models with a color screen.
How do I decide which iPod model will be best for me?
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 (2) 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 in detail. However, the new iTouch iPod and the iPhone have screens that make the photos even larger. If you are interested in an iTouch or iPhone, we recommend that you visit an Apple store to check them out.
Does birdJam run on the new Apple iPhone?
Yes, as noted above, birdJam bird songs run on the very cool new Apple iPhone as well as the iPod Touch. Of course, Charlie and Jay had to run right out and get iPhones the very first week (although they didn't camp out so they 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.
Does your birdJam software organize my extensive collection of bird songs that I already own?
No, our birdJam Maker software 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. However, 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 what birdJam provides. We recommend that you create a playlist(s) in iTunes for your bird song CDs so that they load alongside the birdJam playlists.
Does birdJam remove the narrated bird name that is on the front end of each bird song track of the Stokes CDs?Yes. birdJam sets the track start time to AFTER the narrated bird name, effectively eliminating the bird name.
How can I find out more detailed information about iPods and iTunes in general?
Apple has done a great job of providing lots and lots of detailed information about iPods and iTunes. Just go to www.apple.com/support and click on iPods+iTunes, and then type keywords into the search box. You can also find extensive manuals (they call them Features Guides) on the Apple site as well. For those of you who don't know, iTunes is Apple's free music management system that can be downloaded from www.apple.com/itunes.
What comes with an iPod?
Apple includes both ear buds and a USB cable to recharge your iPod via your computer. If you don't have a computer or are going to be away from it, we recommend that you purchase either a wall charger or a car charger--either from us or another source.
How long will it take to learn how to use my birdJam iPod?
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.
Will birdJam run on other brands of MP3 players than the Apple iPod?
birdJam Maker is dependent upon iTunes which will only sync with the Apple iPod. Sorry about that.
It is hard to install birdJam myself on an iPod?
The vast majority of birdJammers who "load their own" indicate that it is a straightforward process although it initially takes about 1.5 hours because of the time to load the Stokes CDs into iTunes. We strongly urge people to print out and follow our step-by-step instructions for fastest results! <grin>
Is an extended warranty available for an iPod?
Yes, the program is called "AppleCare Protection Plan (APP) for iPod" which will extend the warranty on an iPod to two years. Simply go to www.apple.com/support, then type in "Extended Warranty" into the search box. When the new window comes up, simply click on "Extend you iPod service and support coverage" to learn more.
Are photos included with birdJam Maker?
We are very pleased to announce that outstanding photographs from renowned bird photographers Brian Small and Robert Royse are now included with birdJam Maker East, West or North America versions. At present we have photos for about 80% of the bird songs. When more photos are available, you can download them FREE of charge from www.birdjam.com/upgrade.
Does birdJam Maker work with bird song CD sets other than the Stokes CDs for West and West?
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 are for Costa Rica and SE Arizona/Sonora, Mexico. Both of these CD sets were produced by Cornell and available from our online store. You'll need to purchase both the add-on birdJam Module and the associated Cornell CD set.
Using your birdJam iPod
Why do I sometimes hear the narrated bird name when listening to the bird songs?
This occasionally occurs if 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. We recommend that you use the play or rewind buttons on your iPod instead of the scroll wheel so you don't hear the bird name narration.
Why do some bird songs start in the middle of a track?
This may occur for bird songs that originally came from a track on the Stokes CDs that had two birds on the same track. Similar to the bird name narration, we didn't really delete the second bird song when there were two per track. We simply made a copy of the track and then set the start time for the second bird song to play only the second part of the track. We again recommend that you use the play or rewind buttons instead of the scroll wheel or slider bar to avoid this problem.
I like to use the shuffle mode to listen to my favorite music and wonder if I'll get bird songs in with the music shuffle?
Yes, you will unless you create a playlist of all your music and shuffle that playlist instead of everything on your iPod or in iTunes. One easy way to create a music-only shuffle is to create a Smart Playlist where Genre does not contain "Birding." Note that birdJam 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.
How do I repeat one bird song on my birdJam?
Go to the Main Menu on your iPod. Scroll down to and select Settings. Now scroll down to Repeat and push the Select button until Repeat One is highlighted. That will cause one song to repeat until you press stop. However, please don't torture those poor warblers by playing a screech owl call over and over!
Are there rules or guidelines for broadcasting bird songs in the field?
The American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics states: “Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern, or that is rare in your local area.” We also have some guidelines for responsibly using your birdJam iPod in the field: click here.
What do I do if my iPod doesn't respond?
Don't panic. This is a fairly common situation, especially if the iPod battery has been run down very low. You simply need to "Reset" your iPod (Click Wheel Version) by doing the following:
1. Toggle the Hold button on the top of the iPod to orange and then back into the original position.
2. Then hold down Menu and the center button at the same time for about 5-10 seconds until the iPod resets. That's it!
What does "Restore" mean?
Okay, here is where you need to be a bit careful, especially if you have a pre-loaded iPod and have not gone through the birdJam installation process. If you Restore your iPod, you are returning it to original factory settings which means that you are wiping out all content on the iPod. If you have uploaded the bird songs into iTunes and run birdJam Maker to format and organize the songs, then you just need to sync and download the bird songs again. If you haven't done the installation process but for some reason want to Restore your iPod, please send an email to support@birdjam.com first and describe what you are trying to do.
I have a pre-loaded birdJam iPod and want to add music (the human kind) to my iPod; how do I do that?
This is another situation where you could potentially wipe out the birdJam bird songs, so you need to be deliberate in your actions. If you should wipe them out 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."
First you would upload your music CDs into iTunes. We would 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 that 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, all you need to do is drag and drop your new music playlist onto the listed device and iTunes will start downloading the new playlist without deleting the existing playlists. Once the download is complete, just click the icon next to birdJam under Devices, unplug it 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 installation process so that you can automatically sync your iPod, sync only selected playlists, or manually load your iPod. All these options are discussed in the iPod features guide at www.apple.com/support, and we also discuss them in our steo-by-step instructions in the Help Menu in birdJam Maker.
Can I add my own (or other) photos to birdJam?
If you installed birdJam in iTunes, then it is easy to associate bird photos with bird songs. 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.
From where can I download an upgrade to birdJam Maker or how do I replace birdJam Maker if my computer crashes?
Just 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 to support@birdjam.com and let us know under what name your birdJam was ordered so we can find and send the informaiton to you.
What serial number do I use when I want to download a new birdJam Maker upgrade?
Please use the birdJam Maker serial number that (1) is under the birdJam CD in the CD jewel case, or (2) you downloaded when you purchase a download of birdJam Maker. Do NOT try and use the serial number on your iPod as it won't work for this purpose.
How big is the birdJam Maker download?
With the addition of the photographs, birdJam Maker is now about 25.5 MB. You'll need to have some type of fast internet access (specifically NOT dial-up) in order to get a good download that will install properly.
Must I delete the current version of birdJam Maker before downloading a new upgrade?
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.
How do I get rid of the "clicker" noise on my iPod?
Just push the Menu button on the click wheel until you reach the "top" iPod screen. Scroll down to Settings and select it. Then scroll down to "Clicker" and push the center of the click wheel until you find the option that suits you best, which may be "Off"!
Should I download new versions of iTunes and/or iPod software when they are available?
In general, we download new versions whenever they are available although it certainly isn't necessary unless you've run into a "bug" that will be fixed by the new version.
Can I enlarge the photos on the iPod screen?
On the previous generation iPods, 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 new generation iPod Nano and Classic, no, the photos cannot be enlarged.
Can I use my iPod as an alarm clock?
You bet--and you can wake up to birdJam bird songs! From the Main Menu on your iPod, select Extras and then select Clock. First, you need to set up a clock for the city/time zone that you live in. Select New Clock, select Region and then select City. Once you've set up the Clock for your city/time zone, then selct that City Clock, then Select Alarm Clock, and then turn the Alarm to On. Next, scroll down to Time, and run your finger around the outside of the click wheel until you come to the time you wish the alarm to sound. Then scroll down to Sound, and select the Playlist from which you want the Alarm to play music such as Warblers, Forest or perhaps Crazy Birds. Finally, set your iPod in your speaker or plug in the ear buds so you can hear the birds start singing at their appointed time.
Can I use my birdJam iPod to quiz me on bird songs?
The iPod use to have a wonderful "music quiz" that would test you on your knowledge of bird songs. Unfortunately, the latest iTunes no longer has this game. We're thinking about creating our own but that idea will have to go into the development queue with all our other good ideas. We'll let you know in a newsletter should we develop one.
Can I optimize my iPod to play through small, portable speakers?
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.
My iMainGo speaker seems to be intermittant and sometimes doesn't work at all; work's wrong?
The most common problems are related to the batteries. Please check these two items first, and if your problem still persist, please contact us at support@birdjam.com.
1. The flat side of the battery should always be placed against the spring to hold it in place. Please confirm that all four batteries are installed with the flat side against the spring. Putting batteries in backwards can cause the batteries to overheat and rupture.
2. Never use different brand batteries together, and never use batteries that are different ages. Portable Sound Laboratories recommends that you always install new batteries out of the same package. If you mix different brand or age batteries, they can overheat and rupture.
Copyright 2005, 2006, 2007 MightyJams, LLC. All rights reserved.
