I was having difficulty in downloading and playing some music, and most TV videos, on my Ipod nano. I rarely buy music from the itunes store, but I have a large, perfectly legal, personal music collection. I also really enjoy checking out the free video offerings in the itunes store for TV shows such as the new mini-episodes for the much delayed season of Battlestar Galactica.

However, when I sync up my iPod Nano 3G, I receive this message: “The (song or video) was not synched because you are not authorized to play them on this computer.”

You know what’s really bothering me about this? These were all songs were bought by me or free videos I downloaded right from the store. Now, moments later, I was being told I wasn’t authorized to play them.

Suggestions from various places on the web encouraged me to open iTunes, click Store->De-authorize Computer, and then click Store->Authorize computer. I did this, and it worked, at least for me. iTunes now tells me I’ve authorized a total of 2 of 5 possible computers — I’m not sure which computers those are, since I have about 5, but oh well.

I’ve read that, failing the procedure above, you can go into iTunes and double-click one of the forbidden songs or videos. In this case, iTunes warns you that the song isn’t authorized to play on this computer … but then it offers to sign you in and authorize you.

You accept that offer by entering your iTunes password. Then, like magic, you then become an authorized user (whatever that means) … and your forbidden songs and videos are now synched to the Nano.

John Ghysels, 1/14/2009

Technology Report » battlestar

3G iPods, and “You are not authorized”

3G iPods, and “You are not authorized”