Business Opportunity?

I can't fucking believe this. I've spent hours going through all of the usual internet sources and I still can't find an answer.

Here's the scenario:

I prefer to *not* do business with iTunes. Just a personal preference. I have a vast collection of music that has been downloaded/ripped/copied to my hard drive that I already own, and I don't wish to start paying 99 cents per future song and have to deal with the whole synching headache.

Now, I also have a new computer that runs on Windows Vista Home Premium as it's operating system.

Here's the dilemma:

It seems that it is *impossible* to find software that is compatible with both Windows Vista software and iPod hardware that does what I wish to do.

This is what I wish to do:

1) Upload mp3 files to my iPod without kissing the ring of Apple or iTunes.
2) Upload video files to my iPod without kissing the same ring.

Unfortunately, there are about a dozen programs that let you move songs from your iPod to your computer (something that iTunes has fought tooth and nail to prevent). I don't need that capability at this time. I wish to go the other direction. Once I get an external hard drive, I will back up all of my music in one place (cd's, mp3's, everything I own) and use the available software.

But what I'd *really* like to do is get stuff onto my iPod, using my Vista machine, bypassing iTunes. Is this just a fantasy? Am I the only person in the world that wishes to do this?

Of course, the only computer-to-iPod software that I can find is Mediafour's Xplay 2. Unfortunately, it only moves music, not video, and secondly, it's not Vista compatible. Xplay 3 will be Vista compatible upon release, but that's not until sometime during Q3 2007, several months away. And inquiries to the company as to whether or not Xplay 3 will support video uploads have gone unanswered. Well, the emails are answered, the question is not.

So--any experts out there know where to turn?

I can't believe that I'm the only person in the entire frickin' digital world that has this issue/problem/request.

If there is a software company out there that can do this, they should make about a billion dollars--because there is nobody out there doing it! At least that I can find. If such a company exists, then they damn well better fire their marketing manager. Believe me--I've been looking for one and I sure as hell can't find it.

Mikey