My ipod touch is frozen on the start up apple logo. help?

At one point i tried to turn it on and it just froze at the start up apple logo. I've turned it off and on several times and it continues to stay at the apple logo. I've plugged it into the computer and let it set for several hours and the computer will not detect it (this was a MacBook Pro if that makes any difference). I have heard that if you simultaneously hold down the home and the power button at the same time and wait for the ipod to turn off and then keep holding it in until the apple logo comes up again and then let it sit for 5-15 minutes then it would eventually reboot itself but i have tried this and it still does not work. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get it to work or for my laptop to detect it?