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jmcrutch

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
249
79
I think you are not seeing what is actually there. As long as the original files are there on the Mac that you uploaded it from it will report them as ALAC. But if you go to another machine and log on to match you will see that they are 256K AAC.

You could also do this by deleting the local files (after copying them for safe keeping) and then downloading from the cloud.

Deleting and re-downloading, and downloading on other machines, are exactly what I was talking about doing, and I've gotten ALAC downloads. Or at least I thought I did and I often have the Kind and BitRate Columns showing. You've definitely piqued my interest.
 

Morshu9001

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2012
214
0
the capital of Assyria
Just checked.... They are m4p files. Can you give me a hint how to convert them to MP3?

Thanks!

There's an iTunes AppleScript you can download that does this. Oddly, iTunes lets you burn MP3 CDs where it converts the items but doesn't let you just convert them right there. You can right-click to convert stuff to AAC but not to MP3 for some reason. But I wouldn't recommend downgrading your files like that.
 
Aug 26, 2008
1,339
1
My experience was just the opposite. I had no trouble getting iTunes Match to work on my iPhone and iPad, but I could never get it to work properly on my MacBook.

It seems like lots of folks have problems with iTunes Match, yet the problems aren't consistent. That's not good for anyone.

Yeah well, with iTunes Match on, how do you delete something downloaded from your phone without turning off Match? If you can tell me how to do that I will be thrilled. :D

The sad thing is Amazon and Google both do this better on any platform they are on. It's so easy to download and delete Amazon music, but their player isn't as nice as Apple's. Same for Google on Android. Trust me, I wish Apple's solution was the best, but it's very janky IMO.
 

dalbir4444

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2012
572
0
Google is into music because it makes perfect sense. They've created their own ecosystem. And these days - that includes all types of media. At the end of the day - the device is a single purchase. The ecosystem is what can keep a customer for life.

I find it strange that someone said Google is in the music business because of Apple. Like you said, it's a necessary part of a healthy ecosystem, so it's hardly surprising.
 

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
Deleting and re-downloading, and downloading on other machines, are exactly what I was talking about doing, and I've gotten ALAC downloads. Or at least I thought I did and I often have the Kind and BitRate Columns showing. You've definitely piqued my interest.

Check it out. I'm pretty sure that what I described is how it works, which is generally a good thing because I would hate moving lossless files up and down from the cloud with any regularity.
 

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
BTW.

Just so we're clear (meaning I'm addressing those that criticize Google for being all about ad revenue)

Apple would LOVE to have an ad revenue stream. They tried. With iAds. Does anyone want to argue that Apple wasn't hoping to make millions upon millions? They didn't. That doesn't mean they didn't try. Just because they weren't successful doesn't mean they weren't after the very same type of info and to "sell" their customers.

It seems like people want to ignore this simply because iAds it a failure. As if succeeding (Google) in this revenue stream is bad. I wonder how everyone would be discussing Apple in this area if iAds was extremely popular.
 

Morshu9001

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2012
214
0
the capital of Assyria
I find it strange that someone said Google is in the music business because of Apple. Like you said, it's a necessary part of a healthy ecosystem, so it's hardly surprising.

They're following what Apple does is what he meant. The fatal flaw is that Google makes no personal computer or mobile device, though they do attempt to come close with Google Chrome supporting all PCs and the Android mobile OS. There's also the Chromebook, but that's not a good idea.
 

Porco

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2005
3,314
6,908
iTunes Match has worked flawlessly for me. I'd be interested to know what issues others are having.

For the first few days, it just didn't work.

When it did work, it failed to match many songs that it really should have, them being rips performed in iTunes from original CDs, and albums that are also on the iTunes Store(s). A few matched when I manually edited them for length - usually silence at the end of a CD track that has been chopped off for the iTunes version (tip for people to try…). Some are the same length but still refuse to match, even though they are clearly part of albums that all the other tracks match. tl;dr version: they need to improve the 'matching' part more. That's pretty fundamental to the success or failure of the service after all.

It is very hit and miss with syncing custom artwork (that is, any artwork added myself). It uploads it, but then doesn't seem to apply it to all versions in the music app on iPhone and iPad. You can have it showing in album mode, or in the thumbnail in the controls, but then not in the full album view…

The music app on the iPad is poop. Slow and what functionality is there is not very elegantly designed IMHO. The iPad version on my iPad 1 especially… I'd rather go back to the old music app and not have Match on that if they can't do better with it frankly.

Also, it's a kind of all-or-nothing deal with iOS devices - either you have Match on, or off, and if you turn it on it wipes whatever music you have added via iTunes in the 'old-fashioned way' - so you can only have the advantages and disadvantages of each method, when it's fairly obvious the user should be able to use both approaches if they want - I should be able to load up 1000 tracks before leaving the house via USB lead and then if I forget a couple later on use Match to just download those… not have to wipe everything and start again. It's just stupid.

Amazon lets you store 10 times the number of tracks for the same price. That's a problem, especially when using something other than iTunes solves the afore-mentioned issues from the terrible iOS music app implementation of Match.

Having said all that, I plan on giving it a second year when my subscription renews. But it has to improve by the end of that year, or I'm cancelling it.
 
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Snowy_River

macrumors 68030
Jul 17, 2002
2,520
0
Corvallis, OR
... I prefer MP3 over vendor-specific formats (AAC)...

Are you aware that AAC is just a fancy name for MPEG-4 Audio, or m4a? It's not really a "vendor-specific" format. I haven't seen an audio player that couldn't play m4a files for a long, long time. Maybe ten years ago, but no longer...
 

Morshu9001

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2012
214
0
the capital of Assyria
BTW.

Just so we're clear (meaning I'm addressing those that criticize Google for being all about ad revenue)

The only criticism I have is that I think ads are not going to work effectively in the future as a source of revenue.

Also, streaming everything online, while seemingly futuristic, is using bandwidth. Bandwidth is set to become more expensive as time goes on while local storage becomes steadily, and quickly, cheaper.
 

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
There's an iTunes AppleScript you can download that does this. Oddly, iTunes lets you burn MP3 CDs where it converts the items but doesn't let you just convert them right there. You can right-click to convert stuff to AAC but not to MP3 for some reason. But I wouldn't recommend downgrading your files like that.

Here is what you have to do. Go into your preferences and set the ripping setting to what ever you want the files to end up as. Then go back into the music window and right-click on any songs you want to convert you will see an item in the list that says "Create MP3 Version" or what ever format you selected in preferences. It will then convert them all.
 

rdlink

macrumors 68040
Nov 10, 2007
3,226
2,435
Out of the Reach of the FBI
So, Apple struck a negotiated deal with all the labels so that they would be compensated for the music uploaded, much of which has been pirated by some.

Now, Google is doing the same thing, without charging anyone for it. How are the artists getting paid for the cloud versions? Is Google just footing the bill? Maybe. Probably. All under the guise of sucking you further into their world where they make money off of who you are, what you do, what you write, what you search for, and what you think.

I'll stick with Apple, paying my fee, so that I'm the customer and not the product.


This.
 

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
Actually, no. I think Google's entire business model revolves around selling customer information to advertisers. Apple's business model is quite different - they actually make money off the hardware they sell.

And Apple doesn't try to keep you a captive customer by having you buy your content thru the iTunes store so that they make all of the profits, hardware and software? Isn't this controlling the customer?
 

Morshu9001

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2012
214
0
the capital of Assyria
Here is what you have to do. Go into your preferences and set the ripping setting to what ever you want the files to end up as. Then go back into the music window and right-click on any songs you want to convert you will see an item in the list that says "Create MP3 Version" or what ever format you selected in preferences. It will then convert them all.

OH
I thought that setting would only be for importing from CDs. That's good to hear, but it's pretty clunky.
 

Morshu9001

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2012
214
0
the capital of Assyria
Actually, no. I think Google's entire business model revolves around selling customer information to advertisers. Apple's business model is quite different - they actually make money off the hardware they sell.

Do you seriously care that Google is collecting all search queries and tracking which sites you click on from there? It's all anonymous. You might as well also complain that Apple is tracking how many people buy iPhones and in which cities.
 

jmcrutch

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
249
79
Check it out. I'm pretty sure that what I described is how it works, which is generally a good thing because I would hate moving lossless files up and down from the cloud with any regularity.

What you have been writing would certainly make sense from an operational and technical standpoint. I've probably just mistakenly adopted the position I've been stating. I'm checking it out now on the MacBookPro (re-activating the iTunes account and iTunes Match on it) and I see that in fact the max bit-rate is 320kbps that is available. I sit corrected. Thanks!

So, Google's offering of up to 320 is no different than Apple's, right?
 

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,529
5,874
Yes, iTunes Match seems like a better choice (ESPECIALLY since it works with iTunes!), but it's not free. Whatever, I don't really need this kind of service.

No to mention it legitimizes all your previous MP3s from 'various' sources and you can just subscribe for one year, and 'upgrade' all those MP3s and sign off before the 2nd year comes... Of course if you like the streaming part you can continue your subscription. So far I've been enjoying the service as I can listen to all of my songs when I'm driving (I don't want to sync all those GBs of music to my iPad).
 

BigHonkingDeal

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2009
832
1,027
Fort Pierce
Here is what you have to do. Go into your preferences and set the ripping setting to what ever you want the files to end up as. Then go back into the music window and right-click on any songs you want to convert you will see an item in the list that says "Create MP3 Version" or what ever format you selected in preferences. It will then convert them all.

Thanks!!
 

wigby

macrumors 68030
Jun 7, 2007
2,742
2,690
I'm seriously considering moving to Android when Key Lime is released. They offer Apple like services a lot cheaper! Tired of paying premium when Google is offering their tablets, phones and maps for a lower cost.

Tablets, sure Android tablets are generally cheaper but no one is ever claiming they beat Apple when price is no issue. Phones? I hardly see a value in $50 savings when we all pay over $1000 for data, voice and text plans. Maps??? I wasn't aware Apple or Google charged for mapping apps.
 

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,529
5,874
Do you seriously care that Google is collecting all search queries and tracking which sites you click on from there? It's all anonymous. You might as well also complain that Apple is tracking how many people buy iPhones and in which cities.

"If you don't commit a crime, there is nothing to be afraid of...."


:cool:
 

jmcrutch

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
249
79
Do you seriously care that Google is collecting all search queries and tracking which sites you click on from there? It's all anonymous. You might as well also complain that Apple is tracking how many people buy iPhones and in which cities.

Anonymous?? You are kidding right? I'm going to assume you were being sarcastic.

----------

Do you seriously care that Google is collecting all search queries and tracking which sites you click on from there? It's all anonymous. You might as well also complain that Apple is tracking how many people buy iPhones and in which cities.

Google can likely tell you more about you than you can tell yourself. Their algorithm can predict what you are searching for before you finish searching. I think this is fantastic computing. But it's also a little unnerving that they know every disease, birthday gift, movie, old girlfriend, and restaurant I've ever searched about.

And the answer is YES, I do care about it. So much so, that I've been taking steps to Un-Google my internet life (a task not so easily done, which is Google's design). I also refrain from FaceBook because it's another entity that makes all of its revenue on people's information - a concept that I simply object to.
 
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