Apple Seeds iTunes 10.5.1 Beta 2 for Continued iTunes Match Testing

[Senseotech]

I never noticed the artwork being uploaded so thanks. The last beta it did all of that overnight so I never saw it. On the bright side they added a new data field called "icloud status" so we can actually see what got matched.

So far I have seen the following:
Matched
Waiting
Purchased
Waiting
Error
Removed
Not Eligible

Guessing Uploaded will be there once I get there (again)

Uploaded is an status. You can create a smart playlist for iCloud status with Matched, Purchased, Uploaded, or Ineligible as the options. Quite nifty for seeing just what was uploaded. Turns out I have about 300 out of 2300 that were uploaded, and looking now, I realize a large chunk of them are live albums or obscure bootleg type situations. Still running into that strange problem where a whole album with match except for one or two tracks

 

[righttime]

uh huh

still not public?! fail!

I suppose you would prefer a public release that doesn't work just right, then you would have something else to complain about.

This is a pretty massive undertaking and Apple isn't going to put it out to the masses until they get it right. They rarely miss a deadline they set for themselves so give them a break. If you're unhappy with it, you can always use the comparable service callled...oh wait.

Sorry about the rant

 

[rstark18]

rstark18: That isn't the new beta, that's old, released after they released iTunes 10.5. The new beta is 10.5.1.25 and just got released last night.

Yes I'm talking about that version. The installer is 10.5.1.25 but if you go to Help>About iTunes it is 10.5.1.4. Isn't that what you see?

 

[TexasTexan]

Uploaded is an status. You can create a smart playlist for iCloud status with Matched, Purchased, Uploaded, or Ineligible as the options. Quite nifty for seeing just what was uploaded. Turns out I have about 300 out of 2300 that were uploaded, and looking now, I realize a large chunk of them are live albums or obscure bootleg type situations. Still running into that strange problem where a whole album with match except for one or two tracks

Seeing what was uploaded was one thing I noticed missing from the last beta. I have older stuff I ripped at lower quality that I can just delete and download from the cloud without having to did out the cds from storage bins. Plus I know one of my favorite songs I ripped has a skip in it from the cd being scratched and I can fix that one... finally. I have seen others report before that a track or two from an album wouldn't be matched, but the rest would. Guess why it is still a beta

Too bad there is no option for placing a scratched cd in the computer and having itunes match it and just download the songs. My wife have some cds that are horribly scratched and I never bothered to rip them.

 

[Senseotech]

Yes I'm talking about that version. The installer is 10.5.1.25 but if you go to Help>About iTunes it is 10.5.1.4. Isn't that what you see?

No, I see 10.5.1.25 here.

 

[TexasTexan]

Yes I'm talking about that version. The installer is 10.5.1.25 but if you go to Help>About iTunes it is 10.5.1.4. Isn't that what you see?

No, I see 10.5.1.25 in the new beta (windows 32 bit) I saw 10.5.1.4 in the last beta.

 

[righttime]

So please don't take me the wrong way, but why can't international people get the beta as well?

Because USA! USA! USA!

Only joking. I surmise it has to do with capacity more than anything. I can't imagine the strain iTunes Match has on their servers (especially since the current beta is uploading way more songs than it should be--rather than matching). They are probably ramping up capacity as they continue to refine the service.

 

[imahawki]

It has to do with the fact that distribution rights often belong to different companies in different countries. So Apple has to sign licensing deals for the music separately in different countries (or at least different regions).

 

[TexasTexan]

My step 2 seems stalled again at 85% but it did get about 3000 songs further than the last time. Hasn't moved in 20 minutes. Maybe it normally does this but because I start it and go to bed, I never actually seen its progress for the most part. My network drive is blinking like crazy so it appears to be doing something (even though I have no idea what that is)

Has anyone seen it magically appear on step 3?

 

[tharris0101]

Because USA! USA! USA!

Only joking. I surmise it has to do with capacity more than anything. I can't imagine the strain iTunes Match has on their servers (especially since the current beta is uploading way more songs than it should be--rather than matching). They are probably ramping up capacity as they continue to refine the service.

I was under the impression that it was licensing issues and Apple had to make deals with distributors in those countries. I might be wrong.

 

[Tinmania]

Anyone else still getting Err4100 after installing the new beta(10.5.1.4)?

Latest beta I got from Apple is 10.5.1b25... mac. Anything earlier will not work with iTunes match.

I have Match back on again and it seems to be working rather well. I am seeing artwork for nearly everything except for unmatched tracks.

NO lyrics still!

OH, and it works very well on Apple TV. There is a choice for music videos so there can be at least some video coming from the cloud.

Also updated iOS devices to 5.0.1... very easy update. No update needed for ATV--the Music section just "appeared" and I was easily able to turn on iTunes match.

I also see a few tracks that were not matched, not uploaded to the iCloud, and will not allow forced uploading to iCloud (a crossed out iCloud symbol where there usually is the regular iCloud symbol, or an X'd symbol to delete--this one is different as if it means: NO CLOUD ALLOWED).

The track I am looking at now is from Avril Lavigne, "What the Hell." I believe it was a free download from liking her page on Facebook. I am going to try and remove metadata, change the filename, and try to upload it again.



Michael

 

[TexasTexan]

Tinmania: Question for you since you are going to re-upload that track. Does it go through the entire process again or does it already know what is there? Would be foolish to have to go through the entire process (but we are a beta)

I have never tried to update the cloud in any of the betas so I wanted to ask. I wonder if there is a right click and select add to cloud?

 

[Tinmania]

Oh for those of you who don't know you can display iCloud status in iTunes. Not just the cloud symbol but text: Matched, Uploaded, Purchased, and to my surprise Not Eligible. I have a few songs listed as Not Eligible such as the Avril Lavrigne track I mentioned in my last post.



Michael

----------

Tinmania: Question for you since you are going to re-upload that track. Does it go through the entire process again or does it already know what is there? Would be foolish to have to go through the entire process (but we are a beta)

I have never tried to update the cloud in any of the betas so I wanted to ask. I wonder if there is a right click and select add to cloud?

You can right click and choose add to iCloud to upload a track.

But my test for this track is to see if Match determined it was not eligible due to metadata or wave form analysis. If the former it might take it with no metadata. If the latter I could name it Let_it_Be.mp3 and it should not matter it will be rejected.



Michael

 

[milo]

What's up with "not eligible"? Apple has always promoted the service as anything not in the iTunes store just gets the file uploaded. If some songs flat out just won't work, they need to let users know that before they part with their money instead of making it sound like it will work with everything.

 

[Tinmania]

What's up with "not eligible"? Apple has always promoted the service as anything not in the iTunes store just gets the file uploaded. If some songs flat out just won't work, they need to let users know that before they part with their money instead of making it sound like it will work with everything.

Confirmed it uses wave form analysis.

I recreated the song as abcd.mp3. Album, artist, etc.: all set to ABCD.

When I brought it into iTunes initially iCloud status said "Waiting" but when it was done analyzing it it changed to Not eligible. Hmmmmm.....



Michael

----------

So far for iCloud status I have seen the following:

Matched
Uploaded
Not Eligible
Purchased
Error (only one track and I chose to upload and it worked)
Removed

I believe "Removed" is when you might have different tracks that are the same, but are different files (different albums or whatever). I "think" it is only removing duplicates.

By the way... after checking only that ONE Avril Lavigne track was Not Eligible. The others were actually voice memos... so of course they aren't going to be uploaded.

I should note that this is a test machine and I only have it loaded with around 1,000 tracks total. I don't know how many other "not eligible" songs there out there but I find it disturbing that ANY are ineligible.


Michael

----------

Uploaded is an status. You can create a smart playlist for iCloud status with Matched, Purchased, Uploaded, or Ineligible as the options. Quite nifty for seeing just what was uploaded. Turns out I have about 300 out of 2300 that were uploaded, and looking now, I realize a large chunk of them are live albums or obscure bootleg type situations. Still running into that strange problem where a whole album with match except for one or two tracks

Yes I noticed the same thing. ZZ Top Eliminator is one of them. All the songs were matched except for that mega smash hit "Thug" lol. Weird.



Michael

 

[TexasTexan]

Okay, it was stalled for almost 45 minutes so I decided to restart it yet again.

I was showing 45 "Not Eligible" tracks before I restarted. One thing I have noticed is they are mp3 files with a bitrate of 64 or below (assuming stuff my son ripped a while ago since they are not my music and older) I guess re-ripping the cd will fix those.

Tinmania - what is the file format and bitrate of your Avril track?

 

[Senseotech]

Confirmed it uses wave form analysis.

I recreated the song as abcd.mp3. Album, artist, etc.: all set to ABCD.

When I brought it into iTunes initially iCloud status said "Waiting" but when it was done analyzing it it changed to Not eligible. Hmmmmm.....



Michael

----------

So far for iCloud status I have seen the following:

Matched
Uploaded
Not Eligible
Purchased
Error (only one track and I chose to upload and it worked)
Removed

I believe "Removed" is when you might have different tracks that are the same, but are different files (different albums or whatever). I "think" it is only removing duplicates.

By the way... after checking only that ONE Avril Lavigne track was Not Eligible. The others were actually voice memos... so of course they aren't going to be uploaded.

I should note that this is a test machine and I only have it loaded with around 1,000 tracks total. I don't know how many other "not eligible" songs there out there but I find it disturbing that ANY are ineligible.


Michael

----------


Yes I noticed the same thing. ZZ Top Eliminator is one of them. All the songs were matched except for that mega smash hit "Thug" lol. Weird.



Michael

This is really a strangely confusing process. I have only 2 ineligible tracks that aren't obviously omitted, but those two tracks are on iTunes and had the rest of their album matched perfectly.

 

[rstark18]

No, I see 10.5.1.25 in the new beta (windows 32 bit) I saw 10.5.1.4 in the last beta.

Okay thx.

 

[Tinmania]

Tinmania - what is the file format and bitrate of your Avril track?

I think you might be on to something. I had no idea that "free" track was only at 48kbps but that is what it is.

I would reencode at 128 but it would only be to see if bitrate is a determining factor in being ineligible.

Before I do... does anyone else have any not eligible tracks and if so are they below 128 kbps?



Michael

 

[Senseotech]

I think you might be on to something. I had no idea that "free" track was only at 48kbps but that is what it is.

I would reencode at 128 but it would only be to see if bitrate is a determining factor in being ineligible.

Before I do... does anyone else have any not eligible tracks and if so are they below 128 kbps?



Michael

My two ineligible tracks are 256k AAC files that were actually previous matches from an older beta.

 

[Tinmania]

My two ineligible tracks are 256k AAC files that were actually previous matches from an older beta.

OK those two could be anomalies. I think I will try reencoding my ineligible track and see if it uploads. Not to actually use but to see if they are requiring a certain minimum bitrate for uploads.



Michael

 

[TexasTexan]

Well bitrate might be one thing they look at. Might be other criteria as well.

Senseo - you may want to remove that image because your personal info is listed in the screen shot.

 

[Senseotech]

OK those two could be anomalies. I think I will try reencoding my ineligible track and see if it uploads. Not to actually use but to see if they are requiring a certain minimum bitrate for uploads.



Michael

Curiously enough, those two tracks exist in an identical mix on another album and those were matched perfectly.

And Texan, its an invalid email account and my name is readily available all over the internets. So its not really "personal" info.

 

[TexasTexan]

Nevermind then Just thought I would point it out.

My son said he ripped the lower bitrate stuff for ringtones for an old phone. Guess those I can delete and not worry about them. I guess iTunes Match will match your lower bitrate music and let you download 256 bitrate versions, unless you music is too crappy and they won't bother with it...lol

 

[pmz]

Well Match is back up and running for me, and guess what?

Its still crap.

It doesn't work any better than it did during the first beta.

Oh and as a bonus, battery life (I'm NOT one of those affected by poor life on the 4S) is absolute garbage. I listened to about 10 songs from 10 AM to 1 PM and went from 100% to 35%.

Absolutely worthless product.