iPod Decent MP3 converter for Mac?

[nidgemo]

Normally, I just use itunes to encode all my mp3 music, and encode it all to 128 kbps (as I've never been able to hear any difference between that and anything higher, so simply see larger files as space wastage)

However, many of the files I download from limewire etc are encoded at 160 and even 192 and above. It's never bothered me too much before, as the computer has loads of space, but I've recently bought a 4GB ipod nano, and when trying to put all I wanted on it, ran out of space after about 800 songs.

I realise I'll probably never get all I want on it, but I DO know that a simple batch conversion of ALL my MP3 files to 128kbps would enable me to get maybe 200 more songs on, due to a lot of them using up valuable space with 192kbps.

So, does anyone know of a piece of software which can batch process MP3 files, and convert them all to the same bitrate, without losing anything like ID3 tags, saved location etc?

Ideally something I could just set up the prefs, drop the files on, it resaves them in their original location at 128, and itunes still recognises them etc, and that's it done!

Cheers!

Nice forum by the way!

If it helps anyone, I'm using a Dual G5 2.3, 2.5BG RAM, OS 10.45

 

[mad jew]

Nice machine.

Why not make a Smart Playlist of all your tracks that aren't 128kbps already, and convert them through iTunes. I'm not sure if I missed something, but why not still use iTunes?

Two side notes.

Firstly, we don't wanna know where you got your music from. We'll just assume it's legal.
Secondly, it's not usually a good idea to convert from one compressed format to another. The end product can be quite bad quality. The good thing about iTunes is that it'll keep your original so you can decide for yourself whether you want to keep the new file or the old one. ​

 

[nidgemo]

Nice machine.

Why not make a Smart Playlist of all your tracks that aren't 128kbps already, and convert them through iTunes. I'm not sure if I missed something, but why not still use iTunes?

Ahhh

didn't know I could do that directly through itunes!

How do I do that?

 

[mad jew]

Convert Selection To MP3 from the Advanced menu. It'll convert to the default file type that a CD would be imported as. This is changed through the Advanced section of the iTunes Preferences.

 

[nidgemo]

Convert Selection To MP3 from the Advanced menu. It'll convert to the default file type that a CD would be imported as. This is changed through the Advanced section of the iTunes Preferences.

Close, but not quite there!

It does the conversion fine, but creates a second file in the original source folder, with a "1" added after the name, and a second, identically named entry in the library!

I've well over 2200 songs in the library at the minute, so it could get messy sorting them all this way!

Cheers for all your help though - at least I learned something new!

 

[mad jew]

So maybe convert them, Show Duplicate Songs from the Edit menu, sort by Bitrate, and delete anything that's not 128kbps.

The 1 in the file name doesn't affect anything. Unfortunately, this loses your playcount information though. Plus, the song will be removed from any playlist that isn't Smart.

 

[nidgemo]

So maybe convert them, Show Duplicate Songs from the Edit menu, sort by Bitrate, and delete anything that's not 128kbps.

The 1 in the file name doesn't affect anything. Unfortunately, this loses your playcount information though. Plus, the song will be removed from any playlist that isn't Smart.

That makes sense...

sadly - most of my playlists aren't smart...

still - at least I can convert the stuff going on the nano this way to save some space.

Cheers!

 

[nidgemo]

actually, I THINK I might have it...

do the conversion as you said, delete the higher bitrate duplicate files, and THEN go into spotlight, and search for 1.mp3

This finds all the amended, lower bitrate files...

Then, in spotlight, rename the files manually (a bit time consuming but not as bad as the alternative) removing the [space]1.mp3

Back into I tunes, and itunes reads the new file as the old one, due to the identical location and filename!

A few trials have showed this as working, so I'm doing it wholesale now - will report back later and let you know - might be a useful workaround for anyone with space issues on ipods...

 

[mad jew]

Nice workaround. I'd personally leave it alone though. You might do more harm than good. Technically, you shouldn't be able to do this because eliminating the 1 changes the filename. However, it seems to be working for you. Go Apple!

BTW, if you have Automator (most likely unless you deleted it), maybe try streamlining this process.

 

[DaftUnion]

To delete anything besides the 128kbps files you want, click on the sort by bitrate tab (view options, and click on bitrate if this doesn't show besides the artist/album/time/ect. tabs), so that you can find all the stuff that isn't 128kbps files faster

 

[nidgemo]

Nice workaround. I'd personally leave it alone though. You might do more harm than good. Technically, you shouldn't be able to do this because eliminating the 1 changes the filename. However, it seems to be working for you. Go Apple!

BTW, if you have Automator (most likely unless you deleted it), maybe try streamlining this process.

Worked fine...

Though I done it slightly differently, by creating smart playlists replacing all my old playlists. Then batched the conversion, and deleted all the old files at once. Doing it through smart playlists meant I didn't need to rename the files at all too, so a big time saving there. (much better doing that and making 50 new playlists than renaming 700+ files)

about an hour done the whole thing, and has enabled me to get another 150 songs on my ipod!

Result.

That said, I keep my songs in good shape, with proper artist name, album name etc, so if anyone is thinking of doing this, the smart playlists will depend on this info being correct before you start!