Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iTunes 4 and Rendezvous

Originally posted by CJYetman
Mpeg4 and AAC is actually integrated into Quicktime, which means iTunes already plays mp4s. If you pay for Quicktime Pro, you can convert cds to mp4 and play them in iTunes already. I guess iTunes "supporting mp4" means that mp4 will be an option when importing directly into iTunes? Will iPod be able to play mp4s with a software update, or would that require a new decoder chip inside?
Click to expand...

um... MP4 support means that the system doesn't lag like hell when you're playing them in iTunes (try giving it an MP4 file and just hide and show the app). It also means that visualizations and other features will also work.

Yes, you can use MP4s in iTunes now, but you'd have to be crazy to do it!
 
If anyone's interested:

iTunes 3.0.1 Released September 18, 2002
iTunes 3 Released July 17, 2002
iTunes 2 Released October 23, 2001

I personally think a January release for 4 seems a little too quick for a full version. Could it possibly be version 3.1?

Also, in the MWNY keynote he said that rendezvous' integration into iTunes is 'early next year', '6 to 9 months down the track'. I think he also mentioned that Rendezvous would be integrated into all/most of Apple software. Maybe we'll also get iPhoto or iCal with rendezvous come January?
 
you can basically have the same quality out of a 64 bit rate AAC as you do from a 128 bit rate MP3, that means my 10GB iPod now can store 4,000 songs.
Click to expand...

I'd slap whoever told you that round the face with a fresh herring, they're delirious :D

Here's an example, it's just a few bars from a tune I'm working on right now, not the complete tune, just the beats mainly. it's not structured much, just the intro combined with the chorus (kind of) so there's a lot going on. I used soundhack on some of the sounds so it's not the compression that's effecting the triplet pattern underneath the main beats.

first the file compressed at 64Kbps with AAC

AAC audio 64Kbps Stereo (AAC also reduces the samplerate to 32Khz at this bitdepth, even in mono)

Both the files below sound close the original uncompressed version. I'll leave it up to you to decide which one sounds better, to me they sound about the same.

AAC audio 128Kbps Stereo (Retains the 44.1Khz samplerate of the original version)

MP3 192Kbps Stereo (Medium VBR encoding, Joint Stereo)

I know with professionally mastered material this kind of quality difference might not sound as apparent because most stuff you hear on the radio has had all the dynamic range crushed out of it with a multiband compressor just to make it extra loud. It's still enough to show how AAC isn't the wonder codec it's supposed to be for low bandwidth stuff but it's certainly very good at 128Kbps or above.
 
Re: Smart Visuals

Originally posted by ennerseed
Beat matching and bar generation from that would not be that hard...
Click to expand...

Right... ever try coding something like that? Ever try thinking about how to code something like that?

so the visuals could actually change up at a breakdown or a chorus of a song... it would make the visuals go with the music. instead of some colorized wave form.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would be very cool. I hope Apple indulges us in this manner, although they would have to think it would be a really neat feature for them to bother putting resources in to something like that. Time will tell.
 
Originally posted by idkew


Just turn off iTunes' automatic organization and organize your music folder however you choose. Mine is fairly well organized...
Click to expand...

I don't have automatic organization on and I'm not necessarily talking about my music folder so much as I am talking about iTunes itself. iTunes needs the ability to be able to categorize the main music library by folder not just a list of all the individual songs.

My Music folder is organized much like yours and this is a joke. WinXP which I can say I have never used but have seen on tv has the ability to organize your music folder in the system using ID3 tag information.
 
Originally posted by seven5
Who CAREEEESSSSSS about AAC, the real deal here is Rendezvous... WOOOO HOOOO
Click to expand...

I care. If I can fit more songs on my iPod and on my iBook with better quality, that's a good thing.

Originally posted by TyleRomeo
forget MP4/AAC and just import full AIFF files on your computers. Why bother why lossy compression and audio quality loss.
Click to expand...

That would be the best solution if disk size wasn't a matter. But since my iPod only fits 5 GB of music, compression/reduction is a must. And at the right bitrate I can't hear the difference. So I rather fit 1000 songs then 100.

Originally posted by CJYetman
Mpeg4 and AAC is actually integrated into Quicktime, which means iTunes already plays mp4s. If you pay for Quicktime Pro, you can convert cds to mp4 and play them in iTunes already. I guess iTunes "supporting mp4" means that mp4 will be an option when importing directly into iTunes? Will iPod be able to play mp4s with a software update, or would that require a new decoder chip inside?
Click to expand...

I'd guess (and hope) you just need an update to iPod. And full support in iTunes for MP4/AAC would mean importing directly to AAC and sync with iPod.
 
Originally posted by Aetles
I'd guess (and hope) you just need an update to iPod. And full support in iTunes for MP4/AAC would mean importing directly to AAC and sync with iPod.
Click to expand...

I would have to agree since there is no dedicated MP3 compressing chip in the iPod it just uses dual cpus to run whatever program that is thrown at it.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit


I would have to agree since there is no dedicated MP3 compressing chip in the iPod it just uses dual cpus to run whatever program that is thrown at it.
Click to expand...

I would assume that there definitely is not a "compressing" chip or an encoding chip, since the ipod doesn't record anything.

As far as a decoding chip.. {shrugs} not really sure. I couldn't find anything on their website, but...

It does say on Apple's website,
"Upgradable firmware enables support for future audio formats"
at http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html

I guess that answers my own question.
 
Originally posted by CJYetman


I would assume that there definitely is not a "compressing" chip or an encoding chip, since the ipod doesn't record anything.

As far as a decoding chip.. {shrugs} not really sure. I couldn't find anything on their website, but...

It does say on Apple's website,
"Upgradable firmware enables support for future audio formats"
at http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html

I guess that answers my own question.
Click to expand...

Although it is fully capable and has the ability to convert sound files to MP3. It's just not an implemented feature.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit


Although it is fully capable and has the ability to convert sound files to MP3. It's just not an implemented feature.
Click to expand...

Well, that would be freakin' nice if they did implement it.

Maybe they should add that to the list of new features for the next iPod, along with...
- 40gb hardrives
- mp4/aac playback and record
- a color screen to view graphics, mpgs and movies
- built-in wireless connection (either bluetooth or 802.11)
- preloading of the next song, so there's no gap between tracks on live or mixed albums
- pitch and/or tempo control

etc, etc hahaha

Now that would be dreamy! :)
 
Originally posted by MacBandit
I don't have automatic organization on and I'm not necessarily talking about my music folder so much as I am talking about iTunes itself. iTunes needs the ability to be able to categorize the main music library by folder not just a list of all the individual songs.

My Music folder is organized much like yours and this is a joke. WinXP which I can say I have never used but have seen on tv has the ability to organize your music folder in the system using ID3 tag information.
Click to expand...

So do you mean that you want the ability to have itunes base it's browse information on the file structure?

I did want that when I first moved my MP3s over (I was a switcher) but I just went and fixed my ID3 tags and they are almost exactly like my folders now (oddly enough), it was a bit annoying but I much prefer being abstracted from the file system in this case.

daniel
 
ITunes Recording

iTunes has importing and playback...it needs to add a recording feature.

Right now, with the new sans audio in macs, recording audio is a royal pain in the @ss! I have a USB Digital Processor (Onkyo MSE-U33HB) for converting my cassette tapes (books-on-tape) into MP3s. I have a 17" G4 iMac.

I have gone through a variety of programs and I end up having to use several just to end up with an MP3 file. The problems/limitations I now experience:
-The USB device is recognized in the Sound Control Panel, however you can not adjust the input gain.
-Some programs have difficulties recognizing this device even though it is configured in the Control Panel. These programs are useless for recording.
-Some programs will skip (lose information) while recording...it is as if the program is lagging while processing and subsequentially loses audio passages while it catches up. This renders the program useless for recording.
-Are there any programs that will record directly into MP3? Right now it is a two-step process; record as an aiff or SD II file and then convert to an MP3 file.
-Other programs will record beautifully, but have limited editing features! I have to use one program to record, another program just to edit the audio (noise reduction, normalize, etc) and then another program to convert to MP3...a three step process! Aargh!

On my old CRT iMac, I could at least use Coaster (freeware) and could simply record audio (with Gain adjustment) directly without any hardware adapters and incompatibilities. Granted, it was still a two-step process converting to MP3, but it was simple.

Apple has a golden opportunity to integrate this recording feature.
-They could incorporate/recognize all of the known external USB and Firewire audio I/O units much like they did with external CD burners.
-Recording directly as an MP3/MP4 file will save time and disk space and would allow other features as voice memos from the microphone directly into iTunes.
-A simple audio editor would allow cleaning up and tweaking of existing MP3 files without jumping through hoops.

Hey, if I'm just "whacked" and there is an existing simple solution, let me know! Otherwise, I am hoping the OS X version of Pro-Tools (when it is released) will do the job. Even that sounds like overkill! It should not be this complicated...

Thx

soulbeat
 
Originally posted by wdw_

I made a 96kbps AAC from a 192kbps MP3. I told QT to play them at the same time. I tabbed back and forth between the two files listening to the deep sounds and the highs and the mids looping sections of the song over and over again and I couldn't hear any difference and the aac file was exactly half the size of the mp3.
Click to expand...

You missed the entire point. So your AAC file sounds just as crappy as your mp3 file? Who cares? Compare it to an AAC file made directly from the CD.
 
Originally posted by danielcroft


So do you mean that you want the ability to have itunes base it's browse information on the file structure?

I did want that when I first moved my MP3s over (I was a switcher) but I just went and fixed my ID3 tags and they are almost exactly like my folders now (oddly enough), it was a bit annoying but I much prefer being abstracted from the file system in this case.

daniel
Click to expand...

Not exactly. I just think it is stupid to have 3,4,5,6 thousands songs listed in one be long list. Give us the option to have it broken down in to folders in the library view by album or genre or what ever. Just give us options to do what we want with the library. That as I have said before is what has always mad the MacOS in my oppinion having options and the ability to customize. I'm including all iApps in with the MacOS in that last sentence.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit
Not exactly. I just think it is stupid to have 3,4,5,6 thousands songs listed in one be long list. Give us the option to have it broken down in to folders in the library view by album or genre or what ever.
Click to expand...

Ever try the browse button? The search box is also really nice for breaking stuff down.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit


Not exactly. I just think it is stupid to have 3,4,5,6 thousands songs listed in one be long list. Give us the option to have it broken down in to folders in the library view by album or genre or what ever. Just give us options to do what we want with the library. That as I have said before is what has always mad the MacOS in my oppinion having options and the ability to customize. I'm including all iApps in with the MacOS in that last sentence.
Click to expand...

Haven't you tried using the custom playlist function? Just tell it to make a playlist called "Rock" and tell it to include all titles of genre "Rock." Then you will have a folder (playlist) named Rock that you can see all that stuff in. I think you are missing the point of the Library.
 
Haven't you tried using the custom playlist function? Just tell it to make a playlist called "Rock" and tell it to include all titles of genre "Rock." Then you will have a folder (playlist) named Rock that you can see all that stuff in. I think you are missing the point of the Library.
Click to expand...

True, but that doesn't get round the annoying fact that it doesn't keep album tracks together. Create a playlist of any genre you like (as long as you've tagged you're mp3's properly) and tracks by the same artist never appear in the right order, that's assuming you've encoded several albums worth of mp3s by 1 artist and even with only 1 album it tends to go for alphanumeric sorting rather than sorting by the original order of the CD tracks.

I sometimes forgot about Apple being perfect and everything they make being so amazingly coded/designed that it has no faults whatsoever. Someone will have to remind how it goes, It's never seemed to be true for me.
 
Originally posted by barkmonster


True, but that doesn't get round the annoying fact that it doesn't keep album tracks together. Create a playlist of any genre you like (as long as you've tagged you're mp3's properly) and tracks by the same artist never appear in the right order, that's assuming you've encoded several albums worth of mp3s by 1 artist and even with only 1 album it tends to go for alphanumeric sorting rather than sorting by the original order of the CD tracks.
Click to expand...

I just made a smart playlist with "genre contains rock". All my songs are displayed in the playlist in order by artist, then within that by album, and then within that by track number. That's what you want right? For this, the column selected for sorting (blue highlight) is genre. I also had added a Track # column (in the menu, Edit -> View Options and then put a check mark next to "track number"). Maybe it doesn't work without this added?

Another problem might involve when the mp3's were made. I think earlier versions of the ID3 tags didn't include track # information, so even if it wanted to, iTunes can't sort the songs the way you want.

Hope this helps.
 
Originally posted by rmac

Another problem might involve when the mp3's were made. I think earlier versions of the ID3 tags didn't include track # information, so even if it wanted to, iTunes can't sort the songs the way you want.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Well, I have an MP3 album ripped from CD with different times (I ripped it all at once on my PC, then noticed a few of the songs had a skip in them, and re-burned the affected tracks). The track numbers are completely consistent, but the file creation dates do not ascend with track number.

iTunes will not order them itself. I can show the "Track Number" field in a playlist and sort on that, but if I add any other song to the playlist that song dutifully gets ordered not at the end of the list but wherever its track number says it should go. The only solution is to just damn the auto-sorting and do it by hand. I imagine a "smart playlist" would be harder to work with in this regard.

Noticing this anomaly, I did a test: rip (using iTunes, to rule out any PC problems or quirks) the latter half of an album to my library, then the first half of the album, and see how iTunes sorted the resulting files. The latter half of the album showed up before the first half unless I sorted by hand.

I am using iTunes 3.0.1 on Jaguar 10.2.2.

In short: you may think that iTunes is ordering based on track number, but in fact it is ordering by time of file creation. It just so happens that the two are usually the same order.
 
Have you ever tried pressing Cmd-B in the Library?


Originally posted by MacBandit


Not exactly. I just think it is stupid to have 3,4,5,6 thousands songs listed in one be long list. Give us the option to have it broken down in to folders in the library view by album or genre or what ever. Just give us options to do what we want with the library. That as I have said before is what has always mad the MacOS in my oppinion having options and the ability to customize. I'm including all iApps in with the MacOS in that last sentence.
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by idkew


unfortunately they were all just stolen. you can check with the local police if you would like.

luckily i back up cds to mp3, otherwise i would be out 1000's of dollars.
Click to expand...
do you have homeowners' insurance?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back