iTunes: Convert higher bitrate to...

[mdehoogh]

Quick question, if I check the box to convert songs on an iPod to 128kbps AAC, will it create a duplicate somewhere within my library? Or will it just convert and sync the smaller version to the iPod while leaving the original (mostly 320kbps MP3) alone?

For example, if I wish to convert my higher quality originals to a lower quality for my shuffle and iPhone, will it create a 128kbps version within my library somewhere, then copy that version to both devices? Or rather, will it convert to 128 when I sync my shuffle, then repeat the conversion when I sync my phone?

I've never used this option before and after some brief searching, I see reports of the initial sync (when it's converting) that can take a long time, just wondering if it will be a long sync for all devices or just the first time it converts.

I hope that makes sense...

 

[GGJstudios]

Quick question, if I check the box to convert songs on an iPod to 128kbps AAC, will it create a duplicate somewhere within my library? Or will it just convert and sync the smaller version to the iPod while leaving the original (mostly 320kbps MP3) alone?

It won't create duplicates in your library, but will only sync a lower bitrate version to your iPod.

 

[Mackilroy]

To the best of my knowledge, the lower bit-rate files aren't stored on the computer–so unfortunately, you'd have to reconvert for every device.

 

[dakwar]

I'm curious to know too. Would appreciate an update from you here when you have it figured out / tried it out. Thanks mate.

 

[GGJstudios]

I'm curious to know too. Would appreciate an update from you here when you have it figured out / tried it out. Thanks mate.

The question was already answered. I use that option when syncing to my iPhone.

 

[mdehoogh]

The question was already answered. I use that option when syncing to my iPhone.

Well my main question was whether it would have to re-convert each time I sync something to a device.

Right after posting this thread, I clicked Sync on my shuffle, it's taken 34 minutes now to convert/sync 294 songs (considerably longer than before) and it's still going. Once it's done, I'll try it a couple of the same playlists on my nano and see if it will make use of any pre-converted version. I don't see any smaller version in any folders though so I imagine it will have to re-convert for each sync

 

[GGJstudios]

Well my main question was whether it would have to re-convert each time I sync something to a device.

Yes, it does, since the converted item is not stored in your iTunes library, but only on the device you synced it to.

 

[Mackilroy]

You don't need to reconvert each and every time you sync if the songs aren't changing. If you add songs though, those will need to be converted before they're copied to the device.

 

[mdehoogh]

You don't need to reconvert each and every time you sync if the songs aren't changing. If you add songs though, those will need to be converted before they're copied to the device.

Yeah, but say I want the same music on a few devices. For example, I just synced Artist X - Album Y to my shuffle, now I'd like to add the same to my iPhone. It would be nice if it stored the low-bitrate version somewhere so it could reuse it when syncing with the phone, instead it appears that it will re-compress once I sync the new device. I guess I could always use the "Create AAC Version" option to accomplish that.

 

[mdehoogh]

Another question, since I'm cleaning up my library and resyncing all my devices,

On my 2GB Shuffle, the 'Enable disk use' option is checked, I have never used it as removable storage, and just restored the iPod today. If I uncheck that feature, it changes the data capacities listed at the bottom of the Summary page.

Currently, after a fresh restore and sync,

1.88GB Total
1.53GB Audio
90.5MB Other
266.2MB Free

If I uncheck the disk-use setting, it changes to,

1.88GB Total
1.40GB Audio
125.1MB Other
368.4MB Free

I'm not sure how/why the values change just from adjusting the disk-use option, especially since I haven't added any files that way. I think I read somewhere that VoiceOver files are categorized as Other but since I'm not adding/removing anything, that shouldn't have any effect.

Any ideas why the values change so much?

 

[Mackilroy]

Yeah, but say I want the same music on a few devices. For example, I just synced Artist X - Album Y to my shuffle, now I'd like to add the same to my iPhone. It would be nice if it stored the low-bitrate version somewhere so it could reuse it when syncing with the phone, instead it appears that it will re-compress once I sync the new device. I guess I could always use the "Create AAC Version" option to accomplish that.

Yes, you'll either have to make duplicates of everything as a lower rate AAC file, or just use the computer to convert for each individual device. It's a tradeoff between time spent converting for each one, or converting once, having duplicates and more storage space used.