iPod Does "Convert higher bitrate songs to 128 kbps AAC for this iPod" option exist?

[duncyboy]

Wolfpup: it's funny you should mention the 'Last Played' thing 'cause I've had that in the past also. Tracks played in iTunes since the last sync updating all over again, possibly just to add +1 to the Play Count.

afd: yeah, it's a forgotten option for me until it's fixed I will definitely use it in future when it works. I got back about 3+ GB of space on my iPod and the sound wasn't VASTLY downgraded for me. I have a decent set of earbuds (Sennheisers) and the small (to my ears) loss of quality was worth it for the space saved*. Having read your last post it never happens to me when the 128 AAC box is unticked- iTunes works fine then. It's only when the AAC is on it goes pear-shaped.

Oh, well. It wouldn't be interesting if everything really did just work now would it?

* Notice how diplomatically I worded that to avoid the inevitable wrath of the Audiophiles?

 

[chrisworld]

Well, for me, I think this is official. Checking the 128 option does NOT update/compress songs already on your iPod as long as the "Manually Manage" option is checked, which kinda makes sense. So now I can sync mp3's and purchsed aac's at their higher-than-128 bitrates, not worry about them, and have the 128 option checked when I sync my apple lossless songs to the ipod. All CD rips i've done has been in apple lossless - I like the security of having them in lossless, can always transcode down properly.

I've checked the option, with 256kbps AAC's sitting on the iPod (manually managed music), synced it, unplugged, replugged, synced it. The 256kbps AAC's remain unchanged.

This is what I've seen so far and it has sold me on the idea that they will not be changed if manually manage - is selected.

But whos to say during a period of AFK, the thing will fire up and start converting, plugged in or not, even running off battery sitting overnight.

We'll see I guess.

 

[duncyboy]

TUAW/MacOSXHints have posted a solution: http://www.tuaw.com/2010/05/07/how-to-squash-a-syncing-bug-in-itunes-9-1-1/

Apparently there are two builds of 9.1.1. - (11) and (12)- if you've got 11, redownload from the Apple website. This won't show up in Software Update, you have to do it manually. Will give it a crack when I get home and let you know how I get on

 

[Wolfpup]

Yay! I just checked, and I have 12. Thanks for posting that info!

 

[duncyboy]

Yay! I just checked, and I have 12. Thanks for posting that info!

You're welcome, let us know if it works better

I had build-11 so I've got 12 and am re-syncing now. Will let you know how I get on although it can take a while for my stuff to sync

EDIT: OK, so the morning after the night before and everything seems fine. I've got back a good few gigs of space and all my stuff's synced fine. I tried to listen to a few tunes and reconnect- no problems. Fingers crossed!

 

[Nairmb]

Just to make things clear, does this feature keep my original Lossless files intact and only keeps the 128 AACs on my 30 GB 5.5? How exactly does it "convert" the files. It's very important that I still have only Lossless files in my library.

 

[Wolfpup]

Yeah, it would keep the originals in tact. It would be transcoding them to a lower bit rate file during the process of copying it to the iPod (which would make the process take longer, I assume).

It's a pretty cool feature, though I agree with whoever said it ought to let you select your own bit rate and settings to use. If you had a ton of hard drive space the idea of using loseless and then converting down for your iPod sounds pretty reasonable.

 

[chrisworld]

Just to make things clear, does this feature keep my original Lossless files intact and only keeps the 128 AACs on my 30 GB 5.5? How exactly does it "convert" the files. It's very important that I still have only Lossless files in my library.

Yeah, it keeps your files intact, only converts them as they are put on the ipod. Actually, I think one by one they are put into ram, converted then dropped on the ipod, so none of your originals are replaced at all. I was using the 128 option for a while but I did kinda notice how less "vibrant" they sounded so decided to up it and create some 256 AAC's from my losslesses then put them on the ipod manually, then delete the 256 AAC's. Lossless's still stay in library.