iTunes Match: A way to disable "streaming"? (Download only, ignore missing songs)

[benguild]

I hate the fact that iTunes Match tries to automatically download songs. It's one thing if I literally touch it with my finger and try to play it, but I think when playing a playlist or telling it to "shuffle all songs" ... it shouldn't go through songs not on the device.

I'd love to see a configuration toggle for this.

 

[Tones2]

Good point. I assume that there is now no way to "shuffle all songs" on a device with iTunes matched on if your library exceeds your device capacity assuming you cycle through all songs (whch is doubtful). Still, it's pretty irritating that in order to then get rid of all songs downloaded with the shuffle, you have to remember what was shuffled through that was not on your device.

There are so many negatively to iTunes Match right now that you have to be insane to turn this on at a device level. For me, it's worth the $25 for simply get upgraded version of songs that it can match and to have backup for my entire library, including metadata. Once I go through that the first time, Im turning it off on my PC and NEVER turning it on my device, at least until the 10 or so major flaws with this whole process get worked out.

Tony

 

[benguild]

Good point. I assume that there is now no way to "shuffle all songs" on a device with iTunes matched on if your library exceeds your device capacity assuming you cycle through all songs (whch is doubtful). Still, it's pretty irritating that in order to then get rid of all songs downloaded with the shuffle, you have to remember what was shuffled through that was not on your device.

There are so many negatively to iTunes Match right now that you have to be insane to turn this on at a device level. For me, it's worth the $25 for simply get upgraded version of songs that it can match and to have backup for my entire library, including metadata. Once I go through that the first time, Im turning it off on my PC and NEVER turning it on my device, at least until the 10 or so major flaws with this whole process get worked out.

Tony

Yeah, I love it between my desktop and laptop, but on my iPhone it really sucks.

Ironically, turning Airplane Mode on disables streaming, but still shows your entire library when shuffling. I wish there was a way to separate playback from having music available for download.

 

[maclook]

I think in Settings there's an option to "show all music" under iTunes Match. Is that what you're looking for?

 

[benguild]

I think in Settings there's an option to "show all music" under iTunes Match. Is that what you're looking for?

Tried that, but then you have to turn it back on to download songs. It's stupid. Why not just skip over the songs that aren't saved? Otherwise it turns Match into a streaming service that's slow and unusable without 3G.

 

[tharris0101]

Basically, the "Show all Music" toggle needs to be in the Music app instead of the Settings app. I think if it were easier to toggle it would be way better.

 

[hokiepokie07]

I'm confused, so will this download my entire library to my iPhone? I don't want that because my iPhone won't be able to store them all.

I'd rather it stream the songs, but I assume that isn't possible.

 

[tharris0101]

I'm confused, so will this download my entire library to my iPhone? I don't want that because my iPhone won't be able to store them all.

I'd rather it stream the songs, but I assume that isn't possible.

No, it will toggle the Music app from showing only songs you have downloaded to showing your entire cloud library.

 

[hokiepokie07]

No, it will toggle the Music app from showing only songs you have downloaded to showing your entire cloud library.

So I can't pick and choose from certain albums to play on my iPhone while I'm driving? For instance, let's say tomorrow morning when I am driving, I'd like to listen to a different a album or a different set of songs than today. How does that work?

 

[Tones2]

I think in Settings there's an option to "show all music" under iTunes Match. Is that what you're looking for?

This should solve the all song shuffle program corrrect? If you turn this on when shuffling all songs then turn it off if you want to download...

Tony

 

[tharris0101]

So I can't pick and choose from certain albums to play on my iPhone while I'm driving? For instance, let's say tomorrow morning when I am driving, I'd like to listen to a different a album or a different set of songs than today. How does that work?

You "Show all Music" so you can see everything available to you. This is the default. When you turn Show all Music off, you only see music already downloaded to your phone.

So in your example, you make sure "Show all Music" is on, and either download your album before you leave for work or stream it while you are driving. Careful with streaming though, 3G streaming isn't perfect. In my short time with the beta, I found it more useful to download things to your phone in advance when you were on a wi-fi connection.

 

[hokiepokie07]

You "Show all Music" so you can see everything available to you. This is the default. When you turn Show all Music off, you only see music already downloaded to your phone.

So in your example, you make sure "Show all Music" is on, and either download your album before you leave for work or stream it while you are driving. Careful with streaming though, 3G streaming isn't perfect. In my short time with the beta, I found it more useful to download things to your phone in advance when you were on a wi-fi connection.

I see now. I haven't actually used it yet, my iTunes Match is loading my music now. So, if I am on my way to work or working out, I can still stream my music without actually having to download it? For instance, if I want to listen to a song I didn't actually download that morning, I can find it on my iPhone and listen to it without it actually downloading to my iPhone?

 

[tharris0101]

I see now. I haven't actually used it yet, my iTunes Match is loading my music now. So, if I am on my way to work or working out, I can still stream my music without actually having to download it? For instance, if I want to listen to a song I didn't actually download that morning, I can find it on my iPhone and listen to it without it actually downloading to my iPhone?

Right, you can stream to your phone by just playing the song and it won't download to your phone.

 

[hokiepokie07]

Right, you can stream to your phone by just playing the song and it won't download to your phone.

So when I actually download a song to my iPhone from iTunes Match, how do I delete it off my phone so I don't fill up my memory?

 

[tharris0101]

So when I actually download a song to my iPhone from iTunes Match, how do I delete it off my phone so I don't fill up my memory?

Swipe right over the song to bring up the delete button (like how you currently delete things off the iphone like txt messages and things). You have to do it one song at a time right now, which is horrible. Hoping Apple fixes that soon.

 

[hokiepokie07]

Swipe right over the song to bring up the delete button (like how you currently delete things off the iphone like txt messages and things). You have to do it one song at a time right now, which is horrible. Hoping Apple fixes that soon.

Thanks!

I just realized that whenever I play a song on my iPhone it automatically downloads it, or at least the little square with the download things begins. Is there a way to cut that off?

 

[benguild]

You "Show all Music" so you can see everything available to you. This is the default. When you turn Show all Music off, you only see music already downloaded to your phone.

So in your example, you make sure "Show all Music" is on, and either download your album before you leave for work or stream it while you are driving. Careful with streaming though, 3G streaming isn't perfect. In my short time with the beta, I found it more useful to download things to your phone in advance when you were on a wi-fi connection.

This is stupid.
You mean to say that when I want to download an album I just put on my iTunes, I need to toggle that on, download the album, wait for it to finish, THEN turn it back off? Meanwhile, if I'm listening to music, it's going to start streaming the other songs, thus slowing down the other downloads and whatever else I'm doing? And wasting battery?

Give me a break. I'm surprised they don't have a "download only" toggle yet.

 

[zhenya]

The toggle switch you want is there - it's just in Settings --> Music rather than directly available in the Music app.

The reality is, the default setting is the way that most people are going to want their library to behave. Match is designed to keep your music library in sync across all of your devices and computers. That necessitates making the entire library available. If you don't want to worry about downloading additional music, turn Show All Music off, and it will work just like you want it to. Heck, your playlists even update to reflect what is available instantly.

 

[eyeseeyou]

I think in Settings there's an option to "show all music" under iTunes Match. Is that what you're looking for?

Exactly. Wish you didn't have to drill into settings to do this. I used the IconSettings feature to make it a but quicker.

 

[ohokay]

There's a pretty helpful tutorial on idownloadsblog.com about this. From what I gathered, if a song is "matched" on iTunes, it streams. If a song is "uploaded", then it downloads. So far, this has been my experience. I have noticed, however, that streaming AND downloading on 3G is terribly slow, and almost unusable. Hopefully this gets fixed soon?

 

[bushido]

Right, you can stream to your phone by just playing the song and it won't download to your phone.

u cant stream on an iDevice. Its always downloading and u have to manually delete it which is rather stupid during shuffle because u tend to forget and not remember what u listened to which also makes it hard to pick out what u have to delete

 

[benguild]

Exactly. Wish you didn't have to drill into settings to do this. I used the IconSettings feature to make it a but quicker.

Right, but why not add another option to only download songs/albums/playlists manually? Very rarely would I rather have a playlist "stream". It uses battery/bandwidth ... that sucks!

 

[ScootPatoot]

Right, but why not add another option to only download songs/albums/playlists manually? Very rarely would I rather have a playlist "stream". It uses battery/bandwidth ... that sucks!

Why don't you turn iTunes Match off on the iDevice? It seems as though you can just sync the old way to accomplish what you are asking for?

 

[benguild]

Why don't you turn iTunes Match off on the iDevice? It seems as though you can just sync the old way to accomplish what you are asking for?

Because I want to download music on-the-go.