Questions about iTunes Match

[2ndchancephones]

Hi,

I'm sure this will be a couple of dumb questions for you iTunes Match vets, but here goes.

I'm to the point where I want all my music off my iPhone and iPad. It's taking up too much room. I know I could pair it down by syncing less, but I'm looking for alternatives.

So, my question(s) are.

*. If I pay for iTunes Match is all my music in the cloud?
*. If I pay for it is there a way to tell iTunes or my iPhone to not sync anymore to my iPhone?
*. Is this possible? To just stream my music that I want to listen to straight from iTunes Match to my iPhone or iPad?

----or, is this even the purpose of iTunes Match?

--- are there alternatives?

Again, sorry for being so clueless about iTunes Match. I saw on Apple's website that says music in iCloud will download to your iPhone or iPad when you play it....that is what I don't want.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Rigby]

So, my question(s) are.

*. If I pay for iTunes Match is all my music in the cloud?

Yes, except for ineligible tracks (file size exceeds 200MB, or very low bitrate MP3 encodings).

*. If I pay for it is there a way to tell iTunes or my iPhone to not sync anymore to my iPhone?

Yes, as soon as you activiate Match on the device, music is not synced anymore.

*. Is this possible? To just stream my music that I want to listen to straight from iTunes Match to my iPhone or iPad?

Yes, provided you are using a recent iOS version (6.1.x).

--- are there alternatives?

Google Music or Amazon Cloud Player both work on iOS. But the services cost about the same and are not as nicely integrated in the Apple ecosystem.

 

[Dulcimer]

I thought iTunes Match downloads to iOS devices.

 

[Rigby]

I thought iTunes Match downloads to iOS devices.

This was changed in one of the iOS 6.1.x versions. The song is only permanently downloaded if you tap the little cloud button, but not when you just play it. It now behaves as you would expect.

 

[Dulcimer]

This was changed in one of the iOS 6.1.x versions. The song is only permanently downloaded if you tap the little cloud button, but not when you just play it. It now behaves as you would expect.

Really? That's awesome!

 

[2ndchancephones]

Yes, except for ineligible tracks (file size exceeds 200MB, or very low bitrate MP3 encodings).
Yes, as soon as you activiate Match on the device, music is not synced anymore.
Yes, provided you are using a recent iOS version (6.1.x).
Google Music or Amazon Cloud Player both work on iOS. But the services cost about the same and are not as nicely integrated in the Apple ecosystem.

Rigby...thanks for your responses! I went ahead and signed up for iTunes Match and it works great! I was able to delete all the songs off my iPhone which freed up a ton of space. I have been streaming away. . Really lad I'm grand-fathered into the unlimited data on AT&T. I'm really pleased so far.

 

[Risco]

Rigby...thanks for your responses! I went ahead and signed up for iTunes Match and it works great! I was able to delete all the songs off my iPhone which freed up a ton of space. I have been streaming away. . Really lad I'm grand-fathered into the unlimited data on AT&T. I'm really pleased so far.

You can actually have a hybrid of iTunes match also it does NOT stream on the iPhone it still downloads it.

To use hybrid, sync what music you always want on your phone so you are not at the mercy of poor cell reception. Then after this is done turn on iTune match, all the music you synced will be on the phone and the rest you can download as needed.

 

[Primejimbo]

I am glad I read this, because I been think about doing this. I combined all of mine and my wife's music on 1 computer and wanting to give this a try.

Now can if iTunes match is under my iTunes account, would my wife be able to access it even if she has her own iTunes account?

 

[Orlandoech]

I am glad I read this, because I been think about doing this. I combined all of mine and my wife's music on 1 computer and wanting to give this a try.

Now can if iTunes match is under my iTunes account, would my wife be able to access it even if she has her own iTunes account?

She'll need to use the iTunes account that was used to sign up for match. Can't use multiple accounts.

 

[Primejimbo]

She'll need to use the iTunes account that was used to sign up for match. Can't use multiple accounts.

But would she still be able to use her account for other stuff like Find My iPhone and other stuff on her iPhone?

 

[roblawton]

But would she still be able to use her account for other stuff like Find My iPhone and other stuff on her iPhone?

Yes.

iCloud and iTunes accounts are different.

So you would use iCloud for Find my iPhone, Backups, Syncing, etc...

Then use iTunes account for iTunes Match.

(In Settings, the 'iTunes & App Stores' section looks after the iTunes account and iTunes Match / the 'iCloud' section looks after everything else!

 

[Primejimbo]

Yes.

iCloud and iTunes accounts are different.

So you would use iCloud for Find my iPhone, Backups, Syncing, etc...

Then use iTunes account for iTunes Match.

(In Settings, the 'iTunes & App Stores' section looks after the iTunes account and iTunes Match / the 'iCloud' section looks after everything else!

thanks! Now not sure if you know this, but I combined all our music on 1 computer, some I bought and some she bought, will they all be uploaded on 1 iTunes Match?

 

[roblawton]

thanks! Now not sure if you know this, but I combined all our music on 1 computer, some I bought and some she bought, will they all be uploaded on 1 iTunes Match?

Oooh, I haven't seen this before.

I think because iTunes will recognise purchased music, it won't touch anything purchased from the other account (the one which doesn't have iTunes Match) leaving it local on that machine and allowing everything else to be matched in the cloud.

It might just pick it up though, let us know what happens. It might 'match' it and you can re-download so everything's in one account but it might just say 'purchased' and allow you to re-download with that accounts password.

When you run match though, the 'iCloud Status' view option will tell you what it's done.

 

[Gav2k]

One thing to note guys and gals is that if you purchase music on an iOS device it'll download to the device. You can clear it after by going into settings but remember it'll require space to download.

 

[jazzybest]

one nice feature of itunes match is that you can covert your lower bit rate (if bit rate is less than 256kbps) songs to higher and download the higher one. Just make sure your library is backed up before doing this as its a manual procedure.
This along with having my collection backed up and ability to listen to any song over wi-fi was well worth the cost.

Here is a fast way of doing this:

http://www.macworld.com/article/1163620/how_to_upgrade_tracks_to_itunes_match_fast.html

 

[Primejimbo]

Oooh, I haven't seen this before.

I think because iTunes will recognise purchased music, it won't touch anything purchased from the other account (the one which doesn't have iTunes Match) leaving it local on that machine and allowing everything else to be matched in the cloud.

It might just pick it up though, let us know what happens. It might 'match' it and you can re-download so everything's in one account but it might just say 'purchased' and allow you to re-download with that accounts password.

When you run match though, the 'iCloud Status' view option will tell you what it's done.

thanks, you been very helpful. When I am ready to do this, I'll let you know what happens in this situation.