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[risingdamp]

Just taken delivery of a brand new 60GB iPOD photo and I need some advice to get me started.  There's a lot of information scattered around the forum but I don't know how much of it is up to date since MC11 so I'd appreciate a quick 'getting started guide'.

I want to use the latest MC11 to transfer favourite albums and some predefined playlists to my iPOD.  I also want to be able to add ratings using the iPOD and update MC with those ratings.  I have no plans to use the iPOD for Photos but I would like to view album art (I know I have to wait a while for MC to support that).

My library is made up of mostly MP3s ranging from 128-320.  I also have some OGG & MPC but nothing else.

Here's my basic questions:

1.  Do I have to install iTunes or can MC do everything I need (besides showing album art)?

2.  What's the step by step process to get me started? Assume I've created a view scheme with my favourite albums (I read Larry's useful guide) and several playlists or smartlists of my favourites tracks.  Is it a just case of initialising the iPOD and then right clicking on each view scheme / smartlist / playlist in turn or is there more to it than that?

3.  Are there any issues getting ratings from the iPOD back into MC?  I've seen threads about transferring ratings between MC & iTunes but I'm hoping that, if I just use MC, it's all very simple.

4.  When files are synched back to my hard drive from the iPOD (overwriting the old one I presume) does this cause any issues with other tags?  e.g. Am I in danger of losing Lyrics, Custom Fields etc?

Thanks for any help or advice you can give.

[prod]

1. MC does everything you need, assuming you only need to use your ipod for music.
2. plug your ipod in, open the drives and playlists tree, right click on your ipod, select sync ipod, select what you want to sync and click the button.
3. in sync ipod options select "sync data back to MC"
4. its my understanding it doesnt copy the files back, just syncs any changed tag settings like rating and last played. no you won't lose anything. it only syncs it if with the latest changes, ie. you change a rating on your ipod, then you change it in your MC library - it won't sync it, cos the change in the library came sooner.

hope this helps you a little, enjoy!

[risingdamp]

Thanks very much Prod for your help.  Just to clarify:

1.  Thank god for that.

2.  Sounds easy but I've heard initialisation mentioned.  When do I do that?  Does it just format the iPOD?

3.  Nice!

4.  If your understanding is correct does MC also do an 'Update files from tags' after it's synched the changed tag settings?

[SteveG]

prod,

Thanks for helping.

risingdamp,

2. If you have never run iPod with MC, after you first connect, it is a good idea to right click on the iPod in the MC tree and select 'Initialize'. It formats the iPod to be compatible with MC, but this is not always necessary.

4. MC will update the tags if you have the option for 'Update tags when file info changes' set in MC.


Steve

[risingdamp]

Perfect.  Thanks Steve. 

I have some problems now with files transferred but the iPOD doesn't want to play them.  I've seen another thread about this so I'll post there with a zip of the culprit files when I get chance. 

Thanks for your help.

[sirshambling]

Steve has found the the files that skip on my Ipod photo are ones with non-alphabet characters like () or & in the artist/name fields.

You might want to see if this is true for you as well.

John.

[SteveG]

Thanks for the post John.

Steve

[risingdamp]

Thanks John.

I don't think that's the case for me.  I studied the tags carefully and can't see any funny characters.  I've sent Steve the culprit tracks.  I'll carry on this discussion in the other thread now:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=25671.0http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=25671.0http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=25671.0