Before Media Center, I stored my music files in mp3 format, averaging 128Kb. Therefore, the quality was much lower and the filesizes were also much smaller. I also used iTunes at the time. Using a synchronizing program, I had everything set up to automatically sync one way from my desktop to my laptop my entire music library, iTunes database, and everything associated, like playlists which are in the two iTunes files.
Now, however, I am almost finished converting my 500 CD library to FLAC and am already well over 150Gb. This reveals a problem because my laptop drive is only 60Gb and my old mp3 library never exceeded 40Gb. I would like to know what other people have done to sync with their somewhat portable laptops? I know MC has good sync features for portable devices but I would like to take my entire music library with all playlists, ratings, etc., with me when I go on vacation this summer eventually.
Also, I would like to gradually build up a rating for every song I have. I understand that so many songs go unheard forever because people listen to their favorites and I am especially guilty of this. I need to broaden my interests by listening to other songs I already have and figure that I have about 40 days of solid music listening to get this accomplished, but if I spread it out over the course of two years, that's only a little over an hour per day. Perhaps I could break it up to 4 years--lol. The question here is that I want a way to save the rating in a standard format. In other words, I don't want to rely on MC's database because then if I switch programs, I would have to re-listen to everything, or !! Is what I want to do even possible? I just don't want to spend the four years on this task and then lose everything I did.
Portable players: I also need to buy a really good portable player. I have been looking at some 6Gb players with expansion slots. That seems like the best option for me but would like some feedback. I do not want an iPod and I really think a solid state player is the best option for me. I am so careful with my equipment but somehow I manage to drop mp3 players quite often. My small 128Mb player has held up through numerous falls of 5 feet or more and I am happy about that.