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[skirmash]

Hello all,

I am desperate for Media Center to be my one stop shop for all my media requirements. Could someone please let me know if Media Center is capable of the following:

1) Managing my music collection in lossless FLAC format with application of Replay Gain. I believe the answer to this is yes.

2) Converting the FLAC collection into a separate MP3 collection to which Replay Gain can be applied for sync'ing with Ipods. I want to manage the MP3 collection independently of the FLAC collection even though it is the same collection in 2 different formats.

3) Managing sync'ing with multiple independent Ipods (I have one and my significant other has one too). I have an IPOD classic with everything on it whereas she will just put a smaller number of albums on her NANO so she can run with it.

I would appreciate it if someone can provide any answers,

Thanks,

Ash

[JimH]

Yes on all, but it's easy for you to try. 

[Dirhael]

1. Yes, this most certainly is possible. It's even done automatically if you don't disable the option to analyze files when added to your collection.

2. Yes, this is quite easy to do. You don't really need to create separate collections, you could just create two different "views" for the different codecs (one for mp3's only and another for flac). This way, you don't have to create two different libraries and switch between them (though you can manage it this way as well if you prefer).

3. I don't know as I no longer own any iPods, but I don't see why not. After all, every other device you connect can have separate sync profiles in MC so I'm guessing it would be the same for iPods.

[MrHaugen]

2. Why bother having a MP3 collection as well? You'll both only use it for the MP3 players right? MC13 will encode the flac to MP3 on sync if you want it to. I don't have much flac yet my self, but I belive I have transferred some tracks to my shuffle by now.

3. You said you don't have it now, but just remember that MC13 will not work with touch and iPhones. That's the only limitation. But there are simple apps like SharePod (if I remember correctly) who can sync to those, so it's not a total showstopper anyway.

[skirmash]

2. Why bother having a MP3 collection as well? You'll both only use it for the MP3 players right? MC13 will encode the flac to MP3 on sync if you want it to. I don't have much flac yet my self, but I belive I have transferred some tracks to my shuffle by now.

I had not considered what you suggest. My immediate reaction (of course not based upon experience) is that the on the fly conversion might make sync times very long. Of course, if the USB connection to an IPOD is the bottle neck, then maybe the format conversion will have no impact.

I expect to sync the IPOD classic occasionally because it will have my entire collection on it, whereas the NANO we each own will get sync'd on a far more regular basis since it holds much less software and is used for working out. Do I take it that syncing works on a 'net change' basis? That is, if I a new album to my collection, then syncing will simply add the new album to the Classic rather than attempting to sync the whole collection again?

Many thanks for your responses,

Ash

[zxsix]

I had not considered what you suggest. My immediate reaction (of course not based upon experience) is that the on the fly conversion might make sync times very long. Of course, if the USB connection to an IPOD is the bottle neck, then maybe the format conversion will have no impact.

I expect to sync the IPOD classic occasionally because it will have my entire collection on it, whereas the NANO we each own will get sync'd on a far more regular basis since it holds much less software and is used for working out. Do I take it that syncing works on a 'net change' basis? That is, if I a new album to my collection, then syncing will simply add the new album to the Classic rather than attempting to sync the whole collection again?

Many thanks for your responses,

Ash

Look into the 'handheld cache' option under the ipod device.
You allocate some temp folder for MC to store the transcoded mp3 files in. 
The initial time you sync, it will take a while.  Let it run overnight.
Each additional sync will be much faster as it will check the cache for an MP3 version of the song and  use that instead of transcoding again.
The 'stack' feature keeps the tags in sync between the parent flac file and it's child the mp3 should you make any tag changes.

I have two ipod videos, 2 nanos, and 1 touch.  All sync just fine with J River except for the touch.
I'm stuck using a competing product for that one device until some progress is made on a plugin to MC.