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[jmone]

I've read the threads but need your advice!  My whole concept was to keep ONE Library and from this server serve to the other PC’s and sync with the Various devices the media tracks as requested…anyway my setup WAS:
- Main PC (Win7) with MC14 and my Library mainly in WMA Lossless / FLAC with some MP3
- The folders with the media files are setup as read only Network Shares
- MC14 Library Server runs on this PC for other MC instances to use
- I use MC14 to sync / convert to WMA VBR the songs I want onto a HTC Touch WinMo Device’s SD Card --> Happy Camper 
- Daughters Laptop (Vista) with MC14 using Library Server from the Main PC (+ network share access) -->  Use MC to sync / convert to MP3 192K the songs she wants to an old IPod Nano --> Happy Camper 

The Problem:  Unfortunately my Son decided he really wanted an IPod Touch today - and now I'm not a happy camper  (I just don't get the user fascination with Apple, must be the groovy white colour). 
- Sons Laptop (Vista) with MC14 using Library Server from the Main PC (+ network share access ) -->  As MC14 does not support the IPod Touch I’ve got my self in the situation where currently I've:
- Installed ITunes  --> Added the folder from the Network Share
- Watching ITunes now try to convert all of the ‘000 of WMA Lossless files to AAC regardless of which ones my son may or may ever want to listen to
- Watched ITunes now ignore all the FLAC files
- At least ITunes seems to just reference the few MP3 files I have

Given I’m stuck with the IPod Touch, what are the options?
- What are the chances for a working MC Plug-In, I see that gvanbrunt progress is taking awhile
- Use MC to transcode my entire library to a new share then keep it synced with Prod’s MC iTunes Synchronizer
- Keeps things as I’ve now got them with a separate ITunes library and hope ITunes finishes some time in the next couple of days converting the WMAs

Thanks
Nathan

[prod]

Hi Nathan

Not sure if you've already read it, but zxsix wrote a PDF doc that describes a solution that may interest you. In a nutshell, he only converts and syncs the files that are in selected playlists at that point in time. The PDF is in the MC iTunes Synchronizer zip.

Pete

[jmone]

 What a palaver......Apple should have the c**p kicked out of them for this.....It turns out that according to my Wife, I'm "PC" and my son is "Apple" from the TV Ad....I'm still not seeing the funny side of this.

Anyway, thanks Pete for your work and after many hours I've just complete the first sucessful sync thanks to your tool and zxsix's guide.  It looks like the best solution so far and I've posted another Q in your thread. 

Nathan

[jmone]

....and they just charged my Son A$13 to upgrade his brand new iTouch's SW to Ver3.0 

[zxsix]

Yep, we're stuck with itunes, at a minimum for application management and firmwares.
prod's work he's done on his sync utility has made it almost palatable and has reduced my blood pressure considerably.

[MrC]

We tried last night to update my wife's ipod touch to version 3.0.  HORRIBLE MISTAKE.

With iTunes 8.2.1 installed, and 2.2.1 firmware on the touch, neither my Mac, nor her PC, would recognize the device, and crashed iTunes.  I sent dozens of "Report to Apple" reports each time.

I followed every Support document for getting iTunes to recognize Apple's own darned device.  Eventually, after deleting iTunes and their Mobile Device junk software, and re-installing, I was able to have iTunes detect the device.  Guess what... it *offered* me to upgrade to 3.0 - and so we did.  At least we tried.  After purchasing, downloading, and letting iTunes update the firmware, it failed at the very end with code 14 (there's a handy code), saying the device needed to be restored completely.  Darn.  So second attempt tried, second attempt failed.  Thereafter, I went through dozens of support documents, uninstalling/reinstalling iTunes, creating new user accounts, etc. all to no avail.  We now have a brick, which has to be taken to the Apple Store.

What a horrible experience, and a total waste of 5 hours time.  That with the loss of our portable (virtual) handheld device settings and lossing our conversion cache and music database, reminded my once again that the sync process between any two devices is poorly implemented and supported in the software industry, mostly because software doesn't correctly deal with the error and exception cases, instead punting or tossing up not too helpful dialogs like "Unable to sync.. beep" and bailing.  Eg. for (i .. # of files) { convert $i; if fail then bail };

[JimH]

Did you tell Apple what you think?

[MrC]

Did you tell Apple what you think?

Oh, that's coming today!  The start is by sending dozens of crash reports.

[jmone]

While I'm also happy to contact Apple I have no expectations that it will help.  Take MS latest example, it was only after losing court cases and suffering large penalties in the EU (not customer complaints) that forced them to stop the mandatory bundling of IE with Windows and then only in that jurisdiction.

So why is Apply "special" when it comes to this, if MS tried to "force" Zune users to only use their SW they get sued.....

[MrC]

It may not "help" in any measurable sense, but we have two ways (in the USA) of voting our minds:

1) customer feedback, load and vocal
2) customer boycotts

Any frustration at any company not doing what we feel is correct needs to be specifically and rightly targeted at the masses who continue to purchase, establishing their choice not to affect change.  This is simple business economics of majority rules, and only in cases of egregious infractions are (class) actions taken.

Tell your son he's on his own (re the iPod).  And my wife is off today dealing with Apple and their problematic software/hardware.

So for today, I'll select (1), and then if things continue, (2) comes next.

I purchased a Jeep Grand Cherokee some years back from Chrysler, which had unbelievable numbers of problems.  I drove for months with diagnostic equipment sticking out of my window, going under the hood of the car to the engine.   After 6 months of fighting with the company, they finally told me they were unwilling to deal with the car's problems.  I said there and then to their VP I would never purchase another Chrysler product.  He didn't care.  And I never have.  As Al Pacino's Scarface said "Now look at you".

[jmone]

Those options work well and provide leverage with the supplier when they represent a significant portion on their client base.  I've not been able to find the up to date #'s but in the MP3 Market it is something like 250+Million Units per year of which Apple have a 70%+ market share.....the segment that cares about 3rd party software access is to Apple in terms of market power....irrelevant.  All jurisdictions recognise this issue and try to address it through specific Anti Competition Legislation / Commissions that were created for these reasons.  That said, while I’m a keen MC user, I’m not that keen to fight some holy war with Apple.

[MrC]

I think we are in general agreement.  The price of democracy and well-functioning capitalism is *very* high.  We each pick a battle or two, and push back where we have the ability, desire, and drive.  When we all give up and roll over, we get what we ask for.

Sometimes its not about directly, or noticeably, influencing a vendor; that is a *secondary benefit*.  Sometimes its about what stands we take simply because they are right for us... regardless of the consequences.

[jmone]

Yup - and for all of that they will still get my 2cents worth....

[Frobozz]

So why is Apply "special" when it comes to this, if MS tried to "force" Zune users to only use their SW they get sued.....

Ah, but Microsoft does force you to use their special Zune software to be able to sync to a Zune.  The Zune is locked to using the Zune software to sync just like the Touch and iPhone are locked to using iTunes to sync.  There were hacks to be able to get early versions of the Zune to sync using third party tools, but the latest version is locked and last time I looked there were no hacks that work on the latest versions of the Zune.

Microsoft does have protected content on the Zune for things like people who subscribe to the Zune Pass and "squirting" files to other Zunes over wifi.  Features like Zune Pass wouldn't be able to work with third party syncing tools.  And if third party tools were able to get access to the Zune there might be some issues with managing (as in DRM) that protected content.  I don't know???

In any event, I'm never going to get a Zune as long as it has no third party sync support.  That's a shame because it is good hardware and does gapless.

[Peter_T]

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I manage two libraries.  I didn't want to, but after struggling with some of the different syncing solutions (some mentioned above) I just bit the bullet and made mp3 copies of everything and plopped them on my laptop.  That required a new big HD for the laptop, but that's nice for lots of reasons. 

Now when I buy a new CD or mp3 I import them into MC (as FLAC if ripping) and also into iTunes.  I then mark them (in a custom field in MC) as being imported in iTunes as well, just as an extra QC check.  Then I'm done.

Of course playlists and ratings don't sync, but that's OK.  Everything else is pretty static in my library.  Lastfm keeps track of my plays from both systems and my iPod.