[Alan Toronto]

I'm a newbie to iTunes and iPod, so guidance is appreciated. I was given a good start from posts in another thread, from Hugh and others. Now I need some more advice. Thanks.

For lossless, I think Apple would be easiest

Once the lossless versions are in your library you can switch options and then create smaller AAC or MP3 versions of all your songs. My suggestion is to use AAC since I think its superior to MP3 but that's a personal preference

In iTunes I have been creating Apple Lossless files, ripping from commercial audio CDs and also vinyl LPs that I own. To set iTunes to create Apple Lossless, I did this:
Edit | Preferences | General | Import Settings: I selected "Apple Lossless Encoder"

In iTunes under Library | Music it shows all the newly created Apple Lossless Encoder files. So, when I connected the iPod, the Apple Lossless Encoder are synched to the iPod, but that is not what I want. What I want is to just save those Apple Lossless Encoder files as master files to archive. Apple Lossless are for my own long-term storage and to serve as masters from which to output more compact portable formats such as AAC and MP3 for use on my iPod.

1. How do I now create AAC files from those Apple Lossless Encoder files, and synch just those AAC files to the iPod and not synch the Apple Lossless Encoder files?

2. How best should I use iTunes to manage the Apple Lossless files that are intended to remain on the PC, and the AAC (and possibly some downloaded MP3) files that are intended to sync onto the iPod?

- Should I create multiple iTunes libraries, one for Apple Lossless files and another for the "output" files intended to sync to the iPod?

- Is it easier/better to have all files, lossless and lossy, in a single library, but then manually select which files (lossy ones, AAC and MP3) are to sync to the iPod, or perhaps to create a Playlist which would include the files intended to sync to the iPod?

 

[hugh]

1. Change your import settings in iTunes to a lossy format.
2. Highlight all your files, right mouse click and create lossy versions of all songs
3. Create two smart playlists: one that has all your lossy versions, one that has all your lossless versions (use bitrate as your defintion for what is in each smart playlist)
4. Create a playlist (call it iPod or something similar) for syncing to your ipod
5. Add all the lossy songs you want to your ipod playlist for syncing.
6. Sync in Itunes

 

[Alan Toronto]

Thanks, Hugh.

Are steps 3, 4, and 5 sort of repetitive? Or, is creating a Smart Playlist different than creating the Playlist that I will use for syncing to the iPod?

 

[hugh]

The ipod sync playlist will likely be a subset of the lossy playlist

 

[Alan Toronto]

Ah, I think I see now. A Smart Playlist is required, as it is what allows automated sorting to be done, such as sorting based on bitrate.

Is a regular playlist populated just by clicking/dragging?

 

[Alan Toronto]

In iTunes I am creating Apple Lossless files, ripping from my commercial audio CDs so that I will no longer have to have stacks of commercial CDs in my living room.

1. If I later use iTunes to "Burn Playlist to Disc" and select Audio CD as the Disc Format, will the burned CD be the same audio quality as the original commercial audio CD?

2. Is there no way to directly burn a CD of an album in iTunes? The only way I can find to burn a CD is to create a playlist with the album I want and then burn that playlist to CD.

Thanks

 

[blueroomelectro]

I would suggest turning on error correction while ripping.

 

[Alan Toronto]

Thanks Hugh, and others

I want to thank Hugh and other posters for their info. and advice.

I am using Hugh's process. I use iTunes to rip from CDs (and soon from vinyl) to Apple Lossless. Then I select the Apple Lossless files and output smaller lossy files for use on the iPod. My Smart Playlist selects the lossy files, based on a lower bitrate threshold, and synchs those to the iPod. This is working well. I like the fact that I can always convert from Apple Lossless to some other format in future if I need to.

Thanks.

 

[hugh]

Aww, gee shucks, you're welcome.

I always feel good when folks get benefit from the forums.