iTunes Match is now available internationally

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#560301 21-Dec-2011 15:09

The tracks that I've ripped from CDs are compressed at 192kbps. Does this mean that they will all be replaced with 320kbps tracks immediately when I sign up, or does it just give me theopportunity to do that if I so choose?

Im just trying to gauge what immediate impact it's going to have on my broadband cap and hard drive space.

jonherries

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#560302 21-Dec-2011 15:09

I thought the 25,000 limit was for those tracks that were not in iTunes?

But the way you are all describing it, your iTunes library can't be bigger than 25,000 tracks?

Jon

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#560309 21-Dec-2011 15:26

alasta: The tracks that I've ripped from CDs are compressed at 192kbps. Does this mean that they will all be replaced with 320kbps tracks immediately when I sign up, or does it just give me theopportunity to do that if I so choose?

Im just trying to gauge what immediate impact it's going to have on my broadband cap and hard drive space.

256Kbps AAC

alasta

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#560348 21-Dec-2011 17:17

geekiegeek:
alasta: The tracks that I've ripped from CDs are compressed at 192kbps. Does this mean that they will all be replaced with 320kbps tracks immediately when I sign up, or does it just give me theopportunity to do that if I so choose?

Im just trying to gauge what immediate impact it's going to have on my broadband cap and hard drive space.

256Kbps AAC

Thanks, but my question still stands as to whether my existing lower bitrate tracks will be immediately replaced.

porche20002

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#560364 21-Dec-2011 17:52

iTunes won't replace the music in your computer's library; when you play on your iPhone it will then grab the 256kbps AAC version. If you want to replace the music on your iTunes with the higher version, you'll need to create a smart playlist. This link might help. This is because you might have Apple Lossless on your computer or lower bit rates to save space.

alasta

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#560371 21-Dec-2011 18:13

porche20002: iTunes won't replace the music in your computer's library; when you play on your iPhone it will then grab the 256kbps AAC version.

I assume you mean "when you download on your iPhone"? I would have thought that playing an existing low bitrate song would leave it intact?

If you want to replace the music on your iTunes with the higher version, you'll need to create a smart playlist. This link might help. This is because you might have Apple Lossless on your computer or lower bit rates to save space.

That's a really helpful article; thanks for sharing it. Once I've enabled iTunes Match I'll probably perform a slightly modified version of this procedure in order to stagger the upgrade to higher bitrate files over a period of time. That way I can avoid blowing my broadband cap.

porche20002

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#560390 21-Dec-2011 18:56

alasta:
I assume you mean "when you download on your iPhone"? I would have thought that playing an existing low bitrate song would leave it intact?

Sorry. I meant when you want to play a file thats not your iPhone yet, it will download the 256kbps version. Yup, your right.

alasta: That way I can avoid blowing my broadband cap.

Your welcome.

That's my plan, I just subscribed for it and it's currently matching my songs. I'm already thinking about the songs I have to upload! That is going to blow a big hole in my cap.

Listening to some LPs while matching, which is making me nostalgic!
But then I thought, how could a 16 year old be nostalgic about vinyl?

Sharesies kids

Free kids accounts - trade shares and funds (NZ, US) with Sharesies (affiliate link).

shadybrothers

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#560418 21-Dec-2011 20:28

Once you match your collection it will transfer the itunes store version of the store in your cloud account, you can then back up your original music folder on an external etc, delete it from your itunes library and then itunes will download from the store.

this is a slap in the face!

alasta

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#560437 21-Dec-2011 21:08

Just to clarify, are the 256kbps audio files provided by iTunes Match free of any DRM or validity periods? If so then I guess there's nothing to stop you from paying the annual $40 fee once to legitimise your music collection, then cancel the service after a year and retain the high quality files.

shadybrothers

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#560438 21-Dec-2011 21:15

I'm not sure weather cancelling cancels the storage of the music or the potential to match future music.

this is a slap in the face!

porche20002

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#560440 21-Dec-2011 21:32

A helpful hint you might find is that if you clear the album artwork first, then replace the track with the matched version, you may end up getting higher quality artwork as I found with a couple of tracks.

Boy have I got a while to go. It needs to upload around 1000 tracks.

porche20002

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#560442 21-Dec-2011 21:36

alasta: Just to clarify, are the 256kbps audio files provided by iTunes Match free of any DRM or validity periods? If so then I guess there's nothing to stop you from paying the annual $40 fee once to legitimise your music collection, then cancel the service after a year and retain the high quality files.

Yes, the files are DRM free so you could use the service to upgrade your DRM'd ones to DRM free, but if you get info on the matched track, it will say 'Matched AAC File' and also Purchased by and the account name. You could always re-encode them to get rid of it though.

In fact, a lot of people are going to pay for the first year to legitimise and upgrade quality. They call it a 'Pirate Tax' (ha)

alasta

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#560450 21-Dec-2011 21:42

porche20002: Yes, the files are DRM free so you could use the service to upgrade your DRM'd ones to DRM free, but if you get info on the matched track, it will say 'Matched AAC File' and also Purchased by and the account name. You could always re-encode them to get rid of it though.

So does that actually impose any restrictions on the use of the file, or is it just a label?

In fact, a lot of people are going to pay for the first year to legitimise and upgrade quality. They call it a 'Pirate Tax' (ha)

I probably won't do it myself because for the sake of $40 a year the centralisation of my music collection seems useful enough, but I'm not surprised that a lot of people would do it. It's interesting that the record companies have actually allowed this - they seem to have softened up a lot in the last few years.

porche20002

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#560456 21-Dec-2011 21:57

alasta:
So does that actually impose any restrictions on the use of the file, or is it just a label?

Nope, it's just a label. There aren't any restrictions as such, but if you were to upload this for torrenting (is that a word?), people would know where the track came from as well as record labels.

I probably won't do it myself because for the sake of $40 a year the centralisation of my music collection seems useful enough, but I'm not surprised that a lot of people would do it. It's interesting that the record companies have actually allowed this - they seem to have softened up a lot in the last few years.

They do seem to have softened up. I remember having to beg iTunes support to get my purchases re-downloaded because of a backup failure. Now, it's just at the touch of a button.

Though I think Apple have a lot of power/force in getting the record companies to change their policies since they have I think 70% of online music sales?

iTunes match can turn my 16GB iPhone into a 30GB music collection, so I'm pretty happy with that too.

alasta

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#560459 21-Dec-2011 22:02

porche20002: Nope, it's just a label. There aren't any restrictions as such, but if you were to upload this for torrenting (is that a word?), people would know where the track came from as well as record labels.

Great, thanks. That won't be a problem for me.

Though I think Apple have a lot of power/force in getting the record companies to change their policies since they have I think 70% of online music sales?

iTunes match can turn my 16GB iPhone into a 30GB music collection, so I'm pretty happy with that too.

Yep, totally agree.

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