iTunes Library larger than iPod HD???

Andyman

Scroungus Stereophilus
Subscriber
I'm thinking about getting an iPod, since all my family has and loves them, but am concerned about the HD size and the sound quality.

Last night I messed around and found that MP3 or AAC ripped at 320 kbps don't sound too bad and are about 1/3rd the size of a WAV or FLAC file. That's a concern as at 10 meg/minute WAV files could only store 50 hours of music on a 30G iPod, or 130 hours on an 80Gb. Sounds like a lot, but 130 CDs o an 80GB pales when one considers that 128 kbps MP3s would allow 1300 hours!!!

So here's what I'm wondering. Can I set up two ITunes libraries and shuffle tunes back and forth? I know I can set up two; it's the shuffling I wonder about. Call one the Master Library and do all my ripping into it and call the second my iPod Library and move the music I want on my iPod into it? I'd sync my iPod to the smaller library. That way I can rip stuff in WAV or FLAC format and store it on something like a 500GB external USB HD and still flow "good" files onto my iPod, albeit only a wee 50 hours, vai the smaller, sync'd library..

Has anybody done, tried this? How does it work? Any tricks on moving files?
I started messing with this yesterday afternoon, so if I'm asking iPod 1 questions, please bear with me.
 
It's a royal pain in tha arse and I don't recommend it. You end up managing the libraries a lot more than you'd like, or think you would.


A better way is allow the software to customize what playlists go to your ipod.

I have 160gb of files, and still grownong, and only a 60gb iPod. I can easily select which files go to the iPod, by making playlists and smart playlists, and if I really want to get fancypants, I can easily use the "comments" file to sort and label the files, such as "ipod-sized files" or "compressed files for iPod" and sort 'em that way.
 
Thanks! I heard basically the same thing from a guy at work today, so it looks like that's the trick.

BTW, what format do you rip to?
 
I'll jump in...I use 320 kbps AAC. If I play it though my main system, I can hear a slight loss in fidelity compared to the original CD. However, since 99% of my listening is either through headphones or my car's stereo system, it's just fine for me, and a reasonable compromise with uncompressed .wav file sizes.

I may try the playlist solution as well. It's certainly cheaper than a new iPod! My old 20GB still holds a charge pretty well, although I've been lusting after a new 80GB classic in black.
 
If I understand correctly from what you're asking you don't need two libraries. You can add to your iPod from one master library whatever combination of songs by creating play lists. You have a lot of options in the preferences and creating playlists are a breeze.

For example my iTunes library on my laptop has about 3000 titles, they're also backed up on a external hard disk. I've created tons of playlists. Classical, New Wave, Classic Rock, Going for jogging, etc. When I plug the iPod in, it looks only for iTunes software upgrades. If I feel like going for a run I just download from my Going for jogging playlist.

Playlist can be a couple of songs or hundreds. You can also pick specific songs from a playlist too. You can also add multiple playlists as long as you have room on your iPod.

Hope that helps.
 
I rip 320kbps AAC (that's MP4) with VBR (that's Variable Bit Rate).

It's an option in the iTunes menu.

Some songs I rip in AIFF as a nice way to test gear on-the-go. The iPod and a minijack to RCA-out, or even better, an iPod bottom jack to RCA out (harder to find).
 
I have a library of mp3 files and a library of Apple Lossless files. If this is what you are suggesting, it is pretty easy to separate the two by creating a playlist of the type of file. I now have one playlist with all mp4s and another of all mp3.
 
I use either iTunes to rip AAC files @ 320 kb/sec, either 44.1 or 48 Khz, or if I'm really picky, MAX 0.7.1 using AAC at 320 VBR @ 44.1 (which ends up much higher than 320, with the highest bitrate at 356). Sounds just fine and dandy, files aren't super large, and you'll be able to pack alot of songs on the iPod.
 
I've got almost a Terabyte of MP3s, and still only a 1.5G Rio Nitrus!

Apparently, there are foks with the same concerns you have, and I'll be testing out ReQuest's Serious Play software in the next couple weeks. It sets the Audio ReQuest servers to automatically rip at two levels- FLAC + 192, for example. One to play at home through the audio outputs, one for streaming locally or globally and for loading to portable players. They also have what looks to be some nice ITunes integration (NetSync) where libraries sync (editing/playlists/etc.) but my collection is scattered over 4 ReQuest units & multiple hard drives, so that's a different scenario.

www.request.com

je
 
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