Managing mp3:s on Macs - newb questions

gongon
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I'm 99% newbie with Apple's stuff, don't have one myself (yet.. waiting for a PB revision and cash) but I bought an iBook for my mom and set it up for a week or so.



First thing I did was to rip a few CD:s and transfer a bunch of additional mp3:s to the iBook from my Windows desktop. I wanted to put all of the mp3:s into some directory common to all users, then with some user account, construct a private playlist with iTunes and start listening, just like I would with Winamp. I was surprised that iTunes made a physical copy of every mp3 into its own "library". Additionally, the library seemed to be individual for each user. Why does this happen, and is there a way to just play the files from wherever they are?



Second, related question about iPods. I've only tried one in a store, it really made an impression. Anyway, I heard that the iPods work as a normal Firewire HD, except for mp3:s. What's up with that? Can you copy the mp3:s on and off iPod just like every other file? Any difference if you connect it with PC or Mac - I understand you no longer have to reset iPod between using it on the two types of computer?



thanks in advance

- Gon

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    the generalthe general Posts: 649member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    I was surprised that iTunes made a physical copy of every mp3 into its own "library". Additionally, the library seemed to be individual for each user. Why does this happen, and is there a way to just play the files from wherever they are?



    - Gon



    in preferences, there is an option to copy music files to the library, turn that off. with that on, it makes a library in the users folder with the songs and leaves the original source.
  • Reply 2 of 6
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by The General

    in preferences, there is an option to copy music files to the library, turn that off. with that on, it makes a library in the users folder with the songs and leaves the original source.



    Thanks. I didn't think that the solution would be that simple.



    Curious behaviour though, since OS X is multiuser and the way things are by default, the mp3:s on the computer will be duplicated for each user. Could foreseeably turn ugly if there are even just a few gigabytes of mp3:s and a couple users who fail to figure out the copy thing.



    - Gon
  • Reply 3 of 6
    cosmocosmo Posts: 662member
    In the users directory (where your home directory is located) there shoudl be a folder called "Shared" put the mp3s in there and all users can access them. All users have access the the shared file AFAIK
  • Reply 4 of 6
    k_munick_munic Posts: 357member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    ?



    Second, related question about iPods. I've only tried one in a store, it really made an impression. Anyway, I heard that the iPods work as a normal Firewire HD, except for mp3:s. What's up with that? Can you copy the mp3:s on and off iPod just like every other file? Any difference if you connect it with PC or Mac - I understand you no longer have to reset iPod between using it on the two types of computer?



    thanks in advance

    - Gon



    as a kind of copy protection, iTunes and the Finder don't support the feature of copying mp3s as "normal file"s on and off the ipod. the concept behind this "odd" behavior is on your computer are just legal copies of your owned cds. the ipod then is just an "external player" of these files, stored at home on your hd.



    ok, for this price the ipod is also an external firewire hd, e.g. with a bootable system on it or with other files, you want to carry around.



    BUT:

    some folks programmed stuff, which is able to read out and store back mp3 files on the ipod, have a look at versiontracker, search for "iPod"



    afaik, the "dos" pods have a different file system! you can't connect an iPod with both worlds... afaik
  • Reply 5 of 6
    der kopfder kopf Posts: 2,275member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by k_munic

    as a kind of copy protection, iTunes and the Finder don't support the feature of copying mp3s as "normal file"s on and off the ipod.



    What? That's a half-truth, at the most: you can put any mp3 on there (with the Finder) as if it were an external HD. The only problem is that you won't be able to listen to them with the iPod. Alternatively, putting mp3s on there using iTunes does hide them from the naked eye, and you will need a third-party application or some experience with the command-line (Terminal) to get them back off. Like that, you will be able to listen to them. So, depending on what you want, you do have a choice.
  • Reply 6 of 6
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by der Kopf

    What? That's a half-truth, at the most: you can put any mp3 on there (with the Finder) as if it were an external HD. The only problem is that you won't be able to listen to them with the iPod. Alternatively, putting mp3s on there using iTunes does hide them from the naked eye, and you will need a third-party application or some experience with the command-line (Terminal) to get them back off. Like that, you will be able to listen to them. So, depending on what you want, you do have a choice.



    Good explanation.



    I feared the system would be more restrictive. Technically the current setup seems to make sense.. it makes for an easier implementation if they don't have to worry about "finding" the music among the contents of the entire drive. I doubt they even meant it for copy protection since you can still fill the iPod up with transferable music and leave an album or two to listen.
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