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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > iTunes rocks: Re-encode those songs!

iTunes rocks: Re-encode those songs!
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laxthxdude
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Apr 30, 2003, 08:58 PM
 
I have hundreds of CDs. Wanted to re-encode the songs in AAC - smaller song sizes, better quality. Made the decision to go ahead and take the time to manually delete the old mp3s as I go and prune out the play lists to get rid of the MP3 encoded ones and convert as much as I could to AAC.

Well, iTunes pretty much rocks: Put in the first CD. It pops up a windows that not only says I've already got the CD on my system, but offers to re-encode them and automatically delete the old mp3s to the trash and update my music library. I was grinning to say the least.

Coolest part is you can watch it do this in real time: It will show your old songs, shows that it encoding the new one and then the old is automatically removed from the library and sent to the trash.

I'm getting about 20x on my Dual G4 1.25 at about 50-60% CPU use. Given that it takes about 4 minutes to reencode a CD, I will be re-encoding all of my music in no time flat.

Last wish from Apple for iTunes:
Printable option for cover art and jewel cases.

PS - If anyone hasn't tried out Rendeveous with iTunes, its amazing stuff... It just works...
     
fortepianissimo
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Apr 30, 2003, 09:18 PM
 
Originally posted by laxthxdude:
I have hundreds of CDs.
...
I'm getting about 20x on my Dual G4 1.25 at about 50-60% CPU use...
Man you're lucky - i have 400+ CDs and I'm ripping it at average 9-10x speed...

but yes iTunes rocks!
     
typoon
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May 1, 2003, 11:58 AM
 
Yes it is very cool. I did some re-coding lastnight. It also keeps the amount of times you played the song and stuff as well. I'm loving iTunes 4.
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Severed Hand of Skywalker
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May 1, 2003, 12:18 PM
 
Strange thing it replaces SOME of the songs but left duplicates of others. They are all named the same except for the extention. So you might want to double check the results.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
     
fortepianissimo
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May 1, 2003, 12:46 PM
 
Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Strange thing it replaces SOME of the songs but left duplicates of others. They are all named the same except for the extention. So you might want to double check the results.
To be able to replace the old tracks, every bit of info must be EXACTLY the same (okay if I remember right I was able to get away with different year).

Man I think I'll go crazy if I keep sitting in front of my PB any longer just to re-rip these stupid CDs...
     
absmiths
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May 1, 2003, 01:46 PM
 
Can these AAC files be played on Windows? I use some of my iTunes library on a Windows machine and I would hate to be left with an iTunes only collection.
     
typoon
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May 1, 2003, 02:17 PM
 
Originally posted by absmiths:
Can these AAC files be played on Windows? I use some of my iTunes library on a Windows machine and I would hate to be left with an iTunes only collection.
I think Winamp has a plug in to play AAC files. Not sure about real.
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Anomalous
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May 1, 2003, 04:23 PM
 
Originally posted by typoon:
Yes it is very cool. I did some re-coding lastnight. It also keeps the amount of times you played the song and stuff as well. I'm loving iTunes 4.
It keeps play counts? WOW! I replaced some MP3s lately and I had to restore their play counts manually (by fast-fowarding through the song repeatedly).
     
typoon
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May 1, 2003, 04:27 PM
 
Originally posted by Anomalous:
It keeps play counts? WOW! I replaced some MP3s lately and I had to restore their play counts manually (by fast-fowarding through the song repeatedly).
I believe if you encode in AAC it will keep them I was re-encoding some AAC files so that could have been too.
"Evil is Powerless If the Good are Unafraid." -Ronald Reagan

Apple and Intel, the dawning of a NEW era.
     
ShotgunEd
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May 2, 2003, 03:56 AM
 
Originally posted by laxthxdude:
I have hundreds of CDs. Wanted to re-encode the songs in AAC - smaller song sizes, better quality. Made the decision to go ahead and take the time to manually delete the old mp3s as I go and prune out the play lists to get rid of the MP3 encoded ones and convert as much as I could to AAC.

Well, iTunes pretty much rocks: Put in the first CD. It pops up a windows that not only says I've already got the CD on my system, but offers to re-encode them and automatically delete the old mp3s to the trash and update my music library. I was grinning to say the least.

Coolest part is you can watch it do this in real time: It will show your old songs, shows that it encoding the new one and then the old is automatically removed from the library and sent to the trash.

I'm getting about 20x on my Dual G4 1.25 at about 50-60% CPU use. Given that it takes about 4 minutes to reencode a CD, I will be re-encoding all of my music in no time flat.

Last wish from Apple for iTunes:
Printable option for cover art and jewel cases.

PS - If anyone hasn't tried out Rendeveous with iTunes, its amazing stuff... It just works...
I use my iBook for mp3s at the minute, and with its meagre 15GB hard disk it'd be great to slim my 5GB of mp3s down a little. With speeds like that I'll maybe re-encode them on my dad's dual 1.25 and then copy them to my iBook.
     
AliP
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May 2, 2003, 06:59 AM
 
How do i rencode to AAC, i.e is it possible to do it without reinserting all my CD's, ie directly via the library.
KRO
Ali P
     
Powaqqatsi
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May 2, 2003, 07:14 AM
 
Originally posted by AliP:
How do i rencode to AAC, i.e is it possible to do it without reinserting all my CD's, ie directly via the library.
KRO
Ali P
Yes, it is possible. But you won't notice an increase in sound quality (but a decrease !). Don't do it.
     
ShotgunEd
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May 2, 2003, 07:24 AM
 
Originally posted by Powaqqatsi:
Yes, it is possible. But you won't notice an increase in sound quality (but a decrease !). Don't do it.
You're saying that re-encoding my 160Kbps mp3s into 128Kbps aac's will lose quality?
     
memento
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May 2, 2003, 09:12 AM
 
Originally posted by ShotgunEd:
You're saying that re-encoding my 160Kbps mp3s into 128Kbps aac's will lose quality?
probably - you're recompressing a compressed file. But more importantly, if you rip AAC @ 128 from CD, the file will sound better than the MP3 @ 160 (just how much better depends on your ears and the music you rip).
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Webscreamer
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May 2, 2003, 09:20 AM
 
Originally posted by laxthxdude:

PS - If anyone hasn't tried out Rendeveous with iTunes, its amazing stuff... It just works...
If your macs are networked is Rendeveous automatically enabled? So iTunes will just work?!
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typoon
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May 2, 2003, 10:46 AM
 
Originally posted by Webscreamer:
If your macs are networked is Rendeveous automatically enabled? So iTunes will just work?!
Yup, this is a Mac after all. It works pretty well.
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cpac
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May 2, 2003, 11:37 AM
 
Originally posted by Webscreamer:
If your macs are networked is Rendeveous automatically enabled? So iTunes will just work?!
well mostly - you have to turn on music sharing in iTunes preferences, and if you're using the firewall, you need to open up port 3689.
cpac
     
tritonus
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May 2, 2003, 11:52 AM
 
Originally posted by fortepianissimo:
Man you're lucky - i have 400+ CDs and I'm ripping it at average 9-10x speed...

but yes iTunes rocks!
Man you're lucky - i have 600+ CDs and I'm ripping it at average 6-9x speed...

Is that normal on a GHz G4?
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fortepianissimo
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May 2, 2003, 12:56 PM
 
Originally posted by tritonus:
Man you're lucky - i have 600+ CDs and I'm ripping it at average 6-9x speed...

Is that normal on a GHz G4?
Finally done (well almost - I just gave up on some of the CDs).

I guess the speed you got will vary a lot based on the system load and the particular piece. I'm also a proud owner of GHz PB, and the slowest speed i've seen is like 6x, and the highest can be up to 12x.

Have fun ripping!
     
   
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