Shiba Dog

Q: A good primer for how iTunes Match and iTunes in the iCloud work?

I'm using them both, and there seem to be some odd things that crop up once in awhile. Does anyone know of a good overall primer for now these two products/features work together? Apple seems to be lacking in terms of user guide content on these.

 

Thanks for any help you can give me on this.

 

Shiba Dog

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jul 24, 2012 8:50 AM

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Q: A good primer for how iTunes Match and iTunes in the iCloud work?

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  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Jul 25, 2012 12:38 AM in response to Shiba Dog
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
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    Jul 25, 2012 12:38 AM in response to Shiba Dog

    I'm not sure what specific information you are looking for, but the first thing you need to keep in mind is iTunes Match and iTunes in the Cloud are not the same service.

     

    iTM is for having all your music in your iTunes library available to all your iOS devices(and Apple TV) all the time, while iTunes in the Cloud is a service to allow you to re-download some past purchases from the iTunes Store. While the two services are related they don't "work together" in the sense that I think you mean.

  • by Shiba Dog,

    Shiba Dog Shiba Dog Jul 27, 2012 9:35 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 27, 2012 9:35 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Thanks Michael. I understand that, but what I'm looking for is a good primer on how to use them and what the implications are for using them. Not necessarily how to use them together, but just more detailed information (aside from the marketing information Apple sometimes masquerades as user guides) regarding what happens to your iTunes Library, what happens when you choose various options, maybe some best practices and use cases, etc. a lot to ask, I know. :)

     

    Might just be me, but doesn't it seem like the documentation is a liitle scant on both of these features? I enjoy using both, but am wondering if I'm using either correctly. Especially when something unexpected happens and I try to troubleshoot it.

     

    Cheers.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Jul 27, 2012 11:44 AM in response to Shiba Dog
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 27, 2012 11:44 AM in response to Shiba Dog

    Well, hm, iTunes in the Cloud you don't really "use." At least I don't, not on a daily basis. It's just there if you need to re-download something from your past purchases, which I'm assuming you don't need to do constantly.

     

    As for how to use iTunes Match.... you enable it in iTunes, let it complete it's initial scan, match and upload process then enable it on any iOS devices and start using it. Nothing "happens" to the iTunes library. It really is simple and doesn't require a manual.

  • by barnei,

    barnei barnei Jul 29, 2012 11:59 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jul 29, 2012 11:59 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Allow me to join in please.

     

    My music files plus podcasts come to about 20GB.

     

    If all these are set up with iTunes Match, this is really quite a lot to subsequently download on to my iPod Touch.

     

    You may have already answered this question by inference, but is there any way to select whcih songs I download from iTunes Match to my iPod Touc?

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Jul 29, 2012 11:09 PM in response to barnei
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 29, 2012 11:09 PM in response to barnei

    barnei wrote:

     

    You may have already answered this question by inference, but is there any way to select whcih songs I download from iTunes Match to my iPod Touc?

    Nothing is automatically downloaded. Everything that is downloaded to your iOS device is there because you explicitly downloaded it by either tapping the download button, or you listened to something.

     

    Podcasts, however, are not supported by iTunes Match so you'll still be syncing those via USB.

  • by barnei,

    barnei barnei Jul 30, 2012 6:59 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jul 30, 2012 6:59 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Thanks very much for this.

     

    Now that I have tried it, I realise that only those I want to listen to, will be downloaded.

     

    I was initially put off by the note "this will replace your music", whxih appeared when I switched on

    iTunes Match.

     

    I had visions of lots of GB trying to fit onto my iPod Touch.

     

    Thanks again.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Jul 30, 2012 8:00 PM in response to barnei
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 30, 2012 8:00 PM in response to barnei

    You're welcome.

  • by barnei,

    barnei barnei Aug 13, 2012 6:19 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Aug 13, 2012 6:19 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    I would like to raise a related issue:

     

    With iTunes Match switched on, in a group of 28 plays that I have on my iPod Touch, only seven of these are in "black" whilst the others are "greyed out"

     

    If I tap on a "black" item, it plays.

     

    If I tap on a "greyed out" item, it will not play.

     

    However, when one of the "black" items is playing, with the running time showing with a music sign in the middle of the screen, tapping on the square icon just below the battery icon in the top right hand corner of the screen, brings up a new screen showing all the plays, and then any one of the

    plays can be played.

     

    Are the "greyed out" ones, those that are in the cloud, and why cannot I play these from the initial window? In fact, why are these "greyed out"?

     

    I also have other groupings, where everything is "greyed out", and there are no "black" items" allowing me to listen, and then change windows. How can I listen to these groupings?

     

    Look forward to hearing from you on this.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 13, 2012 7:39 AM in response to barnei
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 13, 2012 7:39 AM in response to barnei

    In general, songs that are greyed out on iOS devices are songs that have not been fully processed by the iTM service in iTunes. They have not been "matched" or "uploaded" as necessary. Has the initial scan, match and upload process finished? If so, what is the "iCloud Status" in iTunes for the songs that are greyed out on your iOS device?

  • by barnei,

    barnei barnei Aug 13, 2012 2:20 PM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Aug 13, 2012 2:20 PM in response to Michael Allbritton

    1. Yes, the scan, match and upload had completed.

    2. I now see that many of the songs have the error ! mark in the cloud symbol.

    3. Others appeared still to be "waiting".

    4. Some have a square symbol with a downward arrow in iTunes, but are also greyed out -- and are also greyed out on the iPod Touch

     

    I went to store and tried to update ITM, to no avail.

     

    Most of my music/plays are recordings I made from the BBC so I do not have the opportunity to try to

    import once again into iTunes.

     

    I find it strange that items which are greyed out on the iPod Touch can be played if there are regular items in the same grouping.

     

    I do look forward to reading your further comments.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 13, 2012 8:51 PM in response to barnei
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 13, 2012 8:51 PM in response to barnei

    This Apple KB article will help you understand what the iCloud Status icons mean: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4124?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

     

    You'll need to sort out the errors before the tracks will be available on your iOS devices. I suspect in the case of the recordings you made they are ineligible for iTM either because they are encoded at below 96Kbps, or are over 200 MBs or maybe both.

  • by barnei,

    barnei barnei Aug 18, 2012 1:16 PM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Aug 18, 2012 1:16 PM in response to Michael Allbritton

    I have checked most of my recordings, and they are at 126Kbps, and in the AAC format.

     

    What I don't understand, is that even when they are greyed out on my iPod Touch, almost implying that they are not available, provided that I have listened to a prior recording in the same group, I can then listen to a greyed out item.

     

    I have looked at the link which you kindly mentioned, and do realise that most of the items in iTunes are marked to indicate that they are waiting. This, even after the "matching" is said to be completed.

     

    I do not know if yopu have any further suggestions, or if this means that I will have to give up using iTM.

     

    Thanks for your continuing help --- and patience.

  • by Michael Allbritton,

    Michael Allbritton Michael Allbritton Aug 18, 2012 9:49 PM in response to barnei
    Level 6 (16,832 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 18, 2012 9:49 PM in response to barnei

    I do recommend you check the size of the files. But, really, I don't have any other suggestions. What you describe is highly unusual. You might want to schedule an appointment at the nearest Genius Bar.

  • by barnei,

    barnei barnei Aug 19, 2012 1:40 AM in response to Michael Allbritton
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Aug 19, 2012 1:40 AM in response to Michael Allbritton

    Hello again,

     

    Most of the files are 25MB, and a few are 50MB. Not ginormous.

     

    I do thank you for all your help, and will take up your suggestion to make an appointment at a genius bar.

     

    Hopefully, they will be able to help.