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tgbell

Q: Lossless to AAC

I've read several posts, including >>http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1550?viewlocale=en_US<< "iTunes: How to convert a song to a different file format"

Also, I know that large files tend to reduce battery capacity. But what I can't figure is how to take may imported CD's saved as LossLess files and keep them as LossLess on my external HD, but export the music files as AAC to the Touch.

Do I need to convert all the lossless files to AAC and then move to the Touch? Or is there a more elegant solution?

Thanks!

iPod Touch 8gb MA623LL, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 1.1.4(4A102)

Posted on Oct 9, 2008 5:31 PM

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Q: Lossless to AAC

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  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Oct 9, 2008 5:33 PM in response to tgbell
    Level 10 (312,590 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2008 5:33 PM in response to tgbell
    Do I need to convert all the lossless files to AAC and then move to the Touch?


    Yes. iTunes won't do that on the fly unless you're syncing an iPod shuffle or non-Apple cellphone.

    (36271)
  • by ed2345,

    ed2345 ed2345 Oct 9, 2008 7:56 PM in response to tgbell
    Level 7 (24,801 points)
    Oct 9, 2008 7:56 PM in response to tgbell
    This question comes up a lot, as more and more people want to have lossless files to play on their stereo and compressed files to play on their iPod.

    iTunes does not have any tools to support it. You will have to use an ad hoc method, either by starting two libraries, or keeping two sets of playlists. I'd prefer the latter.

    Once you set it up, every new song you add will have to be manually handled to make sure it ends up in both places.
  • by PT,

    PT PT Oct 10, 2008 6:02 AM in response to tgbell
    Level 7 (20,875 points)
    Oct 10, 2008 6:02 AM in response to tgbell
    Convert the files to AAC format and keep both in your library. Now create a SMART playlist where live updating is checked and the rule is that "KIND" are AAC files. Now set up the Touch to only sync that Smart Playlist.

    As you add new tracks to the library and convert them to AAC, they will automatically be added to the Smart Playlist and when you plug in your Touch, it will only, and automatically, sync the AAC files and not the larger lossless versions.

    Good luck,
    Patrick
  • by tgbell,

    tgbell tgbell Oct 13, 2008 8:12 AM in response to PT
    Level 2 (420 points)
    Oct 13, 2008 8:12 AM in response to PT
    Now create a SMART playlist where live updating is checked and the rule is that "KIND" are AAC files. Now set up the Touch to only sync that Smart Playlist.<<</div>


    Do I create the "Smart" playlist first or convert all the desired files to AAC and move these 'lower quality' files to a separate folder? I'm asking, do the loss-less and AAC files reside in the same location, or does it matter? Currently, iTunes Preferences/Advanced/General shows a music folder location. When the Smart folder is created, it will/should it appear in the same location box?

    I'm not familiar with the phrase "live updating". How does this happen?

    I hope this is making sense. Thanks!
  • by tgbell,

    tgbell tgbell Oct 13, 2008 8:20 AM in response to ed2345
    Level 2 (420 points)
    Oct 13, 2008 8:20 AM in response to ed2345
    You will have to use an ad hoc method, either by starting two libraries, or keeping two sets of playlists.

    I'm not sure I'm understanding the difference. Music files are saved to a "library" file, whereas a playlist is independent of where the audio files are kept and is tracked by the application?

    Using the playlist method, I'd have to do what to keep the 2 music file types?

    Thanks!
  • by PT,

    PT PT Oct 13, 2008 10:23 AM in response to tgbell
    Level 7 (20,875 points)
    Oct 13, 2008 10:23 AM in response to tgbell
    When you convert from Lossless to AAC, you will end up with BOTH files in your library, the original lossless ones and the newly created AAC ones.

    If you want you can create a new playlist and simply drag and drop the tracks you want synced to the iPod into that playlist. However you can create a Smart Playlist (SPL) and just make the rule to be Kind is AAC and the playlist will automatically find all the AAC files for you.

    When you create a Smart Playlist (SPL), in the edit window for the playlist is a button for "Live Updating". If you check this box, then the Smart Playlist will keep updating when you add or change things in your library. So say later on you add a couple new CDs to the library as lossless and then convert them to AAC format. When the AAC formatted songs are created, due to the live updating feature of the SPL those songs will automatically be added to the SPL without you having to do anything.

    Regards,
    Patrick
  • by tgbell,

    tgbell tgbell Oct 24, 2008 8:21 AM in response to PT
    Level 2 (420 points)
    Oct 24, 2008 8:21 AM in response to PT
    PT,

    Thanks very much for your responses. I understand the theory, but it is the practice that is killing me. With iTunes 7.71, I see under "Advanced" there is a selection to >>Convert Selection to Apple Lossless". But nothing to convert a Lossless file to AAC. I've tried to Export, but that does not seem to yield the desired result.

    I can't find the command to go to AAC from Lossless. Is the required technique that I need to reload all the albums that have been saved as Lossless and re-save as AAC?

    The Smart Play List worked like a charm. Every track that had beens saved as an AAC file, has fallen into my SPL.

    So the theory is fine, I'm just having problems executing.
  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Oct 24, 2008 8:42 AM in response to tgbell
    Level 10 (312,590 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 24, 2008 8:42 AM in response to tgbell
    Open the Advanced section of the preferences(General in iTunes 8) and choose AAC as the default encoder. You should now be able to convert them to AAC.

    (36908)
  • by tgbell,

    tgbell tgbell Oct 24, 2008 8:45 AM in response to PT
    Level 2 (420 points)
    Oct 24, 2008 8:45 AM in response to PT
    Ah Ha!!

    The method is not intuitive! I found >>http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1550?viewlocale=en_US<<

    "iTunes: How to convert a song to a different file format". Now I have the directions I could not figure out.

    Now, when I visit the iTune Library, I've got both formats. And if I want to play the high quality files thru the home entertainment center, will I need another Smart Play List to group all the Lossless files?
  • by tgbell,

    tgbell tgbell Oct 24, 2008 9:33 AM in response to Niel
    Level 2 (420 points)
    Oct 24, 2008 9:33 AM in response to Niel
    Hi Niel,

    Thanks, I managed to answer my own question.

    But I have another!!

    Using Max (http://sbooth.org/Max/) which was posted in another thread regarding formats, I've noticed that when I convert Apple Lossless to AAC, using iTunes 7.7x, the new files are shown as "Kind" AAC in iTunes, but as MPEG-4 files when I'm looking at the file through the Finder. I can only guess when viewing files thru iTunes that the smaller files are AAC because I converted them and the files are appearing in my SPL.

    However, the files that I ripped using Max and saved as AAC ADTS (AAC) are shown in the Finder as AAC files. But, even after I move one of these files to the default folder that iTunes is storing all files, iTunes does not "see" the file. Neither does it show up in my SPL that is set to "detect" AAC files.

    Using Max to convert the original CD to AAC is a less cumbersome process than iTunes.

    Is the lesson here that iTunes cannot "see" the output of any files that 'it' has not converted?

    Thanks to all for contributing to my knowledge base.
  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Oct 24, 2008 10:33 AM in response to tgbell
    Level 10 (312,590 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 24, 2008 10:33 AM in response to tgbell
    But, even after I move one of these files to the default folder that iTunes is storing all files, iTunes does not "see" the file. Neither does it show up in my SPL that is set to "detect" AAC files.


    You need to import the file into iTunes through iTunes as opposed to just putting it into the iTunes Music folder; iTunes uses a database to keep track of what's in its library.

    (36910)
  • by tgbell,

    tgbell tgbell Oct 24, 2008 5:29 PM in response to Niel
    Level 2 (420 points)
    Oct 24, 2008 5:29 PM in response to Niel
    Ahhh, what a journey!

    Thanks to all who responded, guided and pointed.