Can I import in Apple Lossless and convert to compressed file to load iPod?

Yes. Import, and convert, and then you will have two copies of each. Create a smart playlist with Kind does not equal Apple Lossless, and use that playlist to sync to your iPod.

iTunes does this automatically for the iPod Shuffle (convert from Apple Lossless to AAC) since the Shuffle (both versions) does not support Apple Lossless.

It's a shame iTunes does not offer this as an option for other iPod models (Windows Media Player does for its supported players, i.e. going from WMA Lossless to WMA).

You can as you say import as Apple Lossless and in iTunes convert to AAC, but this results in keeping two copies of each track on your machine.

This has been the 'Holy Grail' as far as I'm concerned for over two years. I too wanted to keep a 'lossless' archive for streaming to Hi-Fi system etc and keep a compressed version for iPod. But ending up with two versions of each song in the iTunes library is frustrating to say the least.

The suggestions here are useful but in essence are work-arounds making up for a defficiency in iTunes - one that would be easy for Apple to solve. I've asked and 'suggested' the feature several times but never had a response. Indeed I've seen elsewhere that iTunes does do this but only when downloading songs to an iPod Shuffle since Shuffle does not support Apple Lossless - so why, Apple, don't you enable this for all iPods??

My solution - not ideal and still a work-around - is to create a source library in Windows Media Player encoding with Windows Media Lossless and then converting to 192 kbit/s VBR in iTunes. I'd much rather do it all in iTunes but...

Does anyone from Apple ever reads these messages. The solution for this ( in essence non) problem must be simple.

twa wrote:
Does anyone from Apple ever reads these messages. The solution for this ( in essence non) problem must be simple.

No. The terms of use clearly say that this is a user to user form. The only apple employees who reside here act in a moderation capacity only.

isau wrote:
This has been the 'Holy Grail' as far as I'm concerned for over two years. I too wanted to keep a 'lossless' archive for streaming to Hi-Fi system etc and keep a compressed version for iPod. But ending up with two versions of each song in the iTunes library is frustrating to say the least.

The suggestions here are useful but in essence are work-arounds making up for a defficiency in iTunes - one that would be easy for Apple to solve. I've asked and 'suggested' the feature several times but never had a response. Indeed I've seen elsewhere that iTunes does do this but only when downloading songs to an iPod Shuffle since Shuffle does not support Apple Lossless - so why, Apple, don't you enable this for all iPods??

My solution - not ideal and still a work-around - is to create a source library in Windows Media Player encoding with Windows Media Lossless and then converting to 192 kbit/s VBR in iTunes. I'd much rather do it all in iTunes but...

Using WMP as your main library and then when importing in to iTunes converting down to AAC or MP3 means you would still have two copies stored in your computer, although it would achieve the goal of having a lossless copy for home/hifi playback, and a compressed copy for iPod use.

There may now be a better way, it is still the case that Apple should fix this as discussed even Microsoft offer seamless transcoding of audio when syncing to 'MP3' players.

You could try the following

1. Import CDs in to iTunes for Windows in Apple Lossless format
2. Follow my previous posts on how to get WMP to be able to play and import Apple Lossless tracks
3. Install dopisp from MGTEK, this is commercial software but you could try the demo, it lets Windows Media Player +*sync to iPods*+!! Or you can get Xplay also commercial from MediaFour
4. Have WMP transcode to MP3 when syncing to your iPod. Apparently you are limited (artificially) to 192kbps MP3. This requires having a "MP3 Creation Pack" installed (which has been standard since WMP10 was released).

In theory this will let you have your music in iTunes and WMP in Apple Lossless, but sync to your iPod in MP3. Unfortunately, the only formats WMP will transcode to are either WMA, WMA Lossless, or MP3 (it will not do AAC). Obviously of these only MP3 is suitable for an iPod.

dopisp is available here http://www.mgtek.com/dopisp/
XPlay is available here http://www.mediafour.com/products/xplay/default.asp

...a bit like, and as useful as, a mute eunuch then?