So many problems with iTunes Match...

Thanks for the reply,

Apple promised that you could upload any CDs, whether iTunes sold it or not. If they couldn't match it, they would store it as is for my 25 bucks, Check it out.

Your collection may not have Novak's Nicotina, or three versions of Bach's Goldberg Variations, or two different versions of Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool, or twelve Horace Silver albums, to cite a few of examples.

Apple never said, "Don't send us anything complicated, unpopular, or unusual."

I am sincerely happy that iTunes Match works as promised for you.

If it worked for me, it would have been a dream come true: to move freely around the planet, and have all my wonderful music at my fingertips.

iTunes worked great for me. There was the occasional glitch, like I hated having to always sign in. But since I upgraded to mountain lion, it stopped working. I think that is the biggest bug right now with match, I'm hoping with the new iTunes 11, this issue will be fixed

Hi Jeff,

I am also a music enthusiast myself which is why I subscribed to itunes match. I wanted to upload my music legally and without sharing to others. Itunes match really is an excellent product. Best $25.00 I have spent. But, at the same time I can see yours and other users frustration as well. For a product that has only been out for a year, it's pretty top not. Don't give up on it yet, knwoing apple Im sure they'll be upgrading Itunes Match like they do with their other prodycts.

GLENN

I have to laugh because it seems like the people who are having most of their issues is with Mountain Lion, what ever that is or on a mac, I use Windows 7 and it's flawless. I love apple profucts but, I will not buy a mac anytime soon. Nobody is prefect by all means, but, my overall expreince with itunes match has been nothing but positive. One other piece of advice, if you have multiple computers, just use ONE maiin computer to use Itunes match. That will also save you the headache of losing everything but, also keeps you from having multiple tracks in the cloud.

Well, actually Glenn, you can (and would want to have) your music on multiple computers. You just need to make sure only one computer has the master original library. But other computers you just turn on iTunes Match just like on your phone. It will act as a slave computer in the sense that it will only mimick what's in the cloud.

Thanks for the great tip.

I run Windows on my Mac, mainly to update the malware protection and stay familiar with Windows. The iTunes on Windows tip is great. I'll give it a try.

The issue with Match predates Mountain Lion by months, if memory serves me correctly.

The worst problem is that iTunes Match destroyed preexisting libraries on all my Macs. I hope Windows users aren't experiencing the same trauma.

I don't care a fig about my iTunes in the Cloud being a mess; just leave my computer alone.

PS Apple invites you to start using iTunes Match on every computer. No warning: Do Not Sync More Than One Library! My assumption was that Match was smart enough to leave my purchases alone, not start duplicating them mindlessly, mislabling them, or split albums into multiple files that cannot be merged.

Good advice indeed, but the Match Library is a total shambles. I don't want to enslave my computers to that mess.

I tried Amazon Cloud Player, and uploaded items one by one after making sure that the files were in perfect shape. Amazon trashed them too. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies. I have at least forty files of them, courtesy of Amazon. Of course, only a couple are valid. Most contain one track - usually the same one over and over - or totally unrelated music.

My solution: I rebuilt my library from backup DVDs, downloading purchses made since the backup. I will never allow iTunes Match anywhere near it.

In a word, I have ditched Match and Amazon except to shuffle music: they're great at randomness.

Thanks to all for this input. As of now, I will NOT even try iTunes Match--I read a post in which Apple admitted to the poster that every title might not be uploaded. I, too, have lots of obscure oldies, and to miss even a couple would be most unfortunate, and would take me days to discover. Let me add, I've not even been able to get Apple's instructions on how to make a copy of the iTunes Library to work correctly--I always end up with a different song count than is on my computer. Fortunately, SuperDuper assures me that their back-up program is copying my iTunes library completely. I would not be surprised if the problem with the iTunes Library copy and iTunes Match are related.

I hope that eventually iTunes Match can be made to work. It would be a wonderful service. I am considering deleting my current Match library, cloning my good library, and trying again, risking only time, not my sanity.

Unless it is significantly out of wack, I wouldn't worry about track count. I have one version of Bruckner's 9th sympohony broken into the traditional three movements - Bruckner died before completing it - another breaks it at each tempo change, giving us 28 tracks. One of many examples - when Blond on Blond is broken up by iTunes into Dylan's Greatest Hits, Dylan's Really Greatest Hits, Dylan's Wandering Bootheel Faves, what can we expect?

Message was edited by: Jeff Ramsay

Thanks for the encouragement. I suspect that you are right, and Apple will do right by us.

I too hope that a fix is coming with the impending release of iTunes 11. After numerous tries at getting iTunes Match to work, I'm fresh out of ideas. I still wonder though if it's something that I'm doing wrong? One tip that I read (perhaps in this thread, not sure) is to try re-building my entire iTunes library. I tried this, but ended up losing all my play count, date added, and other very important info. Luckily I was able to use time machine to retrieve everything. So, as of now iTunes Match is still stuck on step one and not budging an inch, and I'm still one of the unlucky ones who haven't yet had any success.

I love the idea of iTunes Match. I really want it to work. Despite having it for almost one year (my "aniversary" purchase date is Christmas Day), I still believe in the concept, and if it works for some (or most), I keep thinking I'll somehow get it to work for me too. This is also why I am still considering renewing despite all my frustrations and previous rants. I just hope and wish that Apple is aware of this now 30 page thread and gives those of us the help that we need with iTunes Match.

To all the people here who are sucessfully using it, I'm very glad that it works for you. I look forward to adding my name to the list!

I am so sorry for all of those that are having a problem with Itunes Match. I, myself was reluctant to pay 25.00 a year but, it has been working perfectly for me. I am not sure why. But, I have no complaints. It sounds like most of it is based on people using mac computers, I'm not dissing those that do, but that seems to be the problem, Strange, My Windows 7 works perfectly with Itunes Match. Yeah, some songs don't match but are uploaeded. Whatever, which wh I have back ups everything I upload.

Goodluck to all.

One other suggestion I would like to make for those of you having issues with artwork. You have to be in the cloud on your mac or pc to asign the artowrk to certain album covers that do not match automatically. Some of them automtaically come from outside the cloud. After you assign from within the cloud just update your itunes match and wahla. There you have it, some songs may not match but are uploaded. BFD, just keep back ups of your originals mp3s and you will be just fine,. Once in the cloud, I don't plan on taking them down and I barely have under 3,000 songs. The ones I put up in the cloud are bands with an extensive album catalog. Iron Maiden, Opeth, Slayer, Quesnryche, Metallica, Rush, Testmanet, Megadeth etc......

Enjoy...Itunes match is alot to learn and alot to understand but, overall very enjoyable.

Goodluck.

To GlenW and Newdestiny:

Don't care what you guys say, iTunes match doesn't work, for anyone with a substantial music collection. Don't care what system your on, Mac or windows. I know plenty of windows guys who says it doesn't work. 5000 songs is not a substantial collection. Yes, i know what the program is supposed to do. Has nothing to do with user or operatator error. I've had a Mac since 1982. I know how to install, run, and trouble shoot software. I also have access to Apple authorized developers / certified technicians. They can't make it work either. Crank in another 15,000 songs into your library, and see how well it is running then. Those who have large libraries are collectors. Collectors like to listen to their music anywhere and anytime because they love their music. Bottom line program was released before it was ready. Based on the iPhone 5 post, maybe there is hope. I'm going to wait until Mountain Lion and IOS 6 are more established,, and make another run at it then. I don't care about the $25, I just want it to work.

I feel so bad for those of you so irritaed and frustaed by itunes match. I don't know what Mountain Lion that is a mac issue, Windows 7 and Itunes match is fine, You have to fully understand how Itunes match to it's fullest capabillities and how to use it. Yes, not all my song are match but are uploaded. That's why I back up. But all album covers and song titles and order of songs are perfect. I do not have an Ipad or Itouch or Iphone but MY ATV3 is flawless. But, I am assuming an Ipad for Xmas so more then. But, again, I dont assume using any of those devises for Itunes Match.

Goodlouck..