mracole

Q: iTunes Match Ineligible Tracks

Following success on 1600+ tracks, I still have a core set marked as 'ineligible'.  These tracks are all originally purchased from iTunes Store, they play without issue but will not upload to the iCloud - how can this be resolved?  Any advice very much appreciated.

iTunes 10, Windows Vista, iMatch service giving error

Posted on Jan 3, 2012 4:17 AM

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Q: iTunes Match Ineligible Tracks

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  • Helpful answers

  • by JiminMissouri,

    JiminMissouri JiminMissouri Jan 3, 2012 5:46 AM in response to mracole
    Level 2 (465 points)
    Jan 3, 2012 5:46 AM in response to mracole

    The chances are that your songs are either low-bitrate MP3s, in a format Apple won't allow in iTunes match, or a very high bitrate AIFF.  The solution for these is all the same.

     

    Select the ineligible tracks

     

    Under Advanced, select "create AAC Version"

     

    under "Store" select "Update iTunes match"

     

    The AAC copies should either upload or match.  You can then do whatever you want with the original files.  Personally until I knew for certain that matched copies were really matched with the right track (enough mis-matches occur that it's wise to check ) I wouldn't recommend deleting them from your hard drive.

  • by mracole,

    mracole mracole Jan 4, 2012 3:27 AM in response to JiminMissouri
    Level 4 (1,085 points)
    Jan 4, 2012 3:27 AM in response to JiminMissouri

    The tracks in question will not convert to AAC, the response is that 'file conversion is not possible for protected tracks'.  Also many of the tracks are well known hits hence unlikely to have characteristics such as low or very high bit rates - on checking several are shown as 128 bit.  Are there any other routes?

  • by JiminMissouri,

    JiminMissouri JiminMissouri Jan 4, 2012 5:33 AM in response to mracole
    Level 2 (465 points)
    Jan 4, 2012 5:33 AM in response to mracole

    The alert is telling you that they are DRM protected tracks, meaning you purchased them from iTunes back when all they offered were DRM protects.  The chances are the computer you are using is no longer authorized to play them.  You may have used a different Apple ID back then.

     

    "Songs containing DRM ( Digital Rights Management ) may not appear, or may appear grayed out in iCloud. This can occur if your computer is not authorized for playback of that content. Try authorizing your computer>

  • by mracole,

    mracole mracole Jan 4, 2012 11:18 AM in response to JiminMissouri
    Level 4 (1,085 points)
    Jan 4, 2012 11:18 AM in response to JiminMissouri

    All the tracks in question play well - several are reasonably recent purchases from iTunes.

  • by mracole,Solvedanswer

    mracole mracole Jan 4, 2012 11:22 AM in response to mracole
    Level 4 (1,085 points)
    Jan 4, 2012 11:22 AM in response to mracole

    At last!  An answer - whilst this may not be the most elegant solution it does work, as follows:

     

    1.  Identify the tracks showing as 'ineligible' by sorting on iCloud status;

     

    2.  Make a play list of the tracks in question;

     

    3.  Burn the play list to CD;

     

    4.  Import the CD (if needed using the iTunes Store to confirm metadata); and

     

    5.  Update iTunes Match from the menu.

     

    It has worked for all tracks in question.  Please do advise if there is a neater solution?

  • by roebeet,Helpful

    roebeet roebeet Jan 4, 2012 11:37 AM in response to mracole
    Level 2 (430 points)
    Jan 4, 2012 11:37 AM in response to mracole

    This was exactly the solution for "fixing" WMA DRM'd tracks for other services like Yahoo! Music, Walmart Digital Services and all the others that have gone the way of the dodo.  

     

    If memory serves, I used to burn audio CD's to ISO images, just to avoid wasting CDR's.   I think I used Deamon Tools in Windows to do this, but don't quote me on that - it was many years ago.

  • by JiminMissouri,Helpful

    JiminMissouri JiminMissouri Jan 4, 2012 2:34 PM in response to roebeet
    Level 2 (465 points)
    Jan 4, 2012 2:34 PM in response to roebeet

    Which suggests while some of the tracks may have been recent non-DRM purchases, DRM files were probably a big part of the problem.

  • by don197,

    don197 don197 Jan 5, 2012 7:04 PM in response to mracole
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2012 7:04 PM in response to mracole

    I had the same experience but I discovered that by removing "books" which may download with albums then all the other files in the album become eligible.

  • by don197,

    don197 don197 Jan 5, 2012 7:44 PM in response to don197
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2012 7:44 PM in response to don197

    Never mind.  The book file has nothing to do with it.

  • by ScienceLab,

    ScienceLab ScienceLab Jun 25, 2012 12:48 PM in response to mracole
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 25, 2012 12:48 PM in response to mracole

    This worked for me on newly purchased songs that were listed as "waiting" and was able to keep the "purchased" listing in iTunes.

     

    1. Transfer all itunes purchased songs listed as "waiting" to AAC format.

    2. AAC transfered songs will be listed as "waiting" as well.

    3. Select all AAC songs and "add to iCloud".

    4. Original songs will now be listed as "purchased" and AAC songs will still be "waiting".

    5. Delete all AAC songs.

     

    Hope this helps.

  • by ethel,

    ethel ethel Feb 6, 2013 12:17 PM in response to JiminMissouri
    Level 1 (60 points)
    Feb 6, 2013 12:17 PM in response to JiminMissouri

    Answer below was right on target...thanks for keeping me from continuing to scratch the ol noggin!

     

    "The chances are that your songs are either low-bitrate MP3s, in a format Apple won't allow in iTunes match, or a very high bitrate AIFF.  The solution for these is all the same.

     

    Select the ineligible tracks

     

    Under Advanced, select "create AAC Version"

     

    under "Store" select "Update iTunes match"

     

    The AAC copies should either upload or match.  You can then do whatever you want with the original files.  Personally until I knew for certain that matched copies were really matched with the right track (enough mis-matches occur that it's wise to check ) I wouldn't recommend deleting them from your hard drive."

  • by pearbear750,

    pearbear750 pearbear750 Apr 6, 2014 12:40 PM in response to mracole
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 6, 2014 12:40 PM in response to mracole

    I think this article sums up a lot of this discussion nicely.  It presents the option to convert songs to the AAC version as well as other ineligible workarounds with explainations and/or reasoning for the complications.

     

    I found it helpful, if nothing else for the education.

     

    http://www.macworld.com/article/1163676/secrets_of_itunes_match.html

  • by ThomasRussell,

    ThomasRussell ThomasRussell Nov 7, 2015 5:16 AM in response to JiminMissouri
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 7, 2015 5:16 AM in response to JiminMissouri

    Thank you! Finally, after two hours searching, a simple solution that works perfectly. Good man!