Just replaced my old iPod with a smartphone – switching between Google Play, Media Monkey and Black Player to find which I prefer… Any others I should try? Each seems to split certain albums up arbitrarily and not even recognise certain artists/albums. Black Player has an editing facility but it doesn’t seem to stick. Plus of course there’s a load of”protected” stuff bought from iTunes which won’t transfer – anyone know of a way to get round that?
iTunes alt & protected stuff I thought I owned
by 10 Comments
I use the Jet Audio app on Android. I’ve not had any problems, it seems good, some nice extras you can get. I don’t know about your protected issue though.
Re protected files, as far as I’m aware you have two choices, either burn the tracks to a CD and re-import them as standard files [of your choice, AAC, MP3 etc] at which point you can also choose to replace the existing [protected] files and be rid of them [you may only get this option with complete albums]. Or, purchase software to convert them for you. http://www.ondesoft.com/itunes_converter_windows/ will do the trick but at $39 it’s not cheap. The CD way is time consuming but relatively cheap, software is quick, but expensive. Other options may be out there, but these are the only ways I’m familiar with. Good luck.
For tag editing, the best by a long chalk is the freeware mp3tag. Depsite the name, it can read and edit tags of every file type. Load your files into it and you’ll likely find why the player is splitting up albums.
I’m not an iTunes user. The handful of tracks I bought as DRM (128kbps) I subsequently upgraded to iTunes plus (no DRM, 256kbps) for the difference – about 20p per track if I recall. Does the iTunes Music Store still offer that service?
Another option for the protected iTunes file is to attempt to download them again from the Purchased section of the iTunes Store.
When Apple finally discontinued protected audio files some years ago, all purchased files still available on the store were upgraded free to unprotected, doubling the bit-rate at the same time. Unfortunately albums no longer available at that time weren’t upgraded, and you still get protected files if you attempt to re-download them now.
The issue with albums being arbitrarily divided up when changing between software is down to dodgy tagging. Software often seems to save information on music files to it’s database without saving it properly into the tags of the files. Sometimes the databases get corrupted and sometimes the reading and writing aren’t particularly stable.
I’ve been using the paid version of Media Monkey (lifetime “Gold” license) for several years and find it very good in most respects, but I’ve started investigating a free alternative called Music Bee which seems to be well-regarded.
I agree with you on MM; one of the things I like about it is the ability to customise and add stuff to the basic interface. There are some nifty tagging scripts online which will let you tag to your heart’s content.
“owned”? I think it’s a universal element of download agreements that you don’t actually ‘own’ any of it. You merely buy the rights to store them and listen to them. You are not allowed to sell them on or even bequeath them. In theory, when you die, nobody is allowed to listen to any of your collection again! I would guess that that agreement will be respected for a good 50% of my downloads!
I hate Apple/Itunes. Bastards corrupted my library yet again – ‘unknown artist’ on 95% of it. I’m buggered if I’m going to do it all again for the third time. Will keep my Ipod as it is, and replace with a superior option.
You seem to be very unlucky with bastard Apple/iTunes. Not once in 16 years of iTunage has my library been corrupted, although there have been other irritations. Perhaps it’s the ley lines.
You don’t need to use itunes to keep your ipod up to date @Rob C . Media Monkey referred to above will do the job nicely, and probably re-tag all your tracks while you sleep.