Mac, iPhone and iTunes help Thread

[monte]

Hi everybody!

I thought if I started a thread, that both newbies and Apple Guru's can ask and answer questions about Apple techy stuff, then it could be all in one place! 

I know that I for one have asked lots of questions already, and probably will have a lot more in the future!


So I will start the ball rolling....


I recently purchased a MacBook Air and I love it so much. I love everything about it, and I have got used to all the basics, except for iTunes! I still struggle in some areas. (i talk more about this another day)

The first question I would like to ask really is...

Do you guys and girls that use iTunes, add all your music files and video files to just iTunes?

I just realised that my music is both in my music folder and in iTunes. Is it worth deleting the files in the Music folder? is there any benefit to having the music in both "my music" and iTunes?

This might not make a big difference to most people with big HDD/SSD's, but on my MacBook Air the SSD is only 256GB.

[rich83]

All of my music is consolidated into /Users/richwigley/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music. Its best to keep it all in one place then you are less likely to get redundant entries in your iTunes library.

To consolidate your library, goto File>>>Library>>>Organise Library>>> Consolodate Files... click OK. Then once that has done, you can delete all the files that are outside you consolidated library.

I can't seen any benefit to having duplicate files (unless they are of backup nature on a separate HD)

I don't keep my movies linked into iTunes, because of file compatibility issues.

[Betty02]

All my downloads on my Mac go to my Downloads folder, from here I drag them into iTunes, and as sad then just Consolodate your files and delete them from downloads.

I have got used to doing this as I also run a NAS at work and we stored a lot of music on our work servers (naughty naughty ) but by doing this it means that iTunes doesn't have to access the network share and everything is kept organized.

[monte]

All of my music is consolidated into /Users/richwigley/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music. Its best to keep it all in one place then you are less likely to get redundant entries in your iTunes library.

To consolidate your library, goto File>>>Library>>>Organise Library>>> Consolodate Files... click OK. Then once that has done, you can delete all the files that are outside you consolidated library.

I can't seen any benefit to having duplicate files (unless they are of backup nature on a separate HD)

I don't keep my movies linked into iTunes, because of file compatibility issues.

Great Rich, just what I was after 

I'll have a go now...and I'll put all the Movies onto my external HDD. Don't really need em all on the Macbook.

 

[monte]

Hi Rich, well I've consolidated all my music but there are still lots of albums that haven't transferred to iTunes.

They are all WMA files but I'm am sure iTunes used to convert them to mp3. Am I wrong?

Is it just something in my settings or will they not transfer?

Thanks again 

[vRS Carl]

I run my iTunes from an External drive to save space on the SSD. As has been said make sure you consolidate the library then you can delete/remove the original files as they will all be held in the iTunes Media Folder.

iTunes on OS X won't natively import WMA files so you have a couple of options.

1. Use a program like EasyWMA (Paid) or Switch (free version available) to convert the files from .WMA -> .MP3

2. Put the WMA files on a flash pen/external drive and use iTunes on a window based machine to convert to .MP3/AAC (as long as they are DRM Free) and then put them in your own iTunes

One other option is install Flip4Mac and you can then play your WMA through Quicktime but that isn't an ideal solution i know.

[RedRobin]

.
I only keep 'commercial' music (mp3's etc) in my iTunes Library. I keep all my own created music in a series of Logic folders, including a Bounces folder for mp3 versions - I play them in QuickTime. If I want to burn a music CD/DVD I use Toast 10.

The reason I do this is just because my iTunes music collection is huge and it's easier to find my own if elsewhere and also the mp3 bounces are usually stages of unfinished production and not the final songs.

It's easy to find originals in iTunes though: Select+Ctrl > Show in Finder...

If you want to do as I do, set Preferences not to automatically import into iTunes by default. Also, not to automatically open in iTunes.

@ Rich:

As a Logic user you may already know that you can convert mp3/mp4 etc files to WAV or AIFF just by drag n dropping them in Logic's Arrange window. I mate of mine has just given me some Drum n Bass (leaning to Techno) mp4a tracks for me to EWI over (no! not piss on!). If I need to edit his stuff he can give me Logic breakdowns later.

[I've been trying very hard to achieve a realistic trombone sound on my EWI and have at last succeeded. To the extent that Tony Christie wants to talk to me. He says he's utterly fed up with some prima donna tromboner he's been using..... Just joking, Rich] I've now got a SoundCloud persona "RedRobin Music" and will post my first EWI recording there in due course as a work in progress.

[rich83]

Robin are you trying to put me out of my job??? 

 

[RedRobin]

Robin are you trying to put me out of my job??? 

 

....Mike Phillips, who plays sax and EWI with Stevie Wonder and Prince (among others) says that the EWI will knock a keyboard player out of a job! He was having a joke about it - A banter.

[monte]

I run my iTunes from an External drive to save space on the SSD. As has been said make sure you consolidate the library then you can delete/remove the original files as they will all be held in the iTunes Media Folder.

iTunes on OS X won't natively import WMA files so you have a couple of options.

1. Use a program like EasyWMA (Paid) or Switch (free version available) to convert the files from .WMA -> .MP3

2. Put the WMA files on a flash pen/external drive and use iTunes on a window based machine to convert to .MP3/AAC (as long as they are DRM Free) and then put them in your own iTunes

One other option is install Flip4Mac and you can then play your WMA through Quicktime but that isn't an ideal solution i know.

Thanks Carl, TBH If I didn't have so many WMA files I would just forget about em! I'll probably use your option 1!
Was kinda hoping iTunes would convert em 

[monte]

Ok everyone, I've got another question regarding Mac and Windows!!!

At the moment I've got lots of movies on my MacBook Air that I've downloaded but they need shifting onto my portable hard drive now to free up some space!

If I transfer the movies over from my MacBook and then I take my portable hard drive to a friends house will I be able to transfer files from the drive to his windows laptop?

Thanks 

[mkviken]

yeah as long as they're .wmv or .mp4 files they will work on either system

[monte]

yeah as long as they're .wmv or .mp4 files they will work on either system

They are all Avi files. 

[Betty02]

yeah as long as they're .wmv or .mp4 files they will work on either system

Wrong lol.

If your simply copying a .avi to an external hard drive it will stay as a .avi file, if your then copying this to a windows machine it will still be a .avi - Meaning windows machines can play .avi's.

Your not converting the file in any way shape or form your just simply copying it and keeping the original file extension. So the answer is yes it will work PROVIDING the drive is formatted so it can be seen on both Mac and Windows machines ;)

[RedRobin]

.
I have an iPad question:

How low should I let my iPad2's battery go before recharging?

I've heard that batteries last longer if allowed to empty rather than keep being topped up at 60%+.