Lossless to ACC conversion

[pedz]

I am not sure if this is an iPod or an iTunes question. I'm running Mac 10.4 with the latest updates. I have the 40G iPod (generation 4?).

I am currently ripping my CD's with Apple's Lossless format. What I assumed (and appears not to be true) is the iPod could not use that format so iTunes would magicallly convert it for me behind the scenese. Well, thats not the case.

So, what would be nice is to have two versions of each song. A loseless version and an ACC version. Then just put the ACC versions on the iPod (otherwise I'm going to run out of space).

Any suggestions of how to do this?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Simply set your preferences for your desired file type and bitrate in iTunes' "Import" preferences, then highlight your Apple Lossless files and select "Convert Selection to AAC" from the "Advanced" menu. I do believe iTunes will keep both copies around, and then you can manually import only the AAC files to the iPod.

All iPods with a dock connector can play Apple Lossless -- I don't know what the problem there could be. Are you running the latest iPod Software?

[Lt Major Burns]

because you'd fill that ipod with roughly 2000 songs in lossless

[JackRepenning]

You might want to create a "smart playlist" containing only the pod-able rips ("kind does not contain lossless"), and configure the iPod to download that.

[fryke]

It does look strange in iTunes, though, to have every track _twice_ ... Might want to create a new user on your Mac, basically only for synching to the iPod. You could have the songs there as AAC and as Apple Lossless on the other user... Hmm...

[lbj]

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage those interested to contact Apple (feedback) and request down sampling ability within iTunes. The capability is already there, but only available to the Shuffle.

I too would like to keep high quality music on my desktop, but load up my iPod with lower bitrate versions automatically.

Or...can someone smart devise a patch or whatnot to unleash this already built-in capability for other iPod versions?

[Birdbird]

If you can tell the difference between a CD quality files and an iPod converted file I'd be very impressed. The difference is negligible and you'd have to have a kickin stereo to really notice. And then you may as well keep you music on CD to play in that stereo.

[JackRepenning]

Originally Posted by fryke

It does look strange in iTunes, though, to have every track _twice_ ... Might want to create a new user on your Mac, basically only for synching to the iPod. You could have the songs there as AAC and as Apple Lossless on the other user... Hmm...

Hmmm hmmm .... and how to get the converted copies from one user to another? I can think of ways that would be way way way more trouble than it's worth (well, to ME, anyway). I can think of one (make the iTunes folder shared), but that just ends up with both users looking at two copies of everything ... not going the right way ...