[HiGHFLYiN9]

I currently have iTunes packed with Apple Lossless files for home listening and am wondering if it's possible to convert them to another format for portable listening (I'm considering a Zune) as I have no intention of re-ripping all those CDs TIA.

 

[fjf]

This is the problem with proprietary formats: you are stuck with the brand forever. That's why we all should use an open-source format like flac.

I've read that foobar2000 can read now alac and can transcode to other formats: http://www.foobar2000.org/components/index.html

There is an alac plugin, but it is unstable. You can try it.

 

[grawk]

dbpoweramp can transcode from alac to other formats. Quicktime (and itunes) can transcode alac to wav etc at which point you can use your utility of choice to go to your format of choice.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif dbpoweramp can transcode from alac to other formats. Quicktime (and itunes) can transcode alac to wav etc at which point you can use your utility of choice to go to your format of choice.

Nice! Is it possible to keep your old files as well when you are converting?

 

[nelamvr6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiGHFLYiN9 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice! Is it possible to keep your old files as well when you are converting?

Absolutely!

Just remember once you get it installed, it comes with a utility called "dMC File Selector" that allows you to convert whole directory structures.

A lot of people miss that and consequently think that they have to select files a few at a time.

 

[zip22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjf /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is the problem with proprietary formats: you are stuck with the brand forever. That's why we all should use an open-source format like flac.

because the zune supports flac? i didn't think so

you can convert a number of ways. itunes will even convert them to mp3 for you (change your encode format to mp3, right click on a file or any number of selected files and chose "convert selection to mp3").

 

[dcfis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zip22 /img/forum/go_quote.gif because the zune supports flac? i didn't think so you can convert a number of ways. itunes will even convert them to mp3 for you (change your encode format to mp3, right click on a file or any number of selected files and chose "convert selection to mp3").

Will that still leave the alac version untouched?

 

[grawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcfis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will that still leave the alac version untouched?

yes

 

[debrey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zip22 /img/forum/go_quote.gif you can convert a number of ways. itunes will even convert them to mp3 for you (change your encode format to mp3, right click on a file or any number of selected files and chose "convert selection to mp3").

That's awesome. I didn't know that. Is there anyway to separate out the AAC/MP3 files or to sort by encoding method? It would be nice if I could just drag and drop the AAC files into my iPod.

-- David

 

[KayoDot]

I suppose a quick way would be to click enable a 'bit rate' column (View > Options, tick bit rate), selecting the top of the bit rate column so the files are ordered by bit rate, selecting the ALAC files (click the top ALAC file, hold down shift, click the bottom ALAC file to make a big selection), right click and choose uncheck selection, they will all be unticked. Then, when you go to sync your iPod, make sure 'Sync only checked items' is checked. Voila, only the MP3/AAC files are on your iPod.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KayoDot /img/forum/go_quote.gif I suppose a quick way would be to click enable a 'bit rate' column (View > Options, tick bit rate), selecting the top of the bit rate column so the files are ordered by bit rate, selecting the ALAC files (click the top ALAC file, hold down shift, click the bottom ALAC file to make a big selection), right click and choose uncheck selection, they will all be unticked. Then, when you go to sync your iPod, make sure 'Sync only checked items' is checked. Voila, only the MP3/AAC files are on your iPod.

An even easier way would be to enable the "kind" column, which lets you know the type of file you're looking at. It's not necessary to extrapolate the encoding method from the bitrate when you can see it directly. Sort by that column and move the appropriate files to an iPod.

 

[grawk]

Or make a smart playlist "Kind Is Not Apple Lossless"