I'm new and lost

[texasbaird]

Hello
I'm new at this and kinda new with my ipod. I had all my music on my old computer desk top and I got a new lap top for Christmas. My problem is that when I bought new music from Itunes on my new computer and sync it, itunes erased all my tunes from my ipod. So my question is how can I use MediaMonkey to my advantage and get my music from my desktop computer to sync with my ipod using my new laptop. I hope I make sense. Can anybody help me? Thank you so much.

[texasbaird]

Okay,
Guess what I've kinda got it. I went to my desktop for what feels like the 100th time and I got a pop up to authorize and then sync my ipod. So all my tunes are on my ipod now.
Next question is how can I get my songs from my ipod to sync in with MediaMonkey? The songs that were not on my laptop when I bought MediaMonkey. I also bought the gold package, not sure what it is going to do for me yet but looks really good. On other question, when I downloaded MediaMonkey it never ask me for the license number so I am assuming everything is okay?
Thank you for helping me.

[rovingcowboy]

nohitter151 did an article on how to use ipod or iphone with mediamonkey some time ago
maybe his thread will help you.

i have it linked in the monkeys helpful messages page i did. the link to that page is in my signature.
i think the link to his article is number 22 or number 18 in that list.

i believe he might also have it linked in his signature?

[texasbaird]

Okay I've been doing some work and found this on MM. I think this is what I am looking for to sync my ipod up to MM. But....I got as far as #2 Click Edit..>Preferences and there is no syncing tab. So I really need someone to help me step by step. Thank you so much in advance for helping me.

Prepare the iPod / iPhone (or compatible device)

1. Connect your iPod and run iTunes

2. Click Edit > Preferences and on the Syncing tab, enable 'Disable automatic syncing for all iPhones and iPods'.

3. Click on your iPod in the iTunes tree and on the Summary tab

3.1. Disable 'Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected' and 'Open iTunes when this iPod is connected'

3.2. Disable 'Sync only checked songs and videos'

3.3. Enable 'Manually manage music and videos' and 'Enable disk use'

4. Select the 'Music' tab in iTunes

4.1. Disable 'Sync Music'

4.2. Enable 'Display Album Artwork on your iPod'

5. On the Movies, TV Shows, and Podcasts tabs, disable the 'Sync Movies', 'Sync TV Shows', 'Sync Podcasts' options.

6. Eject the iPod and close iTunes

If you are using an iPhone or iPod Touch, do not uninstall iTunes.

Note: In some cases it may be necessary to delete existing content from the device by using the iTunes Updater to restore the device to its factory condition.

Configure MediaMonkey

For tracks to play at the correct volume on your iPod, you should either:

Analyse the volume of all tracks in your collection via Tools > Analyse Volume

or

Enable automatic volume analysis via Tools > Options > Volume Leveling > Automatically analyse volume of unanalysed Tracks

Configure the iPod

1. Start MediaMonkey and plug in the iPod

2. Go to Tools > Options > Portable/Audio Devices, select your iPod (make sure that it is checked), and press 'Configure'.

If your iPod doesn't show up in the list, try restarting MediaMonkey.

3. In the Device Configuration tab, you can leave the defaults as is, but make sure that both iPod Compatibility Settings are enabled.

4. In the Auto-sync Options tab,

enable 'Delete Tracks that aren't on the Auto-sync List' and 'Confirm deletion'

and enter \iPod_Control\Games_RO\ in the 'Except Folders' field.

With these enabled, whenever you Auto-sync, you'll be given the option of deleting Audio tracks that aren't on the Auto-sync list, except for those that are used in iPod games.

5. In the Auto-sync List tab, choose which Tracks to sync.

6. In the Auto-Conversion tab, choose whether to convert Tracks to MP3 (note: 'Level volume' is not needed for iPods since MediaMonkey syncs Soundcheck values which the iPod uses to level volume).

Auto-Sync your Tracks

1. Set the mode of the Synchronize button on the toolbar to 'Auto-Synchronize', and if multiple devices exist, choose your iPod using the small button adjacent to the Synchronize button.

2. Connect your iPod to your PC and click the Synchronize button. After a bit of time, you should be asked whether to delete Tracks from the iPod. Go ahead and delete them (they'll be resynched from the PC).

Tracks will sync to the iPod per your configuration.

Manually Sync your Tracks

If you want to do a one-time manual sync of set of Tracks:

1. Select a Playlist, AutoPlaylist or a group of tracks and drag them onto the Device node or onto the Device button.

or

Select the tracks you wish to sync and right-click Send to > iPod Device .

or

From the Now Playing Dialog, click Copy > Copy to Portable Device.

2. Or, if you plan on always synchronizing in this manner, set the mode of the Synchronize button on the toolbar to 'Synchronize Selected'. Then Select a Playlist, AutoPlaylist, or group of Tracks and click the Synchronize button.

The selected Tracks and Playlists will sync to the iPod per per your configuration.

Disconnecting the iPod

MediaMonkey can be configured to automatically close the connection to the PC after synchronization. If this feature isn't enabled, then right-click on the iPod and click 'Safely Remove Device'.

[texasbaird]

Okay two days later and no help? I cannot do this on my own, the instructions with MM to sync my ipod aren't making any sense. I've spent about 40.00 for the gold package and one would think that could buy some help! Even to put the license key number in I had to search to find it. Is there anybody that can help me sync my ipod with MM? Yes we can help or No we can't help!

[Lowlander]

Where do you have trouble? This would seem sufficient: http://www.mediamonkey.com/sw/webhelp/f ... zation.htm or otherwise this: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewto ... 12&t=29525

[texasbaird]

Thank you lowlander, see my post from last night at 5:28pm. I got to #2 and that was it. Then tried to follow the instruction for the rest and got stuck on "ipod tree". None of it was making any sense. I will go to your second link that you gave me and work off of that. What makes it difficult is that if you got stuck or get to a certain point and run into trouble then you gotta come back here post the question and wait a long time to get an answer. I know once it is done, I'm sure I will enjoy MM.

[texasbaird]

Okay.. More questions? I am working on my new laptop which only has the recent songs I bought from itunes and which has my MonkeyMedia on it. My desktop computer has all my old songs on itunes AND because I was finally able to authorize the desktop and sync my ipod with the old and new songs. So... my ipod has all my songs on it again. This is the question. If my ipod has all my songs on it and I have disabled itunes when I plug in my ipod to my laptop will it automatically download FROM my ipod to MonkeyMedia?

[Lowlander]

No, MediaMonkey doesn't sync tracks back to your PC. You can if you wish to: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/inde ... rticleid=3

[texasbaird]

Okay, This guide you gave me is good and helpful. I will follow it on my new laptop
http://www.mediamonkey.com/wiki/index.p ... _ipod_sync

Next question. I just thought about this. It's not like my desktop is unusable. What if I use it, disable itunes, sine in at MonkeyMedia (on desktop) as well as use my license key. Will MM recognize my desktop computer and then take my songs off of it? Can I do it this way as well?

[Lowlander]

Next question. I just thought about this. It's not like my desktop is unusable. What if I use it, disable itunes, sine in at MonkeyMedia (on desktop) as well as use my license key. Will MM recognize my desktop computer and then take my songs off of it? Can I do it this way as well?

If you're asking if you can use MediaMonkey on the Desktop to sync songs to the iPod the answer would be yes.

[Anti]

Since were on the subject, I'm in the market for a new mp3 player. If I got an ipod and didn't install iTunes
at all, but used MM instead, would I have any trouble with it regarding downloaded and/or ripped tracks?

In other words, does the hardware contribute to these stupid DRM problems, or is it just the iTunes software?
Does an ipod behave like any other ordinary mp3 player if it isn't used with iTunes?

Thanks for any clarification.

[Lowlander]

DRM is added by the store you buy your music from and by default when you rip tracks to WMA using Windows Media Player. It has nothing to do with portable players.

[Anti]

> It has nothing to do with portable players

Surely the player (more accurately, the software on the player) either reads the DRM information or ignores it?
All the Chinese, non-branded mp3 players I've had so far simply ignore DRM completely; it's just like using a memory stick.

My question is, why do people have such a hard time moving/syncing/sharing music on an ipod?
Is it just iTunes that makes it impossibly difficult, or is it the ipod itself (or more accurately, the ipod's software)?

If the ipod acts just like a dumb memory stick, then I'd buy one. However, if the ipod prevents me doing whatever
I want with whatever music I have from whatever sources I use, then Apple can suck my fat one.

Thanks.

[Lowlander]

Portable Devices are supposed to respect DRM, that means if the hardware isn't licensed to play the DRM tracks it shouldn't. Neither MediaMonkey nor Portable Devices create the DRM on the files.

For best interoperability it's best to acquire non-DRM music.