WarrenSTI

Anyone using the 'iTunes match' yet.
Correct me if I'm wrong?!
But I was hoping that once it had matched my iTunes library in the iCloud it would stream any of my music to my iPhone when I wanted to listen to it. But it seems I have to pre download from the iCloud any track/Tracks or playlists in advance that I might decide I want to listen too. So therefore using up hard drive space on my phone.
Any thoughts

Ta Warren

JackClark

You have it correct. It's not streaming as such, although it does play as it downloads so no need to choose in advance.

Ant

Didn't think match worked in the uk?

WarrenSTI

Thanks for that, shame it downloads though. Not sure whether to go for it or not

WarrenSTI

Yep it came out the other day

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...tunes-match-uk

Ant

Your sure it downloads jack? I thought the whole point of streaming is you don't download it to the device.

Seems a waste if it does download

JackClark

It downloads as in it's there ready next time but plays as it downloads so it's streaming.

Dedrater

I thought this was coming next year, i didn't think it would come so quick to the UK.

I have been messing about with Google Music for the last few months (not available to UK, you will need a US VPN) you can upload 20000 of your own songs, for free and has the added advantage of actually streaming the music from the cloud, which you can also do from any web browser.

Another advantage i found is that the uploads are 320Kbps rather than an ear busting 256kbps that others offer.

Ant

But once it's downloaded you can't delete it right? That makes it all a bit useless

Dedrater

No, you can delete them, just swipe them and hiy delete or if you listen to a whole album tap and hold and hit X

Ant

Ahhh right I have about 100gig worth of ripped music, might try it for the year.

Is there a limit it will store on the match cloud?

Dedrater

I don't think there is a GB limit on either service to be honest, on Itunes Match it is 25000 tracks.

So if we assume an average AAC track at 256kbps is 5MB, that is about 122GB of storage.

I am just assuming, i don't know for a fact.

WarrenSTI

Still not convinced about it as it seems abit fiddly to me...

Dedrater

My missus is not a fan either. The problem i have found is that if you don't listen to the whole song and then skip to the next tack, it continues to download, as there isn't enough bandwidth you have to continually wait.

They need to do what Google have done and have it stream only.

chrisowe

I've signed up for it, £21.99 for a year seems a steal to me.
You can access the tracks on ten devices and if you've got low quality matched tracks you can replace them with 256kbps arc ones.

WarrenSTI

keep us posted on here be interesting to know how you are getting on with it

JackClark

I signed up as I'm used to giving more than £21.99 to Apple for less, so why not.

Can't say that I'm 'getting' it just yet.

Markus

Have to say I'm somewhat lacking when it comes to iTunes Match. I'm guessing that the higher quality tracks are downloaded to something, ideally your iTunes library on your computer. In which case, what happens if I don't renew my subscription next year, can I still access that music, or is it locked out?

If you're not locked out it is a rather good way to get higher quality versions of songs you may have ripped (off?) in lower quality and then keep them. The more songs you have the better it could be.

JackClark

I'm the same Marcus, I've signed up to something that I know pretty much nothing about! No bother to me as Mobile Me was a lot more cash.

First thing I learnt was on your mobile devices it's iTunes match or iTunes sync. I now have an iPad that has had it's matched music removed and I have to download it again. No bother, but I didn't really understand how that was going to work when I signed up.

The downloaded tracks are DRM free, nothing to stop me copying them from my iTunes library before stopping my subscription, so I doubt Apple would try to delete them, you just won't be able to download them again.

As a long time iTunes user keeping my library in sync on multiple devices has always been a bit of a chore, Home Sharing helped but Match is looking like it could be the answer.

I just hope I can find a Download all Albums button once mine have finished uploading.

JackClark

3 days in and I've done a lot of downloading! Nothing like the pikey pirates on here but a lot all the same. Great having my bitrate increased, doubled in a lot of cases, who knew you'd need anything more than 128kbps, the artwork is better too.

I'm starting to 'Get it' now, my iPad is fully iCloud with nothing downloaded but everything available and my iPhone is synced in the traditional manner containing everything in my now fully consolidated iTunes collection.

This link should have been my first stop after match had finished matching http://www.macworld.com/article/1636...atch_fast.html would have saved me some time.

Ant

Surely jack you don't have mp3s at 128kbps, 320kbps or flac for my albums that are worth it.

JackClark

Not any more I don't. I was an early adopter and way too lazy to do it again.

Interesting fact from the link I posted regarding better quality from iTunes Match at 256 compared to scanning from CD.