Windows iTunes compared to MC9/10?

[rfaison]

Please choose the appropriate forum for this topic. Thank you. Adam - I'm posting this here as I just read your "guide to syncing ..." sticky and as you pointed me to MC9 a good while back, and often provided helpful guidance on the MC9 board, but I haven't see you there much (not that I've been there all that much either) for a while ... whew, time for a breath ... when I saw you here in the Windows iTunes forum I wanted to raise this question about MC9/10 compared to iTunes for Windows and get your thoughts.

I'm particularly interested now as I'm on the verge of moving from my G2 to a G4. Since I didn't go for the G3, I only vaguely kept up with what was new for both Macs and PC's, what was exclusive to Macs, and what was lost when using MC ...

And, to add another wrinkle - I have both a PC laptop and a G4 ibook. I've just recently copied all my music from the PC (where the primary music library is on a 2nd drive - just upgraded to an 80GB!!) to a FireLite drive which the ibook with iTunes recognize. So it's actually possible to use both applications - only syncing the ipod with one - and thus my question(s). Syncing off the Mac iTunes obviously would only be worthwhile if the Mac iTunes remains different from Windows - or, if there's value in keeping iTunes and MC on completely different machines!

I still prefer MC for organizing and keeping my "master library".

So - MC or iTunes? (and, secondarily Mac iTunes or Windows iTunes?) - make sense what I'm asking? - what do you think (and anyone else experienced with both applications too)

If this really belongs on the MC9 board feel free to move it - but it seems there's so little action there these days ...

thanks-

Ruth

 

[sparks9]

Mac iTunes and Windows iTunes are completely the same. Both work good.
I have never used MC9, but I can recommend iTunes to you. iTunes works perfectly well (for both windows and mac).

MC9 was quite popular back when iTunes wasn't available for Windows, but now as it is available I don't think as many people use MC9 with their iPod. I think MC9 still has a few features which iTunes doesn't, but I don't know which and I really don't care since iTunes in my opinion is great as it is.

iTunes is free, you can download and try it out see if you like it.
www.apple.com/itunes

 

[Teqnilogik]

I've used both and I personally like iTunes better. iTunes has all the features I want and best of all it's free unlike MC9. MC9 does have some extra features but its not worth $20 to me when iTunes does everything I want for free.

EDIT: MC9 has a Basic free version, however, for some features such as MP3 encoding you need to buy the Plus version for $20.

 

[HiRez]

I'm particularly interested now as I'm on the verge of moving from my G2 to a G4.

Errr nitpicky but...what's a "G2"??? The G3 was the first in the PPC "G" line.

 

[rfaison]

Re: Re: Windows iTunes compared to MC9/10?

...what's a "G2"???

FYI - In "ipod-speak" the 'G' in G2, G3, G4 or 2g, 3g, etc. refer to the particular generation of ipod hardware. The ipods which just hit the stores last month are the 4th generation since the first, original ipod. Hope this helps clear things up.

 

[HiRez]

Re: Re: Re: Windows iTunes compared to MC9/10?

FYI - In "ipod-speak" the 'G' in G2, G3, G4 or 2g, 3g, etc. refer to the particular generation of ipod hardware. The ipods which just hit the stores last month are the 4th generation since the first, original ipod. Hope this helps clear things up.

Ahhhhhh...right!

 

[dmt1]

Ok, here's my take, after being a MC9 user and switching to Itunes Advantages:

1. Itunes just works better with the ipod--I've yet to have a crash or malfunction. It's as close as seamless as you can get with regard to integration. MC9, well, it can be buggy at times...

2. Itunes syncs very fast, and the autosynch is wonderful (I'm not sure if MC9 has enabled this feature or not--it hadn't the last time I used it, which was a while ago).

3. AAC support: Itunes wins hands down--especially for tagging, and if you buy from the Itunes music store. Not a big issue though if you don't use AAC.

4. The Itunes music store....I love it. Hate to admit it , but I do.

5. And, most importantly for me: Dynamic Playlists!!!! This is the clincher. I absolutely love them--it is the single most useful aspect of a smartlist for me (not everyone will feel this way--just depends on how you use your ipod).

MC9/10:

1. MP3 encoding: For windows users, you cannot download a LAME encoder plugin for the Itunes mp3 encoder--however, if you're switching to Mac, there is a Lame encoder available as a plugin. But I still think MC9's ripper is better than Itunes, so the nod goes to MC9 (I use EAC/LAME instead of Itunes to rip/encode in mp3).

2. Smartlist functionality: You can do much, much more with smartlists with MC9--there are more options available to you. And despite this fact that you can make much more complicated smartlists with MC9 than Itunes, they are actually quite a bit easier to construct. I can get roughly the same results with Itunes, but sometimes it takes 9 commands to do what I can in one or two with MC9. BUT MC9/10 doesn't support dynamic smartlists--and this is huge for me.

3. More customizability: Itunes is what it is. Try getting rid of the purchased music playlist. It comes back, just like Herpes. Your ability is limited in Itunes. MC9 allows a ton of customization, and if your library is larger than your ipod's capacity, MC9 is probably a better choice.

4. Better File management: MC9/10 allows for things such as finding duplicates, etc. Overall file management allows more options. The flip side is it is substantially more complicated to use.
I've become more of a lumper than a splitter, and for this Itunes is actually easier to use.

5. Better file importing: If you use something like emusic, or EAC/LAME to rip/encode, it's simpler to get those files into mc9 than itunes, as you can send them directly to MC9, whereas with Itunes you have to send them over, which duplicates them, then remove the originals, unless you want two copies on your HD.



Overall, I've grown to prefer Itunes significantly over MC9/10--the keys for me being seamless integration with no crashes, ease of use, and dynamic smartlists. For some folks (Bill comes to mind), MC9 is still going to be the best option--but it's a relatively small niche of folks that are still using it (remember how busy the MC boards used to be? They should be divided into two sections: BI and AI--before Itunes, after Itunes).