iTunes ID3 tag help...

[E-Rock]

Here's the situation...

My current iTunes library (nearly 11,000 songs) resides on a Mac. Nearly all files are AAC 128 kbps. I have spent over five years accumulating/organizing/perfecting all of the ID3 info for all of my files - including composer, lyrics, custom artwork, etc. Needless to say, this has been a lot of work (typing, spell-checking, searching for lyrics online, cropping artwork, etc.). But, this work has paid off for me, as my iTunes library is now meticulously organized - and iTunes has become an integral (and enjoyable) part of my music-listening life! :)

Now, I am about to start all over again - on Windows! :eek:

I plan on using EAC (along with iTunesencode.exe) to re-rip my music collection as Apple Lossless files into a new Windows-based iTunes library.

Here's the question: how can I export my ID3 tag info from my Mac-based iTunes tracks, and then import this ID3 tag info into the new lossless tracks in my Windows-based iTunes library?

I've found a few Mac-only shareware programs (like iTunify) for exporting the ID3 tag info, but I'm looking for a way to import this data (perhaps from a simple text file) into the new tracks using a Windows-based ID3 utility.

Suggestions??? :confused:

[ex_mixer]

I know alot of people who swear by mp3 rage:

http://www.chaoticsoftware.com/ProductPages/MP3Rage.html

It looks like they stopped developing it, but it should do anything you want.
Another good site for mac software is here:
http://pure-mac.com/

Click on itunes and mp3 for more suggestions.
good luck....

[AKA]

Can't you just save the files on a flash drive or something and slowly import them from your Mac to your PC?

[Vidiot]

Here's the question: how can I export my ID3 tag info from my Mac-based iTunes tracks, and then import this ID3 tag info into the new lossless tracks in my Windows-based iTunes library?
It's not necessary. Just copy the MP3 files to a Windows-formatted FAT32 hard drive, and copy them to your new Windows machine. All of the metadata (ID3 tags) should survive intact. You can also export your playlists as XML and re-import those into the new iTunes.

The bigger question I have is: why are you dumping the Mac for Windows? I know a lot of people going the other way, from Windows to the Mac, but not vice-versa. Windows has no advantages for home users, from where I sit -- and I use Windows and Linux every day at work. Mac OSX is far more user-friendly when it comes to dealing with music and video.

BTW, there's tons of helpful advice on how to migrate iTunes collections between different computers over on iLounge (http://forums.ilounge.com/).

[onlysleeping]

Files are files; regardless of operating system. I'd suggest getting a hub or router and connecting the PC and MAC. You should be able to somehow share the files on the Mac (sorry, not familiar with Macs), then get them on the PC. Or, you can share a folder on the PC and access it through the Mac. What OS do you have on the Mac?

[hifisoup]

I don't know what your usage plans are for the PC but...

If you have a home network (wired or wireless) and the music resides on your Mac you can simply download iTunes (the PC version) into your PC. Select Share Music on your Mac, then open iTunes on your PC. All of your music stored on the Mac will appear in your PC iTunes (just select your Mac as the source).

I do this at home. I have a Linksys wireless/wired router that my Mac, my wife's PC, and my work PC are all on. My wife can pull up my entire iTunes library on her PC without transfering any music. Likewise when my daughter comes home and turns on her wireless Dell she can pull up my music library too.

Hope this helps.

[stereoptic]

if you haven't already, browse through the threads in the iLounge (http://forums.ilounge.com/forumdisplay.php?f=95). Your situation has proably been discussed there.

[E-Rock]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys, but I'm not trying to migrate the audio files from my existing Mac library to a PC....

I don't think that's his problem. He has spent a lot of time editing the tags, and he wants to be able to retain the tag info when he re-rips to lossless.

That is exactly what I'm trying to do!


I tried using the "Add To Library" suggestion, but it didn't work for files I had ripped using EAC (as mentioned that it may not). Thanks for the tip, though. ;)

As for changing platforms (Mac to PC) - I am a long-time Mac user and my current library resides on a Mac at work. But, thanks to my job, I now have a "silent" PC (in a fanless Zalman TNN-500AF case) sitting in my listening room at home and would like to turn it into a quasi-music-server. (I don't actually own the PC, I'm just "borrowing" it for a while....;)) I'm sticking with iTunes and Apple Lossless because I will eventually migrate the "new" lossless library back to a new Mac that I will purchase at some point in the future. Make sense?

I'll check out the iLounge forum. In the meantime, though, any other suggestions?

[cooper16]

I'm sticking with iTunes and Apple Lossless because I will eventually migrate the "new" lossless library back to a new Mac that I will purchase at some point in the future. Make sense?

I'll check out the iLounge forum. In the meantime, though, any other suggestions?

If you will eventually move back to Mac, why not re-rip in lossless on your Mac then move those files to PC? If your tags are consistent, iTunes will give you a warning that a file from the same album already exists in your library, do you want to replace it? If you click Yes, it will retain your tags, playcounts, etc.