Finally got one...now how do I transfer music?

[Veni Vidi Vici]

I've only gone and done it !!!!

I've bought my first Apple product, the basic 13" white macbook. Not had much time to play on it yet but so far so good.

My problem now is how do I transfer my music collection from my very old PC (which only has the old USB port, not even USB2 !!!) to my new macbook?

I have a few thousand songs, most I ripped from CD's and sync via Windows Media Player. Also my other half has downloaded a few songs via iTunes for her Ipod.

Is it easy and how do I go about doing it?

thanks.

 

[stuart07970]

CONGRATULATIONS !

£ for £ , I think you've done the right thing

So, your next plans must be to stuff 4GB of RAM from Crucial in there, if you need it?
and stuff a bit of money to one side and don't forget to buy Applecare in the first 12 months.
I'm a mobileme fan - but many aren't, there's a free trial

with regards to your music, how much have you got?
Do you want to increase the quality?
For MP3's I think you'll be fine, but if they're WMA files, the amount of bother in converting them, you might be better off starting afresh and re-ripping your collection (just set itunes to rip and eject for speed)
Also you can decide if you want to consider using Apple Lossless for increased quality

 

[Steven]

If they are WMA I would advise you to start afresh if you care about SQ:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/port...avforums-codec-bitrate-discussion-thread.html

The reason being is that you cannot put back in what you have already lost, so upconverting files or converting them to a new format will only add another level of distortion

If you have a lossless format then you are free to convert that in anyway as post 3 in the link explains

With your new Mac and the iTunes purchased songs, all you need to do is authorise iTunes on the Macbook and you will be good to go

If your two thousand songs are in MP3 then unless I am mistaken you will either have to
a) suck it up and transfer to an external HD very slowly, or
b) if you have a NAS then your Macbook can grab the data off of that

 

[stuart07970]

QUICK!

They've just bumped the spec on the white mac,
(think its just the graphics chip and RAM, but you'd be going to 4GB of RAM from Crucial anyway)

are you gonna try and send it back???

(I feel your pain man, but I probably wouldn't bother returning it)

 

[stuart07970]

but the new spec DROPS from a 2.1GHz processor to a 2.0GHz

Bench tests anyone???

I'd stick with what you got!

 

[gerbilly]

but the new spec DROPS from a 2.1GHz processor to a 2.0GHz

Bench tests anyone???

I'd stick with what you got!

I bought mine in June and it is 2.4Ghz
I have the memory upped to 4gb and when I get the courage to do so I will fit a 500gb HD.
Apart from a fancy graphics card for games, which I dont play, I really dont see the advantages for the price they are asking for the aluminium one.

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

CONGRATULATIONS !

£ for £ , I think you've done the right thing

So, your next plans must be to stuff 4GB of RAM from Crucial in there, if you need it?
and stuff a bit of money to one side and don't forget to buy Applecare in the first 12 months.
I'm a mobileme fan - but many aren't, there's a free trial

with regards to your music, how much have you got?
Do you want to increase the quality?
For MP3's I think you'll be fine, but if they're WMA files, the amount of bother in converting them, you might be better off starting afresh and re-ripping your collection (just set itunes to rip and eject for speed)
Also you can decide if you want to consider using Apple Lossless for increased quality

Thanks. I'm going to upgrade the RAM, be silly not too really.

I have about 2000 songs and most are WMA files (ripped CDs that I own). A few have been downloaded from itunes or other music stores but vast majority from CDs.

I don't own an ipod though, I have a Sony 8gb MP3 player, will that still work ok on a Mac?

So you think its not worth trying to transfer them over if they are WMA files? I know nothing about this sort of thing so I'll take your word on that. Don't fancy re-riping all my CDs though, theres hundreds !!!

Regarding the new Macbook thats just been announced. As I bought a refurbised one I guess thats not eligable for a free upgrade?

 

[Steven]

So you think its not worth trying to transfer them over if they are WMA files? I know nothing about this sort of thing so I'll take your word on that. Don't fancy re-riping all my CDs though, theres hundreds !!!

Well I said it in the sense that for quality you might as well re-rip, with compatibility in mind. For lossy I would only ever choose MP3. AAC, WMA, Ogg et al are in one way or another not universal

But up to you. You can still transfer the wma files. I'm sure that there is software to play the on the Mac. iTunes will convert them to whatever you tell it to if the WMA files are not protected, though as I explained above this will affect SQ. Depends on your priorities

I did my CDs in one go in lame MP3 and am happy enough. I can rarely tell the difference with CDs these days (going to clubs maybe ), so am not fussed about not having used lossless