I know we've been through this before but gimme an update (sketch, patrick, etc.) on the best alternatives to itunes and why, if you've got a minute.

I use foobar, and I think Sketch does, too. The learning curve is a little steeper, but it's pretty customizable to whatever you want. There are lots of plug-ins and interface schemes to set it up the way you like.

I tried iTunes for a little while, but I just didn't like it. At that time, I went back to Winamp, but then I gave foobar a second chance, and I haven't looked back.

"Alternatives" in what sense? I've thought about everything I would use iTunes for and came up with a list. Everything below is free except for stuff designated by $$.

Music player
- foobar2000 is where it's at. You can do more with it than any other player, but the n00b learning curve is pretty steep. It's real power (and beauty) show up in third-party components.

Ripping/Encoding/Burning CDs
- Exact Audio Copy has a lot of features and handles scratched discs better than anthing I've used. Of course, EAC on its own can only get to WAV files.
- That's where LAME comes in. It's a command-line encoder, so it's a little complex at first. However, you can hook it to EAC and encode tracks once the ripping is completed. Whatever you use, make sure it supports VBR. Why spend the same 192 kbits for a second of silence as a second of rich symphonic crescendo?
- If you're wondering what the best bitrate is, it's basically whatever saves the most space where you can't distinguish the difference between the mp3 and the original WAV. This will be unique to your ears and your listening equipment, and ABX testing can help you clarify that without the risk of a placebo effect. For me on my Packard Bell 5.1 set, it's the -V2 setting (~190 kbps). Patrick encodes everything at V0 (~245), but he may have super-hearing and/or super-speakers.
- Want to go lossless for archiving purposes? Try FLAC.
- Burning a mix to CD? Just drag'n'drop your playlist file (M3U) into Burrrn.
- burnatonce does well for burning data CDs.

Music library
- Most players (including foobar) will proably meet most of your needs RE: library management.
- MusicIP (formerly MusicMagic) is a great supplemental app if you're into looking at acoustic similarities in your collection. $$

iPod video conversion
- I use Videora's iPod converter whenever I can because it's the best free converter out there. Once again, the learning curve is huge if/when you start running into problems.
- I include DVD Decrypter, DGIndex and AVISynth with every DVD that I rip for iPod viewing. doom9.org is a great resource to learn how to use this stuff.
- If you can load/play the file in iTunes to begin with; their converter is solid for iPod play. If you need an iTunes-compatible copy of a video, though, videora is a good way to go.

iPod interfacing
- Ephpod is free and uses the iTunes library, so you can use both concurrently with some success.
- Anapod has done me well for a while and also uses the iTunes library. $$
- Rockbox tells the iTunes library to go fuck itself.
- I admit to using iTunes iPod transfer for two reasons: 1) it handles video transfer better than anapod, 2) it's the only way I know of to get both album art and gapless playback at the same time. Of course, I also set all my library folders to "Read-Only", so iTunes doesn't update my tag info with useless information (Soundcheck is great, but not at the expense of your comment tags).

mediamonkey. its like $20, but it does absolutely everything. While I like the idea of foobar I have absolutely no idea how to set it up just how I like it. For cataloguing my music, mediamonkey is head and shoulders above any other program, not to mention that its quicker with the ipod and not as buggy. I just hit 60,000 mp3s and it manages them without a hitch

www.mediamonkey.com

i use EAC for ripping and Burrrn for burning (although MM still does both reasonably well)

aces

See, this is what I'm talking about, INFORMATION.

Thank you boys. (especially sketchy_c--holy fuck are you bored at work or what?)

I'll be investigating these options directly. Now if someone would like to come over and help me rerip about half of my collection, I gots the money if you gots the time.

So, I'll be there about noon your time?

What brought this on CBK?

Also, we need to get on dat pogblask -- yesterday got away from me, a problem with the house I will explain in realtime convo.

Trust me: this is far more exciting than trying to make two sales order lines attach to the same shipment.

If you have any questions as you're digging into this stuff, let me know.

oh nothing in particular; itunes is just such a fucking drag sometimes. as far as the reripping goes, as we have discussed before---anything that we ripped as an AAC file is fucking useless with the podcasting software.

Im good to do the PB tmrw. most likely.

I wouldnt have been able to do shit yesterday--I spent half the day fixing some shit on my laptop, and the other half hanging the Dude With The Pomadour's kids(monsters).

Yeah, as soon as I posted that, I remember the DISASTER that is mp4...

I just remembered that we tentatively said let's do it Sunday at dinner on Friday, and didn't wanna be publicly flogged for fucking it off (again)

Does L'il DWTP have a fine coiffeur as well?

I should be good at any time tmrw as well, just lemme know yr. sched.

I think he's gonna be more of a redhead like his mama; that kid is like 18 months old and almost weighs as much as his sister (who will be 4 in january)

A. Monster.

Can you set up foobar or media monkey to sync with your ipod, or do you have to use itunes for that?

Sounds like a prime candidate for a little circuit you know so well (sorry, couldn't resist)

Sounds like he big like the Col.'s 9 year old who looks 23.

There's an experimental foobar plugin for iPod transfer, but I haven't played around with it. It may be manual only. I still use iTunes.

I got the elbow in the ribs for mentioning "the circuit" under my breath at dinner as this bastard was attacking his food like Dr. Clucklestein in a frenzy.

ROTFLMAO

Srsly, I am crying envisioning all of this going down.