Help: Managing Apple Music Files


What is the best practices for the following scenario:

I have backed up my lossless Apple music files from a dedicated external 1GB Hard Drive (dedicated HD) to another 1GB HD (backup HD).

I now want to import music to my laptop PC from the back up HD but want to compress the files (to 256 or 320kbps AAC??).

What compression do you think I should use? These files will be used to import music to my Iphone and other Ipods since I use my laptop to manage my Iphone syncs. I have around 600 GB of losslees music on my HD's but only want to use 100 gigs or less on my laptop and will filter out about one fourth of these files in the transfer (600GB minus 150GB= 450GB to compress and transfer). I will also listen to these files on my laptop while traveling etc...

What is the best way to do this? I was told that I would need to compress these files while still on the the back up HD and then import the compressed files to my laptop. Then erase the compressed files and go back and back up the loss less files from the dedicated HD.

By the way, I am using Carbon Copy Cloner to manage back ups and Mac Drive 8 to enable the PC laptop to manage the MAC formatting of my hard drives… are these the best software for these tasks?

Thanks, Doug
lokie

Showing 4 responses by lokie

Mozartrules- "Import all the full resolution files to your laptop"

I don't have that much space on my laptop. I need to compress it before it hits my laptop.
Is xld pc compatable? It seems to me that would take multiple steps out of my process.

If I use Max I would need to erase the back up (on the back up HD)and then, utilizing Max, download on the back up HD the compressed targeted files and then move that to the PC and then erase those files and back up the dedicated hard drive again.

Do I have this right?
Kijanki- "transfering 600GB to laptop is not the best approach."

It's not 600 GB, it's 450 GB of uncompressed music. I'm trying to compress that to under 100GB.

"Connecting USB drive to laptop might not work since formats are different."

Uh??

"Use Itunes on the Mac with output pointing to shared directory on the laptop (wireless or Ethernet)."

Sound reasonable as I have Ethernet going to both computers. How do I point output to shared directory?

"That way you transfer much smaller - compressed data."

Uh??
Mozartrules "Is there a reason that you need the files on the laptop other than moving them to the iPhone?"

Two reasons:
1. I want to change the content on my Iphone from time to time and it is easier if I can do that from my laptop since, as I mentioned, I use my laptop to keep my Iphone synched.

2. I travel with my laptop and it would be nice to have the majority of my music collection with me.