Media Sync Alternatives

**EeZeEpEe** · 05/29/2009, 10:47 AM

So now we know the Pre can sync with Windows Media Player (PC) and iTunes (~~Unless Apple blocks it later. Mac or PC~~ As of iTunes 8.2.1 syncing has been blocked). Of course there's the good old "Drag-n-Drop" but I wanted to start a thread to give people other options to get media on to the Pre.

Here's what I found so far that other people have talked about:
DoubleTwist (Mac, PC)
Foobar (PC)
iTuneMy Walkman (Mac)
iTunes Agent (If Apple blocks Pre syncing) (PC)
MediaMonkey (PC)
The Missing Sync for the Palm Pre (Mac. Coming soon to PC)
Rhythmbox (Linux)
Salling (Mac, PC)
SharePod (PC)
Songbird (Mac, PC, Linux)
SuperSync (Mac, PC)
Winamp (PC)

Reply with some of your suggestions whether it's an application or site to get a script. Please include the supported operating systems too.

NOTE: I'll add your suggestions to the list so they don't get repeated.

**jbg7474** · 05/29/2009, 12:19 PM

There is also Rhythmbox on Linux (part of Gnome).

**buyrihn** · 05/29/2009, 12:21 PM

Songbird's always a possibility (Linux, Mac, PC). It's powered by Mozilla.

**jhoff80** · 05/29/2009, 12:37 PM

The problem is that many of these suck for syncing large collections to limited storage.

As an example, in WMP, you can sync either a specific playlist, or there's a "sync list" that you can add songs too. You have to right click on each album or song or whatever, and then hit "add to sync list"... meanwhile it still lets you add the same songs to that list multiple times which can be an issue if you're going through the list trying to fill up 8GB or whatever. I do love its transcoding to a smaller file on the fly, but it's still a bad interface for it.

The video of Doubletwist that I saw shows that you drag and drop the songs/albums you want to your device. How is that any better than the file explorer?

Unfortunately since I absolutely hate iTunes, nothing I've used is as smart as it with the "sync only checked" setting. That way, you can easily see which songs you're selected to be synced, and it makes it so much more convenient for large libraries being synced to a small device. If only there was a way to specifically check off a whole group of songs by album or by artist (without selecting them, right clicking, and doing 'check selected'), it'd be perfect for syncing. In other words, there should be a checkbox next to the album / artist pictures when not in list mode.

**Pearl_Diva** · 05/29/2009, 12:49 PM

Media Monkey FTW. It does sync very well and you can check off which items you want synced through there also.

The bad thing is you still need iTunes for video and photo sync to Apple products, but likely on the Pre you can drag and drop

**StefanP** · 05/29/2009, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by jhoff80

The problem is that many of these suck for syncing large collections to limited storage.

As an example, in WMP, you can sync either a specific playlist, or there's a "sync list" that you can add songs too. You have to right click on each album or song or whatever, and then hit "add to sync list"... meanwhile it still lets you add the same songs to that list multiple times which can be an issue if you're going through the list trying to fill up 8GB or whatever. I do love its transcoding to a smaller file on the fly, but it's still a bad interface for it.

The video of Doubletwist that I saw shows that you drag and drop the songs/albums you want to your device. How is that any better than the file explorer?

Unfortunately since I absolutely hate iTunes, nothing I've used is as smart as it with the "sync only checked" setting. That way, you can easily see which songs you're selected to be synced, and it makes it so much more convenient for large libraries being synced to a small device. If only there was a way to specifically check off a whole group of songs by album or by artist (without selecting them, right clicking, and doing 'check selected'), it'd be perfect for syncing. In other words, there should be a checkbox next to the album / artist pictures when not in list mode.

you should try media monkey. it's awesome for syncing. I have a smart playlist setup with the 450 MB of highest rated songs. whenever my phone plugs into my pc (usb mass storage device), mediamonkey automatically syncs all the songs from that playlist. you can specify alot more rules like "encode all music to mp3-128 kbps(or another codec/bitrate of your choice)" or you can set the playlist to only include songs that have been listened to for example less then 15 times. there are really alot of possibilities with this but if I'd name them all this would become a very long post. try it for yourself.

warning: mediamonkey has a learning curve, it's not nearly as straight forward as itunes, but if you take the time it's much more powerful.

**neodorian** · 05/29/2009, 01:00 PM

I'll keep using Winamp. Always works for any of the players I've owned and makes organizing my podcasts and playlists simple. One reason I dislike iTunes is that I often try to do things I'm used to in Winamp (like rearranging songs on the fly in a playing playlist) and cannot. I'm sure it works for a lot of people but it's hard to give up functionality once you are used to it.

**EeZeEpEe** · 05/29/2009, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by neodorian

One reason I dislike iTunes is that I often try to do things I'm used to in Winamp (like rearranging songs on the fly in a playing playlist) and cannot. I'm sure it works for a lot of people but it's hard to give up functionality once you are used to it.

Not sure why you couldn't rearrange songs on the fly but I just tried and it worked fine. I think you might've had the playlist on shuffle which then prevents you from rearranging a shuffled playlist.

**asforme** · 05/29/2009, 02:07 PM

Amarok for Linux and now for Windows and OSX. Simply Awesome.

**EeZeEpEe** · 05/29/2009, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by StefanP

you should try media monkey. it's awesome for syncing. I have a smart playlist setup with the 450 MB of highest rated songs. whenever my phone plugs into my pc (usb mass storage device), mediamonkey automatically syncs all the songs from that playlist. you can specify alot more rules like "encode all music to mp3-128 kbps(or another codec/bitrate of your choice)" or you can set the playlist to only include songs that have been listened to for example less then 15 times. there are really alot of possibilities with this but if I'd name them all this would become a very long post. try it for yourself.

Yeah I love smart playlists. I pretty much did the same thing in iTunes with the less than 15 times play count but also add a more than 5 times to the same playlist. I had capped it at 1870 MBs. That way they're songs I like but haven't played out a too much. As a filler I made a smart playlist of most recently add with the same cap. Those 2 smart playlist along with a few radio playlists (songs currently being played on my local stations) and I have half of the capacity set for music already.

**wlmoore** · 05/29/2009, 02:13 PM

Here's another that seems like it should work, though I haven't tried it.

SuperSync (Mac, PC), SuperSync

**jhoff80** · 05/29/2009, 02:28 PM

Tried out MediaMonkey and it COULD be perfect... if instead of the checkboxes for which folders you want to sync being buried in the Device Options> Auto-sync list> Music tab, if they kept those checkboxes in the file browser on the left.

I guess I'm just not a fan of auto-playlists, I want to pick and choose which music is on my Phone at all times, and I want to do it by album, not by song.

**Eguy** · 05/29/2009, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by The Phone Diva

Media Monkey FTW. It does sync very well and you can check off which items you want synced through there also.

The bad thing is you still need iTunes for video and photo sync to Apple products, but likely on the Pre you can drag and drop

+1 for Media Monkey, I used it for my zen but stupid MS locked it down on the Zune so I have to use the Zune software (Still better than iTunes).

What about drag and drop??? To old fashioned?

**EeZeEpEe** · 05/29/2009, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Eguy

What about drag and drop??? To old fashioned?

Drag and drop is fine as a last resort but do you think the Pre can you do playlists with it? I read in the User Guide that the Pre will find media not matter what folder you put it in. Seems like folders are more to keep things organized for the user and not to organize on the Pre.

**chrissurra** · 05/29/2009, 02:43 PM

DoubleTwist works with everything its clean and simple interface and easily allows you to share media through it as well.

**Eguy** · 05/29/2009, 02:43 PM

I wonder if the Pre supports m3u's...

**Leet Mongoose** · 05/30/2009, 12:10 PM

Does anyone know if any of these take the songs off of your ipod and put them on your computer?

**curiousobserver** · 05/30/2009, 12:23 PM

Is there anyone else here that is wondering about podcasts on the Pre. Syncing isn't a problem, however I don't think it supports bookmarking. Maybe I will have to wait for an app to be made for the Pre.

**Eguy** · 05/30/2009, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by Leet Mongoose

Does anyone know if any of these take the songs off of your ipod and put them on your computer?

Media Monkey will.

**buyrihn** · 05/30/2009, 02:33 PM

iTuneMy Walkman is like iTunes Sync Agent, but for Mac. May want to add that one to the list as well.

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