syncing iTunes across 2 Macs

Gary86 · Jun 5, 2013

Hi everyone. I have a Mac Mini at home that we use as the family desktop. The wife just surprised me with a Macbook for fathers day. Is it possible to sync llibraries across 2 Macs? Basically, whenever I add a song on one it would be cool to have it appear on the other. Sort of like how iCloud does for contacts.

I came across SuperSync but realized it was $30. Just curious if there was a free or cheaper method.

Thank you all.

bobtomay · Jun 5, 2013

Free built in already - Home Sharing - link

Pretty sure you can find plenty more tutorials.

Gary86 · Jun 5, 2013

bobtomay said:
Free built in already - Home Sharing - link

Pretty sure you can find plenty more tutorials.

Does home sharing just simple share libraries when both on the same wifi? We use it between computers...What if I am on the road at a hotel and my wife downloads an album or imports a CD. Is there a program that will sync the two? For example: right now if my wife opens the address book app and adds "moms new cell", if I go to my macbook at work on wifi it will appear on my address book app. I know this works through iCloud/same apple ID just wanted to give an example.

alicepattinson · Jun 5, 2013

With home sharing, you can share all files that you want to share including pictures, documents, videos, mp3, etc

TattooedMac · Jun 5, 2013

alicepattinson said:
With home sharing, you can share all files that you want to share including pictures, documents, videos, mp3, etc

Thats not exactly what the OP is looking for.

What you want is to get iTunes Match, where everything is then in the Cloud. Here in Aust it costs $34 from Memory, but if you Download a song at home, and the wife is out she will get it on her phone. If she burns a CD to iTunes at home, iTunes Match will update the Library and you can have it on your iPad, iPhone, iMac, MBP what ever you have as long as your signed into the same Apple ID . . .

EDIT If you downloaded a CD iTunes match will Match it with what they have in their Library and basically give you the Best quality, even if the song you have is 128 kbps they will update your library with a ACC file @256 kbps. Its really worth it IMHO and its cheaper in the US.
You need to invoke iTunes Match on what ever iDevice or Mac you want this on though. Its basically music in the cloud, but you can still download music as in the Full song onto a iPad without 3G to take with you or use Personal HotSpot from your phone

Have a read of this for a understanding and i think they have fixed a lot of issues with it http://www.macworld.com.au/blogs/itunes-match-one-year-in-79656/#.Ua_eHRYXe1s

HTH

Cheers

Gary86 · Jun 5, 2013

TattooedMac said:
Thats not exactly what the OP is looking for.

What you want is to get iTunes Match, where everything is then in the Cloud. Here in Aust it costs $34 from Memory, but if you Download a song at home, and the wife is out she will get it on her phone. If she burns a CD to iTunes at home, iTunes Match will update the Library and you can have it on your iPad, iPhone, iMac, MBP what ever you have as long as your signed into the same Apple ID . . .

EDIT If you downloaded a CD iTunes match will Match it with what they have in their Library and basically give you the Best quality, even if the song you have is 128 kbps they will update your library with a ACC file @256 kbps. Its really worth it IMHO and its cheaper in the US.
You need to invoke iTunes Match on what ever iDevice or Mac you want this on though. Its basically music in the cloud, but you can still download music as in the Full song onto a iPad without 3G to take with you or use Personal HotSpot from your phone

Have a read of this for a understanding and i think they have fixed a lot of issues with it iTunes Match: One year in - Macworld Australia - Macworld Australia

HTH

Cheers

Thank you very much. I also came across this...

How to Sync Two Computers & iTunes Libraries | Chron.com

I will def check out iTunes Match. I never really looked into and actually forgot about it.

Gary

Slydude · Jun 6, 2013

@TattooedMac Thanks for that link It answers several questions about iTunes Match. I have not been using it in part because I am having enough trouble getting iTunes to manage my library properly. It has taken forever to get most of the duplicates removed (courtesy of the switch from .m4p to m4a right after that became available.

I also have a couple of albums listed as partials because iTunes can't find all of the files and the albums are no longer in the store.

mrplow · Jun 6, 2013

Home sharing lets you bring all the content from one iTunes library into the another. This copies the content so away from home/offline access isn't an issue. You can also set it to automatically download new purchases too.

That will keep the two in sync.

syncing iTunes across 2 Macs

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