Syncing Music and Playlists with Android 2.1

9-9-10 update: doubleTwist is the current king.  See end of this post for more info.

The bad news is that my new Droid Incredible doesn’t read .xml or .asx playlists, only .m3u.  So while it’s relatively easily to sync music to the device (Windows Media Player does it natively, iTunes requires a little program called iTunes Agent), getting playlists to sync is a bit trickier.

You can get Windows Media Player to save playlists as .m3u, but it really wants to save as .asx or .wpl, so it’s a pretty serious pain in the butt (you have to actually “save as” the playlist, and then you have the original .wpl AND the new .m3u in your library, and making sure you then delete the right one is a pain, blah, blah, blah…). [update: Unfortunately when Windows Media Player syncs with your device, it saves the playlist on your device as an .asx, so it’s no good for Android devices.  I found this out after a LOT of messing around with exporting my iTunes playlists to WMP via MusicBridge and then saving each .wpl list as an .m3u and then deleting the previous .wpl… only to have the files converted to (unusable) .asx files once WMP synced with my Droid.  There doesn’t seem to be any way around this.  Even changing the .asx playlist to an .m3u playlist on your device doesn’t matter –it will be re-created as an .asx file on your next WMP sync (the .m3u list on the device won’t be updated –a new .asx is created).  Annoying to say the least.]

There is a program called The Missing Sync that is just what it says, the missing sync software that SHOULD come with your Android device (what the hell Android/HTC?).  It supposedly syncs texts, contacts, photos, video, music, playlists, ringtones, call history, etc.  However, I’m not willing to drop $39.95 to try it out, especially when the Incredible isn’t specifically listed as a supported device on their website (the Moto Droid is the newest device listed). [update: The Incredible is supported, and my review of The Missing Sync is here.]

I used iTunes Agent for a couple of minutes, but then realized it will only sync music (not playlists).  iTunes Agent is a little program that sits in your tray constantly monitoring for iTunes.  It places a folder for your device in the iTunes playlists, and when you hook up your device it syncs all songs in that folder to your device.  However, like I said, there is NO support for playlists.  The author has been promising playlist support in version 2.0 for some years now, but considering how long he’s been promising this, I don’t see it happening anytime soon.

THIS IS THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION:  There is another program called iTunes Export by Eric Daugherty that does the trick for me.  Simply install the program and use the GUI version (unless you’re really into command lines) and then select your library location, select the playlist(s) you want to sync, set your output directory to the music directory on your device (SD card or phone memory), select “include UTF-8 BOM” (or it won’t work), select “copy iTunes Structure” (so files sync into folders that are identical to your music library, the “author – album” structure), and you’re golden!  Just remember to run iTunes Export after you’ve made any changes to your iTunes playlists.  It’s a bit of a pain having to run a separate program to get your playlists to sync after any changes you make in iTunes, but this is the best workaround I’ve found.

doubleTwist is another program getting some attention, but it’s Moto Droid support is only in Beta, and there doesn’t seem to be Incredible support yet (they do support the Palm Pre though, for those of you looking for the elusive link between iTunes and the Pre).

9-9-10 update: doubleTwist is the current king.  With recent updates, you simply install the desktop app, click “iTunes” to import playlists, and off you go!!!  It will also convert an video to the proper format for your phone.  Just drag any video file into the app and it’ll convert for you.   I’ll likely do a review soon.

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Why You Should Buy Your Phone from Best Buy and Not the Verizon Store (wow that was hard to type)

Yes.  I said it.  Not only am I suggesting that you go inside a Best Buy (shivers up my spine), but I’m suggesting you should buy something there too.  If you’d have told me a month ago that I’d be suggesting anyone shop at Best Buy, I’d have slapped you squarely in the face.

But last week I got the itch to purchase the new Droid Incredible, and so my story begins…

Last Sunday I decided I was going to go to the local Verizon store and compare the Moto Droid and the Droid Incredible.  I wasn’t going to buy, mind you, I just wanted to compare.  I was sure I wanted a dedicated keyboard, but the 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 8MP camera had me questioning myself, so I thought I’d do a hands on.  After about 15 minutes of playing with both phones, the HTC won, no questions asked, and I had to have it RIGHT NOW.  While I did like the keyboard on the Moto Droid, the virtual keyboard on the Incredible worked so well that my fears of no dedicated keyboard were dissuaded, and the superior processor and camera (among quite a few other things including size, form-factor, screen, responsiveness, superior multi-touch functionality, etc.) made the Incredible a no brainer.

So I went to the “sign in” kiosk in order to be put on the wait list so that eventually someone would let me buy the phone.  After about 20 minutes, my name finally came up, and someone asked if they could help me.  “I literally just want to hand you my credit card and have you hand me a box with a phone in it,” (for this I waited twenty minutes?!).  “Alright, let’s get you rung up!”

I went to the counter where they asked for my phone number.  The cost for the phone was listed as $199 after a $100 rebate, which meant I would need to pay $299 and then wait 6-8 weeks for them to send me $100 back.  Stupid, but OK, whatever.

When they pulled up my information, they told me that I was not eligible for the two year price, because my previous two years was not up until September.  “That’s fine, just go ahead and renew my plan for two years; it’s all good,” I said.  “No,” said the customer service person, “that’s not how it works.  The two year contract is for the phone, not the plan.  The price of the phone for you is $569.”

Kwaaaaaaa?  First of all, I could buy a full-size computer and peripherals for less than $569.  Second of all, the contract is for the phone (not the plan)?!  This was news to me.  I was always under the impression that the contract was for the plan.  I mean, if I ended the plan, I would still own the phone, but they would charge me an early termination fee?  How in the world does that make sense? Surely a lawyer could make quick work of such a situation.  Ending your relationship with the provider does not make the phone disappear.  You still own it!  So if the two year contract is on the phone, unless I make the phone disappear, I can’t be violating my two-year contract to own the phone.  Stupid.

I asked why they kept sending me e-mails letting me know I was eligible for an early upgrade if this was not the case.

They let me know I could pay an extra $20 to upgrade now (ummm, why didn’t they just say that in the first place?).

“Fine.”

“OK, just give us your credit card and the phone should arrive in about a week.”

“What?  I’m not walking out of here with a phone?!”

“Sorry.  No.  None of the Verizon stores in Colorado have any Incredibles in stock.”

“Are you freaking kidding me?  If I’d have known that I would have just purchased online in the first place to avoid tax.  Unbelievable.”

I walked out.  After falling in love with the phone, I was really looking forward to getting the phone that day, as I was about to get on a plane and really wanted to switch up before my trip.

The ugly yellow sign beckoned from across the parking lot.

I had $100 in Best Buy gift certificates that my uncle had given me for Xmas.  “Fine,” I shuddered to myself.  “I’ll just see if they have it in stock.”

“Let me check,” said the Best Buy employee. “We have one left.”

My heart skipped a beat.  “Sweet!  I’ll take it!”

I’ll paraphrase the next twenty minutes: the employee was actually incredibly knowledgeable about plans and prices.  When facing the “two year” issue, he said, “Oh, it looks like the other phone on your plan is ready for upgrade, so we can just use that upgrade credit to get you your phone; then in September you can use your two year credit to upgrade that phone if you want.”  Why in the HELL didn’t the Verizon people suggest this?  On top of that, the Best Buy price was $199.  Period.  No waiting 6-8 weeks for some stupid rebate to arrive in the mail.  On top of that, Best Buy offers insurance that you can either pay $9.99 a month for (like you would through Verizon), or you can simply pay $170 up front (a considerable savings that Verizon does not offer).  If anything goes wrong with the phone in two years, you get a new one.  Period.  They even give you a loaner while you wait for them to sort it out with repairing your phone or getting you a new phone (if your model isn’t available any more or isn’t in stock).

So to recap: Verizon store, horrible.  Best Buy mobile phone center, kick ass!

I still wouldn’t suggest you buy ANYTHING ELSE at Best Buy, but if you’re looking for a new mobile, it seems to be the best way to go!

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The Dawn of an INCREDIBLE Era

I thought I had an iPhone killer with my Omnia i910, and while it was a device I loved, it definitely wasn’t for everybody.  There were a lot of “behind the scenes” adjustments that had to be made to get it to teh awesome that put it head and shoulders above the iPhone.  (stellar battery life once your power settings were adjusted, copy/paste, tabbed browsing, video, 5MP camera with features that put most point ‘n’ shoots to shame, acting as a wi-fi hub before anyone other device was doing that, external storage, s-video out, etc., etc.)  However, there were other things: it doesn’t have a headphone jack (are you freaking kidding me? you have to use an adapter just to plug in headphones?!), it doesn’t have pinch to zoom, etc.

Enter the DROID Incredible.  Seriously.  The iPhone is dead.  This thing blows the doors off the entire game.  I mean, a processor that’s faster and more powerful than whatever you’ve got in your netbook?  An 8MP camera (that actually opens and shoots pics relatively quickly)?  All running on Android 2.1 (which finally puts non-Apple smart phones into the same arena with the iPhone for non-“power” users).

 

I’ll likely keep adding to this post for a while, so keep checking back for the ongoing saga of my new Droid Incredible.

Things I like:

• The form factor.  I can’t stand the “roundiness” of the Palm Pre and the Nexus One.  I LOVED the shape and size of my Omnia, and the Incredible is pretty similar.  Simple.  Thin.  Good size.  Feels great in your hand.
• The screen is beautiful and unbelievably responsive.
• The sound is stellar (both headphones and speaker)
• The messaging/contact aggregation is wonderful.  I can actually view all my communication with a single person in one place… e-mail, texts, even voice mails.
• Internet browsing is fast and actually works.  And finally having pinch-to-zoom is great.
• Voice search everything: people, businesses, locations, etc.
• Guilty pleasure: I secretly love being able to “speak to text.”  I looked at the Motorola Droid before I go the incredible, because I was really interested in the dedicated keyboard.  While I actually did like it (I don’t know what everyone is complaining about), it wasn’t enough to push me over the top.  And though I’m not wild about a virtual keyboard, the Incredible’s word recognition is stellar, and like I said… I can actually just speak and the voice recognition software will translate my words to text.  I love it!

DROID Incredible short-comings (most of which can be solved with software):

• [updated 5-17-10]  There is no back up or sync service (I can’t believe this; shame on you Android/HTC).  There’s a program called The Missing Sync, but support for Moto Droid is still in beta and it doesn’t seem to support the Incredible yet.
• [updated 5-17-10]  When you plug the device in to your computer, it will mount the SD card, but rarely automatically mounts the phone memory.  In order to mount both directories, you have to select “let me choose every time” for the phone’s default settings for when you plug the phone into your computer.
• Can’t directly sync with Windows Live contacts (you have to export a CSV file and import it to your Google contacts)
• Doesn’t read .asx or .xml (WMP and iTunes) media playlists; you have to convert your playlists to .m3u
• Even after adjusting settings, the battery performance isn’t anywhere near what my Omnia could do (with regular use the Incredible might last the day, my Omnia could go a couple of days with regular use)
• For some reason, my Droid isn’t linking to my Facebook contacts.  The Facebook widget is working and I’m logged in, but when I try and select a Facebook contact photo, the phone tells me that my friends don’t exist. (Are they really just in my head?  This could be a bigger problem than I first thought.)
• Taking a photo isn’t as comfy as it should be.  The placement of the volume rocker (right where your thumb would squeeze to grip when using the camera) and the fact that the camera button is the joystick (difficult to push a button on the face without moving the camera enough to cause blur) can make taking a photo really tricky.  I really hope they at least add a “soft” camera shutter button in new software updates.***
  
  ***Upon further use, I find that taking a photo one-handed is nearly impossible.  I don’t think anyone tried to actually use the camera when this phone was in R&D.  It’s great on paper, but the usability is seriously lacking.

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Multicore Processing RULES!

Stupid me didn’t realize you have to actually enable multi-core processing in Adobe After Effects for the software to take advantage of the feature.  All this time I’ve been rendering video files using only one core.
I just discovered this setting (in the usage/memory area of preference settings) and I’m now rendering out files at nearly FOUR TIMES the speed I previously was.  Currently I’m removing 3:2 pulldown from a ProRes QT file, applying a watermark, and changing the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 (taking advantage of being able to crop letterbox bars at the top and bottom).  The whole process on a 102 minute 720x486 file (rendering to lossless .avi) takes less than an hour.
Woo-hoo!!!

Yet Another Reason to Jump Ship for Android (Mozilla Halts Development of FF Mobile for WinMo)

I love my Omnia i910.  I’d love to stay with it.  But Microsoft just makes it INCREDIBLY hard.  And they keep doing things to eff it up even worse, making it more and more likely that I’ll be switching to Android any day now.

Mobile Opera isn’t my favorite way to browse the web (tabbed mobile browsing is great, but it just doesn’t seem to deliver like I feel it should).  Skyfire, though touted as the second coming of the lord, is even worse.

So I went digging around to see how long it would be before Mozilla finally released Firefox mobile for the WinMo OS.  I knew they had released a stable version for Maemo (and by the way, are there really SO MANY people using the Nokia n900 that Mozilla would focus ALL their efforts on that single phone?!).  Mozilla is actually on release candidate THREE for Maemo, so what’s up with FF Mobile for WinMo?

BAD NEWS.

Evidently MS has been particularly nazi about locking third-party developers out of Windows Phone 7 (or whatever they’re calling the always-stupidly-named platform these days).  Since Mozilla knows they are locked out of development for the upcoming new WinMo OS, they see no reason to continue developing the FF Mobile version that would run in WinMo, essentially saying, “Fine, assholes.  Good luck with your platform.  We’ll be taking our browser to Android (and the six people using Maemo).”

Like I said, yet another reason to drop my Omnia and switch to the Droid.

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How Advertising Works

I might buy this mouse, but only because of this awesome picture.

Killing the MOTU 828 Squeal

For years I lived with the frustration of squeal, stutter and drop from my MOTU 828mkII firewire audio/midi interface.  Disabling my internet connection via Windows XP seemed to stop it most of the time, even though there were no conflicts showing in my Device Manager, but once I entered the world of networking and RAID arrays, shutting down my connections was no longer an option.

Finally I got fed up enough with the situation to do some research, and believe it or not I found a solution.

There are three main things that will help fix this problem:

• Rolling your firewire card drivers back to the drivers from XP SP1 [version 5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)] because the newer firewire drivers suck
• Adding a DWORD value called SidSpeed to your MOTU’s registry entry
• Enabling optical i/o for the 828 even if you’re not using it

 

”Back Dating” your firewire drivers (thanks to “the Real Roach” at gearslutz.com):

1. Download the SP1 firewire drivers from this link (zip file containing an inf and 5 sys files).
2. Disconnect your external firewire devices.
3. Find the “OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller” and anything else in your Device Manager under "IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers." Right Click and uninstall.
4. Find "1394bus.sys" and "ohci1394.sys" in C:\Windows\system32\drivers, and delete them.  Some people suggest doing this in Windows Safe Mode, but I didn’t find it necessary.
5. Find your Driver Cache folder (usually C:/Windows/Driver Cache) and rename it so Windows doesn’t know where to look for the missing FW driver when you reinstall your card (you can/should rename this back when you’re done).
6. Click  “Add New Hardware” in your control panel.  Windows will scan your machine and find the firewire card.  When it tries to install it, since you renamed the Driver Cache folder, it won’t know where to get the drivers, and you can install the older SP1 drivers you downloaded by following the steps and being sure to select “have disk” when asked where the appropriate drivers are.
7. Go to your Device Manager, select the “driver” tab for your OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller, select “driver details” and verify that the file version is 5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920) for both the 1394bus.sys and ohci1394.sys files.

ps If the link to the SP1 1394bus.sys and ohci1394.sys ever breaks, you can find those files in a CAB files marked SP1 in your Driver Cache folder in Windows.

 

Hacking your registry to update the MOTU 828 entry (Also thanks to “the Real Roach” at gearslutz.com):

1. In your Device Manager, locate your firewire controller under IEEE 1934 Bus Host Controllers.
2. Right-click the firewire controller entry, click properties, and then click the details tab.
3. Click “Device Instance Id.”  You will see a string of letters and numbers that is similar to the following: PCI\VEN_104C&DEV_8020&SUBSYS_00D81028&REV_00\4&19FD8D60&0&60F0.  The information between the two slash marks (\) is what you are looking for.  The "1394_hc_hw_id" corresponds to "VEN_104C&DEV_8020&SUBSYS_00D81028&REV_00" and is the hardware ID in this example. The information that follows the second slash mark (\) is the "1394_instance_id" so "4&19FD8D60&0&60F0" is the instance ID in this example.
4. Click the Windows start menu, select “run” and type in RegEdit.
5. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\
   CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\1394_hc_hw_id\1394_instance_id\Device Parameters (the 1394 HC HW ID and 1394 instance ID is what you found in step 3 –this is how you locate the correct registry key for your MOTU device).
6. If the SidSpeed value does not exist in the right pane after you click the Device Parameters subkey, create it by pointing to New on the Edit menu, clicking DWORD Value, typing “SidSpeed,” and then pressing ENTER.
7. Right-click SidSpeed, and then click Modify.
8. In the Value data box, type 0,1,2 or 3 and then click OK.  The values that correspond to these numbers are shown in the following table:
   

   Value Speed
   0 S100 speed
   1 S200 speed
   2 S400 speed (default value)
   3 S400/S800 speed (Windows XP SP1 value)
   Note: if you try to use a value that is larger than 3, SidSpeed will automatically revert to a value of 0.

9. Quit Registry Editor and reboot.

That’s it!  The squeal, drop-outs and stutter are GONE!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

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[UPDATE] Bad news.  Next day.  I’m still getting the squeal.  All changes above have held (nothing reverted), but the squeal is back.

ARGH.

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[ANOTHER UPDATE] Evidently restoring factory defaults might do the trick.  Follow these steps to restore the 828mkII to Factory Default Settings.

• Disconnect the firewire cable from the 828mkII
• Press the Setup knob
• Turn the Setup knob all the way to the right
• Press the Select knob
• Press the Value knob
• Power off the interface and plug the firewire cable back in
• Power the interface back on

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[ANOTHER UPDATE]  Well what do you know… MOTU updated the 32-bit FireWire/USB 2.0 driver on 3/10/2010, just last month!  Maybe that will do something.