What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Please enlighten me as to the difference between dynamic(Itunes) and smart playlists(MC9)?
Thanks,
G
[129 byte] By [govardha] at [2007-11-9 15:22:34] 
Hello,
Please enlighten me as to the difference between dynamic(Itunes) and smart playlists(MC9)?
Thanks,
G
# 1 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Well, it's subtle. There really isn't a difference between iTunes and MC9--they are the same thing, lists based on Criteria.What's different is how these smartlists behave on the iPod. If you add a smartlist from iTunes to the iPod, it is dynamic, meaning it updates as you play songs on the iPod or change ratings on the iPod--without a need to resync.
For example. If I have a smartlist on the iPod that has this rule: Rating = 5 Stars. And I change one of my 4 Star rated songs to 5 Stars, that song will show up on the iPod w/o me needing to resync.
In MC9, I would need to resync to get that playlist updated.
Don't worry, MC9 will have this soon. It's already been determined that iTunes writes to a file called iTunes Playlists and puts this on the iPod. Steve will be able to crack this nut.
Adam
ashawley at 2007-11-15 17:19:41 >
# 2 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Besides this, is there really any difference between iTunes and MC9 smart playlists? It seems like the way to create smart lists is the only differing factor. Is there anything you can do with MC9 that you can't do with iTunes or visa versa. Essentially smart lists are the main thing I use MC9 for, if there is no difference, I will probably switch to iTunes.k-rock at 2007-11-15 17:20:47 >
# 3 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
If you're using MC9's smartlists you'll definitely miss them in iTunes. Yes, iTunes has them, but they are very poor in terms of what they can do.For example. If you wanted to make the following playist:
Genre="Rock, Pop", Rating>4
iTunes, you couldn't. It doesn't support Boolean expressions. I find their capabilities lacking in a number of ways.
The only thing it has going for it are the dynamic capabilities (updating of smartlists w/o the need to sync), but I'm sure Steve will figure that out. He knows the file on the iPod that does it..just needs to get into the guts of it.
Adam
ashawley at 2007-11-15 17:21:45 >
# 4 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Well, playing devils advocate, you can make a playlist that would have rock and pop and rating >4--it's doable on Itunes, but it's not nearly as easy to do as with MC9. You'd have to do it essentially by using a match all, exclude all genres except thost two, rating >4. And you'd want to put the rating bit last, not in between genres. And you DEFINITELY don't want to synch that smartlist to your ipod until you've got every single criteria on there (ie if you missed a genre and tried to add it later, you're in for a heartache), or it will be a mess. But once you get it right, it would be dynamic--so there's a tradeoff--creating the smartlist itself is a pain in the a$$, but once it's there, it's oh so sweet...It looks like they got the problem with AAC figured out--once it's fixed, and if they can get the dynamic playlists figured out, I'll probably go back to MC9. The smartlists are light years ahead of Itunes. But I have to admit, Itunes does some things pretty darned slick...
dmt1 at 2007-11-15 17:22:51 >
# 5 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Yes, I did oversimplify that Chris. But in my case I count not create that playlist. Why? Because I had too many Genres to exclude. If you keep adding rules, you eventually run out of room on the screen to make more...so I could not do it myself. Someone with just a few Genres can, but I couldn't.And, it's quite the pain to try and remember all those Genres (as iTunes doesn't list them for you).
iTunes Fanboy! Sheesh!
;) :D
Adam
ashawley at 2007-11-15 17:23:50 >
# 6 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Ok Mr. Seventeen Genre Smartypants,:DYou can still do it--but you'd have to use the comment field...I won't bother giving you the example, I already know you know what I'm thinking...Not the most elegant solution, but it'd work...
So there.
Fanboy, Fonzi, oh will these insults never cease?:D
dmt1 at 2007-11-15 17:24:49 >
# 7 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
dmt1 - I'm surprised you are using iTunes over MC9 - I have been following along with yours and ashawleys comments for the last few months regarding MC9, so this is definitly big news.I find some aspects of MC9 easier with creating smartlists, but other things are more difficult - it is a tradeoff. I have had such trouble with my ipod, that I may just stick to itunes in hopes that will help the performance of the ipod.
I think ashawley you had said something in one of the early comparison post, that its so simple and stupid that itunes doesn't allow for boolean expressions, odds are they figure this out and include it very soon...
k-rock at 2007-11-15 17:25:54 >
# 8 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Yeah, I'm still working with Itunes--there are some things I love about it, and some things I'd like to see improved. I'm kinda watching and waiting to see what's going to happen with the AAC fix and dynamic playlists before I decide between the two...I've become an Itunes Music Store addict, I'm going to have to join a self help group pretty soon at this rate...The bottom line is the AAC support is huge for me now, although I'm still hoping for a non AA, non WMA based online music store...
It'd be a tough switch though--I really love MC9--I wish I could merge parts of Itunes into MC9--the AAC, dynamic playlists, and synching--and maintain MC9's file management capabilities...
dmt1 at 2007-11-15 17:26:57 >
# 9 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
OK Chris, but what happens when I want to use the comments field for, oh, I don't know...comments!?? :D(gotta be careful here - Chris can see my library and knows that I don't use comments. ;);)).
Look, I think I said it before: iTunes is great as a tool to buy music from the store (it's the best on the 'net IMO) and to load your iPod up with.
But, it's not so good to Manage your Media on your PC with IMO. I use MC9 as a library for my tunes, digital photos and to categorize my music for editing digital videos and such things. I've got like 4 different libraries in MC9. And I don't have a ton of tunes--but I just use it for other stuff.
iTunes lets you play tunes and upload - it's great for that. But I already have a tool for that so I don't need it. For others with different requirements than mine, it's perfect.
Adam
ashawley at 2007-11-15 17:27:55 >
# 10 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Originally posted by ashawley What's different is how these smartlists behave on the iPod. If you add a smartlist from iTunes to the iPod, it is dynamic, meaning it updates as you play songs on the iPod or change ratings on the iPod--without a need to resync.
For example. If I have a smartlist on the iPod that has this rule: Rating = 5 Stars. And I change one of my 4 Star rated songs to 5 Stars, that song will show up on the iPod w/o me needing to resync.
I assume this is the case with other fields. E.g. "Number of Plays" -- say if I create a Smartlist with all, say, Springsteen songs I'd listened to less than 3 times. Dynamically, this would continue to "rebuild" itself as I listened to the Smartlist more and more until all Springsteen tracks had a playcount of 3 or greater ???
BobU at 2007-11-15 17:28:56 >
# 11 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Yep...That's what so darned cool about it. Works for Last Played too, which is how I use it. Very slick.A couple of things...You have to play the song ALL THE WAY TO THE END for it to be counted. And, you have to exit the playlist, then reenter it before the changes are reflected in the playlist. Still, it's pretty darned nice.
dmt1 at 2007-11-15 17:29:54 >
# 12 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
From ashawleys quote from 3-4 posts ago:If you keep adding rules, you eventually run out of room on the screen to make more...so I could not do it myself. Someone with just a few Genres can, but I couldn't.
I've thought the same thing until I just clicked the "PLUS" sign in the middle of the list of rules, and not the bottom rule. By clicking one of the middle "Pluses" you can add an unlimited number of rules (they will flow off the bottom of the screen). Essentially, there is no limit (that I have experienced) to how many rules there can be.
That being said, when you are trying to isolate 2 or 3 items at a time, it is a pain to list every genre, artist, album, etc. to exclude.
Apple has to fix this. The following should be done:
1) Allow for Boolean expressions (Include this AND this) I can't believe nobody at Apple thought of this one... :confused:
2) Replace the text box with a drop down for the name of the artists, genres, albums - since artist, genre, album info will autopopulate when you start typing, the data should available to be listed in a dropdown instead. This may need to be an additional column next to the text box because some items should simply be typed in (i.e. BPM, Comment, Song Name, etc.), while others should be in drop down. Use of the text box would grey out the dropdown and vica versa, yadda yadda yadda etc. etc. you get the picture.
Hey Apple, get on it...
k-rock at 2007-11-15 17:30:59 >
# 13 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
k-rock:Er, how do you click the "OK" button once it's gone off the screen? Clicking the "X" button at the top doesn't save the changes.
At least it didn't for me....
Adam
ashawley at 2007-11-15 17:31:55 >
# 14 Re: What is the difference between dynamic and smart playlists?
Press "Return", that will work as wellk-rock at 2007-11-15 17:33:00 >
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