How to Convert Apple iTunes Music to MP3

Audio files stored in the iTunes music library are usually in AAC format, which is not compatible with the MP101. Such files need to be converted to MP3 format to be played on the MP101. The conversion is a three-step process. First, burn the music to a CD. Second, import the music from the CD, encoding it to MP3. Third, import the newly-converted files into the NETGEAR Media Server.

To Burn iTunes Music to a CD

1. Start the iTunes software, and navigate to the Library, using the Source list on the left.
2. Click the + (plus) button in the bottom left to create a new playlist, and type a descriptive name for the playlist.
3. From the list of songs in the pane on the right, select and drag the music you wish to convert to the playlist you just created.
4. Click on the playlist in the Source list, and verify that the correct songs appear in the list to the right.
5. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW in your CD burner, and click the Burn Disc button in the top right of the window.
6. Allow the burn process to complete.
7. If you wish, you may discard the new playlist.

To Import the CD in MP3 Format

1. Using the iTunes software, go to the Edit menu, and select the Preferences item.
2. Select the Importing tab.
3. From the Import Using dropdown box, select MP3 Encoder. Leave the Setting dropdown at High Quality (160 kbps).
4. Click OK to close the preferences dialog.
5. Insert the newly-burned CD into the computer's CD-ROM drive.
6. iTunes should notice the presence of a CD, and may present a list of CD titles to choose from, so it can fill in the track titles.
7. The contents of the CD should be displayed in the right-hand pane. Click the Import button in the top right.
8. Wait while iTunes imports and converts the contents of the CD. Depending on the speed of your CD-ROM drive, this can take up to 30 minutes.
9. After the import is finished, verify that the imported tracks appear in the Library.

To Import the Music into the NETGEAR Media Server

1. In the iTunes software, find one of the newly-imported files in the Library. Right-click on the file and select Get Info.
2. In the Summary tab, look at the bottom of the window, and make note of the folder location shown that tells you where the music is stored on your hard drive.
3. If the NETGEAR Media Server is already running, open it by double-clicking the blue music note icon in the system tray. If it is not already running, start it via the icon in the Start Menu.
4. Find the location in the folder tree that corresponds to the location you noted in Step 2 above. Make sure this folder location has a check mark next to it. If not, click the empty square to the left of the folder name to make the check mark appear.
5. Click the Scan button, and wait for the media import scan to finish.
6. The new music should now be available for playback on the MP101.

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Doc: N101443.asp Feb. 10, 2005