Apple's iTunes 7 - worst software ever?

[Paul Shields]

I updated my iTunes (on a Windows XP box), and at first was very impressed with the slick album art browser - then found that it won't actually play any of my songs without it sounding like it's coming from the bottom of a glass of water, and all video is so choppy that it's in danger of causing epileptic seizure.

I thought it was just me, as this was installed on my music making PC which has multiple expensive and unusual sound cards (though Windows Media Player 11 works perfectly). After some googling on the Apple support forums though it seems I'm not alone - the amount of issues this update seems to be generating is huge. In my opinion, Apple are starting to resemble the bad old days of Microsoft (poorly tested releases, locked down functionality) more and more each day - sad but true...

[cyclohexane]

I haven't updated to 7 yet, but I'm also not using iTunes for the time being as I need to replace my iPod.

[Waleed]

I'm using Mac OS X 10.4.7, and it seem to work fine here..

[Latinbob]

I think the solution for the sound issue is to make sure you have the audio set to 16 bit. You have to adjust this in the QuickTime preferences.

The video playback is horrible for sure. Amazing since they are trying to get people to buy movies. Hopefully we will get an update/fix soon. iPods are still the best players, IMO, but I agree, iTunes is going in the wrong direction.

[silentPartner]

I agree with the iTunes PC problems. I have it on the Mac and on the PC and on the PC it has screwed the sound. I raised a bug report about it.

[Paul Shields]

I've tried all the permutations latinbob, but still get garbled sound . The new release works OK on a couple of other boxes, so it does seem down to particular configurations. It's such a shame that it can't work on the one box that I do all my music on.

The thing is, playing audio files is one of the most trivial things a PC can be asked to do - you can write an app in a few lines to play an mp3 through the Windows audio layer. I expect that iTunes is doing something very out of the ordinary to cause so many problems to so many people (check out the Apple Discussion forums - lots of complaints mounting up). I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing a 7.0.1 release shortly - something very wrong has been released, and how well Apple address this will determine whether I move back into an Apple world (which I was very close to doing).

[Waleed]

Originally Posted by PaulS

how well Apple address this will determine whether I move back into an Apple world (which I was very close to doing).

Paul, I think computers, just like cameras, are just tools one can use to help accomplish an objective.. I've been an Apple customer since the Apple //c and I agree, the attention to quality have been reducing, but not a lot and not to the degree of damaging a product. I feel accountants have been contributing to the decisions made by Apple, just like any other business.. At the end, mistakes do happen, but at what frequency (not a single virus since I started with Apple in 1983).

[grsphoto]

As someone who has used and liked Apple computers for a looooong time.

Never load x.0 of their software... let others find the bugs. x.1 and up are usually safe and relatively bug free.

Glenn

[TonyK]

I installed iTunes 7 on my XP SP2 system without issue. Listening to it right now to verify my sound and I cannot hear the problem.

On my wife's Mac (G5) she does not have a problem either.

Not sure what the would be. PaulS, have you played with the built in equalizer?

[topdog]

My iTunes is updated and running great. I love the album pics too. I think when people have problems with updates they may also have an underlying problem somewhere in their OS. My permissions and maintenancee are done automatically by Macaroni in the background. Laptop and Desktop run great, updates cause no problems. I also like to keep up with the latest OS. Waiting for Adobe to upgrade to Intel Macs

Mac G5 and iBook/OS10.4.7

[Paul Shields]

Well, it's nice to know that there are some who don't have any issues (and I don't have issues on the majority of my PC's at home). However, this release is causing many problems for many people - Apple have really not done their homework before they released this to the masses.


Anyway, what a surprise. Only a couple of weeks after 7.0 was released there is now a 7.0.1 available for download from Apple updater :. Quote Apple:


"iTunes 7.0.1 addresses stability and performance issues with Cover Flow, CD importing, iPod syncing, and more."


Not tried it on my affected box yet, but fingers crossed...

[Latinbob]

I still have the choppy video problem with 7.0.1...

[silentPartner]

Since updating I have lost the choppy sound

[Paul Shields]

I've now installed 7.0.1 and got exactly the same choopy sound and video as before. I then played around with the latency buffer on my sound card (a 24 channel RME Hammerfall) and found that if it's set to the smallest value (around 1.5ms) then the chopiness is gone ! The problem is, this low latency is going to play havoc with my music recording as that latency is just too small to allow recording without glitches. Oh well... at least there is a compromise to be found. I'll just have to change the latency depending on which app I'm using. In the end, my other sound cards work fine at any latency (and my other music players play back on any sound card at any latency setting), so it's still a bug in iTunes as far as I'm concerned . I just hope that there's a 7.0.2 released before I pick up my new iPod (currently sitting at an airport terminal in China according to TNT tracker).

[TonyK]

Paul,

If the other sound cards work fine, and adjusting this sound card removes the problem, I would say the problem is with the sound card or its drivers, not with iTunes. Its like programming web applications. Each browser, on each OS, have a different JavaScript interrupter built in them. I've had code that had to check not only the version of the JavaScript engine but the OS and browser to spit out compliant JavaScript code.

For example, IE 5 for the Mac has a bug that IE 5 for the PC did not have. Where does the bug lie? In XP? No. In OS X or System 9? No. It was IE 5 for the Mac. A very specific application.

This could be part of the problem for you. The sound card drivers may not be playing with with other system software.

But then again this is just my take on it talking from experience.

Originally Posted by PaulS

I've now installed 7.0.1 and got exactly the same choopy sound and video as before. I then played around with the latency buffer on my sound card (a 24 channel RME Hammerfall) and found that if it's set to the smallest value (around 1.5ms) then the chopiness is gone ! The problem is, this low latency is going to play havoc with my music recording as that latency is just too small to allow recording without glitches. Oh well... at least there is a compromise to be found. I'll just have to change the latency depending on which app I'm using. In the end, my other sound cards work fine at any latency (and my other music players play back on any sound card at any latency setting), so it's still a bug in iTunes as far as I'm concerned . I just hope that there's a 7.0.2 released before I pick up my new iPod (currently sitting at an airport terminal in China according to TNT tracker).

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by TonyK

Paul,

If the other sound cards work fine, and adjusting this sound card removes the problem, I would say the problem is with the sound card or its drivers, not with iTunes. Its like programming web applications. Each browser, on each OS, have a different JavaScript interrupter built in them. I've had code that had to check not only the version of the JavaScript engine but the OS and browser to spit out compliant JavaScript code.

That's a reasonable assumption, but my take on it is that iTunes will only work with this card when the card is configured in what would be called extreme settings. No other audio app has a problem playing through with this card - and these apps do a lot more than the rudimentary task of playing an mp3 file. I've also since found after posting that reducing the latency to minimal that it is not a perfect fix. There are still occasions when the juddering starts.

It may well be that a driver upgrade for the card will fix it (and I've been pursuing this too), but I feel reluctant to treat the card as teh problem when it has been incredibly stable in high demand situations (like playing back 48 stereo tracks at once). I still suspect that iTunes 7.x is still not quite right...

[cyclohexane]

I've just installed 7.0.1 (XP), and so far, it's working fine. No problems with sound, haven't tried the video (with any version). Of course, I don't have your fancy sound hardware...

The new interface is slick; not sure if I like it yet, but it's a huge leap from what I'm used to... which was something like iTunes 4. I hadn't used iTunes 6 much, aside from installing it to go with Quicktime.

[Paul Shields]

Glad it's working for so many others . Unfortunately, it's still a bit poo for me on this one particular box. I'll just have to use another one for docking etc.

I do like the cover flow bits in version 7 - though it does eat memory quite a lot. I actually like the new Windows Media Center 11 beta as far as slick looks go. Very nicely done, and a world away from iTune's spreadsheet look. Shame it can't sync to iPods natively though...

[Rokcet Scientist]

Originally Posted by PaulS

[...] I actually like the new Windows Media Center 11 beta as far as slick looks go. Very nicely done, and a world away from iTune's spreadsheet look. [...]

DON'T FORGET THAT INSTALLING WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 11 WILL ADD MICROSOFT'S DRM TO ALL YOUR MUSIC!
Including the MP3 files you ripped from your legally bought CD's or any other music files!

[Paul Shields]

I've not found that to be the case RS. I have lots of MP3 songs both commercial and my own that haven't been converted to protected since WMP 11.

By the way (and not related to the above as none of my music has ever been protected) - have you been watching the hoohaa over fairuse4WM. Seems like the MS DRM has been nicely cracked a couple of times recently.