iphone and itunes question - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 08:20 PM

Ok my wife and I recently pick up iphone4's and now I am trying to get things figured out. I am having some issues (lack of knowledge etc...) and I need some help.

1) Can we share an itunes ACCOUNT on both of our phones? ie same Apple ID to purchase content etc.. If we can share an account can we keep apps etc.. separate if we want too, which leads to question 2.

2) If one of us buys an APP or music can we both use it or do we have to buy it twice?

3)We have an itunes library already set up but when we started we did not set up multiple profiles on our imac. Now we want to keep separate profiles so we can sync our calendars contacts etc... with our iphones. The question is, can we share the itunes library? I believe there is a way but I am not very familiar with the mac file jargon.

4) Once you get the library shared can you sync the same music, tv shows etc... to different iphones4? Once shared, can manually sync what each user wants to their respective iphones4?

Your help is much appreciated.

Rathji · 10-15-2010, 08:29 PM

Music purchased on iTunes can be used on up to 5 computers and on unlimited mobile devices. I would say that this means you can share iTunes accounts.

Not sure about apps though.

I am not sure on this but what you sync with your phone is dependent upon the phone itself, and what you set up to sync. For shows and music, you can say you want it synced according to X settings and your wife says I want Y synced. This works for music, video, iTunesU content and podcasts, I assume it works for everything else, including apps, contacts and calendars as well, but i have never tried it. I assume you could use a different Google calendar, for example, for each device.

Bend it like Bourgeois · 10-15-2010, 08:38 PM

In our house we have 2 iphones and an ipod touch.

we share an account, and buy everything only once.
Each sync settings are different so they all have access to the same stuff but none have exactly the same stuff - apps included. My wife uses the contacts, I do not for example. Not sure if we both tried how that would work though.

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

In our house we have 2 iphones and an ipod touch.

we share an account, and buy everything only once.
Each sync settings are different so they all have access to the same stuff but none have exactly the same stuff - apps included. My wife uses the contacts, I do not for example. Not sure if we both tried how that would work though.

How do you share the library? How do you tell itunes that profile a and profile b share the same library on the same computer? Or are you not using different profiles on your imac (assuming you use mac)

silentsim · 10-15-2010, 09:02 PM

Point iTunes to the XML file on the master account. To do so hold option on a Mac when launching iTunes

Barnes · 10-15-2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentsim

Point iTunes to the XML file on the master account. To do so hold option on a Mac when launching iTunes

This will only work if both accounts are admin and have 604 file permissions. The easiest way to do this is copy the music folder to users/shared, rename the Music folder in the old location and point iTunes at that directory from the Prefs > Advanced pane in both accounts.

Delete the old renamed music folder when absolutely sure everything is working correctly. Like a month later just to be sure everything is working correctly.

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnes

This will only work if both accounts are admin and have 604 file permissions. The easiest way to do this is copy the music folder to users/shared, rename the Music folder in the old location and point iTunes at that directory from the Prefs > Advanced pane in both accounts.

Delete the old renamed music folder when absolutely sure everything is working correctly. Like a month later just to be sure everything is working correctly.

Will this work for movies, tvshows apps etc...?

sclitheroe · 10-15-2010, 09:46 PM

Apple really needs multiuser iTunes, iPhoto, etc. I don’t care if it would require MobileMe to accomplish it, but having one master (or multi-master) repository for all the devices in the house would be fantastic.

For those that are interested in trying to do it, using Dropbox or MobileMe iDisk to keep iTunes or iPhoto in sync across Mac’s will almost always result in tears. Trust me.

sclitheroe · 10-15-2010, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

Not sure about apps though.

Apps can be shared no problem - I do it between Macs all the time. My wife drags and drops apps from my machine to hers via Home Sharing in iTunes. Since both machines are authorized on the same pair of iTunes accounts, it doesn’t matter who loads what where.

Barnes · 10-15-2010, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mccree

Will this work for movies, tvshows apps etc...?

Yeah, everything is in the Music folder by default. Make sure you move the Library file and the library xml as well. I think they sit in the root of the music folder.

Again, back up, back up, back up and test, test, test. Moving any library like music or photos is costly if you mess it up. What I suggested should work but I have never done it myself. I do have a hodgepodge of DB files, aliases, locations and external music directories though.

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnes

Yeah, everything is in the Music folder by default. Make sure you move the Library file and the library xml as well. I think they sit in the root of the music folder.

Again, back up, back up, back up and test, test, test. Moving any library like music or photos is costly if you mess it up. What I suggested should work but I have never done it myself. I do have a hodgepodge of DB files, aliases, locations and external music directories though.

I worked just fine for me. I really just wanted to share the items we already paid for. Thanks!!!!

I do want to eventually share the iphoto library but that will have to wait.

Barnes · 10-15-2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Apple really needs multiuser iTunes, iPhoto, etc. I don’t care if it would require MobileMe to accomplish it, but having one master (or multi-master) repository for all the devices in the house would be fantastic.

For those that are interested in trying to do it, using Dropbox or MobileMe iDisk to keep iTunes or iPhoto in sync across Mac’s will almost always result in tears. Trust me.

Word. My library is held together with bailing wire and duct tape but it seems to work for me.

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 10:25 PM

Ok so I can transfer music back and forth (I think). However my wife has several apps that I do not have. I cannot seem to transfer the apps on her phone into itunes so I can transfer them to my phone. Any ideas?

Rathji · 10-15-2010, 10:29 PM

Right click on the phone icon in iTunes while it is plugged in and click transfer purchases. (or something like that, I don't have an iPhone but I have worked with my moms a few times)

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

Right click on the phone icon in iTunes while it is plugged in and click transfer purchases. (or something like that, I don't have an iPhone but I have worked with my moms a few times)

Ok super super dumb question. How do you right click?

edit:
When I go File-transfer purchases from iphone to says it is copying the app but I cannot find it anywhere in itunes!!

Weird stuff

edit2:

Need to give read/write persmission to these folders for anyone that needs access. Not sure if that is right but it works

silentsim · 10-15-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mccree

Ok super super dumb question. How do you right click?

If you don't have it enabled on your mouse click control+click.

Or go to system prefs, mouse, and assign secondary click to the right side of your mouse

Mccree · 10-15-2010, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentsim

If you don't have it enabled on your mouse click control+click.

Or go to system prefs, mouse, and assign secondary click to the right side of your mouse

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:w00 t:

:w 00t:

I should really take a course on using a mac!!!!

FanIn80 · 10-16-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

Music purchased on iTunes can be used on up to 5 computers...

Apple removed DRM on music purchased through iTunes just over a year ago, so you can now do whatever you want with it. You don't need to authenticate anything anymore. Movies, apps and TV shows are still subject to the authentication process, but music is free as a bird (even if you bought it from iTunes).

Mazrim · 10-19-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Apple removed DRM on music purchased through iTunes just over a year ago, so you can now do whatever you want with it. You don't need to authenticate anything anymore. Movies, apps and TV shows are still subject to the authentication process, but music is free as a bird (even if you bought it from iTunes).

Does this apply to music puchased before this happened? 90% of the music I bought on iTunes was 2-3 years ago at least, so I don't see how it magically has the restrictions removed.

Barnes · 10-19-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Does this apply to music puchased before this happened? 90% of the music I bought on iTunes was 2-3 years ago at least, so I don't see how it magically has the restrictions removed.

No. iTunes gives you the option to upgrade to non DRM but it costs money. You could always burn to a disc and re import to strip the DRM.