Author Topic: New user: Sync with Android  (Read 15272 times)

gordol

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I tried using the Help, it's several versions old and does not match the program.
I tried searching the Forum, and got contradictory information.
I am not tech-stupid, I've been in IT support for 20+ years, but I know what I know and I do not know what I don't know. Some of this below, apparently falls under the "I don't know" category.

I cannot get my phone to show up and sync.

I'm looking to replace MediaMonkey on my Windows 10 PC and Galaxy S20+ (Android 11) phone. Due to my music library size, I need two-way syncing of smart playlists. I was pointed to the combo of MusicBee, PowerAmp, and MusicBee WiFi Sync. I have them all installed. I also have a USB cable to plug the phone into the PC as needed.

MusicBee has scanned my music library and added it to itself. Since it does not import from MediaMonkey (oh well), I have recreated some of my smart playlists and I'll do the others later after I get this next part working.

The WIFi Sync app says I need to run a wired sync at least once. Annoying, but OK. Plugged it in, and MusicBee does not see it. Even after restarting MuscBee.

Now what?

phred

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What version of MB are you using? (Help > About)
How was MB installed? (Store, Installer, Portable)
Does the device show up in Windows?

For the first (and usually only) wired/USB sync, make sure the device is unlocked when you plug it in. Wait a few minutes and it should show up in the Devices section of the Navigator on the left side panel. And you don't actually need to run a sync. Doing a preview for the first and only USB sync is good enough.

Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

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The Wiki
Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

gordol

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What version of MB are you using? (Help > About)
3.4.7805
Quote
How was MB installed? (Store, Installer, Portable)
Download from the MusicBee site
Quote
Does the device show up in Windows?
Yes
Quote
For the first (and usually only) wired/USB sync, make sure the device is unlocked when you plug it in. Wait a few minutes and it should show up in the Devices section of the Navigator on the left side panel.
That worked.
Quote
And you don't actually need to run a sync. Doing a preview for the first and only USB sync is good enough.
It automatically started syncing. Took me a bit to see that as there was no on-screen indication that it was doing anything.

Opening the phone in the library tree took forever. Went to the Settings for it in the main panel and it was set to sync all music and sync immediately on connection. In the info panel at the top, the "Preview" button was grayed out. It wasn't until I got down into the Sync Status view that I saw that it was syncing. In the settings, I disabled the auto sync, went back to the sync tab and cancelled the sync, and and it started up again.

The option to enable two-way sync is grayed out. But, now that it's stopped the wired sync, unplug and fire up the WiFiSync app on the phone, that has options to sync back. Testing it now.

phred

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Took me a bit to see that as there was no on-screen indication that it was doing anything.
The progress percentage shows in the lower left corner of the main window.

It sounds like you're almost there.
Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

----------
The FAQ
The Wiki
Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

gordol

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The progress percentage shows in the lower left corner of the main window.
Yeah, I found that later. Light grey on white. Using the default skin.

In any case, starting the wireless sync at shortly after midnight, syncing a few playlists totaling less than 4000 songs, and it was still less than 75% complete 8 hours later. MediaMonkey can sync 18,000+ tracks in less time, wirelessly.

Based on this last bit, I think this is a fail for me.

gordol

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I'll give this one more chance. When I have the time to let it do it's thing for 12 hours or so. Maybe I'll do that first full sync wired and then updates via wifi.

frankz

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Wifi is faster than wired.

4000 songs shouldn't take 8+ hours unless your computer is less-than-great AND you're converting every file or otherwise rewriting every file in some way (conversion, embedding artwork, etc).  A simple wifi sync of 4000 songs as they exist should take maybe an hour or two tops.  You've got something wrong with your settings.  Without knowing what your settings are, no one is going to have any idea what that issue is.  A screenshot of the screen below would help.

Last Edit: August 25, 2021, 05:39:45 AM by frankz

gordol

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Well, as I said, MediaMonkey can sync my entire 18,000+ track library in less time, over WiFi which has always been slower than USB 2/3/c.

Screenshot of my portable device settings below. The only thing of note that I see different from yours is my option for 2-way sync is disabled.


frankz

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There's a reason you're no longer using MediaMonkey, right?  The reason I ask is because you keep citing it as if you'd rather be using it, which is confusing.  At this point, I don't think there's anyone who's unclear that MediaMonkey syncs to your phone more quickly than what you're seeing in MusicBee.  I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish here by repeatedly saying it.

For MusicBee, Wifi sync is more speedy than wired, especially for large libraries.

The screenshot wasn't my settings.  It was an example of the settings screen.

You are embedding artwork and lyrics into each file upon sync.  This causes each file to be rewritten as it is being sent to the device.  This is probably why you're seeing the results you are.  I'm sorry I won't be able to offer further advice.

gordol

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I cite MediaMonkey as a comparison because that's what I know. Yes, there is a reason I am trying to switch away from it. The phone app randomly crashes when using BT output, and somewhere between the desktop and phone side of things it randomly loses album art. And also has started to randomly fail to properly update playlists when syncing, leading to unwanted song repetition.  Which circles back to MusicBee over here has the "2 way sync" disabled. Am I missing something to enable that?

I'm using the current phone version, and the last of the prior version of the desktop app, because the newest version just doesn't work at all on either of the two PCs I tried it on.

I accept your statement that in MusicBee, WiFi is faster.

Artwork and lyrics are (should be per my preference going back to WinAmp days pre-iTunes) already embedded in the tracks, not kept in separate files.

I'm going to start fresh on the phone: I'm removing my entire media library from the phone, and then I'll sync over a couple playlists via MusicBee and see what happens. With my schedule and how long the cleanup of what currently is will take, I probably won't have any new info until Friday at the earliest.

gordol

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There's a reason you're no longer using MediaMonkey, right?  The reason I ask is because you keep citing it as if you'd rather be using it, which is confusing.  At this point, I don't think there's anyone who's unclear that MediaMonkey syncs to your phone more quickly than what you're seeing in MusicBee.  I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish here by repeatedly saying it.

So, I started fresh, removed my existing library on the phone (I was attempting to use the same library files) and synced in anew via WiFI, and that sync took only a couple hours. Played a few songs in Poweramp and synced again, and it appears to have synced new again, and what I listened to on the phone did not get marked as heard in MusicBee. I'm hoping this is because I had MusicBee WiFI Sync set to use the desktop app's sync settings and the option there to sync back from the mobile is off and disabled (how do I get that enabled??)

When I'm done with work today, I'll try again with that option in the WiFi app off, to use the mobile app settings instead which is set to sync back.

I'm hopeful.

phred

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Two-way sync is enabled in the WiFi Sync app. All the rest of the settings are done in the Preferences > Devices tab of MB.
Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

----------
The FAQ
The Wiki
Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

gordol

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Two-way sync is enabled in the WiFi Sync app. All the rest of the settings are done in the Preferences > Devices tab of MB.
Which is what I figured when I saw that option in the WiFi app. Assuming it works, I won't worry about the disabled setting in the desktop app.  At this point, I wish I could access the sync settings in the desktop app to make changes without having to plug the phone in. If there is a way, I haven't found it yet.

phred

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I don't two-way sync, but I suspect all you need to do is enable it in MB's desktop settings once and from then on, use the app to enable or not. Maybe you don't even need to turn it on in MB's settings.

I also don't understand why you're plugging the phone in to make settings changes on the desktop. If you've run one sync via USB, the device will (should) show every time you open Preferences > Devices. You can change what you want and save it. All without having the device plugged in. I can't remember the last time I plugged in my phone in order to change sync settings.

I think you need to do some experimenting to get yourself squared away. Don't use your entire library. Select a small subset.
Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

----------
The FAQ
The Wiki
Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

frankz

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I don't use two-way sync either, but the one in the windows program device settings and the one in the WiFi app are unrelated.  The one in device settings was there long before the wifi app even existed and is/was related to an available (but not implemented in any Android players) MTP database field:
Wiki:
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for MTP devices, the MTP database does have a field for rating and for play count. However in practice i have yet to see it being used by the android players. So until that happens 2-way sync wont do anything