iTunes Alternative for Windows

[Frezzato]

The following is for PC, Windows 7.

Does anyone here use audio programs to listen to and organize music? I especially love podcasts, but downloading them one by one is taking too much time, especially since the shows I listen to have huge backlogs. I'm looking for a program that will queue podcast downloads one by one (not all at once like a file download in a browser) and remember where I stopped listening to an audio file--basically everything that iTunes does--but without being a pile of shit like iTunes.

I've read up on this a bit and it seems that there's quite a few complaints about how iTunes slows down even very powerful PC systems.

Anyone use an iTunes alternative that they're happy with? I noticed that Winamp is slowly creeping back to life but I don't want to invest time in a program if it's going to get abandoned again.

In summary, I need:

-A program that will download podcast files one by one, as many as I want
-An application that remembers where I stopped listening to a file and gives me the option to start where I left off, or not
-Something that allows me to alter MP3 metadata
-Something that isn't a demanding piece of shit, sneaking other unwanted files and applications onto my system like iTunes (Bonjour, Mobile Device Support, etc.)

[hr]

Background:

I've used MusicBee in the past but the program almost seems...invasive. I don't like it. It seems unnecessary to have a dedicated program just to edit metadata.

The reason I had iTunes in the first place is because I have an iPhone. I've decided to use my MacBook for that instead.

With iTunes installed, shutting down my system took in excess of 45 seconds. Without iTunes it takes less than 15. I lose power a lot, and even while running a battery backup, a 45+ second shutdown is unacceptable.

I've tried out RSS but it doesn't seem to do what I want it to, which is put everything I want in a queue and download them one at a time, not all at once. Perhaps I'm missing something there.

 

[SnowyGamester]

iTunes doesn't sneak anything dodgy by when it installs. It has in the past (I believe there was a controversy when at one point it installed Safari as an auto update) but the software and services it installs are just extensions used by iTunes, though you may not use the features they're required for and they can be uninstalled or disabled without losing core functionality (e.g. disabling Bonjour will stop network library sharing). Disabling the Bonjour service and removing the iTunes helper (device detector) from startup should remove any impact it has on your system while it isn't running. I'll admit iTunes can be a sluggish resource hog but damned if it isn't the best thing Apple has ever produced. And I hate everything Apple produces. Unfortunately I don't know of any other software that has a comparable feature set...otherwise I'd probably be using it.

 

[Frezzato]

iTunes doesn't sneak anything dodgy by when it installs. It has in the past (I believe there was a controversy when at one point it installed Safari as an auto update) but the software and services it installs are just extensions used by iTunes, though you may not use the features they're required for and they can be uninstalled or disabled without losing core functionality (e.g. disabling Bonjour will stop network library sharing). Disabling the Bonjour service and removing the iTunes helper (device detector) from startup should remove any impact it has on your system while it isn't running. I'll admit iTunes can be a sluggish resource hog but damned if it isn't the best thing Apple has ever produced. And I hate everything Apple produces. Unfortunately I don't know of any other software that has a comparable feature set...otherwise I'd probably be using it.

Thanks for the reply. I've decided to instead just share folders between my Mac and PC, connected directly via ethernet. Strange how you used to have to use a crossover cable, but regular ethernet works now.

Another thing to note is that all the "advice" I found on YouTube simply got so much stuff wrong, like telling people to disable WiFi and turn off their firewalls. Stupid asses. Grr...

Turns out the best advice for ethernet file transfers came from Microsoft itself [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2636421#Method3], which I have to admit was surprising.

 

[SnowyGamester]

Thanks for the reply. I've decided to instead just share folders between my Mac and PC, connected directly via ethernet. Strange how you used to have to use a crossover cable, but regular ethernet works now.

If they're both connected to a home network you can also share files indirectly via the router over WiFi and/or cable without the hassle of directly connecting them when you need to get something off one or the other. Personally I keep all my media and iTunes library on a network drive so any computer has access to all the same media and playlists without the requirement of having a host computer always on that library sharing has.

If you're just copying podcasts from your Mac to your Windows PC and playing them there you might want to try Media Player Classic - it has the option to remember where you were up to in audio and video files.

 

[Frezzato]

If they're both connected to a home network you can also share files indirectly via the router over WiFi and/or cable without the hassle of directly connecting them when you need to get something off one or the other. Personally I keep all my media and iTunes library on a network drive so any computer has access to all the same media and playlists without the requirement of having a host computer always on that library sharing has.

If you're just copying podcasts from your Mac to your Windows PC and playing them there you might want to try Media Player Classic - it has the option to remember where you were up to in audio and video files.

I had totally forgotten about MPC ever since I started using VLC. I'll have to give that a try again. I can't believe it's only a 12MB file!

Are you set up with some sort of NAS or are you running a dedicated media server? Oh I missed it when you said you had a network drive. I think when it comes time to replace this PC I'll use it for network storage.

I've tried sharing my library wirelessly in the past, from this run-of-the-mill PC to my very old iPhone and when it works, it's golden. I admit I'm easily delighted when it comes to accessing things from a shared library. Unfortunately, every time I left the house I could never get my phone back to my shared library without restarting my phone.

As for the wired Ethernet, I like the speed of it. Both of the physical ports were open and since both my Mac and PC are running off wireless I didn't want to clog up traffic (if that's indeed what would happen). I've still got about 60 GB left to download and transfer.