Synchronize or download ?

This might be more of a Windows Media Player question but since that is what I’m using to put songs on my Fuze, hopefully someone here can clarify this for me.

When I “sync” my library to my Fuze, does it simply download the songs to the Fuze? Thus adding any new songs to the Fuze but NOT deleting any that might be on the Fuze but are no longer in the WMP library. IOW, is it “synchronizing” or merely “downloading”?

In contrast, I learned the hard way that iTunes truly “synchronizes” to an iPod. So if I have 250 songs on the iPod, I have to keep those 250 songs on my computer and in the iTunes library. If I delete one from my computer, the next time I sync to the iPod, the song disappears from the iPod also.

I’d much prefer to simply download a song to my Fuze and not necessarily keep it on my computer.

Yes, I realize I could just experiment with things to learn which way it works but I’m hoping someone can make it easier by just explaining it to me.

Thanks.

If you are on the Sync Tab in WMP and have a list of songs in the Sync list, WMP will transfer them to the Fuze without deleting any songs that are already on the player but not in the sync list. Click the Start Sync button and WMP simply adds any new songs not already on the player. Since they still call this process “sync-ing” and not “transferring” my guess is WMP may also update any licenses for tracks already on the Fuze as well, but this is just a hunch. 

WMP can be configured to automatically synchronize the Fuze with WMP using playlists. After saving a playlist, right-click on the Fuze in WMP and choose “Set up sync…” Here you can choose to have WMP sync any number of existing playlists with those on the Fuze, automatically adding new tracks and removing old ones every time you connect the player to your computer. 

Wait a minute!

Note: “automatically adding new tracks and removing old ones”

I don’t use WMP, but my understanding is that Sync with WMP is the same as with iTunes. If you Auto-Sync then WMP will try to make your Fuze match the music (and photo and video too) library in your computer. So you cannot take the song out of the library, put it on the Fuze and then Auto-Sync, or WMP will eliminate the song. 

I suggest an experiment. Copy a song onto a thumb drive. Put it on the Fuze and take it out of your computer, then Auto-Sync. My understanding is that it will disappear from the Fuze. 

You can also just put the Fuze in MSC mode and drag and drop things manually. That’s what I do, just to stay on the safe side.   The only reason to use WMP is if you have music from subscription services (Rhapsody, Napster) that has license information to be transferred–only WMP  and MTP mode can do that.

And it’s better to use MTP or MSC consistently, since your computer can only see one mode at a time–although the Fuze doesn’t care how the music got there. 

Message Edited by Black-Rectangle on 07-01-2009 01:58 PM

Thanks, qualityaudio & Black-Rectangle.

If I understand what you are saying, whether a song gets deleted from the Fuze depends on whether I do a MANUAL sync or an AUTOMATIC sync - right? A manual sync just “downloads” whereas an automatic sync “downloads and deletes”, is that what you’re saying?

Wow, the people that designed WMP sure did know how to complicate things - with subtle, hidden differences!

Thanks for the info - I’l stick with “manual downloads”. If I want to delete something from the Fuze, I’ll do it using Windows Explorer.