Comparison of itunes-substitutes

[hachel]

hi, after trying about any mediaplayer which is able to handle an ipod I still haven't found one that combines all that I need. Alltogether, they can do everything Itunes can and better, but each one is lacking at least one key feature. Here is what I found out, so please enlighten me if you know a piece of software that can do what I ask for:


Sync: sync-button or likes, sync tracks with ipod, delete files which are no longer in library
Sync Ratings/Playcount: should sync the ratings and playcount I gave tracks on my ipod with my library and vice versa
Podcast: automatically download Podcasts and, if possible, place in Podcast-folder on my ipod
Compilation: mark tracks from a compilation-album so that it's artists won't show up under Artist (prevent hundreds of Artists with just one song)
Last.fm: Scrobble tracks I listen to with my media player, preferably provide Love/Hate-buttons
Last.fm Ipod: Scrobble tracks played on my ipod one it's plugged in
Cover Art: Preferably display cover-art embeded into songs by itunes. Download missing ones automatically



Sync Sync Ratings Podcast Compilation Lastfm Lastfm ipod Cover Art Remarks
Playcount
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amarok Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Distorted on Very ugly, uncomfortable library
ipod, didn't KDE (I'm using gnome)
find any of my
itunes-embeded

Banshee Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Very nice, but no
extended Ipod-support

Exaile Yes? apparently Yes ? Yes No ? Tried it a while ago
not forgotten why I dismissed it

Gtkpod fiddly apparently, No Yes No No Didn't find my Misses the music-library, I
havnt found (through plugin) embeded ones still need a media-player like
out how rhythmbox

Rhythmbox No No Yes No Yes No same as above,
couldt find most
of the missing
ones via internet

Songbird Yes Only Ipod Not No Yes nice- No states that it can wait for next release
to Library really ly done all mixed up and
distorted on ipod

Yamipod Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No no Albumcovers


*Itunes* Yes Yes Yes Yes Plugin, additional Yes this is only in my list
software to compare



So basically if I had an applications as polished and straigh forward as Banshee, with the plugin-capabilities of Songbird, the podcast-support of Rhythmbox and the Ipod-handling of Amarok and Yamipod it would be the perfect piece of code every compiled.

So if you know of a media player that can do all this please tell me!
Also, please correct me if I made an error in my list.

thanks

hachel

[darrelljon]

Good comparison.

[Amarus]

You might find floola (http://www.floola.com/) interesting.