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General discussion

Home sharing Itunes with Multiple Accounts

by Totally_Frustrated Apr 2, 2011 3:16AM PDT

Hi, I am using a PC with XP. My son got an Ipod Touch and we created an Itunes account. All was good. Now my daughter has an Ipod Touch and I am not sure of the best way to go about this.

They would like to share some of the music and especially the game apps that have already been purchased. It looks like home sharing solves that issue? If we do homesharing with one Itunes account it looks like they will have to share their gift cards which seems like it can lead to a dispute.

We will only be using the one computer. Can I create a separate user on the computer for each of them and each have their own Itunes account? Can I then set up the Homesharing to enable them to share the game apps and music between the two Itunes accounts? If this is possible, what are the issues that I would encounter when syncing? I have read stories about things being wiped off etc.

Can someone please guide me with the best solution for a 2 Ipod family that does not want to purchase the same game apps and music twice but who also does not want to share their gift cards. They also do not want to have exactly the same things on their Ipods.

Thank you for your help in advance!

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Two accounts on the XP box

by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Apr 2, 2011 5:36AM PDT

is the way to go.
That way, each child gets their own everything, including their own iTunes.

Sharing the Apps may be another story though. You mentioned creating an iTunes Store account for each of them which means that items purchased from the store are only for the use of the owner of the account. Sharing is not on the cards here.

Home Sharing allows you to share the music and apps with another computer, not iPod, within your family.

Technically, swapping music between iPods is stealing as would be the swapping of apps. That said, if all the iPods were running off the same iTunes Store account, the apps would be allowed on each of the devices owned by the iTunes Store account owner.
That would also lead to disputes with the gift cards though.

More details on Home Sharing can be found here: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3819

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