Media Monkey doesn't like Itunes????

[Danieleastwood.com]

Ok, I have a huge problem at the moment concerning a recently ripped CD collection. I used Itunes to import my entire CD collection to an external HDD, it only took 20 weeks and I now have thousands of tracks sat nicely on the disc.

Now the problems really start and If anyone has a suggestion to remedy either, I would be greatful.

1) itunes wont actually let me delete any of the duplicates. It removes from the library, but wont take it off the disc. The option "would you like to remove this from your computer" doesn't appear when I click delete. Not only that, some of the tracks have been given their own individual album even though they are all from the same album I originally imported.

To get round this, I decided to go for Media Monkey. Downloaded and set it off to scan the drives. Problem no'2

2) Media Monkey wont give me any of the Artists info. It can see the Albums and the tracks in them, but wont give me any of the info that Itunes has tagged such as artist, date, album art.

I am really getting hacked of with Apple at the moment for it would seem the term 'style over functionality' should really be their epitaph. (Don't get me started on my iphone). I just want a sensible no nonsense music manager that will enable me to do simple things like delete or fileand sort sensibly.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Happy new year all.

Dan

[deltic]

not sure this is of any help,but i use it with i-tunes works a treat

http://www.tuneupmedia.com/index.php

[discomobiledj]

Have you got the latest version and use the gold license as mine works fine with itunes.

[Danieleastwood.com]

Deltic, am trying tune up now.

Steve, I downloaded the latest version last night. Admitedly, I didn't want to pay for it until I had established basic functionality. I am still a bit wary of paying in case I get the same results.

[discomobiledj]

Having re read your post do the following.

In the centre box where all the songs are listed right click on the bar where it says title etc and make sure the artist setting is ticked.

Also try the listings under the tool bars as well.

[Excalibur]

Ok, I have a huge problem at the moment concerning a recently ripped CD collection. I used Itunes to import my entire CD collection to an external HDD, it only took 20 weeks and I now have thousands of tracks sat nicely on the disc.


Why? :confused: :confused: I used mainly Media Monkey, a fair amount with Windows media, and a handful with Audiograbber.

Just about the last programme I'd have considered was itunes.

[Totally Plucked]

BIG thumbs up here for Media Monkey, Fab piece of software :) :)

[Danieleastwood.com]

Thanks Excalibur iTunes was the initial choice a while ago because I have a few special colleagues who swear by the dreaded Apple. Anyway, gents thank you for your wise words, but I think I have nailed it now. I am going album by album and retagging from t'interweb. Added bonus is I get to double check the tracks and I also get a far more comprehensive tag than ITunes. Fair

[Danieleastwood.com]

I meant to finish that last post with... Fair play, media monkey is awesome. Thanks for everyones help.

D

[DazzyD]

Have to agree that Media Monkey is absolutely tremendous although it's not my first choice as play-out software, it is now always my back-up. It was recommended to me by Chris PPEntertainments and endorsed by Peter Excalibur and I've never looked back since.

The most amazing thing it did was keep on playing even when the entire Windows system crashed (I didn't know how it did that then and I still don't know - it's obviously bomb-proof!) and it kept on playing until we got the back-up laptop up and running (after having been brought to the venue as I didn't have it with me!). Long live Media Monkey!!

[Danieleastwood.com]

Ok All, my elation was short-lived. For some reason I am unable to get the artist info on the compilation discs. I'm beginning to think I will have to start the ripping process from scratch using Monkey now. :-( not impressed!!!!!

[Danieleastwood.com]

As an experiment, I have just ripped a cd using Media Monkey (pro disk if you need to know) and although all the info was there when disc was in the drive, it would appear I cant see the Artist info on the ripped files. Whats wrong with wanting to know who sang what? I'm am slowly going loopy with this one. Please help someone.

[DazzyD]

I know it's already been mentioned and it's also stating the obvious, but in MM is the Artist field active (ie not hidden)? This is starting to appear as the obvious solution.

[Danieleastwood.com]

I've hidden it, unhidden it, had it set as the only viewable tab, nothing works. The only info visable is the file path, time and album. I'm beginning to wonder if it's anything to do with the fact that all my files are WAVs

[DazzyD]

So they're not MP3s! I think that's your problem straight away.

MP3s use the ID3v1 and ID3v2 tagging standards but, as far as I'm aware (and I could be wrong!), .wav files don't use tagging to the same depth as MP3 files. I think it's these incompatible tagging formats are what it is causing your problem.

I can't find too much info online about this subject but there's a bit here:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t43135.html

[DJ Frankie]

Im also re-ripping my entire collection to itunes, make sure that you have customised your ripping to MP3 and at 320kbps as itunes (I think) rips it as an MP4, I have done this and so far haven't had any problems with it.

[Danieleastwood.com]

Thanks Daz, Im now considerably 'in over my head' so will have to call upon the services of the family computer guru/nerd. With regards ripping to Mp3, I chose WAV because it doesn't compress like mp3 so sounds much richer on larger/high end PA systems. Is it too much to ask these days for a music manager software that can deal with managing music???? :-(

[Steve the DJ]

It's a shame you didn't rip to FLAC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Lossless_Audio_Codec) in the first instance, lossless audio quality just like a WAV but the ability to tag like an MP3.

You could download the FLAC package (http://flac.sourceforge.net/) and then ask it to convert all of your WAV files, but you would still need to tidy up the tags, although you can do that in Media Monkey which will happily play FLAC files.

[Corabar Steve]

All well & good Steve, if his playout system accepts FLAC files

[Steve the DJ]

All well & good Steve, if his playout system accepts FLAC files

He never said he was using Media Monkey as his playout system? :confused:

I got the impression this was more about a music manager for home use!

However, the beauty of ripping to FLAC in the first instance is it only takes an average of 20 seconds to convert an entire album to WAV should he need it for his playout device. :)

[funkula45]

Paying for the gold Media Monkey package allows you to convert to MP3 at 320kbps,also setting your levels at the same time,then just tag from file name i did this a folder at a time, i hope this helps :) :)

[Danieleastwood.com]

I have paid for the golden monkey now however, I dont wish to convert to MP3 for reasons I mentioned in an earlier post. I am intending to use this collection of music to DJ with using Traktor and either the Denon hc4500 or a pair or DNS 1200's. (please don't turn this into a 'should've used this playout-it's better' thread!)

FLAC is still uncommon for the DJ Playout world and with the majority of the planets DJ's using MP3, I doubt we will see propper support for it for a while yet. Though thats not to say it isn't used, I appreciate that.

I think my family computer dude is going to write a script that will allow Media Monkey to read the tags that Itunes put in place so I will let you know how all this works.

Thanks to all for your valued responses, I will post back and let you know how we get on... I'm suprised I am the only one with this complaint so far.