This is the most random thing and I can find no other explanation other than MC doing it.
I've been using MC for around 6 or so years now. A few years back (can't recall if it was before or after started using MC) I had a iTunes library back up on an external drive. Over there years I've been replacing the AAC files with higher resolution FLAC or WAV files. At some point, I noticed a large quantity of the AAC files had the album artwork replaced with one specific pieces of album art. The artwork is very specific and you can't miss it. (A black fox silouette against a red to yellow gradient - The Prodigy - The Day Is My Enemy) I dismissed the issue, figured I would eventually be replacing the tracks anyway.
As the years passed, moving tracks around to different drives, loading drives to use in the car etc. I got used to seeing the specific artwork all the time. And it has slowly been disappearing as the tracks are replaced. But as I said, the artwork is so specific, I'm very aware of its presence.
Yesterday, when putting together a playlist, I came across a track that I had purchased within the last year (FLAC file) and it had that specific artwork switched on its tag. I scanned my library and found more FLAC files with the very same incorrect artwork. I have compared the tags and they all have the exact same pieces of graphic art. It is not the same piece of art included in my actual The Prodigy track files (they have a higher res version in their tag). Comparing some of the FLAC files, they all have odd modified dates (some modified exactly one year to the day of the creation date, some not) One thing they all have in common is an additional set of tag info with Media Center listed as the tool.
Most of this is beyond me, I understand that metadata can get jacked up when moving files to and from different drives. But I've not experienced artwork swap out behavior. To me, the bizarre exact same piece of artwork piece I just don't get.
I have turned off the setting for retrieving artwork online and updating the tags. ( I had it off for the past three or more years, turned it on a few months ago. I never noticed a difference when I turned it on. But last night when scanning my library for more of the Prodigy art, I noticed same tracks that I updated some track titles just last week, they had no artwork at the time and now have new correct artist image but wrong album art (and not the Prodigy)
Anyone have an idea what is going on here?
(on a side note, The past couple of weeks, I switched to playing MC and directing the audio via HDMI to my amp, I was playing via DLNA directing my amp with MC. After switching to the HDMI as output, I had been experiencing computer crashing on a daily basis while playing MC. Oddly, usually later in the day only which makes no sense to me. Working with an Apple tech, we waddled it down to it occurring when switching from a 44k track to a higher res track. I've adjusted the DSP to downscale the tracks and no crashes since. My comp is a Mac Pro 12core with plenty of memory so I don't get why the issue but...) I have saved two of those logs and can attach if anyone is interested.
Author
Topic: Track Artwork randomly being switched out (Read 1520 times)