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[natelabo]

I have over a thousand CD's which i found probably 20-30% are not in the YADB database. Approximately 50% have no or the wrong coverart. Yet windows media player knows almost all of them. Is there any way to steal the info from what WMP found? I am getting extremely tired of entering tracks... Thanks!

[John Gateley]

When a CD is not found, switch to WMP to look it up, this should put the info in the CDPlayer.ini. Then switch back to Media Center and reinsert the CD, the track info should be there.

I'm suprised at the 20 or 30%. Are these CDs purchased in a store or online? Or home-burned CDs?
Are they common or rare?

Feel free to post the title and artist of the next one here, together with the time you did the lookup. I'd like to see what's going on behind the scenes.

Thanks,

j

[Alex B]

When a CD is not found, switch to WMP to look it up, this should put the info in the CDPlayer.ini. Then switch back to Media Center and reinsert the CD, the track info should be there.

Unfortunately WMP does not support CDPlayer.ini (even though it's Microsoft's own old standard).

These programs support it:

MC cannot connect FreeDB, but it can read the cdplayer.ini file (located in the Windows folder).

You could use e.g. Audiograbber for getting the info from FreeDB. It can write the CD info to cdplayer.ini file. Just insert the CD and let AG download the info.

In MC you can right-click the CD drive icon ín the tree (under Drives & Devices) and select "Update from CDPlayer.ini"

Also, you could upload the CD info to MC's YADB database before ripping if that is not too much trouble.

Another free program named simply as Player (It can only play CDs) can do the same with Gracenote.

In this way you can access all three databases when trying to find rare info.

... Here is the Player link: http://www.vuplayer.com/player.php. Audiograbber is easy to find with Google.

However, I would not recommend using AG for ripping. I did that before I found EAC and MJ/MC. I have re-ripped most of those old CDs because of occasional rip errors. Use MC in the secure mode. In my opinion the only good rippers that have a correctly working secure mode are MJ/MC, EAC and Plextools (works only with Plextor drives). MC is the easiest to configure and use.

[jolo]

I have wondered why MC doesn't link to Freedb ?

It appears that Freedb has many more entried than YADB.

Jon

[KingSparta]

I have wondered why MC doesn't link to Freedb ?

It appears that Freedb has many more entered than YADB.

Jon

About 3 Years Ago MJ8 And MC Started using Yadb, Yadb Started With All Of FreeDB's Data.

One Of The Things MC Could Do Is Read The Users CDPlayer.ini, And Make Sure That Data Is In Yadb, If Not Send It To Yadb. This Would Capture Any Data Found On Other Media Programs.

[jolo]

About 3 Yeras Ago MJ8 And MC Started using Yadb, Yadb Started With All Of FreeDB's Data.

Thanks for the reply !!

Is it possible that Freedb has been updated more frequently than Yadb since it is used by so many applications ?

I am just asking I don't know. It is just MC is the only app that I use that does not use Freedb.

Thanks,

Jon

[KingSparta]

Is it possible that Freedb has been updated more frequently than Yadb since it is used by so many applications

Yes

This Is Due To JRiver Has Not Opened up Yadb To 3rd Party Users As FreeDB Is. Even If JRiver Charged 3rd Parties For The Use Of The Data At A Reduced Fee Yadb Would Grow faster, And Make Money For JRiver.

The Only Problem With That Is, Would GraceNote Or FreeDB Think This Is A Infringement On There Data.

So There Could Be Other Legal Issues.

[jolo]

Yes

This Is Due To JRiver Has Not Opened up Yadb To 3rd Party Users As FreeDB Is. Even If JRiver Charged 3rd Parties For The Use Of The Data At A Reduced Fee Yadb Would Grow faster, And Make Money For JRiver.

The Only Problem With That Is, Would GraceNote Or FreeDB Think This Is A Infringement On There Data.

So There Could Be Other Legal Issues.

I was just checking on the Freedb web site. I looks like there would not be any licensing issues if MC moved to Freedb instead of YADB.
Here is a brief item of what it says about use for Commercial applications:

What about commercial and non-commercial licenses

This service will remain license-free and will be available for unrestricted use by any commercial or non-commercial user or developer. All commercial and non-commercial licenses of the existing software components and the database are only available under the terms and conditions of the GPL.

Here is the link that explains the GPL (General Public License)
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt

Here is a link to a short list of applications that use Freedb: http://www.freedb.org/en/applications__freedb_aware_applications.9.html

Here is the link to their home page. http://www.freedb.org/en/

This is just a thought. It is just that I access Freedb via some applications that I use like Nero, AudioLabel, Cdex, etc.

Thanks for listening.

Jon 

[JimH]

MC won't move to freedb.

There aren't any legal issues with Gracenote or anyone else.

[KingSparta]

As JimH said at the time they moved from CDDB, that they wish to maintain control over the database. at the time there was issues with the CDDB dlls (they sometimes would not work correctly and in my opinion there still is issues).

Yadb Needs A Face Lift.

[AoXoMoXoA]

could a plugin be made/used to check "other sources" besides YADB?

[John Gateley]

It appears that Freedb has many more entried than YADB.

FreeDB has too many entries - their focus has been on adding more data, not cleaning the data they currently have.

YADB has cleaner data.

When I did the new algorithm recently, I also improved the editing functionality: cleaning up the current data works a lot better and easier, so that when you get data, you don't have to choose between 4, each with their own little flaw.

j

[jolo]

FreeDB has too many entries - their focus has been on adding more data, not cleaning the data they currently have.

YADB has cleaner data.

When I did the new algorithm recently, I also improved the editing functionality: cleaning up the current data works a lot better and easier, so that when you get data, you don't have to choose between 4, each with their own little flaw.

j

I understand what you mean that sometimes Freedb might bring down 4 entries on some popular CDs. I have found that the issue has not been inaccuracy with them but they might have different genres or someone who liked wrote in the correct song title, but in a little different way.
But I still rather get that, then no finding any entry. I find that it takes a second to scan through them and select the one I want. To me it is a choice.

I find the most difficult thing in YADB, beside not getting a hit, is on some Artist "Compilation" CDs. Many times the Compilation CD is not found and I might get some pieces of links from some different CDs that a Artist made.

The big thing for me is that it HAS lots of entries, therefore getting a hit is more likely to occur. That is the big time saver.

[jolo]

could a plugin be made/used to check "other sources" besides YADB?

I like your idea a lot !! I hope it is understood that I am a LONG time user of MC and of course long before there was MC wtih JRiver.

No criticizing MC here, just discussing different thoughts which I think is in sync with MCs commitment to "continuous improvement".

I use a simple, but highly functional label program called "AudioLabel". I particularly use them because I do a lot of direct printing to writable CDs and DVDs and they have the software that supports my printers.
http://www.audiolabel.com/
They have an option in their label print that I find is a excellent model for bringing in CD data.
There is a button they have called "Disk". When selected, a Windows comes down that will show what the user selects:

• FREEDB
• CD-TEXT
• CDPlayer.INI
• MP3 Files

One can select all, or one.
Then all of the hists come down and the window is big enough to quickly scan the the contents of each "hit". When selected, it
puts the found replies on a potential label in a way that the user has laid out (or the default).

It might be interesting for someone to download the demo of this small program AudioLabel to see what I mean.

This is from Audiolabels sales pitch about this feature.  The "MP3" feature of this is new and I have never used it.

"Automatically Finds Album Information
There's no need for typing when AudioLabel can recognize your CD and download the album information from the Freedb internet database. This database is enormous, and most likely contains every album in your CD collection. For mixed CDs, the album information can be found by searching the CDPlayer.ini file, or by reading CD-TEXT directly from your CD. And for MP3 enthusiasts, our cd label maker can even read and label your MP3 CD using the ID3 tag and filename"

There is no perfect way of course. Sometimes it is good to look at some ideas that other software developers have and approaches can be influenced by the creativity of our peers.

Jon

[KingSparta]

When I did the new algorithm recently, I also improved the editing functionality: cleaning up the current data works a lot better and easier, so that when you get data, you don't have to choose between 4, each with their own little flaw.

Are you saying that Yadb will now take lets say the 4 submitted CD's

Journey - Escape

The First Song Is

Cd Submit 1
1. Don't Top Believin
Cd Submit 2
1. Don't Stop Believin
Cd Submit 3
1. Don't Stop Believin
Cd Submit 4
1. Don't Stop Believin

Since We Know Song One On Submit Is Wrong The Others Are Correct That YADB Will Take All 4 Submitted CD's And Blend And Auto Correct The Data That The User Gets Back?

If So that Is A Great Way To Make Sure the User Is Getting Correct Data. If Not When Do you Think You Will Get It That Way?

 

[John Gateley]

Hi King, yes, that's pretty much correct, and in addition, when you submit corrections they are handled better.

j

[KingSparta]

Excellent, very smart