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[modelmaker]

This is my take on getting/manipulating/using album covers (and other still images). I have not yet had time to install and try out KingSparta's "Album Cover Finder", which once installed will probably change some of the ways I've been doing things in the future. Maybe some of you have some other suggestions too.(BTW I'm using  MC 9.0.180 and love it).

First of all, I use a little image viewing program called Irfanview (www.irfanview.com) ,it's freeware, and it has a lot of features such as resizing,cropping,color and brite/contrast adjustments etc.It will convert just about any type image to bmp or jpeg.

My top three sources for cover images larger than a postage stamp have been: Walmart.com (500x500 pixels), Amazon.com (USA & UK)(300x300 pixels). I resize the amazon images to 500x500 and use the walmart ones the way they come. 500x500 when displayed in full screen is not covered up by the function bars and is also a pretty good compromise when blowing up from 300x300. This is as viewed on a VGA monitor.

For old and rare LP covers that I can't find equivalent CD cover art for, I use a digital camera to shoot my old LP cover and then clean it up as needed with photoshop.
CD art I have, but can't find digital equivalents for on the net, I just use my scanner and resize.

I used to store the covers in the "cover art" folder, but now store the covers in the appropriate album or artist folder on the media HD. That way I always know where it is and don't have to be so anal about renaming the cover art file. The only drawback to this system I have found, is that some other apps don't always find the cover art, is this because MC doesn't store the path to the file in the ID tag?

That's all for now

[loraan]

If you've got a scanner, it will probably do a much better job of getting old album covers in than your digital camera. Also, check out http://www.allmusic.com.  They've often got album cover images that Amazon doesn't.

[BlueGlow]

Thanks, ModelMaker, I try to keep up on my cover art as well. Didn't know about Walmart, good tip.

[Polonio]

No. I think tag standards (if that exists) does not support it (there is no default tag to storing cover art folder). So, each program has his own system to handle it.

I think the more usual is store the file (folder.jpg) in the same folder as the album. This way is the way XP works, so it is kind of standard. I also was surprised other softwares (MMJB) do not find the cover art stored this way.

I know it is possible to store the image inside the file, but I dont like that way, so I dont know if other programs handle it the same way MC does.

BTW, I also would like MC store the images that way, but this is not possible right now, so manual intervention is required. Hopefully, some day MC will.

King Sparta plug in does a good job with it.

[modelmaker]

"If you've got a scanner, it will probably do a much better job of getting old album covers in than your digital camera. "

What you say is true, however, I'd have to make multiple scans of an LP cover and then have to stitch it together. With the camera set at SHQ, the photos still have a better resolution than the downloaded cover art and as long as I'm only going to display them on-screen the quality's perfectly acceptable.

I do have to make some adjustments for tint/lighting in photoshop, but that only takes a few seconds.

I forgot to mention "allmusic". Here's a Russian site I found: www.collectable-records.ru/english.htm


Jay

[zevele10]

If you feel lazy ,you can make a copie at Office Depot.
Most of the time ,you can find the sleeve on the net.
With Google and Google Images.

What you get is records shops album pictures

I got most of my sleeves using MusicMatch SuperTags.
They are not that large ,but it is so easy to get tags and sleeves at once ,no doing anything ,just a click

[modelmaker]

I often still use MMJB for tagging (i don't get a lot of hits with Yadb), but I prefer the larger images from other sources so I usually dump the MMJB cover art unless I absolutely can't find it anywhere else.

I do use google too and record shops, but my LP collection goes back 45 years and I have a lot of quite rare stuff and my album cover has often turned out to be the only art available.

BTW, when we uploed tag info to Yadb the cover art isnn't included is it? It would be nice if that were the case, I'd love to be able to add cover art to the Yadb database.

[zevele10]

Sleeve is not uploaded to YADB as far as i know.

45 years old LPs....must be a lot of jazz

[modelmaker]

1935-1965 Big Band, some blues, a lot 50's and early 60's stuff and about 20% classical I inherrited from my father. A lot of the original 10' "EP"s(most of the 33rpms have 2 songs, the 78rpms 1 song each side). My dad was an early audiophile even in the Mono-High Fidelity days. I still have his Marantz tube equipment (still functioning - the tubes come from Russia now)

1960- ? my stuff. Mostly rock & pop from the 60's thru today, 15% jazz and 15% classical.I even have some rap and hip-hop. Also about 500 45's.

One project I'm working on is rebuilding a 1922 Victrola, so I can play and record some 50 wax and other early RCA Victor pressings. I have already recorded them using my more "modern" 4-speed ELAC turntable (16,33,45 &78 rpm).( I never have found any 16rpm pressings). But I want to record these also using an original Victrola. My primary turntable is a Kenwood resin base(very heavy) direct  drive with an SME arm and Ortofon and Decca cartridges.

[zevele10]

Very nice storie , really.
Like you ,i still have to see a 16 rpm record.
It is true that if you want to keep the original artefact ,most of the time what you can find on line  is of no help. Because most of the time a reedition , and more than one 10" on the cd.

Not long ago ,we did beautiful artefacts from some of my LPs- not on cd and never will be-
We did copys of the front and back LP sleeves reduce to Cd format [ we do it at Office Depot ].
After that using this clear strong plastic you can glue if you heat it we did like an LP sleeve for the rip CD.

HONEST ,the result is gorgious.
Can be a very very nice gift for people around you loving some of your LPs.
My Lp being all new/mint ,the sleeve is the longer part of the process...allmost...