How do I make ME reads the mp3s ID tags instead of windows' XP?

**nl4jy** · 09-13-2004, 05:09 PM

I'm not sure if this is a bug or not, but I can't seem to make ME reads the mp3 ID2 or ID3 tags. It seems to populate the playlist with what windows detect's it as.

Problem is windows didn't detect all the information on a bunch of songs, so it displays as "unknown artist" where when playing in winamp, it displays the song information perfectly.

View in Detail on Windows XP explorer shows exactly what ME was showing. So I figured ME is grabbing the information on what Windows' see, but Windows doesn't seem to look in the ID file.

Anyway to fix this?

**phat_bastard** · 09-14-2004, 12:48 PM

This is how the tag reader module reads tags (no, we're not using explorer to extract tag info). Fix or remove the ID3V2 tags in your media.

**nl4jy** · 09-14-2004, 03:21 PM

Okay, thanks for clarifying this. Guess I have to figure out why windows doesn't display the info...if I found that out, I'll found out the real problem. Thanks.

Does ME read the tag info exactly the same as Winamp? or do they use something else?

**phat_bastard** · 09-14-2004, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by nl4jy

Okay, thanks for clarifying this. Guess I have to figure out why windows doesn't display the info...if I found that out, I'll found out the real problem. Thanks.

Does ME read the tag info exactly the same as Winamp? or do they use something else?

Originally Posted by phat_bastard

This is how the tag reader module reads tags (no, we're not using explorer to extract tag info). Fix or remove the ID3V2 tags in your media.

Am I using an English dialect that you don't understand? You need to fix the tag info in your mp3s. Does everyone need to be given step by step instructions to figure things out, or is just the ppl who post questions in the M/E forum?

**nl4jy** · 09-14-2004, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by phat_bastard

Am I using an English dialect that you don't understand? You need to fix the tag info in your mp3s. Does everyone need to be given step by step instructions to figure things out, or is just the ppl who post questions in the M/E forum?

Don't have a cow man, I was only trying to understand it a bit more. Since winamp can display all the song's ID tags but windows & ME displayed the same thing. Was just wondering why winamp can displayed it but ME couldn't. No need to be harsh.

**phat_bastard** · 09-14-2004, 04:59 PM

My apologies. Unless of course English is your primary language. If that is the case, please go jump off a bridge (preferrably one over a freeway).

One more time, just for fun.

We don't use Winamp to retrieve tag info from media files. The code that reads the tags looks first for ID3V2 tags, and if they are present, it reads them and uses that data exclusively. It has nothing to do with whatever Microsoft is doing in explorer to show ID3 info, except that apparently we use the same methodology. Winamp's tag module reads the V2 tags, and then reads V1 tags, and appends the fields together sometimes. We don't read V1 tags if V2 tags are present. That is probably the discrepancy you're seeing, and if you look at the tag data in Winamp you'll probably see what I'm talking about. When I get caught up with work, life, and all the other fun things that are keeping me from coding on M/E, I'll change this behavior somewhat so more files with f___d up tag data are handled satisfactorily. In the mean time, search for tag editing software and try to retag your media with version 2 tags. There are several programs out there that work very well for handling large numbers of files.

**nl4jy** · 09-15-2004, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by phat_bastard

My apologies. Unless of course English is your primary language. If that is the case, please go jump off a bridge (preferrably one over a freeway).

One more time, just for fun.

We don't use Winamp to retrieve tag info from media files. The code that reads the tags looks first for ID3V2 tags, and if they are present, it reads them and uses that data exclusively. It has nothing to do with whatever Microsoft is doing in explorer to show ID3 info, except that apparently we use the same methodology. Winamp's tag module reads the V2 tags, and then reads V1 tags, and appends the fields together sometimes. We don't read V1 tags if V2 tags are present. That is probably the discrepancy you're seeing, and if you look at the tag data in Winamp you'll probably see what I'm talking about. When I get caught up with work, life, and all the other fun things that are keeping me from coding on M/E, I'll change this behavior somewhat so more files with f___d up tag data are handled satisfactorily. In the mean time, search for tag editing software and try to retag your media with version 2 tags. There are several programs out there that work very well for handling large numbers of files.

thanks that explaination was perfect. I understand completely although english is not my primary language.

**OriginalNick2** · 09-16-2004, 05:56 PM

get a free prog to edit your tags - or use existing playing software like WMP or musicmatch (GRRRRRRRR) try Google and type ID3 Editor - thousands out there but it is time consuming!!

**Confused** · 09-17-2004, 02:28 AM

Winamp has some very complex algorithms which "guess" at what the artist/album/track number/title is based on the filename if the tags are bad.

MediaEngine (and almost every other in-car application, plus Windows Explorer) read the tags as they are in the file, and don't try to "guess" like Winamp does. This is why you are noticing the differences.

Garry

**mrgerbik** · 09-18-2004, 07:50 AM

try using MusicBrainz. Once you get used to it, its awesome. It will lookup your tracks through it's database (and freedb) through an aucoustic fingerprint (kinda like moodlogic). It is about 60 percent correct, and when it's not you can look up the song manually.

I tagged something like 1000 songs in little over 1/2 an hour.. all corectly done album titles and all.

check it out:
http://www.musicbrainz.org/