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Topic: help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db (Read 13505 times) previous topic - next topic
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help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

hi all,

Sounds like an obvious request, but I've searched everywhere - still coming up blank.

I'll explain, I'm looking for an application that:

a) Remembers a range of directories that store audio files (FLAC, WavPack, MP3 etc..)  [i.e. like Foobar/MusikCube]
b) Scans these directories on startup [i.e. like Foobar/MusikCube]
c) Reads the relevant ID3 and APE tags [i.e. like Foobar/MusikCube]
d) Organises the Tag Info into a table / DB [i.e. like Foobar/MusikCube]
e) Allows info to be searched / filtered, and sorted by column [i.e. like Foobar/MusikCube]
f) Launches the application/player associated with that media type
g) Does not attempt to order or rearrange folders/files

The reason for this is that I'm looking for a simple player for someone, they also want that player to have good database functionality.

I'm thinking for the player Spider Player (it's pretty light and easy to use - plays pretty much all the major file types) but players like that have zero database functionality and rely pretty much on Playlists.

Thus really what I'm looking for is:
http://www.musikcube.com/page/main
Without the bugs and without a player, that will launch a player like Spider or Xion (that requires almost no configuration), to be skinned minimally and kept out of the way.

Any ideas?

Any help much appreciated (I've tried tonnes of stuff - everything on this list and more).

Thanks.
C.

ps. A bonus would be if it read other media files too (pps. have tried MediaCommander)
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #1 –
The closest thing I've seen to what you're describing is MediaMonkey Gold, but it's not free...
EAC>1)fb2k>LAME3.99 -V 0 --vbr-new>WMP12 2)MAC-Extra High

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #2 –
Quote from: LANjackal on
The closest thing I've seen to what you're describing is MediaMonkey Gold, but it's not free...


Thanks for the reply. Had tried MediaMonkey (free version) - in many ways I'm after something much simpler.
Basically, some kind of fast db application (like SQL/lite) that can read tags. When records are clicked on they open in the default player.

I guess from the little response, it's not such an obvious request?

Though I think seperating the (media) database functionality from the player is a pretty good idea.

Thanks again, and if anyone else has suggestions I'd be most grateful.

C.
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)
 

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #3 –
What's wrong with foobar? 0.9.5 DUI is REALLY simple and powerful to use.

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #4 –
Quote from: kanak on
What's wrong with foobar? 0.9.5 DUI is REALLY simple and powerful to use.


Thanks for the suggestion.

There's nothing wrong with foobar. I use 0.9.3 with cols UI etc. But I'm not looking for a player I'm looking for a standalone database. which "launches the application/player associated with that media type".

I put a similar query to the folks at donation coder - that may help clarify why foobar is not what I'm after.

QUOTED BELOW:
http://www.donationcoder.com/Forums/bb/ind...p?topic=12172.0

[blockquote]It seems to me that the real issue is about the role the application plays.

When you look at a database / library of your audio/media files - you expect the UI to take up the whole screen or pretty much. When you are playing those files you expect it to take up almost none of the screen. One process occupies your attention, the other does not (until you want to click "next" or "stop"). Thus, I don't see why these two activities shouldn't be split off into two applications, one which is a pure database and one which is a pure player.

I'm a big fan of Seedling's Random MixTape Maker (RMTM), precisely because he doesn't pretend it's an all in one solution, when it's done its job it hands over the next job (that of playing) to your default player. Why? Because RMTM's job is to pick files; an audio player's job is to play files. Likewise a database's job is to order, search, find, compile, and query files.

That's perhaps the best way I can put it.

[...]

I use theFrontend for encoding; MP3Gain or WavGain for replay gain(ing); TagScanner/MP3 BookHelper/MP3Tag for Tagging; Easy CD Extractor for ripping etc...

These programs are on when they're doing the job and off when they're not. Using an application that combines all these things is like having Windows XP open ALL my applications in case I might want to use some of them. Seems a waste of resources. Likewise why have my database on when my player is busy playing a tonne of music from it?
[/blockquote]

I might add that clicking on a player "open library" button or maximising it if it'sin the sys tray, requires as many clicks as opening a library/db application (one).

Furthermore, the benefit of such a database is that (as I do) one may have different apps associated with different file types -- i.e. Wavs are opened in Cool Edit, FLAC files in foobar (if the database allowed media files) then AVI files would open in MPC etc.

Again, thanks for suggestion - don't get me wrong there's absolutely nothing wrong with foobar at all. I love it. It's just for these purposes it's not what I'm after.

C.
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #5 –
Nero Scout? Not really freeware, but pretty much does what you need.

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #6 –
EDIT: I bring nothing useful to this discussion, other than I am interested in such an interface.

This would be quite handy. Before I saw the light that was FooBar, I wished for a program to act as a librarian of my media. Something simple that would work outside VLC, get tags and possible edit them.

Still, if FB2K had video playback capabilities... I'd never leave it. Then again, if VLC had native library features I'd probably say the same thing... :-/
OP can't edit initial post when a solution is determined  :'-(

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #7 –
Since SamHain86 has the following footer "OP Should Edit Initial Post When a Solution is Determined" it seems polite to post the outcome of this thread which was going on in parallel on DonationCoder.

So below is a) the current pragmatic solution and b) what I really would have liked:

Quoted from: http://www.donationcoder.com/Forums/bb/ind...p?topic=12172.0

a) "So far MusicIP Mixer  is the best candidate. I read their privacy policy though and decided to block all its .exe files from accessing the internet (i.e. their servers) - I just don't like the idea of my entire music collection being scanned, validated and ID'd so that some marketing types in California can sell some data - regardless of whether it's tied to my IP address or not. I just don't trust them. That aside, without its fingerprinting/analysis it still functions well as a database."

[Doesn't read APE tags, and doesn't allow for other media files (i.e. video)]

b) "I would rather someone [...] hacked around with musikCube's source (it is open source afterall), removed the player, allowed for a wider range of media types (including video), and let the new program launch the default player for each file type. That would be perfect --- Wavs launching in CoolEdit, Video in Media Player Classic and everything else in Foobar."

Because (a) is only a partial solution, rather than THE solution - I won't edit the initial post.

---

If anyone else knows of something aproaching (b) please let me know.
[blockquote] A database (like SQL) that reads ID3 and APE tags. Lets the user define which file types (i.e. *.AVI, *.MPEG etc...) are to be scanned in; allows for searches, filters, sorts etc .. and when records are clicked on they are played / bulk enqueued in default player. [/blockquote]
I wish I'd have put it like that in the first place.

Thanks to all for recommendations.

C.
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #8 –
Honestly I don't know about all that .ape stuff and some of your other requests, but you should look at mp3toys at mp3toys.net.

It has a great gui and works great for my collection of uncompressed .wavs.  It works even better for flac and mp3s.  THe reason I use is that I need ASIO or Kernal streaming, and well it doesn't have it, but it does have an external player support feature.  It can send songs to other players, like foobar, winamp, multistream asio player, xmplayer, etc...pretty much anything that will open up a file when you click on it from a folder.  SOme players like xxhighend or wavelab wont be compatible. 

Anyhow, you get a simple to set up and easy to use program ( I found this because a friend wanted me to put together a system for them and no way were they going to get foobar working) but all the advanced player capabilities of foobar etc.

I even have it remote controlled in conjunction with foobar.  THis is not an exact sync, but can give the appearance of such a thing and Foobar works flawlessly with it.  It is not free though, but well worth the $30 for its lyrics feature alone.

Another one that you might want to look at is albumplayer at albumplayer.com.  I found it later than mp3toys so am less versed, but it seems even more powerful at the library functions you desire.  The gui is better IMHO, and the big advantage is that it is one player.  If you really do want 2 seperate players, then look at mp3toys, but for a non computer person this will be a better choice.  Asio support is native too. There is a trial and it is expensive, but look at it, it seems to offer some really good things.  It lets you set up a library on tags or library structure or both.  It is great for classical as you can group by orchestra or conductor or composer, etc.

Here is a post I did recently:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/...es/2/28308.html

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #9 –
I was wondering if there was any updates on this.

I have come to the conclusion that I would rather have an external library sorting mechanism that calls the files to play in their native app (either VLC or FB2K).

The main feature that would be a bonus is external tags to the files. For instance if you have a directory of WAVs (why would anyone not use either WavPack, FLAC, APE, etc, with their tag capabilities, I don't know-it is just a hypothetical), then a nice and logical way to keep the WAV compatible with all players would be to make a [hidden] <filename>-wav.tag file. This then could be applied to other files that are not normally tagged: AVIs, MKVs, OGMs, etc.

I might however create a new thread about this.
OP can't edit initial post when a solution is determined  :'-(

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #10 –
Hi Sam Hain

The closest thing (as an idea) that I found was this rickety old freeware program:
http://www.bde.enseeiht.fr/~queffee/english/index.php

Where it was good was that it had the right flexible approach, in that it let the user decide which file types were to be included (it also allowed for what I call "pseudo tags" - stored in its db rather than in the file itself) and you could assign different players for each type (outside of the Windows registered associations) IIRC. As a database it sucked and was slow and clunky - usability was poor, thus I abondoned it after a brief trial.

The long and short of it is that I searched long and hard and did not find what I was looking for.
That said, what I started looking for slightly morphed into what I think Sam Hain seems to be looking for, namely a media db (i.e. not a purely audio db). Some of the comments in this thread were fine in relation to standard audio - but I was also looking to include things like *.flp (fruity loops), *.rpp (reaper) and *.ses (cool edit session) files.

I'd still like a:

A database (like SQL) that reads ID3, vorbis comments, ape tags. Lets the user define which file types (i.e. *.AVI, *.MPEG etc...) are to be scanned in; allows for searches, filters, sorts etc .. and loads those files into the associated application.

I agree with Sam Hain that some kind of method of "pseudo tagging" for non tag-compliant files would be ideal (rather like foobar's "custom info" plugin).

What struck me was how often I came across programs where the developer "knew" what file types you'd want in your db. If the program is not a player, it doesn't need to second guess the types of file - Windows for example already knows what file types you can play and with what player to play them.

I find it odd that really all this is about is a db where the user decides what files to filter (allow in). Info is scanned from tags where they exist. The user adds info to the db where no tags exist. The rest is handled by windows OS - i.e. launch this with that.

Like I said before, musikCube's core would be fine, hack out the player and allow the above.

C.

<EDIT - various typos>

ps. Strikes me that it might not be a bad idea to create a new thread with this and keep the 2nd half of this thread - as the title is now quite misleading.
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #11 –
Hmmm, ... Well I really don't know if this is a little too minimal, but perhaps AudioShell?

AudioShell and some addition attributes in MS Explorer allow most of the database functionality that I need outside of Foobar. However, I'm also looking into some scripts to automate some tag tasks, and, as well, I'm thinking it would be great if Foobar, or something like it, could be run as a service / dameon and be feed from an audio aware filesystem. Just a thought.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?  ;~)

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #12 –
Hello - I am watching this thread with rabid interest. Did a new thread get started as mentioned? I am now using MusicIP Mixer for tagging and freedb lookup, sorting, playlists, mixing, etc. and it has the 'send to' feature.

Did anyone try Willow and Boupy file Database yet [http://www.bde.enseeiht.fr/~queffee/english/index.php]? It looks interesting, as does Audio Shell...wonder if they include lookup/album art embedding...

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #13 –
re. MusicIP Mixer:
Didn't like due to a) audio only and b) privacy ...
Quote from: carpman on
I read their privacy policy though and decided to block all its .exe files from accessing the internet (i.e. their servers) - I just don't like the idea of my entire music collection being scanned, validated and ID'd so that some marketing types in California can sell some data - regardless of whether it's tied to my IP address or not. I just don't trust them. That aside, without its fingerprinting/analysis it still functions well as a database."

+ foobar2000 does a better job as a database.

re. WilLoW and boupy file Database:
Quote from: carpman on
Where it was good was that it had the right flexible approach, in that it let the user decide which file types were to be included (it also allowed for what I call "pseudo tags" - stored in its db rather than in the file itself) and you could assign different players for each type (outside of the Windows registered associations) IIRC. As a database it sucked and was slow and clunky - usability was poor, thus I abondoned it after a brief trial.

The long and short of it is that I searched long and hard and did not find what I was looking for.
That said, what I started looking for slightly morphed into what I think Sam Hain seems to be looking for, namely a media db (i.e. not a purely audio db). Some of the comments in this thread were fine in relation to standard audio - but I was also looking to include things like *.flp (fruity loops), *.rpp (reaper) and *.ses (cool edit session) files.

I'd still like a:

A database (like SQL) that reads ID3, vorbis comments, ape tags. Lets the user define which file types (i.e. *.AVI, *.MPEG etc...) are to be scanned in; allows for searches, filters, sorts etc .. and loads those files into the associated application.
[...]
I find it odd that really all this is about is a db where the user decides what files to filter (allow in). Info is scanned from tags where they exist. The user adds info to the db where no tags exist. The rest is handled by windows OS - i.e. launch this with that.

Like I said before, musikCube's core would be fine, hack out the player and allow the above.

That's pretty much where it got to. A new thread wasn't started - feel free to start one.
The long and short of it is, that for some reason, an application that does all the above well, does not exist (or at least if it does, I couldn't find it).

C.
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #14 –
I like MusicIPs shuffling algorithms and playlisting abilities + auto tagging features (which is what brought me to it in the first place), and beyond that, the learning curve on Foobar messed me up in the head somewhat. I am a pretty tech savvy guy but I just didn't have the time or interest to construct my own program. Maybe I'll look into it again...

help needed - looking for a good freeware audio db

Reply #15 –
Quote from: kylezo on
I like MusicIPs shuffling algorithms and playlisting abilities + auto tagging features (which is what brought me to it in the first place), and beyond that, the learning curve on Foobar messed me up in the head somewhat. I am a pretty tech savvy guy but I just didn't have the time or interest to construct my own program. Maybe I'll look into it again...



J. River's free offering of Media Center, Media Jukebox, has been free for about 4 months or more and would fit your description.

JC