CDDB problems (Gracenote Services No Longer Work In Winamp: Reason Why Explained)

[DrO]

Winamp (not WinAmp as that hasn't existed for well over a decade) is not intentionally trying fail its users and I've tried to explain as best as possible what has happened, why it has happened and what we aim to do.

also it's not like its not possible to manually enter the information and as I always had to "correct" the information which was pulled down, I doubt it makes that much difference in time to input things (unless you were just assuming its all good and just blindly accepted the data).

rushing a fix is not going to help either and as I've done numerous times now, I can only apologise again and at least things are in a position where a fix can come (since if Winamp hadn't been sold, other than trying to reverse engineering things and patch that way, there would have been no option of a fix).

and although we've said a number of things, we may now also consider other options for data look up as a means to try to ensure that something will always be able to provide the best information which can be done, which adds more time to getting a working solution (which due to other things needed in the plater may take longer than initially intended). as its not that simple to provide a single dll / plug-in to alter the lookup aspects needed to get this (and other gracenote based features in the player working again).

[ChiggyChiggy]

Final Note: WINAMP should have their OWN Song Information Gathering Software.

Do you honestly expect a service to pop out of nowhere and have the song information of billions upon billions of songs? Theres already 3 main databases out there, 2 of which are open to the public for free. If theres even more databases and users submitting to each of them then it only causes more harm because then information would be scattered across so many different places.

Winamp is in transition currently, none of this stuff was expected or planned so its all sudden for everyone.

[MrSinatra]

and although we've said a number of things, we may now also consider other options for data look up as a means to try to ensure that something will always be able to provide the best information which can be done, which adds more time to getting a working solution (which due to other things needed in the plater may take longer than initially intended). as its not that simple to provide a single dll / plug-in to alter the lookup aspects needed to get this (and other gracenote based features in the player working again).

that's interesting DrO, so are you saying you are considering a system like EAC has where you can use different plugins to do look ups? (each plugin has its own prefs btw) I really like that if so!

with EAC, i normally use the freedb plugin, b/c that one cues the art lookup as well, but the CTDB plugin looks up multiple sources, including freedb, it just for some reason doesn't cue the art lookup (which i think is an oversight).

anyway, i'd love to hear if this is what you meant?

[Koopa]

Final Note: WINAMP should have their OWN Song Information Gathering Software.

If they would do it, the database would be empty on start and people must fill it (the same thing which happened years ago with Gracenote, it's only as good, because million of people sent data over the years).

And who will fill the database then, people like you, who are expecting that anything just must work for free?

That's the downside of nearly any online servive, it can be dead over night, hence that's why i never would use any cloud service etc. Gracenote is a commercial company > no license = no cd lookups.

I think there is no need to apologize, DrO explained a few times, why it isn't working anymore, you can live with it and wait for a newer Winamp version, or you can use an alternative cd ripper. That's up to you.

[lookin4usir]

Echonest instead

How come no one has mentioned anything about The Echonest's product?

[ChiggyChiggy]

How come no one has mentioned anything about The Echonest's product?

They are free to use for non commercial products... hmm... And it was Gracenote's rival...

[MrSinatra]

I guess DrO doesn't want to elaborate...

something I've noticed recently is that winamp still occasionally does fill in the artist and title info on CDs, so I assume it does so via CD txt...? is that correct?

[DJ Egg]

Yes, the reading of CD Text (via the Sonic Engine) is still supported,
as is manually editing the info yourself (prior to ripping) by selecting all tracks > right-click > Edit CD Info.

When it's done, the new CDDB, Auto-Tag & Playlist Generator services will hopefully be loads better than the old ones,
and won't require 5mb of Gracenote DLLs...
Just don't ask how long & when :-)

We apologize again for any inconvenience caused. Sorry!

[DrO]

MrSinatra: how can I comment on something when I'm not online...? I don't know what will be done as its still at the pre-planning stage and is just thoughts on how to reduce being reliant on a single service (as we were and due to that we are now in this mess).

info lookup can still come from CD text or the existing CD cache which Winamp made so it could be coming from either of those sources.


and whoever suggested echonest, I think you'll need to forget that as an option (is all I can say on the matter).

[MrSinatra]

ur usually so quick and u occasionally post from ur mobile, so after a couple days I just figured u didn't want to; thx for doing so, I think you are right to make it "open" and not single source.

and it must have been CD txt as these were new CDs to me. CD txt is great.

[DrO]

after 2 days away from home, i fancied having a weekend to myself for a change, hence only replying today. and i really need to step back from posting on the forum so much anyway so i can focus more on coding, so we'll see if i can (now i've caught on things from the last 5 days), focus more time on coding than trying to answer posts...

[bitebite]

I use Winamp for years, and my fave tool in it was the "Auto-tag", I noticed it was not working, but I was thinking it was some issue that would be fixed soon, but seems that it won't...
Anything similar to Auto-tag? I use it to write the correct name in the songs, so I need something that is good like Winamp one was, thanks!

[MrSinatra]

alternatives have been mentioned in this thread. for now if I were you I'd use mp3tag.

[AgEagle]

I was wondering if my computer was having issues!! I'm glad that there is a team that is going to keep Winamp alive! I just wish someone could pick-up the CATraxx and CATvids programs to keep those alive. Any chance, DrO, if you all could do that? I'd even pay for the upgrades as I purchased the competing product and it was the most user un-friendly program I have ever used.

[OrajelJunkie]

no no no

Gracenote was the best auto-tagging program ever invented.I have stacks of cds that windows media player rips as "unknown".Gracenote and winamp have NEVER let me down.
Gracenote correctly tagged a cd that was only released on computer burned discs(and only 200 were made).A cd that google had 0 results for when i searched.
It correctly tagged magazine give aways from the 90s and even tons of files that had NO info in the properties.
I hope the new service is good but i don't see how it can ever compare.
It's a sad day in music history.