What causes a CD to read something other than its content?

[KimberlySayWhat]

The strangest thing just happen. I loaded an old homemade CD into my iTunes. It came up as some group called Semuta with six tracks:

"Up Stoke"

"Come With Me"

"Atraties"

Exstended Stay"

"Going To Hell"

"Riff Off".

Devil music!

I've never heard of that group or those six songs! Why is that encryted on my CD?

The actual CD also has six tracks:

Bay City Rollers

Jimmy Eat World

Kelly Rowland

Bowling For Soup

Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

BBMak

It's only the text, the songs are still the same. What would cause this?

[20thStDad]

I would ask the evil puppet in your avatar. That things is up to no good, I know it.

[Dan the Man]

Something similar happened to me:

I uploaded a CD of Beethoven's 9th symphony to iTunes, and the track titles all showed up in Japanese characters (who knows if they are correct or not!). I cannot find a way to change them to the Western Alphabet.

It doesn't really bother me, except it prevents iTunes from putting the album tracks in the correct order.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Dan the Man:

It doesn't really bother me, except it prevents iTunes from putting the album tracks in the correct order.

It doesn't bother me either, because it's no problem to rename the tracks. It's just weird how it's so specific even though it's wrong.

20thStDad:

I would ask the evil puppet in your avatar. That things is up to no good, I know it.

Lay off the puppet!

[editor]

When you put a CD in your computer iTunes (and pretty much any other computer-based CD player) it looks at the number of tracks and their lengths and some other factors and performs some math to come up with a fingerprint of that CD. It then hits the internet and compares its fingerprint with other known fingerprints to make a guess about which CD you put in the drive.

Because the fingerprint is calculated from a finite number of features and there are an infinite number of CDs out there and more being made all the time, it sometimes happens that two different CDs have the same fingerprint. The fingerprint is a number between 0 and 4,294,967,295.

That's what happened to yours.

Some programs used to allow you to submit your CDs fingerprint to the database, which is how it was created in the first place. But there is some controversy over the state of the database so I don't know if it is still accepting submissions.

If multiple fingerprints are found, some programs will show you a list of albums and ask you which one is the one you have. The computer has no way of really knowing what you stuck in the driver. Track names and titles are not part of the CD specification.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Wow, interesting! Thanks for the explanation. I would have never known.

[Texas Wahoo]

I've had a lot of trouble with Album Artwork in Itunes. It will usually get the name of the CD and the tracks right, but about 1/3 of the time the artwork is for a completely different CD.

[editor]

I've had a lot of trouble with Album Artwork in Itunes. It will usually get the name of the CD and the tracks right, but about 1/3 of the time the artwork is for a completely different CD.

I've had some misfires, but not too many from artwork in iTunes. I have no idea how that works, though. When I see one that's wrong, I just drag the picture in from Amazon.com

[KimberlySayWhat]

I noticed today that some of my album artwork on my iPod is jumbled. For example "The Sound of Music" is displayed next to Elvis.

To clarify, this is when I search by album on my iPod, not coverflow. When I search by album there's a completely different cover displayed next to the title. Has anyone else had that problem?

[memebag]

It's because iTunes is one of the worst pieces of software in use today. It never, ever does what I want it to do and always does what I don't want it to do. It wants me to want what I don't want, but I don't want that.

[CoolBuddy06]

It's because iTunes is one of the worst pieces of software in use today. It never, ever does what I want it to do and always does what I don't want it to do. It wants me to want what I don't want, but I don't want that.

Looks like yours is made by Microsoft.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Well I got the the jumbled artwork unjumbled. Now it's gone completely!

Also, does anyone's battery icon in the right hand corner of your iPod not work properly? Mine started doing this a couple of months ago. I never know how much battery life I have. The larger battery icon (that appears after a few minutes after the light goes off) was working ok, but now it's letting me down as well.

How do I fix this?

[editor]

It's because iTunes is one of the worst pieces of software in use today. It never, ever does what I want it to do and always does what I don't want it to do. It wants me to want what I don't want, but I don't want that.

BillG? Is that you?

Well I got the the jumbled artwork unjumbled. Now it's gone completely!

Also, does anyone's battery icon in the right hand corner of your iPod not work properly? Mine started doing this a couple of months ago. I never know how much battery life I have. The larger battery icon (that appears after a few minutes after the light goes off) was working ok, but now it's letting me down as well.

How do I fix this?

Not sure what you mean by the icon is letting you down. Is it happening when it's in the cradle, or connected to the computer?

[KimberlySayWhat]

Well I got the artwork straightend out. I just restored my iPod. It took three times before iTunes let me restore without giving an error message.

editor:

Not sure what you mean by the icon is letting you down. Is it happening when it's in the cradle, or connected to the computer?

No, not while it's charging. When using my iPod, the battery icon stays the same. A while back I was using it and it showed that I had about half of my battery power, so I was in the middle of listening to something and then my iPod died. My battery was depleted, but I had no way of knowing because my battery icon showed otherwise.

[editor]

No, not while it's charging. When using my iPod, the battery icon stays the same. A while back I was using it and it showed that I had about half of my battery power, so I was in the middle of listening to something and then my iPod died. My battery was depleted, but I had no way of knowing because my battery icon showed otherwise.

That is odd. Hopefully the restore will fix it. What kind of iPod is it?

[KimberlySayWhat]

The recent nano.

That's funny. I was just playing your avatar on it last night, purposely trying to run the battery down.

[memebag]

Looks like yours is made by Microsoft.

Do people here actually like iTunes? I can't stand it. It won't let me move anything from my iPod to my computer, and it doesn't know how to deal with my fiancee and I combining our music collections. It thinks we shouldn't get married.

[sevfiv]

I had a similar album art issue - the correct bands, but downloaded graphics from the wrong albums (but I use Rhythmbox, and I'm probably the only one )

[editor]

Do people here actually like iTunes?

I love iTunes. It's better than any of the other options I've tried.

I can't stand it.

Good for you. What exactly does that have to do with this thread?

It won't let me move anything from my iPod to my computer,

When you plug your iPod in and it sees purchased songs on your iPod that aren't in your iTunes collection it offers to copy them back to your computer. All you have to do is press "OK." If you want to copy an entire iPod of non-iTunes or a mixed collection to your computer there are dozens, if not hundreds, of programs out there to do that. Google is your friend.

and it doesn't know how to deal with my fiancee and I combining our music collections.

It didn't have any problems when my wife and I got married. Maybe you're doing something wrong.

It thinks we shouldn't get married.

That's between you and your fiancee.

[memebag]

I love iTunes. It's better than any of the other options I've tried.

Copying songs between my computer and MobiBLU cube was a much better option. That was a lot easier that wrestling with iTunes.

Good for you. What exactly does that have to do with this thread?

Folks were talking about problems with iTunes. I chimed in.

When you plug your iPod in and it sees purchased songs on your iPod that aren't in your iTunes collection it offers to copy them back to your computer. All you have to do is press "OK." If you want to copy an entire iPod of non-iTunes or a mixed collection to your computer there are dozens, if not hundreds, of programs out there to do that. Google is your friend.

Yeah, I have some of those, but they don't work very well. And if iTunes wasn't DRM'd out the wazoo then those programs wouldn't exist. I ought to be able to drag my music from my iPod to my computer. All of it came from my CDs or Amazon mp3s; nothing from iTunes, nothing pirated. It won't let me listen to my music where I want to.

It didn't have any problems when my wife and I got married. Maybe you're doing something wrong.

Maybe. How did you do it? I can share our libraries, but then I can't move songs from her library to my iPod. I merged our libraries on a network drive and I can point my iTunes to the new merged library, but our playlists still point to the old local files that I need to delete. Why can't we just merge our libraries and have the playlists update their location?

That's between you and your fiancee.

No, that's entirely iTunes doing. Software should never interfere in matters of love.

[editor]

Copying songs between my computer and MobiBLU cube was a much better option. That was a lot easier that wrestling with iTunes.

If you're only managing 1GB of music, then I can see going that way. When you have a large portable music collection, then iTunes makes sense because instead of relying on directories to sort things, it uses a database.

Yeah, I have some of those, but they don't work very well.

I've tried two or three and they all operate the same and flawlessly.

Step 1: Plug in iPod.

Step 2: Start software

Step 3: Press "Copy iPod"

Step 4: Wait.

Step 5: Done.

And if iTunes wasn't DRM'd out the wazoo then those programs wouldn't exist.

You are incorrect. DRM isn't the reason that files aren't stored the way they are -- it's for quick access and sorting. Again, iTunes uses a database to keep track of files which is what makes it so superior for playlists, sorting, and finding music. When iTunes moves the music onto an iPod it changes filenames and file arrangements so they're easy for the very very low-powered database server in the iPods to find them. iPods aren't powerful enough to have full computers in them, so the tracks are arranged to make things easy for the iPod. This allows the iPods to have many of the same quick searching, sorting, and playlist features of a full computer. iPods aren't even powerful enough to check DRM -- they ignore it in AAC files.

Using a database also allows iTunes to be file system independent since it has to be able to deal with many different file systems. In a Windows environment you've got DOS and NTFS. Apple computers are far more flexible than that and can handle anything from DOS16 to Linux to ZFS file systems. Keeping everything in a database future-proofs the software so it will work with unknown systems in the future without compromising compatibility.

I ought to be able to drag my music from my iPod to my computer.

You can. I assume you're using Windows. Simply enable hidden files in Explorer and you'll see them all there -- with their funky database-friendly file names. Of course I imagine I "ought" to be able to do lots of things with my electronics that they weren't designed for, too.

All of it came from my CDs or Amazon mp3s; nothing from iTunes, nothing pirated. It won't let me listen to my music where I want to.

I'm not sure what you mean by WHERE you want to. You can listen to music wherever your iPod is, isn't that everywhere? I guess it won't work underwater, or maybe in a shower, but that's not a good idea anyway.

Maybe. How did you do it?

File > Add to Library

I can share our libraries, but then I can't move songs from her library to my iPod. I merged our libraries on a network drive and I can point my iTunes to the new merged library, but our playlists still point to the old local files that I need to delete. Why can't we just merge our libraries and have the playlists update their location?

Again, because iTunes works on a database, not a file system. If you use iTunes to import the files it will copy the files to your library and add them to the database at the same time.

No, that's entirely iTunes doing. Software should never interfere in matters of love.

iTunes doesn't know that you're in love.

[KimberlySayWhat]

My restoring did nothing for it.

It's the battery meter I'm talking about, to clarify. I know the iPod battery meters are known to be inconsistent and inaccurate, but regardless of how much I use the iPod, the meter's not budging. It may fluctuate a hair, but it's not showing that it's depleting.

[editor]

My restoring did nothing for it.

It's the battery meter I'm talking about, to clarify. I know the iPod battery meters are known to be inconsistent and inaccurate, but regardless of how much I use the iPod, the meter's not budging. It may fluctuate a hair, but it's not showing that it's depleting.

Very strange. I haven't had a similar problem, so I don't know what to tell you other than plug it in at night. If it bothers you a lot you could make an appointment at the store's iPod bar. They might swap it for you.

[memebag]

If you're only managing 1GB of music, then I can see going that way. When you have a large portable music collection, then iTunes makes sense because instead of relying on directories to sort things, it uses a database.

There's absolutely no reason it can't use both. In fact, it does. It just goes out of its way to prevent people from copying music from the iPod to the computer to entice rights holders to license their products to Apple.

I've tried two or three and they all operate the same and flawlessly.

Step 1: Plug in iPod.

Step 2: Start software

Step 3: Press "Copy iPod"

Step 4: Wait.

Step 5: Done.

I can't find any that bring in the playlists. Which ones do?

You are incorrect. DRM isn't the reason that files aren't stored the way they are -- it's for quick access and sorting. Again, iTunes uses a database to keep track of files which is what makes it so superior for playlists, sorting, and finding music. When iTunes moves the music onto an iPod it changes filenames and file arrangements so they're easy for the very very low-powered database server in the iPods to find them. iPods aren't powerful enough to have full computers in them, so the tracks are arranged to make things easy for the iPod. This allows the iPods to have many of the same quick searching, sorting, and playlist features of a full computer. iPods aren't even powerful enough to check DRM -- they ignore it in AAC files.

If that were true then iTunes could translate the file names on the iPod back to the real names usings its database. If that were true, iTunes would let you drag objects from your iPod to your computer the same way it lets you drag them the other way. I don't know where you're getting your information, but the whole thing was designed to soothe wary record and movie companies into getting into the digital content business.

Using a database also allows iTunes to be file system independent since it has to be able to deal with many different file systems. In a Windows environment you've got DOS and NTFS. Apple computers are far more flexible than that and can handle anything from DOS16 to Linux to ZFS file systems. Keeping everything in a database future-proofs the software so it will work with unknown systems in the future without compromising compatibility.

I've got nothing against databases. My problem is with iTunes. Are you getting a kickback from Jobs for all this iTunes defense?

I'm not sure what you mean by WHERE you want to. You can listen to music wherever your iPod is, isn't that everywhere? I guess it won't work underwater, or maybe in a shower, but that's not a good idea anyway.

I can't, though. I can't listen to my fiancee's music on my iPod without going outside of iTunes.

File > Add to Library

Again, because iTunes works on a database, not a file system. If you use iTunes to import the files it will copy the files to your library and add them to the database at the same time.

That's not because iTunes works on a database. I write code for databases all the time. My code is much smarter and more user friendly than that. iTunes could allow us to merge our libraries and update its database with the result of that merge. That's a 2nd year programming assignment.

iTunes doesn't know that you're in love.

I think it does. I think someone is paying it to thwart my love.

We're not the only people iTunes wants to prevent from merging music collections. Google shows this is a very common problem.

At the core of all of this, is the fact that iTunes doesn't trust its users. It thinks we're all 16 year old Kaaza junkies trying to stick it to the man. That's probably a valid assumption in most cases, but I don't need that from my software. If my car's MP3 interface let me change songs on any other hardware, I'd get something less suspicious.

[editor]

There's absolutely no reason it can't use both. In fact, it does. It just goes out of its way to prevent people from copying music from the iPod to the computer to entice rights holders to license their products to Apple.

I think your misunderstanding lies in insisting there is only one correct answer, when there can be several.

I can't find any that bring in the playlists. Which ones do?

How did you get an iTunes playlist on a iPod if you don't use iTunes?

If that were true then iTunes could translate the file names on the iPod back to the real names usings its database.

You are correct -- it could. But it doesn't. iTunes is designed to put music onto iPods, not to help you copy music off of other people's iPods.

I don't know where you're getting your information, but the whole thing was designed to soothe wary record and movie companies into getting into the digital content business.

From the dozens of people who have spent time reverse engineering the iPod database structure and checksums. Again, you're looking for a single angry answer when there can be more than one answer.

I've got nothing against databases. My problem is with iTunes. Are you getting a kickback from Jobs for all this iTunes defense?

No. Are you getting a kick back from Bill Gates for spreading FUD?

I can't, though. I can't listen to my fiancee's music on my iPod without going outside of iTunes.

Again, that's your fault. Simply import her music. Just because you don't understand how iTunes works doesn't mean it's broken.

That's not because iTunes works on a database. I write code for databases all the time. My code is much smarter and more user friendly than that.

Do your databases perform on-the-fly sorting and lookups on a machine powered by two 90Mhz ARM 7TDMI processors? Have you ever written software for low-power embedded electronics? It's not the same thing.

iTunes could allow us to merge our libraries and update its database with the result of that merge. That's a 2nd year programming assignment.

It does allow you to merge. Again, File > Add To Library. What's so hard to understand about that? You shouldn't keep declaring that a feature doesn't exist when it's right there in the first menu.

We're not the only people iTunes wants to prevent from merging music collections. Google shows this is a very common problem.

I think what you're seeing is people used to dealing with Microsoft expecting to have to fight or out-think the computer to make it do what they want. If you use iTunes the way it was designed, it's fantastic. If you pretend that you're smarter than it is and try to think of tricks to get around stuff, then you're only making a hard time for yourself.

At the core of all of this, is the fact that iTunes doesn't trust its users. It thinks we're all 16 year old Kaaza junkies trying to stick it to the man. That's probably a valid assumption in most cases, but I don't need that from my software.

iTunes was born in that environment, and still bears many of the marks of that era. But that doesn't mean it won't do what you want. You just don't know what you're doing. I managed to merge my three iTunes accounts and 50 ripped CDs with my wife's 1 iTunes account and her 2,000 ripped CDs. It was very easy. You've just been trained by Microsoft.

If my car's MP3 interface let me change songs on any other hardware, I'd get something less suspicious.

Why don't you blame you car for not doing something it wasn't designed to do the way you blame iTunes for not doing things it wasn't designed to do? After all, interfacing with hardware is a 2nd year programming assignment.

[memebag]

How did you get an iTunes playlist on a iPod if you don't use iTunes?

Huh? We were talking about tools to move iPod data to the computer, not the other direction. I can't find any that move playlists. Can you?

You are correct -- it could. But it doesn't. iTunes is designed to put music onto iPods, not to help you copy music off of other people's iPods.

Huh? I didn't say anything about other people's iPods. I only have my iPod.

From the dozens of people who have spent time reverse engineering the iPod database structure and checksums. Again, you're looking for a single angry answer when there can be more than one answer.

Huh?

No. Are you getting a kick back from Bill Gates for spreading FUD?

Have I ever advocated or defended a Microsoft product? Disliking Apple, iTunes or iPods doesn't equal liking Microsoft. I've been hating Microsoft much longer than I've hated Apple. Apple used to be cool. Microsoft never was.

Again, that's your fault. Simply import her music. Just because you don't understand how iTunes works doesn't mean it's broken.

I'm pretty sure I do understand how iTunes works, and I can't just import her music. I want to have one common library for all of our music. I want it updated when either of us add content. I want each of us to preserve our own playlists. I don't care if each of us are restricted to our own DRM'd content (she's bought a few things from iTunes). Duplicating all of our music on all of our computers isn't a reasonable solution.

Do your databases perform on-the-fly sorting and lookups on a machine powered by two 90Mhz ARM 7TDMI processors? Have you ever written software for low-power embedded electronics? It's not the same thing.

Yes, I've written software for 0.9Mhz 8 bit CPUs. I've written code for microcontrollers. iTunes is running on Pentiums at our house. It has enough horsepower to merge our libraries and update its database.

It does allow you to merge. Again, File > Add To Library. What's so hard to understand about that? You shouldn't keep declaring that a feature doesn't exist when it's right there in the first menu.

I don't know what you think that does, but it won't merge multiple iTunes libraries. You can tell multiple iTunes to use the same folder, but it will create duplicate copies of duplicate content. There is no merge.

I think what you're seeing is people used to dealing with Microsoft expecting to have to fight or out-think the computer to make it do what they want. If you use iTunes the way it was designed, it's fantastic. If you pretend that you're smarter than it is and try to think of tricks to get around stuff, then you're only making a hard time for yourself.

I don't want to out think it. I want it to merge our libraries.

iTunes was born in that environment, and still bears many of the marks of that era. But that doesn't mean it won't do what you want. You just don't know what you're doing. I managed to merge my three iTunes accounts and 50 ripped CDs with my wife's 1 iTunes account and her 2,000 ripped CDs. It was very easy. You've just been trained by Microsoft.

You have no idea what you're talking about. I've been trained by Microsoft?? I despise Microsoft. Where are you getting this?

Why don't you blame you car for not doing something it wasn't designed to do the way you blame iTunes for not doing things it wasn't designed to do? After all, interfacing with hardware is a 2nd year programming assignment.

Why are you defending iTunes? If you know how to make this happen, just tell me how. Why the fight?

[editor]

Yes, I've written software for 0.9Mhz 8 bit CPUs.

The discussion is databases not generic "software." I'll ask again -- have you written database software for embedded electronics? Sounds like a big fat "no" since you're avoiding the question and changing the parameters so you don't have to admit you've overstated your position.

I've written code for microcontrollers. iTunes is running on Pentiums at our house. It has enough horsepower to merge our libraries and update its database.

Again with the strawman argument. The specs I stated are for the iPod. iPods don't run Pentium chips. And I've written eight-bit assembler, too, so I'm not impressed. Your eight-bit programs weren't real-time database servers.

Why are you defending iTunes? If you know how to make this happen, just tell me how. Why the fight?

I've told you seven times. File > Add to Library. It'll make one big happy library. I've done it a dozen times before. I do it occasionally when I restore partial backups. For some reason you appear more interested in arguing than admitting that you missed it.

Once more just in case you managed to skip it again:

File > Add to Library or whatever your Windows equivalent is.

[editor]

Here's a picture for ya:

[memebag]

The discussion is databases not generic "software." I'll ask again -- have you written database software for embedded electronics? Sounds like a big fat "no" since you're avoiding the question and changing the parameters so you don't have to admit you've overstated your position.

Again with the strawman argument. The specs I stated are for the iPod. iPods don't run Pentium chips. And I've written eight-bit assembler, too, so I'm not impressed. Your eight-bit programs weren't real-time database servers.

But the iTunes databases we're talking about aren't running on iPods. They're running on PCs. I don't want the iPod to translate, I want iTunes to translate.

I've told you seven times. File > Add to Library. It'll make one big happy library. I've done it a dozen times before. I do it occasionally when I restore partial backups. For some reason you appear more interested in arguing than admitting that you missed it.

Once more just in case you managed to skip it again:

File > Add to Library or whatever your Windows equivalent is.

You say that, and I've done that, but it doesn't work. I haven't missed it and I don't want to argue.

Are you saying point all instances of iTunes at a common library first? If I just "add to library" we have multiple copies of our music, which is pretty big.

If so, how do you stop iTunes from making duplicate copies of the same content when you use the "consolidate" tool?

If not, how do you merge the libraries?

[editor]

Are you going to have one central machine on which you keep all the music (like a master machine) and then other machines (laptops, etc...) that also have their own libraries?