General Queries from new SK / Melco User

[cmcgolpin]

Hello Paul, I would be grateful if you could help please.

I wanted to come back on a few things as I need help to get this tagging up and running and some aspects I am finding problematic.

This afternoon I have used the IP address access route I used the other day and when I got into the web interface it said I did not have software. The other day when you gave me the updated keys for Melco I updated this on the software installed on my mac but I am not sure I did that on the web version using the IP address. I have now done that by putting in the same email address and keys you provided. Are you able to confirm this is the correct process and if the license is activated your end. Can you confirm that the web version. I am not sure why it may have prompted me again today.

I am running start fixing songs now on my HiRes music files only and it started at 3.19 and 1620 songs to load and 1595 done. When that is done / completed does that mean all the meta data, artwork missing and tagging gaps have been filled by SK? Also how do I know that it has completed its work?~~ There was an option - which I switched off - to review changes so I am assuming it runs and fixes real time. Is this correct?

Also related to above if the metadata is updated and enriched with SK I assume that the space used up on my Melco would increase to reflect that. I don’t know how ‘heavy’ the impact of that data would be but I ask because when up updated the Melco after SK did its stuff on HiRes there was no change.

Finally, I have no sense of speed it takes to fix the data which is why I have used the software only on my HiRes files 1620 songs. For my CD collection not particularly large I think it equates to 16000 songs. The HiRes has been going coming up to 3 hours. Does this give an indication of the pace at which it runs through the exercise - this would indicate that 16000 songs might take 30 hours? I know you say export the file and do locally but I have super fast BB and just want to get some sense of speed.

Also once done any further fixing will be far quicker I assume as the gaps will be filled and it will only be addressing new gaps on new music. Is this correct?

Final question. A small folder of compressed music for example includes an album by the national and the file has the title thenational_troublewillfindme-flac. Once I had run the software last night I was under the impression that the folder name would be tidied up? After the run it has come back the same. My full list of some CDs also has some common anomalies - similar - that I am assuming will be addressed when SK runs - for example I have albums by Blue Nile showing as The Blue Nile and Blue Nile. I have some artist names that are spelt differently so who up as two separate artists. Will this be tidied up when the SK is run?

Thanks again.
Chris.

[paultaylor]

@cmcgolpin

This afternoon I have used the IP address access route I used the other day and when I got into the web interface it said I did not have software. The other day when you gave me the updated keys for Melco I updated this on the software installed on my mac but I am not sure I did that on the web version using the IP address. I have now done that by putting in the same email address and keys you provided. Are you able to confirm this is the correct process and if the license is activated your end. Can you confirm that the web version. I am not sure why it may have prompted me again today.

So if you installed the license just on the Mac version that would have no effect on the Melco version, you need to connect to the Melco version using your web browser and melcoipaddress:4567. If you have now done this correctly your web-browser will show (Melco) rather than (Melco Lite) at the bottom of the page.

i.e

@cmcgolpin

I am running start fixing songs now on my HiRes music files only and it started at 3.19 and 1620 songs to load and 1595 done. When that is done / completed does that mean all the meta data, artwork missing and tagging gaps have been filled by SK? Also how do I know that it has completed its work?~~ There was an option - which I switched off - to review changes so I am assuming it runs and fixes real time. Is this correct?

When SongKong has completed it will create a report showing both a summary and details of exaclty what has been modified, this will hopefuly be the majority of your collection.

@cmcgolpin

Also related to above if the metadata is updated and enriched with SK I assume that the space used up on my Melco would increase to reflect that. I don’t know how ‘heavy’ the impact of that data would be but I ask because when up updated the Melco after SK did its stuff on HiRes there was no change.

Yes, but only artwork makes any meaningful difference. So either there was not much difference or you ran in preview mode and didn’t actually change anything.

@cmcgolpin

Finally, I have no sense of speed it takes to fix the data which is why I have used the software only on my HiRes files 1620 songs. For my CD collection not particularly large I think it equates to 16000 songs. The HiRes has been going coming up to 3 hours. Does this give an indication of the pace at which it runs through the exercise - this would indicate that 16000 songs might take 30 hours? I know you say export the file and do locally but I have super fast BB and just want to get some sense of speed.

The limiting factor if you run on the Melco itself is the slow single cpu that a Melco has since it is designed for playing music not cpu processing. In general I would say the speed is about 1000 songs an hour on a Melco, can get up to 10,000 songs on a fast computer. But in either case because no user interaction is required you can just start it and leave it alone, just need a little patience.

@cmcgolpin

Also once done any further fixing will be far quicker I assume as the gaps will be filled and it will only be addressing new gaps on new music. Is this correct?

Yes, it will only have to do matching for songs not already matched, but this will include some existing songs that it failed to match first time round as well as new songs.

@cmcgolpin

Final question. A small folder of compressed music for example includes an album by the national and the file has the title thenational_troublewillfindme-flac. Once I had run the software last night I was under the impression that the folder name would be tidied up? After the run it has come back the same. My full list of some CDs also has some common anomalies - similar - that I am assuming will be addressed when SK runs - for example I have albums by Blue Nile showing as The Blue Nile and Blue Nile. I have some artist names that are spelt differently so who up as two separate artists. Will this be tidied up when the SK is run?

By default SongKong does not rename files when it fixes the metadata because this can break any playlist files, and cause confusion. You can easily configure SongKong to rename files but we recommend you only do this on a subsequent run once you are more familiar with how SongKong works.

[cmcgolpin]

Paul, Many thanks for the prompt reply and helpful structure on the response. I can respond item by item

1. I can confirm I have the SongKongv6.10.1 etc at the bottom of screen when accessing SK with IP address.
2. Yes I have now seen the report confirming the % and number of items changed / updated.
   Understood on artwork being heavy on data. I have reasonable gaps in artwork but don’t think it is material and HiRes have mainly been sourced from Linn and they come with the artwork. I have unticked Preview only so the changes should go through.
3. Got it. Helpful point in what Melco is designed to do.
4. Got it. Good point your data base will update and may fill gaps it transfers to individuals host data.
5. OK but am I able to make that change manually myself - I assume so - and if so what field and tab would that be so that it shows in the app interface on my iPad?

Regards,
Chris.

[paultaylor]

@cmcgolpin

I can confirm I have the SongKongv6.10.1 etc at the bottom of screen when accessing SK with IP address.

It will say that regardless of license, the question is does it say (Melco) or (Melco Lite) or (Lite)?

@cmcgolpin

OK but am I able to make that change manually myself - I assume so - and if so what field and tab would that be so that it shows in the app interface on my iPad?

You can make manual changes by selecting the folder and the the Manual Edit icon, this is the last icon the one that looks like a notepad.

and from here you can manually edit artwork, filenames and metadata

e.g

[cmcgolpin]

Thanks Paul.
1.SongKong v6.10.1 Odelay MIML (Melco) is what appears so my assumption is we are good on install?
2. Familiar with that ability to manual edit. Question is really what field to adjust so it appears in app as correct - filename, artist etc?

Regards,
Chris.

[paultaylor]

@cmcgolpin

1.SongKong v6.10.1 Odelay MIML (Melco) is what appears so my assumption is we are good on install?

Yes, so that is fine.

@cmcgolpin

2. Familiar with that ability to manual edit. Question is really what field to adjust so it appears in app as correct - filename, artist etc?

You edit the Filename field on the Filename tab, this seems quite obvious so I don’t know if I have misunderstood your question ?

[cmcgolpin]

2. Got it Paul.

Tx again.

[cmcgolpin]

Paul,
I have run everything now and all looks fine. I have the usual stuff to today up but the big run on my files ran over night and very happy with where it all got to. What is more was able to cross check my physical collection against digital via app but the data from SK super helpful, particularly art work. I have a few additional queries.

1. I have music files of the same album because I have a CD quality copy and a HiRes quality copy. If I run the duplicates facility in SK will it notice the bit rate difference or classify them as the same irrespective?

2. I am going to check your manual over the weekend but wanted to check how to run the process to identify duplicates. I note the icon says delete duplicates but assume there is a facility to identify then select what duplicates you can delete and those you do not want to?

Regards,
Chris.

[paultaylor]

@cmcgolpin

I have music files of the same album because I have a CD quality copy and a HiRes quality copy. If I run the duplicates facility in SK will it notice the bit rate difference or classify them as the same irrespective?

Whether it treats as duplicates a bit depends on how different they are, however the important thing is it will recognise the different bitrate and you can ensure SongKong keeps the highest bit rate by setting Bit Depth to be at the top of the Preferred Deletion Criteria

@cmcgolpin

but assume there is a facility to identify then select what duplicates you can delete and those you do not want to?

No, because the idea is that you can run SongKong on large collections and that you can set rules to allow it to delete consistently using Preferred Deletion Criteria, i.e always prefer particular audio format, then bit depth ectera. It would be unwieldy to have to pick and choose each deletion if you had many.

But there are two workarounds.

1. Run with Preview Only enabled and check the results are correct for you, then run again with Preview Only disabled

2. Set Basic:When you have duplicates songs to Move duplicates to Duplicates folder so yo can recover the deletion file if SongKong doesn’t pick the one you wanted.

[cmcgolpin]

Paul, thanks for this - let me look at this in more detail over the next 24 hours.
Kind Regards,
Chris.