Media Players 101: Why use a Media Player? (Pros and Cons)

[HomerJAU]

Let me do a ‘How To‘ on tagging with Foobar and Tagscanner over next couple of days.

In the mean time look at the docs for MMH and look at its Tag and Rename tool and Split MKV to FLAC tool to get an idea of how that works.

 

[IMachine]

For converting any DVD and Blu-Ray I use DVD-Audio-Extractor.
For tagging (DVD-Audio-Extractor has also a database) I use MP3Tag that has several databases to choose from.

 

[mandrix]

Let me do a ‘How To‘ on tagging with Foobar and Tagscanner over next couple of days.

In the mean time look at the docs for MMH and look at its Tag and Rename tool and Split MKV to FLAC tool to get an idea of how that works.

Don't rush on my account. If you think others will benefit then by all means. I appreciate the help!

 

[HomerJAU]

I use MP3Tag that has several databases to choose from

I tried MP3Tag but I found it a bit ‘clunky’. I think Tagscanner is faster and a bit more intuitive to use, but I used Tagscanner for a long time before trying MP3Tag so maybe that’s part of it. I guess everyone has their favourite.

 

[HomerJAU]

Many of these auto lookup tagging apps use the Freedb database that I read is being closed shortly, so interesting to see what happens. DVDAE use FreeDb only I think.

 

[Q4-Bert]

Many of these auto lookup tagging apps use the Freedb database that I read is being closed shortly, so interesting to see what happens. DVDAE use FreeDb only I think.

I use MP3Tag, best feature is, it can take Tags info from Discogs. If you know the right Discogs Release ID, it takes tags including cover from Discogs. you are sure it takes the right tag and right cover.
Only problem with discogs is with tracks with more sections (chapters).

 

[IMachine]

I use MP3Tag, best feature is, it can take Tags info from Discogs. If you know the right Discogs Release ID, it takes tags including cover from Discogs. you are sure it takes the right tag and right cover.
Only problem with discogs is with tracks with more sections (chapters).

If you choose MusicBrainz as database, you have a column with chapters and can identify the correct release faster.

 

[atrocity]

I tried MP3Tag but I found it a bit ‘clunky’. I think Tagscanner is faster and a bit more intuitive to use, but I used Tagscanner for a long time before trying MP3Tag so maybe that’s part of it. I guess everyone has their favourite.

I always wonder about that, too. I prefer to tag with Foobar2000, but is it really better or just what I know?

 

[DistantEarth]

I prefer MusicBrainz and fallback to mp3tagger for obscure releases. MusicBrainz can Identify a track with sonic lookup but I find the best way when a rip does not have the artist and album tagged is to hit the lookup in web button. That opens musicbrainz on the web, type in the artist, click the album, click the green tagger icon. That inserts the album into the musicbrainz program. Then you can just drag the untitled track on the left window to the correct track in the right window and hit save. Set it up right and it will rename the track/album and move it to your music library in the artist folder and album folder with the album art imbedded and as a standalone Poster.jpg file, also, any PDF booklet that might come with a digital release. You only need to set it up once. After that, tagging an album takes seconds.
My Nvidia Shield with Kodi + plexkodiconnect = Crazy easy file management. Use Plex to keep things organized and Kodi's audio engine + Nvidia's DAC for playback and GUI. It's the most beautiful listening experience.
I keep my multi-channel mixes separate from stereo. Plex helps with that. Otherwise, Kodi will just mix them all together. Plex will also allow you to listen remotely in lossless or lossy.

Take a day and make this happen and you will regret everyday you wasted not getting setup earlier.

Good luck. You will lose some hair...

 

[mandrix]

LOL. Well it's nice to have choices. Lot's to try, good information.

 

[cdheer]

Older thread, I know; I just want to make sure I understand my options for playback. (I think I've got ripping/converting pretty much figured out, and if not, I'll research more.)

In terms of playing hi-res/MCH music, the favored mechanism seems to be using an HTPC (I'd get a NUC). Alternatively, I have a Shield Pro that's basically doing nothing at the moment; are there audio output limitations with it? (I actually use an Apple TV 4K as a streamer, but I know it won't bitstream audio, so I'm pretty sure it's safe to rule that one out.)

 

[gorman]

Older thread, I know; I just want to make sure I understand my options for playback. (I think I've got ripping/converting pretty much figured out, and if not, I'll research more.)

In terms of playing hi-res/MCH music, the favored mechanism seems to be using an HTPC (I'd get a NUC). Alternatively, I have a Shield Pro that's basically doing nothing at the moment; are there audio output limitations with it? (I actually use an Apple TV 4K as a streamer, but I know it won't bitstream audio, so I'm pretty sure it's safe to rule that one out.)

As far as I know, Shield Pro should be capable of bitstreaming all audio formats of interest. DD, DTS, Atmos, PCM.

 

[cdheer]

As far as I know, Shield Pro should be capable of bitstreaming all audio formats of interest. DD, DTS, Atmos, PCM.

OK; I asked because there's been some issue with the Android audio stack (e.g. I think 16/44.1 tracks get upscaled to 16/48 by apps that use the stack). But I'm guessing Kodi bypasses that anyway. (I wish Plex would properly support hires audio, but alas.)

 

[gorman]

OK; I asked because there's been some issue with the Android audio stack (e.g. I think 16/44.1 tracks get upscaled to 16/48 by apps that use the stack). But I'm guessing Kodi bypasses that anyway. (I wish Plex would properly support hires audio, but alas.)

Most definitely ask about this in Kodi's Android forum. It wouldn't matter for Bitstreaming formats but for pcm it would.

 

[woody]

Would Kodi play a auro-3D encoded Wav file ( like Jam & Lewis- Volume 1) natively?

(I am suspecting not as it does not have a auro-3d capable receiver option within the system menu when you are using pass through on the Kodi system interface.)

If not, what other media players will?

 

[HomerJAU]

I doubt it Woody. You’d need an AVR with an Auro3D decoder. Same for all media players, unless they have an inbuilt decoder (and your AVR and Media Player hardware would require HDMI 2.0 min. for the no. of channels and sample rate).

 

[woody]

I doubt it Woody. You’d need an AVR with an Auro3D decoder. Same for all media players, unless they have an inbuilt decoder (and your AVR and Media Player hardware would require HDMI 2.0 min. for the no. of channels and sample rate).

My AVR does have an Auro3D decoder, but when I play it pass through via Kodi the AVR doesn’t change to Auro3D?

 

[dabl]

I know you have to set the AVR to a certain top speaker configuration for it to play Auro3D.

For Denon AVRs there is a configuration that will support Auro3D as well as DTS:X and Dolby Atmos.

Our mate here edisonbaggins did a video on it on his Life in Surround channel.

11.1 System Tour - Set up - Atmos/Auro-3D Compatibility - Denon x6400H

I wonder a bit about the Auro encoding in a .wav file and whether Kodi supports that.

Usually Auro3d is wrapped in a DTS container.

In theory once you find a player that supports Auro3d in a .wav that can pass that through to the AVR once it's speaker setup is configured to handle Auro3d, it should play.

 

[Mark Anderson]

My AVR does have an Auro3D decoder, but when I play it pass through via Kodi the AVR doesn’t change to Auro3D?

The problem might be that it is a WAV file that cannot contain metadata for Atmos or Auro3D.
I set the PC for atmos playback and can play Goerge McCrea in Auro 3D which I ripped into mka using MMH

 

[HomerJAU]

Maybe Kodi is looking at the Codec and not recognizing the name as 'supported' so doesn't even do a pass-through?