Album art + SD card + Columbus

[MBIII]

Hello, I've recently loaded a bunch of MP3s into an SD card which was inserted into the glove box card slot.

Each MP3 has been tagged with high-res album art (approx. 1000x1000px JPEG).

While the Columbus unit plays all the songs normally, it doesn't seem to display all album arts. So for some songs it would show the tagged album art, for others it just shows the Skoda generic art. Seems to happen at random.

Any idea on why's that?

Thanks!

[Simon-R]

Same thing happens on mine, never got to the bottom of it, interested in a fix if there is one.

[D402]

I think the largest album art you can use is something like 600x600.

[BillyJim]

I went through the same issue last year after I got my car.

I reduced all my album art to 600 x 600 max and used a dedicated metadata editor to ensure all artwork was set as "front cover".

Some images were not perfectly square (i.e. 600 x 598) and Columbus didn't like them until I either trimmed or replaced them.

All my album art now shows correctly.

[Simon-R]

I went through the same issue last year after I got my car.

I reduced all my album art to 600 x 600 max and used a dedicated metadata editor to ensure all artwork was set as "front cover".

Some images were not perfectly square (i.e. 600 x 598) and Columbus didn't like them until I either trimmed or replaced them.

All my album art now shows correctly.

Ah OK that makes sense but to be honest I have got better things to do than spending time sorting out album artwork  :p

[BillyJim]

The joy of a dedicated metadata editor. You just tell it what you want to fix and it does it all as a batch job. Took 5 minutes.

[r08shaw]

Quicker way, upload you music to Google Play Music, it will then put in the artwork, including missing artwork.

Then download it again straight to SD card.

 

I had a ton of music on there, downloaded some to SD card and then copied it to the jukebox in the car and all artwork is present. It embeds it within the mp3 file, rather than linking to an image file.

 

Only gripe I've got is albums get merged if they have the same title, like 'Greatest Hits'. So if you have more than one artist with an album of the same name, it merges them.

[nsfu]

The joy of a dedicated metadata editor. You just tell it what you want to fix and it does it all as a batch job. Took 5 minutes.

What editor do you use?

[BillyJim]

What editor do you use?

Metadatics (on a Mac), as it handles all the common audio and video formats.

[blahde2]

Metadatics (on a Mac), as it handles all the common audio and video formats.

Damn you Mac heads! Why can't I find a good one for Windows 10. Useless bloody store on that thing! And before you ask, No I'm not going to buy a Mac just because!

[blahde2]

Quicker way, upload you music to Google Play Music, it will then put in the artwork, including missing artwork.

Then download it again straight to SD card.

Question, does it also upgrade your MP3 quality, i.e it adds the artwork, does it give also give you an option to take a higher quality version of say your uploaded low quality rip? I think not but would be very happy to be proven wrong.

I only ask because I have 17 years of CDs and some were ripped at a lower bit rate as hard drive storage back then wasn't cheap. I don't have the time or enough CD drives to re-rip the ones I like at FLAV or higher bit rate.

Does anyone know of a company or website which would do this for me? I've had no luck searching for one.

Edited 7 June, 2016 by blahde2

[BillyJim]

Question, does it also upgrade your MP3 quality, i.e it adds the artwork, does it give also give you an option to take a higher quality version of say your uploaded low quality rip? I think not but would be very happy to be proven wrong.

I only ask because I have 17 years of CDs and some were ripped at a lower bit rate as hard drive storage back then wasn't cheap. I don't have the time or enough CD drives to re-rip the ones I like at FLAV or higher bit rate.

Does anyone know of a company or website which would do this for me? I've had no luck searching for one.

I regret to say that's not possible. MP3 is a "lossy" format that works by removing the parts of the audio the ear is less likely to discern. Once that's gone it's gone for good.

The bitrate determines how much data is processed. Upping the bitrate on an existing MP3 makes no difference to the audio quality, nor does converting it to a higher quality format.

I doubt any company will rip your CDs for you. It's already a grey area that you can rip them for your own use, but paying a third party to do it for you is probably a step too far into copyright laws.

[Arex]

Damn you Mac heads! Why can't I find a good one for Windows 10. Useless bloody store on that thing! And before you ask, No I'm not going to buy a Mac just because!

If you need only edit mp3 files use mp3tag. Free software and you can make changes in batches.

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[maffyou]

I regret to say that's not possible. MP3 is a "lossy" format that works by removing the parts of the audio the ear is less likely to discern. Once that's gone it's gone for good.

The bitrate determines how much data is processed. Upping the bitrate on an existing MP3 makes no difference to the audio quality, nor does converting it to a higher quality format.

I doubt any company will rip your CDs for you. It's already a grey area that you can rip them for your own use, but paying a third party to do it for you is probably a step too far into copyright laws.

All absolutely true, but it might provide a higher bit rate MP3 depending on how Google Play works (don't use it and never read up on it). If it works the same as the iTunes Match cloud storage, then it doesn't necessarily upload your MP3. iTunes Match scans your music (ripped from wherever) and matches it to recognised recordings already available through iTunes so does not store your MP3 file. So if you have a rubbish 80kbps file (don't hate me, storage was an issue 10 years ago!) and it recognises it then you can delete your original file and when you download the track it will download a new file at whatever Apple's default bit rate is these days (I forget).

The only time it doesn't work is if the software for whatever reason doesn't recognise your MP3 file (which does happen, and probably a bit more than one would like) then it will upload your actual MP3 file. So downloading it again will not give a better quality audio file.

If Google Play works in the same way, then there's an option but I'm too lazy to look it up

However, I'd still suggest a batch metadata editor would be MUCH quicker and much less faffing around (although definitely won't improve the quality of your files).

[radiognome]

Quick question, can the infotainment system (I'll have the bolero) read embedded cover file inside flacs? Or do I need a file in the directory? If the latter is true, is there a specific file name? I know the size has to be 500x500 pixels. I am trying to get an sd card ready while waiting for delivery makes the time go by

Also, on windows, there is tag&rename and also tagscanner. Quite handy software.

[BillyJim]

Quick question, can the infotainment system (I'll have the bolero) read embedded cover file inside flacs? Or do I need a file in the directory?

It will only recognise and display artwork that is embedded using the ID3 tag which is common to mp3, m4a, aiff, APE and FLAC (and quite possibly other formats too).

[blahde2]

All absolutely true, but it might provide a higher bit rate MP3 depending on how Google Play works (don't use it and never read up on it). If it works the same as the iTunes Match cloud storage, then it doesn't necessarily upload your MP3. iTunes Match scans your music (ripped from wherever) and matches it to recognised recordings already available through iTunes so does not store your MP3 file. So if you have a rubbish 80kbps file (don't hate me, storage was an issue 10 years ago!) and it recognises it then you can delete your original file and when you download the track it will download a new file at whatever Apple's default bit rate is these days (I forget).

The only time it doesn't work is if the software for whatever reason doesn't recognise your MP3 file (which does happen, and probably a bit more than one would like) then it will upload your actual MP3 file. So downloading it again will not give a better quality audio file.

If Google Play works in the same way, then there's an option but I'm too lazy to look it up

However, I'd still suggest a batch metadata editor would be MUCH quicker and much less faffing around (although definitely won't improve the quality of your files).

 

Bang on the money good sir, you put it better than my tired head could. I should have said, if I uploaded a crappy 80kbps album (so sounds super rubbish), would google play identify the track and cancel the upload as its already stored on its servers? That way they don't duplicate millions & millions of tracks filling up their storage!

 

My questions should now have read like this: When I want to (or need to) download my old rubbish album (which Google has/has not uploaded) again, do I get their 320kbps version (sounds very much better) or will they compress it back down to my 80kbps original, just because they can and feel like it?

 

I have over 150gbs of music (from 1997 - now) in various bit rates (96kbps to FLAC). If I were to upload all the older (low bit rate files) to Google PLay Music, would I get high quality ones back on re-downloading them? I don't want to put all my CDs through my laptop CD drive, that would take an eternity so this is the lazy (and smart option) to upgrade all my old music!! 

 

Can someone test this for me? I would do it but I am running on 250mb of data a month as my home internet has been cut off due to a house move, now twice delayed! I have to scrimp on my data usage.

Test idea:

Take 1 popular track (Adele - Hello would be a good choice), rip it to your hard drive at the lowest bitrate going, then upload it to Google Play Music.

Delete said crappy track from your Hard drive, then re-download it back from the GPM cloud to see if its been upgraded. (Obviously check in settings if there is a default bit rate quality setting for downloads)

 

If no one does this no worries, I move in 2 months and should be back on real online within 3 and able to try it out.

 

Thanks for your help guys.

[maffyou]

I've had a quick look and from what I've read I'm pretty certain that it works the same as Apple's version - so provided it matches the track successfully it doesn't upload your version, it just stores the fact that you own it. Thus when you download the track from Google Music you get their bit rate, which I think is 320kbps - plenty high enough unless you are listening on VERY good audio equipment!

So this would be a very good solution for upgrading your files.

I've no doubt there will be tracks it won't recognise - amongst others, I remember that iTunes would never match True Faith by New Order for some reason so I ended up buying the track again because my rip was horrible (which potentially explains the lack of matching!) The tracks not recognised must be pretty few and far in between though...with 30+ million songs available you'd have to have pretty obscure tastes not to match nearly all the time.

[blahde2]

The tracks not recognised must be pretty few and far in between though...with 30+ million songs available you'd have to have pretty obscure tastes not to match nearly all the time.

I do and they (some of them) are very rare indeedy. Lets hope this is the case as when I move into my new place, I will FINALLY have Fibre upto 300mbps (if I wanted too but won't as I am not a squillionaire). I used to crawl along on less than 5mbps so 50-100mbps will be a night and day difference!

Let's hope it does upgrade as I will love them for it if they do!

[Toonaroond]

I do and they (some of them) are very rare indeedy. Lets hope this is the case as when I move into my new place, I will FINALLY have Fibre upto 300mbps (if I wanted too but won't as I am not a squillionaire). I used to crawl along on less than 5mbps so 50-100mbps will be a night and day difference!

Let's hope it does upgrade as I will love them for it if they do!

5mbps? I Remember when I had 250k and thought it was luxury!!!

[maffyou]

5mbps? I Remember when I had 250k and thought it was luxury!!!

Snap. And you could then use the phone at the same time too

[Toonaroond]

Snap. And you could then use the phone at the same time too

.... Still pictures downloading line by line... "What is it, what is it???"

[maffyou]

.... Still pictures downloading line by line... "What is it, what is it???"

[maffyou]

True story: first thing I ever searched for on the Internet was a photo of the Hale Bopp comet in 97. Took forever to load!

[maherto]

I know it's not related to album art does anyone know if you can reduce the sensitivity of touch screen . As it their is any bumps on the road it double taps the screen at you select the wrong thing!

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