Zune V2 and Tag info

arcana777 · 02-22-2008, 04:47 PM

I bought a Zune 80 yesterday. I'm coming from a Creative Zen Touch 40GB which was the most easily managed device on the planet. Because of my Zen, my library was perfectly tagged. All the V1 and V2 tags were in place. I loaded my library on my Zune last night which took 6 freakin' hours for about 4000 songs! I get up this morning only to find that an artist such as Douglas Spotted Eagle is now referred to as 3 different artists: "Douglas Spotted Eagle"; "Spotted Eagle, Douglas" and "Spotted Eagle". WHAT? He's "Spotted Eagle, Douglas" on my Zen (just how I want him) and ALL of his albums are under that name there. This multiple name garbage for the same artist happened with more artists than I can count! I know it's got to do with tags but how in God's name is this Zune using tag information? Is it using V1, V2 or Extended Info? What should I have? What shouldn't I have? I know the Extended tags caused part of this because I downloaded MP3Tag and saw they were screwy for the aforementioned artist so I fixed him and re-synched just as a test. Problem NOT resolved. Suggestions anyone?

You know, this is a wonderful little device. I love the hardware dearly but the software just bites! I'm half tempted to clear this thing off and take it back. I hate the software that much but I'm willing to fight a little more before I do something that drastic.

Creative Labs wins in the management software arena. It's not flashy but boy, it rocks! Too bad Microsoft didn't follow their lead in that area. Had they done so, the Zune would blow everything away hands-down!

Sorry for the rant... I'm just so frustrated.

Gregory · 02-22-2008, 06:20 PM

http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/tut...-mp3-tags.html

There is a tutorial on how to get you metadata straightened out with MP3Tag.

mk1000 · 02-23-2008, 09:24 AM

Only think I can think of is to go and edit your MP3 tags and make sure that all your album artist and artist tags are just what you want them to be. I have a Zen myself, but I've used the software and had some small problems like that. I just edited the MP3 tags.

Dizzy · 02-24-2008, 07:39 AM

You should also try the collection reset tool: http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/gen...agnostics.html

arcana777 · 02-25-2008, 09:33 AM

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I've discovered a few things as a result. 1. My mp3 tags were in "pristine" condition for my Zen so I just assumed they'd be fine with the Zune. Wrong! The biggest problem was the fact that the Zen didn't use "Album Artist" and the Zune relies heavily upon it. My old "MP3 Tag Tools" software didn't even show me that field. I now use "MP3Tag" software and when I told it to display the Album Artist field, WOW did I have a mess going on!

This past weekend, I spent countless hours getting all the album art for 900 albums and fixing all those Album Artist tags. (I think I have OCD when it comes to my collection). There was so much in the tags that I had to fix that I'm really thinking my best solution is going to be wiping the entire player clean and reloading it. The Zune software really isn't very reliable. I still can't figure out when it sets a flag on songs to sync them. I noticed that as soon as you change the tag on a file in your collection to add album art and a year, it does it on the Zune instantly without "syncing" but it doesn't always do it. Also, if you change the album artist tag, nothing will make that puppy re-sync. Annoying but I least I'm more aware of what's going on than I was initially. Software still sucks, IMO but the player itself rocks my world.

Thanks again for your help. Great group of people here!

Gregory · 02-25-2008, 11:57 AM

Sounds like zAlternator would be good for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcana777

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I've discovered a few things as a result. 1. My mp3 tags were in "pristine" condition for my Zen so I just assumed they'd be fine with the Zune. Wrong! The biggest problem was the fact that the Zen didn't use "Album Artist" and the Zune relies heavily upon it. My old "MP3 Tag Tools" software didn't even show me that field. I now use "MP3Tag" software and when I told it to display the Album Artist field, WOW did I have a mess going on!

This past weekend, I spent countless hours getting all the album art for 900 albums and fixing all those Album Artist tags. (I think I have OCD when it comes to my collection). There was so much in the tags that I had to fix that I'm really thinking my best solution is going to be wiping the entire player clean and reloading it. The Zune software really isn't very reliable. I still can't figure out when it sets a flag on songs to sync them. I noticed that as soon as you change the tag on a file in your collection to add album art and a year, it does it on the Zune instantly without "syncing" but it doesn't always do it. Also, if you change the album artist tag, nothing will make that puppy re-sync. Annoying but I least I'm more aware of what's going on than I was initially. Software still sucks, IMO but the player itself rocks my world.

Thanks again for your help. Great group of people here!

arcana777 · 02-25-2008, 01:33 PM

Yeah, I downloaded zAlternator this past weekend. It didn't work for me. Winamp saw the player but it disappeared and while WMP also saw it, I was unable to do anything with the contents of the player. In all fairness though, I did not try the suggested remedy; "move a large video" to the player and then kill the Zune software through task manager while moving the large file. I will try that and see what happens. I also want to look into the HD hack. Don't know enough about that yet.

02-22-2008, 04:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
arcana777 Squirt Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 13 Reputation: 10 $zB: 17 Donate	Zune V2 and Tag info I bought a Zune 80 yesterday. I'm coming from a Creative Zen Touch 40GB which was the most easily managed device on the planet. Because of my Zen, my library was perfectly tagged. All the V1 and V2 tags were in place. I loaded my library on my Zune last night which took 6 freakin' hours for about 4000 songs! I get up this morning only to find that an artist such as Douglas Spotted Eagle is now referred to as 3 different artists: "Douglas Spotted Eagle"; "Spotted Eagle, Douglas" and "Spotted Eagle". WHAT? He's "Spotted Eagle, Douglas" on my Zen (just how I want him) and ALL of his albums are under that name there. This multiple name garbage for the same artist happened with more artists than I can count! I know it's got to do with tags but how in God's name is this Zune using tag information? Is it using V1, V2 or Extended Info? What should I have? What shouldn't I have? I know the Extended tags caused part of this because I downloaded MP3Tag and saw they were screwy for the aforementioned artist so I fixed him and re-synched just as a test. Problem NOT resolved. Suggestions anyone? You know, this is a wonderful little device. I love the hardware dearly but the software just bites! I'm half tempted to clear this thing off and take it back. I hate the software that much but I'm willing to fight a little more before I do something that drastic. Creative Labs wins in the management software arena. It's not flashy but boy, it rocks! Too bad Microsoft didn't follow their lead in that area. Had they done so, the Zune would blow everything away hands-down! Sorry for the rant... I'm just so frustrated.

02-22-2008, 06:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gregory Support Team Moderator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: What a stalker! Posts: 6,433 Reputation: 257 $zB: 3740 Donate	http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/tut...-mp3-tags.html There is a tutorial on how to get you metadata straightened out with MP3Tag. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Do you live outside of the US, have Paypal, and want the Zune Pass? If so PM or visit my To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. .

02-23-2008, 09:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
mk1000 Coming back 12/26/08! Support Team Jr. Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Clifton Park, New York Posts: 273 Reputation: 38 $zB: 12 Donate	Only think I can think of is to go and edit your MP3 tags and make sure that all your album artist and artist tags are just what you want them to be. I have a Zen myself, but I've used the software and had some small problems like that. I just edited the MP3 tags. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Various Names I use: MK1000 MattK1000 M.K.1000 M.K1000

02-24-2008, 07:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dizzy caucASIAN, but not as cool as ASIANS Moderator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6,702 Reputation: 303 $zB: 161 Donate Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	You should also try the collection reset tool: http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/gen...agnostics.html __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Dizzy - Founder of zB REDnecks. Master Chief of Hillbillies.

02-25-2008, 09:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
arcana777 Squirt Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 13 Reputation: 10 $zB: 17 Donate	Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I've discovered a few things as a result. 1. My mp3 tags were in "pristine" condition for my Zen so I just assumed they'd be fine with the Zune. Wrong! The biggest problem was the fact that the Zen didn't use "Album Artist" and the Zune relies heavily upon it. My old "MP3 Tag Tools" software didn't even show me that field. I now use "MP3Tag" software and when I told it to display the Album Artist field, WOW did I have a mess going on! This past weekend, I spent countless hours getting all the album art for 900 albums and fixing all those Album Artist tags. (I think I have OCD when it comes to my collection). There was so much in the tags that I had to fix that I'm really thinking my best solution is going to be wiping the entire player clean and reloading it. The Zune software really isn't very reliable. I still can't figure out when it sets a flag on songs to sync them. I noticed that as soon as you change the tag on a file in your collection to add album art and a year, it does it on the Zune instantly without "syncing" but it doesn't always do it. Also, if you change the album artist tag, nothing will make that puppy re-sync. Annoying but I least I'm more aware of what's going on than I was initially. Software still sucks, IMO but the player itself rocks my world. Thanks again for your help. Great group of people here! Last edited by arcana777 : 02-25-2008 at 09:34 AM. Reason: wrong form of word used.

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02-25-2008, 01:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
arcana777 Squirt Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 13 Reputation: 10 $zB: 17 Donate	Yeah, I downloaded zAlternator this past weekend. It didn't work for me. Winamp saw the player but it disappeared and while WMP also saw it, I was unable to do anything with the contents of the player. In all fairness though, I did not try the suggested remedy; "move a large video" to the player and then kill the Zune software through task manager while moving the large file. I will try that and see what happens. I also want to look into the HD hack. Don't know enough about that yet.

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