MediaMonkey

Overview

MediaMonkey is a Windows-based audio librarian program with features useful for tango music collectors:

• excellent performance on libraries of over 10,000 tracks
• powerful browse and search facilities e.g. Canaro Vals
• multi-artist support e.g. the Artists list can show a track under both Miguel Caló and Raúl Berón
• highly configurable display e.g. filter-in tracks rated three stars or more
• good user support from the user community
• a responsive and responsible development team!

Shortcomings include:

• many bugs, some major - some listed below.
• user documentation is poor (albeit better than average for Windows audio librarian programs)
• user accessibility is poor

The program is available from http://www.mediamonkey.com.

Problems

• V3.0.3.1164 Various failures to sync to portable device.
• V3.0.3.1164 Rescan of files failsure to update library for deleted tags
  • Problem and workaround: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=146409#146409
• V3.0.3.1150 No Undo! This makes potentially disasterous a careless drag of tracks to the wrong album.
• V3.0.3.1148 Multiple artist support fails to comply with MP3 standard
  • Problem: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27934
  • Update: V3.0.3.1155 release reports a fix that may address this.
• V3.0.3.1148 Tags edits can cause messups on ';' character
  • Problem: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27942
• V3.0.3.1155 Playlist import can miss tracks
  • Problem: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28254
• V3.0.3.1148 Fails to show WMA Year tag values having non-digits e.g. 1941-03-14 (such as delivered by tango.info tagging).
  • Problem: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27627
• V? Reportedly by default can write faulty (i.e. non-compliant) Year in MP3.
  • Problem: http://mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23192
  • Workaround: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=62&nav=0,9
• V3.0.3.1148 Leading dot on Artist/Album name can cause missing files on device sync
  • http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27926
• V3.0.3.1148 default config for Creative ZEN writes unusable playlists
  • Problem and workaround: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27789&highlight=My%20Playlists
• V3.0.3.1148 Playlists synched to Creative ZEN fail to show on ZEN Media Explorer
  • Problem: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140583
• V3.0.3.1148 Multiple-used tracks can be lost from Creative ZEN playlists
  • Problem and workaround: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=125919#125919

Configuration

The installation-default configuration is probably not as you want it. Consider the following adjustments:

• Switch to a more Windows-standard (and less colourful) program appearence
  • Browse to Start | Programs (or All Programs) | MediaMonkey | MediaMonkey, right-click and click Properties, change MediaMonkey.exe to MediaMonkey (non-skinned).exe, click OK.
• Disable the crossfade that occurs on switching tracks
  • Click Tools | Options | Output plug-ins, select MediaMonkey DirectSound output, click Configure, uncheck Crossfade tracks
• Disable the end-of-track silence removal that can cause track playback transition to be gapless
  • Click Tools | Options | Output plug-ins, select MediaMonkey DirectSound output, click Configure, uncheck Remove silence at the beginning / end of track
  • Note: This won't restore gaps if your tracks are trimmed of terminal silence
• Disable the fade-in/out that misleads and slows down play operations
  • Click Tools | Options | Output plug-ins, select MediaMonkey DirectSound output, click Configure, uncheck Smooth pause, Smooth seek and Smooth stop.