So, I have a bunch of mp3s with varying tag formats and encodings (ID3v1, ID3v2.3, ID3v2.4, ISO/UTF...) and I'd like to convert all that for maximum compatibility. I'd like to take all those files, keeping their current tag values, and write only ID3v1 and ID3v2.3 ISO tags, removing everything else (ID3v2.4, APE, etc). What software would be best for this task? I do have MP3Tag installed, but for some reason I can't figure out if it can do this. If it can, how?

foobar2000

It's actually easy to do it with mp3tag.

First of all I assume that you have the latest version (2.37) installed, as the preferences and features might
be different in older versions.

To get only v1 + v2.3 ISO tags in the end:

1) In the program's options (under tags ---> mpeg) ... select the following:

a) read all tags (v1 / v2 / APE). Note: If you do suspect that there are APE tags with incorrect data, i.e. you
don't want to use the information present in the APE tags, don't select APE.
b) write ID3v1 and ID3v2.3 ISO tags.
c) remove APE tags (only APE tags !!)

2) Load all your mp3s into mp3tag

3) In the main window, first click on save to write all tags in the flavors (v1 + v2.3 ISO) you have set above.
Note: this will also lead to all v2.3 UTF-16 and v2.4 UTF-8 tags being rewritten (refreshed) in the v2.3 ISO
'flavor'

4) After that, click on remove tag to remove the tags you have specified above - and because you have only
selected APE tags, only they will be removed, leaving you with the v1 and v2.3 ISO tags left in your files.

Hope this helps,
Klaas

PS: You shold have posted this on the mp3tag forums, as this would have been the more appropriate place
for this question ... anyway, nevermind

Exactly what I was looking for, many thanks!

It's pretty easy with foobar too.

1. Go to Foobar-> Preferences -> Advanced. Under Tagging and MP3, make sure "Force Preferred Tag Writing Scheme" option is checked. In the radio button below it select your choice.

2. Select your MP3 files. You can get foobar to change the tags by simply having it rewrite the tags. Right Click, select Tagging and choose the Rewrite Tags option.

But foobar2000's default ID3v2 setting is v2.4, not v2.3; if you want to rewrite your tags, you'll have to use ID3v2 Writer Compatibility Mode.

That wouldn't have helped in this case, since even in compatibility mode foobar keeps writing UTF-16 tags instead of Latin-1. If it's about tagging support for hardware players foobar isn't quite the best choice.

Jaikoz tag editor is also very easy:

Start Jaikoz
Goto 'Settings/Save Settings' and select version You want to Save to for V1 and V2, and V2 Text Encoding
Load Your Files
'File/Force Save' to save to required format.

You may want to give TagScanner a shot as well.