It was the general consensus was the best Internet metadata came from Windows Media Player, you heard it right WMP, the reason for this is they purchased the whole AMG database and modified it (I am thinking blended it with another unknown database). Of the main databases in alphabetical order:

All Media Guide (AMG) [commercial]
freedb
GD3 [commercial]
Gracenote [commercial]
MusicBrainz
Tracktype

(tracktype at this time is basically freedb)
it is worth noting only the commercial sources above offer album art

Why am I singing the praises of WMP? well I am not, after 5 months of development I think WMP can be bettered. Using the idea from EliC, of using multiple databases at the same time, this corrects the spelling mistakes and wrong track entries which are present in all databases, think of it as an 'AccurateRip' type confidence system for metadata. We are using AMG, GD3, MusicBrainz and freedb at the same time with very good results (the system was transported from the BatchRipper, which is used by commercial Ripping houses, many 10000's of CDs per month are being processed through this system with good results).

Why did it take 5 months? getting the data consistent between the different databases was the challenge.

This development (which I personally think is a huge step forward), is currently in testing of R13 of dBpoweramp.

Sounds pretty cool.

Will the user be able to select the sources and disable the ones they don't want?

IE the non-free ones?

Spoon, THANK YOU!! This just goes to show Spoon's dedication to making dBpoweramp the ultimate ripper! Thank you for listening to your customers' suggestions and your continued hard work on this great software and putting up with my harassment ;-)

I have not tried it yet, but I imagine you will have to pay for the AMG service to use this tool. I think GD3 is free for non-batch rips after you pay for the AMG service.

The original thread / idea:
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=12424

Link to the test version with the included tool:
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=14158


Some other advance feature request that others may be interested in, and hopefully Spoon will take to heart as well- advancing dBpoweramp's position as the most amazing CD ripper:
Library Backup Tool

Rip Sessions

R13 Requests/Suggestions

Batch Ripper Suggestions

http://www.discogs.com/home is the only other major meta-data source I can think that would be nice, though it may be harder to match there meta-data up.

Really could use a better classical meta-data service.

I look forward to installing and trying the new feature tonight!!!

>Will the user be able to select the sources and disable the ones they don't want?
>IE the non-free ones?

It is a common miss-conception that MusicBrainz is free to access, for commercial programs (such as dBpoweramp) a fee must be paid to access the MB servers. Programs such as EAC or CDEx would not have to pay, it is kind of ironic they don't use it...

So if the pay ones were removed you would be left with just freedb, there is nothing that can be done with just 1 provider.

Was there any attempt to see if gracenote would participate? I know gracenote also has a lyrics service which would be fantastic, though I am sure both gracenote and the lyrics would be an additional cost.

Ah I see, I was just going by the [commerical] indicators.

If your paying for MB access, are you able to utilize the art feeds from there and choose from the best resolution amongst all of the providers?

AFAIK Musicbrainz just gets art from Amazon, we will not use a system which is questionable or could be switched off one day to the other.

----------

Gracenote did not want to partake.

That is very unfortunate, especially in terms of lyrics :-( Any sense in end users supporting an email campaign to express their interest in having Gracenote offer their services through dBpoweramp?

No

Eli, there is a fast and fairly accurate batch lyrics finder script for MM in progress of development, you might check that out if you need lyrics (they are not time synced tho).

http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26899

I'm not sure if he's still hell-bent on stuffing it in your registry, but Dr. Oviri has a commercial program that does lyrics.

http://oviri.altervista.org/

WMP also uses Muze, J-POPS (Japanese music database, I may have it wrongly), and user submissions (when users manually enter track data for CD rips).

Also, AFAIK WMP (v11 on Vista at least) is the only player on the market that uses audio fingerprinting for track identification.

I am finally getting to play with PerfectMeta today and I really have to say great job! This is a major leap forward and will really make one of the most time consuming parts of ripping easier, faster, and better!!!

Ideas on continued improvements in PerfectMeta:
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=16750

AMG has a partnership with LyricFind:

Lyricfind is a Canadian company so they may be more flexible than gracenot :)

Wanted to post a pic of PerfectMeta in action:



The different columns are the the meta-data retrieved from each provider. They are compared between them and the best meta-data is automatically selected - on the far left!!! This is working pretty darn well.

You are also able to click on any field from any of the providers to select that field, as I have done for track 6, and choosen the MusicBrainz field. MusicBrainz looks pretty good for this disc, but make no mistake about it, EVERY database has tons of mistakes and so far this is the fastest way to minimize them!

If anyone else is using PerfectMeta and has some feedback on how it may give more accurate metadata I have started a discussion here:

http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?p=77937


-Treat GD3 "[***]" as "(***)" when comparing meta-data. So " [Solo] " from GD3 should be treated the same as " (Solo) " from MusicBrainz or freeDB when comparing to see if there is a match. This is especially important as AMG does not seem to include data from discs in "(***)".

-Option to threat ***/*** as *** / *** when comparing meta-data

-Option to prefer *** / ***

-When checking to see if the REST of the meta-data agrees "+", "&", and "and" should probably be treated the same. Then the system should choice between "+", "&", and "and" based on the most common weighted use.



I have a separate thread for other PerfectMeta feedback / discussion:


http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=16750

Some areas where I would like to see improvement:

-add discogs as a source

-would like to see meta data pulled from multiple freedb choices

-it would be nice if each field in the PerfectMeta screen was not only editable, but dragable. I have come across a few examples now where there is correct data, but assigned to the wrong field and it would very nice to just drag the data to the correct field

-option to always show the PerfectMeta screen

-in the CD ripper window, option to show a confidence indicator next to meta-data

-right click menu on meta data should include alternate meta-data options from PerfectMeta

-I would like to see the rest of the meta-data that does not fit in the visible field when the mouse is hovering over a meta-data field.