As some of you may have noticed, we’ve been pushing 1.4 beta releases. Though not quite at Beta quality yet, we’re ready to let you take a peek at the long awaited CD rip feature. That’s the good news, but before you go play, we need to go over some stuff. Are you listening? Ok, good!
Cue the wanky music: you’ll need to be on Windows, and you’ll need to have iTunes installed to check out CD Rip for this blessed build. This is due to an installer issue that we’re working through. In short, Songbird and iTunes use the same underlying library to rip CDs (Gear Works). This blessed build will piggyback off the drivers that iTunes installed because we’re not quite ready to install the drivers ourselves. (Well, actually, we’re really good at installing the drivers but totally overzealous when uninstalling them.) Our own installer will be a well-behaved citizen of the registry in a few days, and once it is, we’ll put out another build that you non iTunes-y people can also use.
</end wanky music>
Our CD Rip feature includes:
- Ability for user to select all (default) or chose individual tracks for rip
- Ability for user to set/modify Rip CD Setting via a preference pane
- Ability for user to edit their metadata prior to and after rip
- Ability for user to select a CD record to rip should one or more similar records be found for the inserted CD.
- Integration for lookup of CD data information directly from the Gracenote database.
If you think you found a bug, super, you’re a helper! Before you log it in Bugzilla like the awesome tester you are, please make sure you check the release notes to make sure it’s not one of the bugs that we fixed while spinning this build. We’re fast, we know.
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38 Comments
SubscribeWTF?!! We have to use Microsoft Windows?!! You guys are moving to the dark side…
PLEASE tell me y’all are going to be able to add this feature for the Linux build of 1.4
Thanks for the great progress with Songbird. Glad that you are supporting Windows! and I am looking forward to the Linux support for burning on Songbird.
Now,…it is time to support Podcasting!!
thanks again
I’m sure by the final it will be independent the installed programs/OS. I’m hoping, at least…
Do you think that CDparanoia could be utilized for the rip? Or is this too ambitious?
@Tomas. The extension they use for Ripping is Gearworks, so technically, the code can be ported to Linux/OSX eventually. However, apparently it wont be in time for 1.4 (probably because more time is needed to complete that), but it will come in the future… The impression I am given is that they want to finish the major features (such as podcasting) first that work on every platform….
Hi here.
I had previously installed nighty version 1.3 and now i can’t install 1.4. I have deleted 1.3 before to install 1.4 but It says that older version of Songbird is (still) installed. Popup message offers to uninstall previous Songbird but nothing happens because here’s no any. I’m on Vista SP2.
Any suggestions?
What about proper grouping of compilation albums, what’s the status of that?
@Tuxie: Not sure that you consider using AlbumArtist as a proper way to group compilation. Anyway, I do, and this is already available.
@di7ra: same problem here.
@klint: I’d consider it usable if it could fall back to using Artist for tracks where AlbumArtist is empty. The last version I tried (1.2) doesn’t do that.
Hi Laura, that CD Ripping feature sounds great and I hope it’s ported over to users of Linux like me. Just one thing I really need to comment on which has just had me in stitches, you used the word Wanky to describe some music, here in the UK Wanky is a reference to masturbarion. Hey I bet you wanted to know that but thanks for including the word as I’ve been laughing for a few minutes. Small things amuse small minds I guess.
Hey folks, if you want compilation support show you’re interested by voting up Bug 5755:
http://bugzilla.songbirdnest.com/show_bug.cgi?id=5755
@tuxie
That is true, you have to do that manually for the moment (can be done on large set of tracks using the Tagger extension). I personally have set a smart playlist that shows all tracks with an empty AlbumArtist. I go there regularly to empty this playlist by using Tagger in one shot on all tracks of the playlist)
I will have to test that tonight and also translate the article :p
Just tried it. Will someone please make an add on so it can read cd text from custom compiled cds? WMP has a plugin that enables this. ITunes does not.
Disappointed to see just Track 1, Track 2 etc.
Will the non-iTunesy version be cross-platform?
Okay, okay, so this blessed build will require you to be on Windows and use iTunes, but a subsequent blessed build will not require iTunes. What wasn’t clear: will it require windows? Andrew Luecke seems to suggest in the comments above that CD rip is only being developed for Windows in 1.4. Is that really true?
And if it’s true, why is it listed on the roadmap as “CD Ripping” and not, “CD Ripping (Windows only).” This has been a long-running complaint/frustration of mine. Linux and OS/X are supposed to be official supported platforms, and yet the Songbird team repeatedly misleads the community into thinking that certain features are being developed for everyone, when they are not. It makes me downright distrust you guys. For example, will video support in Led Zeppelin be for everyone, or just Windows users? And when will we have a release that contains new features for people who aren’t using Windows?! We have MTP for Windows only and MSC for Windows only, and now also CD Ripping for Windows only?!
And finally, I have to ask this because it’s not clear from their webpage, is the Gearworks SDK open source?
Cool. Haven’t been paying attention to Songbird progress lately, and just stopped by today to check out the roadmap and stumbled on this post. I’ve been waiting for ripping before I really start using Songbird (right now I use it just for internet radio). I’ve got about 1200 CDs, and I want to rip them before the end of the year. I’m hoping that if I use just one program I’ll avoid some of the wonkiness that has crept in to my library when using multiple programs for ripping in the past. I’m waiting for the official beta though, as I don’t want to install iTunes.
I fail to see how Gear Works is better than CDParanoia…
I think this is a mistake.
Please use Music Brainz!!! not gracenote. Free software for free services!
Cool, I’m excited, what kind of formats will we be able to rip to?
is this project sponsored by microsoft to get features windows only? Come on, it has potential to be the default audio player for linux.
@Rob
Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and WMA.
I’d like to add myself to the list of Linux users who are confused by Songbird developers intentions. Songbird would be a great substitute for Media Monkey where Linux users can’t have it. But turning your focus to providing mostly a Windows solution is in my opinion a step in the wrong direction. Windows users already have Media Monkey that is well known and widely used. I’m using Songbird because on Ubuntu I haven’t seen something better. I’m not actually that worried about CD ripping but a general trend of adding features primarily for Windows is a real misstep. Imagine Firefox with most of the good features only on Windows.
Waiting for the Linux version.. FLAC all the way!
@Chirs S: Full ACK: Linux lacks realy of an powerfull media player. Banshee lacks of an genre pane, so its useless for me, Rhythmbox doens’t offer magaged library (useless too) and Amarok has no user interface with which I want to work with, even it is very powerfull in other aspects.
If I want to convert more people to linux, I need an media with the features you also plan for windows. For me cd-ripping would be no ko criteria even it would be very convenient. Nother the less I am worried on your focus to windows.
Add me to the chorus of users; if you’re going to make a feature Windows only, that’s fine, just mark it as such. MTP support still isn’t even on the roadmap for Linux/Mac users. I have no problem waiting for features, but it’s nice to know how long I’ll be waiting.
It’s not all negative though. I’m generally pretty pleased with Songbird, and it gets better with each release — so I’m fairly confident you’ll get to these things; keep up the good work.
I am in agreement with all. It is KEY to have CDParanoia and MusicBrainz so I can finally drag myself away from iTunes. Those of us on OS X or any other *nix don’t get the nice players that Windows users have…convert me!
@forest +1.
For all of Songbird’s cross-platformness, us Linux users are feeling very well loved.
Yeah! Rip with OGG and FLAC!
A question… is possible that Songbird supports “Now Playing” Screenlet again? ’cause I love this screenlet and songbird but is a big issue that’s not work only in this reproductor
Nice Job!
@Maxolasersquad I don’t really understand your comment. Most of the new features in Songbird are *not* cross platform, which is why there are so many upset Linux and Mac OS/X users commenting on this blog post (I count at least 10.)
@forest Yup thats true. But may be they have large audiance thereon M$. SO they are inclined towards it. Only issue is lots of feature are not there on Linux like MTP support etc…Its frustrating. But as we can see…its open source…and company POTI is not gettting donation. It has to pay for developer from its OEM vendors. Some how there is very less visibility of SB in developers. Very few ppl really contribute. Don’t know why. So yes, It will take time for getting those things in. Lets hope soon. IMHO SB should try to add those feature which can be added quickly and cross platform.
Uh… what’s “i-tunes”? Is that something I have to put on my guitar, while using Songbird, if i want to burn a CD, err… rip a disc… or, uh… hmmm. I tunes my guitar before i plays it– is that what y’all mean?
You’re in development of all these new features, albeit lacking for OS X/Linux, but what about optimizing current features? Songbird eats 17-20% of CPU on my 2.8 Core 2 Extreme iMac. iTunes rarely pushes above 4%, including playing FLAC files (playable through Fluke). Seems like some work needs to be done on those fronts before you flood with loads of new features (and probably slow the program down even more).
@jigar shah Your comment is very interesting. First you defend POTI’s decision to develop for Windows, arguing that most of their audience is on MS, and then you lament the fact that there are very few community developers contributing to Songbird. Could it be that there are very few community developers contributing to Songbird because most open source software developers run Linux and don’t want to waste their time contributing to a software project that doesn’t value its Linux users? Even if its true that POTI must satisfy their OEM vendors demand for Windows-specific features, this path could be followed in a more transparent and honest fashion. As I said before, if a feature is being developed only for Windows then it ought to be advertised as such on the Roadmap.
Honestly though, I don’t buy the argument that the OEM vendors demand MS software. Intel, Canonical, Redhat, and Google are all doing just fine developing software for Linux and its the demands of their OEM’s that are driving most of the development. Ubuntu is poised to change media players right now, moving from Rhythmbox to Banshee because of Banshee’s rapidly progressing development. If POTI took Linux seriously then they could have been moving from Rhythmbox to Songbird, and that move would have meant more users and more developers for the Songbird community.
scouser73 above mentions “Wanky” having a meaning in the UK, which is the same in the USA really. However I believe the author meant to “cue the wonky music”.
Anyhow really looking forward to this CD rip capability and how well it works for me. Most rippers do not include the ability to include Album Art, either downloaded or pasted in (at least that I have found) so hopefully that is part of it.
i have just upgraded to 1.4 and the “rebuilding library sorting data” is taking forever (this is my first time running since the update). i am on xp sp3. i also installed itunes (5.0) today so that i would be able to use the cr rip feature included in 1.4.
i had been using 1.2 without a problem, except i could not get it to recognize my ipod with the add-on.
the bar is moving, but VERY slow (about halfway through 40-50 GB on an external drive). any idea how long it is supposed to take? i am concerned. anyone know how long it should take? i do not remember it taking this long in the past.
thank you!
READY!!