Questions about MusicFab

[supine]

We will soon release a new version to optimize the failure problem and improve the success rate, please wait a while

Thank you #Sylvia,
I have a ticket open in the Member Portal. Although I can access the Member Portal, when I click on the Ticket link, nothing happens. I was able to access it once and read the reply, but now I'm unable get back in to post back a reply.

I updated to Ver. 1.0.0.6. After battling with the "Playback of protected content not enabled" screen for a while, I finally was able to log in and load a few albums into the que. I was able to get my first album "in the can" and a quick sampling revealed no truncated tracks. It was a double album, and MusicFab put both into a single folder. (Two track 1's, Two track 2's..... all in a single folder.). Although this nuisance problem still exists, the high error rate seems to be gone, and tracks download "normally" and swiftly. The "Window on top" issue is still there, and when I paused the download momentarily to stop a window from appearing on top of what I was doing, MusicFab crashed off the screen (a report was generated.). Currently, the window is NOT popping up over my current work. It looks like an intermittent problem, but I have no Idea what sets the problem off or stops it. While sampling tracks, I noticed a very slight "hiccup" or pause in the music while playing. It's rare, but there. The "hiccup" appears in the exact same spot when I replay the segment, so I doubt it's a glitch in the player. I've only noticed it two or three times. When these "hiccups" appear, they are noticeable but do not totally ruin the enjoyment of the music. I'll report back on this as more of these appear. Although these "hiccups" ARE an issue, If you're listening through a streaming service.... well... I at least, do not expect 100% integrity, and do not consider this a major issue. I would like to see this minor issue go away though, if it's possible. (Downloading now in FLAC)

I was able to restart MusicFab, and downloads appear to be proceeding normally. The main function for which the software is designed for; IE: download music from a (for me, paid) subscription service, to be able to listen to it "offline" without interruption, or having to trudge through the streamers sometimes complicated (and in my opinion, just plain troublesome) interface, has been restored at this time. Although the software still has some major issues, I believe the team is on the right track.

I will try to access my ticket through the Member Portal again tomorrow. If you could relay the contents of this post to the development team in the mean time (and in case I still can't access my ticket.), I would appreciate it.
Thank you,
Supine

Note: All albums completed "normally" while I was composing this report. I have not found any truncated files in my several samples. I have previously uploaded a screen shot of the "Protected Content" error screen, but I figured I would upload a copy of the latest one. This screen gave me fits and stopped me from doing anything until I could get rid of it. I had to shut down the software and restart it several times before it disappeared. Rebooting didn't help.
I was reading through the update logs, and saw that they put an option into the control panel to not download the .lrc files. I can't seem to find it. If someone can tell me how to access that option I would appreciate it.
(Smee)

[supine]

The "hiccup" that appears in the tracks, is more common than I had first thought. Although it doesn't occur on every single track it is very common and can occur multiple times in a single track. I cannot see any time line correlation. In my samples, it has occurred as soon as timeline 0:02, and as late as 2:56, with some tracks having sometimes three or even four occurrences.
I still cannot access my open ticket(s).

[supine]

On a larger sample, Those "hiccups" are very noticeable, very annoying indeed, and need to go away. I was finally able to open my "Ticket" window and reply. If you contacted the development team for me, Thank you very much.

[ord1117]

Hiccup---Hiccup---Hicccup

[supine]

Hiccup---Hiccup---Hicccup

Update: I'm kind of embarrassed. The "hiccup" I mentioned WAS some sort of fault in the player. I switched players from VLC to Media Monkey and the "hiccup" that I mentioned has disappeared. I don't know what's going on. The "hiccup" remains in VLC, but in Media Monkey it doesn't surface. I guess it IS the player; but I don't know why the problem would be in VLC, and remain constant, in the exact same spot, and those spots are different in different files. Error correcting? In the mean time, I have set my default player to Media Monkey. I don't know if there really is a problem in the file and Media Monkey just corrects it, but as long as I don't hear it, it isn't there.

[ord1117]

Try the 5K Player-----I Like it better than VLC

[supine]

Try the 5K Player-----I Like it better than VLC

Yes, A decent player. I'll have to play with it some more. I don't find the U.I. very intuitive, but it didn't take me long to understand the very basics. It appears to be drag and drop orientated. I don't see a way to get it to automatically scan my computer or network in directories that I designate, for media files. Although it understands .lrc files and does a very good job with them, I found that it totally missed the lyrics imbedded in the tag/metadata. I just don't like separate data files littering the directories. I also use imbedded subtitles in my video files. Although I see the name of the artist in the library, I don't see the name of the album, the Cover art, or a way to "break out" play lists by album without hand feeding each one. So far, I don't see a way to change the library view to include the information I need. The sound reproduction is very clean and crisp using .FLAC files, and the separation is right on point. It does display the art work in the player, and I like the little graphic spinning record in the player. I also like the built in DLNA server. It also got very good user and tech reviews. So far, I appreciate the referral and it is a nice player, but I don't think it will fit my particular user style. I have only been playing with it for a short while. I'll play with it some more Tuesday, and give it a chance. I'm sure that there are features that I have missed. I hope this little off topic blurb doesn't get me in trouble, but I felt compelled to answer your kind referral. Thank you.

[ord1117]

DVDFabPlayerUltra is a Good Player

I have been Ripping my DVD's to ISO

and 5K Player plays ISO's very good.

[supine]

DVDFabPlayerUltra is a Good Player

I have been Ripping my DVD's to ISO

and 5K Player plays ISO's very good.

I already have/had that one (Fabplayer 3). I didn't get to far with that one. When I tried to drag and drop an artist folder with Album subdirectories into the interface, they would not open in the player. Neither did individual album folders. Adding directories from the menu didn't work either. After loading individual files, I switched the view to thumbnail, and the cover art didn't show up. After those Go/No-go tests failed, my evaluation of the software stopped. I probably need to give them another shot. I do plan on continuing to evaluate 5K. Sometimes thirty minutes is not enough, and I could have missed something. I never got to the video playback of either Fabplayer, or 5K; nor did I play with the server software included with 5k. Streaming across my network through Windows works fine for me, and it does what I want it to do. in the manner that I want (set up.). ...and no, I don't use Homegroup.

I'm still using MP4 as a video format. I have been buying and ripping DVD's for a very long time. I have boxes and boxes of them. If I used ISO files, the larger footprint would have me swiftly running out of room for storage, even with my very large storage capabilities. I have StreamFab and paid subscriptions to streaming services. I live in a very rural area, and my internet at the time barely supported streaming in low res. I used (and still use) StreamFab as a DVR to download and watch movies in 1080p. Even now, I tend to purge most movies that I get from that source after I watch them. I watch my remaining storage space closely, and don't see a reason to waste storage space to store Movies I can re-download any time. It's true, that I can get another NAS, and load it up with enterprise drives, but I have to wonder if the financial outlay would really be worth it to store Movies that I can get again at any time. I originally got DVDFab to protect my investment in DVD's. Now that I went through the trouble of digitizing and storing them, I guess that I'm clinging to the files, even though I could probably download or stream most of them at a higher resolution than I have them stored at. If Spotify (or more to the point internet on the road.) was more reliable in my area, and their interface would do what I want, I would probably feel the same way about the Music.

[ord1117]

I watch More TV Shows than movies

I used to watch My TV Shows from DVD
by Ripping Each Episode---But there are things you cannot RIP

And you Have to NAME Everything.
And sometimes an Episode would not RIP.

BUT there is something that I did NOT Realize.

When You RIP a DVD
You Rip the Copy Protection etc
Because it says FULL DVD.

When You RIP DVD thru ISO
It tells You the Stuff it has Removed
and Stuff it could not find.

I have several External Drives
and I figure the more I RIP
the less I will have to Download.

External Drives are Getting BIGGER
and the Price's are pretty Good.

[supine]

I watch More TV Shows than movies

I used to watch My TV Shows from DVD
by Ripping Each Episode---But there are things you cannot RIP

And you Have to NAME Everything.
And sometimes an Episode would not RIP.

BUT there is something that I did NOT Realize.

When You RIP a DVD
You Rip the Copy Protection etc
Because it says FULL DVD.

When You RIP DVD thru ISO
It tells You the Stuff it has Removed
and Stuff it could not find.

I have several External Drives
and I figure the more I RIP
the less I will have to Download.

External Drives are Getting BIGGER
and the Price's are pretty Good.

First: let me say something on topic.
When I click on "Discography" in the browser, If the artist is prolific there is a considerable list. Some of the later albums that I'm looking for are at the bottom of the list. When I add an album to the cue, I am bounced all the way back to the top of the Discography. Some of these collections are pages long, and it is very tedious to wind my way back in the list to where I was. I wonder if there is a way the developers could stop this from happening.

O.K.! Now I can ramble!

#ord1117, Someone after my own heart. TV shows take up three times more HD space than my Movies. I have Outlander season 6 sitting on my desk in DVD format. I'm looking at it as I type. I'm looking forward to getting it "In the can" so I can stream it over the LAN.

You're right. Ripping TV shows from DVD is difficult. I use a tagging program called Meta X. It helps. There is a one time fee of (I believe) $10.00 U.S. to purchase a license, but I found it worth it. If you have the name of the series, the season and the episode (In standard format) in the tag, Meta X can usually find it, (IE: Outlander - S06E01) but not always. If it doesn't, things, then get a little tedious. DVDFab often fills in enough of the information for Meta X to find it, and do a far better job of tagging each episode.

You're also right, that the cost of storage is dropping. It's not that I couldn't afford it, and I wouldn't have to fill all of the bays at once. I guess that I'm just a cheap S.O.B., and wonder how many months of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and Paramount it would take to cover the cost of another 8 bay NAS, and load it with enterprise drives. I guess that it would however, end any streaming issues I have over the WAN due to spotty internet in this rural area. I do, continue to buy DVDs. There is a person at a local "Flea" market that sells them for $1.00 U.S. each, and has some (somewhat) recent releases. Not to mention the way I'm enticed in the stores by the latest releases before they hit the streamers. DVDs are also going the way of the Dodo (Extinct). If I'm going to start getting digital copies, I will need somewhere to store them. ( Now you've gotten me to start thinking about it!)

You sound like a prime candidate for a NAS, or a simple RAID. Either way, I hope you have your HDD collection arrayed. From what you're describing, If one of your externals fail. the loss you suffer would be considerable.
As far as the Copy protection: I mentioned before, that I rip in MP4 format. When DVDFab backs up my DVDs in that format, I don't believe there is copy protection attached. I don't know if when you Copy weather the protection goes with it.

BTW: This was a while ago, but I had noticed at one time that even ripping in ISO that the frame height was only around 720. I wonder if the larger footprint is worth it. I welcome any input.

Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with the now useless physical Discs I own. Those too, I have a tendency to cling to. I've got quite an investment there.

[ord1117]

YOU mentioned MP4

H265 Gives Good Compression----and Good Quality.

H266 will be coming out Soon.

I have some 2TB--3TB--4TB ---and a 8TB External Drives.

I started out putting My DVD--ISO on a 4 TB Drive

I am NOW on my 3rd 4TB Drive for DVD--ISO's

with Plenty more to go. !!!!!!!

I have started the Simpsons and they have something over 30 Seasons. !!!!!

[Jaynator495]

Yes, A decent player. I'll have to play with it some more. I don't find the U.I. very intuitive, but it didn't take me long to understand the very basics. It appears to be drag and drop orientated. I don't see a way to get it to automatically scan my computer or network in directories that I designate, for media files. Although it understands .lrc files and does a very good job with them, I found that it totally missed the lyrics imbedded in the tag/metadata. I just don't like separate data files littering the directories. I also use imbedded subtitles in my video files. Although I see the name of the artist in the library, I don't see the name of the album, the Cover art, or a way to "break out" play lists by album without hand feeding each one. So far, I don't see a way to change the library view to include the information I need. The sound reproduction is very clean and crisp using .FLAC files, and the separation is right on point. It does display the art work in the player, and I like the little graphic spinning record in the player. I also like the built in DLNA server. It also got very good user and tech reviews. So far, I appreciate the referral and it is a nice player, but I don't think it will fit my particular user style. I have only been playing with it for a short while. I'll play with it some more Tuesday, and give it a chance. I'm sure that there are features that I have missed. I hope this little off topic blurb doesn't get me in trouble, but I felt compelled to answer your kind referral. Thank you.

I personally use Plex as a music player, with Plexamp. You can view the music by album, artist, search, genre, type, or even "feel", with graphics for all the above.

[supine]

YOU mentioned MP4

H265 Gives Good Compression----and Good Quality.

H266 will be coming out Soon.

I have some 2TB--3TB--4TB ---and a 8TB External Drives.

I started out putting My DVD--ISO on a 4 TB Drive

I am NOW on my 3rd 4TB Drive for DVD--ISO's

with Plenty more to go. !!!!!!!

I have started the Simpsons and they have something over 30 Seasons. !!!!!

33 Seasons (and still counting.) There are people with a bunch of consecutive earlier seasons laying around gathering dust, that are willing to part with them for a song.

Spreading out a collection on several very small externals may seem like a pain, but it's a good idea for a couple of reasons. 1. It limits loss in case of failure, and 2. The per TB price of the smaller drives is lower than the big boys, so it's more economical. A 5tb "Pocket Drive" is running around $100.00 U.S., but if I shop around I can pick them up for around $85.00. The "Pocket Drives are small, so several plugged into a powered USB hub wouldn't take up much desk space. Not to mention, that the "Pocket Drives" don't need an external power source. You would though, need a really good powered hub.
I still like my NAS though. I chanced upon an extremely good deal on an 8 bay Synology. I got it for just a little more than the four bay I was initially looking at. (It was last years model when I bought it.) I have it set up in a Raid 5 configuration, so not only do I have a single volume and the redundancy, It doubles as a server. After my conversation with you, I'm looking at my empty bays and thinking about, perhaps, adding a couple more drives. I may not need it now or in the near future, but having the space if I change my mind might be nice. Although there is a storage cost for a Raid 5 in terms of lost space; the redundancy peace of mind I have is priceless. I can loose any drive in the array, and not loose any data.

It sounds like you have a very nice collection. Mine may still be very small, but I believe that I have protected my DVD investment well; which is mostly what I'm after.

[ord1117]

Hi Supine

Music Fab is probably getting Pisssed at us Talking like this.

BUT I have NOT tried Music Fab YET !!!!!!

I'm waiting for SUPINE,,,,, To tell me it's OK to enter the water !!!!!!!!!!!