id3 tags

[fp2nc]

I need to learn about id3 tags. I know what they are but I need to find a good editor and figure out how to use it. Is there any automatic way of tagging all ( about 600 ) mp3s that I've aquired? What is the difference between all the different versions of tags?I've gone to the web sites of my burner ( Plextor 8/4/32a ) and my software ( easy cd creator 5 ) but couldn't find any info on id3 tags that their products work with. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Van Nugent]

To clearly explain the technical specs of the ID3 tag versions is not a fun thing to do here so I suggest you go HERE (http://www.id3.org/) to do some reading.

A good tagging app is Tag&Rename (http://www.softpointer.com/tr.htm). It's my favorite.

[TierraDelFuego]

have a look at http://www.id3.org/intro.html for a short explanation

for software i use Psychic MP3 at http://www.medic.dk/ which is freeware and excellent in my opinion.

in response to your q's.. no I wouldn't try and tag the whole lot in 1 go, i tried on 12000 once and swiftly rebooted my PC, but split then up into chunks of 50 or 100.

[TierraDelFuego]

ah well, one of two links isn't bad i suppose VN :)

[fp2nc]

Thanx to both of you for the help and quick response. I went to the site and read a bit about tags- much more to it than I thought. Tag and Rename seems to be pretty popular and I don't mind paying for it but I do have one last question. I'm wondering what the actual mechanics of using it is. Do I type in all the info for each mp3 or if I connect to a database of tags, do I need the actual CD (which I don't have) or should I download the trial program and look in the help file? Again, thanx for the info.

[Van Nugent]

You have the options to manually type the tags yourself or get the tagging info from CDText or from online free database. However, it would be better to download and try the program 1st.

[BlackDiamondJr]

For Tag&Rename to really shine, all the songs from in a folder should be from the same album. It can then use the free online database from www.allmusic.com and automatically write both ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags as well as download reviews and cover art. If the album in the folder is not complete then Tag&Rename will inform you so you can choose to omit the missing songs.

[rendertrap]

stupid as it sounds... I am into mp3, but thought id3 tagging was just the name of the file name of the mp3 file. Im about to get myself an mp3 car stereo with id3 tagging, and have around 800 mp3 albums, which have been collected from various ppl, so im not sure if they have been tagged or not as if its not the file name how do I find out whether they are or not.

if someone can enlighten me, i would be dearfully greatful

rendertrap@tesco.net

[smokafatty]

If you are using winxp it should tell you the artist/album right below the file name.

[rendertrap]

Downloaded the sw advised and tried to tag some of my files. They don't look any different? I got these discs off some random, and they come with track number and then the song title. When going into the application it automatically brings the file name up, so i then tryed to tag and the name appears exactly the same on the tag section.. Im slightly confused... is there some where in proporties that tells me whether they have been tagged or not??

[Van Nugent]

When you open an MP3 in Tag&Rename, if you see all info for song title, artist name, etc. that means the MP3 was tagged already. You can add more info if you like.