[NFCB] CDs and Database Cataloguing

[Kevin Murphy]

Sybil's comments, plus... not to mention that most new releases are not
in the public databases until after their public release date (we know
from almost three years of using a system that ties into the Amazon
database). So have a look-up function of that sort doesn't help much
with ongoing library additions (although it would probably be useful for
cataloging the bequest in question).

Unfortunately, the system we use is homemade and not currently available
for other stations. I sure would like it to be, but we don't have the
manpower to package it for distribution and customization.

Kevin

Kevin Murphy

Station Manager

88.1 FM WYCE

Independent, Community Radio

a service of the Grand Rapids Community Media Center

Kevin at grcmc.org

616-459-4788 x111

616-742-0599 fax

www.wyce.org

www.grcmc.org


-----Original Message-----
From: nfcb-bounces at mailman.lmi.net [mailto:nfcb-bounces at mailman.lmi.net]
On Behalf Of Sybil Augustine
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 8:00 PM
To: nfcb at mailman.lmi.net
Subject: [NFCB] CDs and Database Cataloguing

On Wednesday 28 May 2008, Curtis Brothers wrote:

> > We recently received a bequest from a member of about 3000
> > CDs. Does anyone have a way to read in barcodes and catalog
> > CDs? Any advice will be appreciated.
>   

Hi all,
Sybil from WORT here. Thanks for bringing this issue up, and for the
informative reply. Some comments on the reply....
===========
you wrote:
bar codes???????


????? What are you questioning? Most CDs, like most commercial products,
DO have bar codes on them. There are small readers, much like at
checkout counters, that read the codes and give the title, artist,
label, etc. but we have never found software that would easily read and
dump it into a database. The closest one we found only recognized about
one in every 20 CDs that we tried, so it's still quicker for us to type
it in.

============
you wrote:
There is a script "abcde" (a better CD encoder) that comes with 
some Linux distributions.


Can you define "better"--What is actually better about it? And in what
form does this script come, what is it called so people can find it?
Sorry but not everyone knows the details of how computer software works
and how to find and install it.
OK, assume we figure that out, and once you have this software
installed....

================================
you wrote:
Just pop in the CD, and it looks up the names in a public 
database, and builds a set of sound files ready to use, 
properly named and organized.


I don't believe that's what Curtis is asking here.  It sounds like he
wants to be able to scan the info and have the computer dump it into a
database automatically, but NOT convert CDs into sound files to use
INSTEAD of CDs.  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but unless you're
planning to get rid of the physical CDs you don't need that. 
Also, what is the "public database" that will look those up?  In other
discussions on this list, some recommendations have been made such as
CDDB, GraceNotes, etc.  Is there one or more that are now considered to
be the most useful by anyone who is doing this?  In my experience, many
CDs that we have are not included in these databases so they're not
recognized and they still need to be typed in by hand [this is why
barcode scanning is mentioned.] I would think many donated CDs may be
older, and thus less likely to be included in the databases. Again,
please correct me if I'm on the wrong track, Curtis.

=================================
you wrote:
With a quick hack, to exit after looking up  ..  it can become 
that cataloging utility you ask for.

The quick hack .. look at how it works ..  It prints the list of 
cuts, then asks if you want to edit it, then encodes.  Grep for 
the prompt and make it just exit there.  Now you have a utility 
that prints the cut list of any CD you insert.


Well, maybe that would be helpful if you can exit after looking up and
BEFORE building the sound files, if you don't want to save them as files
and just want to catalog the CD. As far as printing the cut list and so
on, I don't think that's been mentioned as something that was desired,
unless you're getting rid of the CDs; what WAS mentioned is simply a way
to read and dump the artist, album title, and label into a searchable
database so everything doesn't need to be typed in by hand.

WORT and others would also be interested in such a cataloging utility.
Can anyone tell me if you have any more information about software and
online databases/sources that would make what I've described possible?

Thanks,
Sybil
WORT Music Director


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