Itunes Not Getting Info from CDBB (Mac) (though it seems to be trying)

December 13, 2009 9:59 AM

Itunes is not retrieving titles for CDs from CDBB. It tries to but gets nothing after a few seconds. I am not sure it is even connecting to CDBB or what error(s) are occurring. I even reinstalled Itunes 9 (9.0.2 - newest) and it still does it. I do get the response "This CD was not found in CDBB database. You can enter information for the CD and each of its tracks. If this is not a commercial CD etc etc etc"...I've tried several CDs such as the Doors, Pete Townsend, Roxy Music...all ones that have worked on previous Itunes incarnations. I am not sure if it is an Itunes thing, a Mac/computer thing, or CDBB thing. This is a new thing and wasn't happening before. I have had the computer about a year if that matters. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help and have a good upcoming holiday.
posted by snap_dragon to Computers & Internet (14 answers total)

Just to eliminate the possibility that your CD drive isn't reading probably, have you tried XLD? It uses freedb and Musicbrainz, and will identify CDs if all is well.
posted by scruss at 10:22 AM on December 13, 2009

This isn't meant to sound sarcastic, but rather to cover all the bases: throughout your question, you say CDBB rather than CDDB. Is iTunes using the correct address?
posted by box at 10:36 AM on December 13, 2009

Here's a test that might help isolate the problem: Import a CD into iTunes. It will list the tracks as Track 1, Track 2, etc. Remove the CD, then select all those tracks in iTunes and select "Get CD Track Names" from the Advanced menu.

If the track names show up, then it's probably something to do with the drive. Also, if the songs don't import properly that could mean the drive is faulty.
posted by The Deej at 10:40 AM on December 13, 2009

Response by poster: Misspelling on my part...CDDB/Gracenote...apologies. Also to Scruss, I installed XLD and tried opening a disc and it just does the same "no image" and "Track 1" and so forth -- no titles. (But this could be a separate problem. Perhaps I installed XLD wrong or didn't do something right there.)

Maybe I am in denial. Maybe my CD reader isn't working. When I put a DVD in, the computer recognizes no problem.
posted by snap_dragon at 10:42 AM on December 13, 2009

Best answer: I was having trouble with this too, as recently as yesterday (haven't tried today). It worked for only about half the CDs I put in, and some of the ones it failed on I know it has successfully handled in the past. So it's probably not you.
posted by sergent at 10:59 AM on December 13, 2009

Response by poster: Sergent, I thought your response was particular to your computer BUT then mine kinda sorta started working -- it reads some but not others. The ones it does read, it reads consistently. The ones it doesn't read, it will continue not to read. All are CDs that I have had and have worked on previous Imac (but now am wondering if I ever tried them on this Imac)...the strange thing is, NONE of the CDs are obscure cds. Not sure what to make of it. I called Apple and did the usual

1. unplug from wall and restart -- same problem
2. Shut down, restart, wait for chime then hold down [option][command] P and R keys simultaneously (louder chime) then computer comes up --->same problem

They recommended like scruss that it might be the optical drive. If that was the case, would it still work on some CDs and not others -- consistently? This is very strange to me.

Any input from others would be helpful. The person at apple admitted that she wasn't sure what exactly the problem was and thought I might have to rearchive everything. (This was actually the first time that I have had mediocre service at Applecare. Not because the problem wasn't fixed but I got somebody who didn't seem to really know what to do and had a lot of "Um, uh, well I guess, maybe you could," sort of conversation bits. Not comforting.

If anybody else has ideas in the next few days, I'm all ears. Can an optical drive be kinda/sorta bad -- reading some perfectly and others not at all? This is a mystery to me.
posted by snap_dragon at 11:49 AM on December 13, 2009

Have you installed anti-virus software, or a firewall recently. CDDB requires that TCP port 8880 be left open to communicate with the Gracenote servers. You might want to check your Windows / Third-party / External firewall settings to ensure that this port is not being blocked.
posted by peabody at 12:18 PM on December 13, 2009

Response by poster: peabody...I am not sure how to do that. Assume you are talking to a caveman with a new computer. (I haven't installed anti-virus or firewall)...thanks.
posted by snap_dragon at 12:41 PM on December 13, 2009

Best answer: I had this same problem two days ago. Haven't tried since, but, seems it isn't just you.
posted by dpx.mfx at 12:49 PM on December 13, 2009

Best answer: Another forum mentions that many WEA titles (and associated labels, like Rhino) are no longer found there. No one knows why, but that might explain why some titles are read and not others.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:08 PM on December 13, 2009

Response by poster: Hmmmm ... this is getting more damned to interesting to me by the minute. (I don't know why you can't type the artist/title and it find hits such as one might do with DVD Hunter or Delicious-Monster and the like. I don't want to put blame anywhere where it isn't due but right now I am kinda hatin' on Itunes.) For an example, two that haven't worked are The Best of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music put out by Virgin Records and the other is Pete Townsend's Deep End Live put out by Atco. Who knows...some more obscure CDs do work.

per peabody or anyone: If you can explain how to change my settings so the TCP 8880 port is not blocked in simple steps fire away!

For now maybe it is an Itunes CDDB conspiracy connected with the Freemasons.

***sigh***
posted by snap_dragon at 1:44 PM on December 13, 2009

Best answer: Once again: the problem isn't on your end. It's an issue with iTunes and Gracenote that other people are reporting as well.
posted by Lazlo at 1:37 AM on December 14, 2009

Best answer: Lazio and others : thanks so much for confirming this. I found this out the hard way though I 95% believed everyone before I tried this...... I have the exact same model of Imac at work. I took the "problem" cds to work and they don't work there, either. What is weird to me is that when I called Apple the person acted like this was something totally out of left field or some technical problem they hadn't dealt with before. If anybody buys a Mac computer one of the most basic things they might be using it for besides surfing the net/email is using Itunes and burning CDs or putting mp3s from converted CDs on their Ipod etc. I figure I will hold onto the discs for a few days/weeks/years and try them again and I suspect they just might work eventually.

It is just comforting to know it is not on my computer's end. (Whewwwwww!)
posted by snap_dragon at 6:27 AM on December 14, 2009

Response by poster: It all seems to be working again. Gracenote/CDDB f**d up. Now seems to be fixed.
posted by snap_dragon at 12:29 PM on January 12, 2010