http://ask.metafilter.com/tags/musis Questions tagged with 'musis' at Ask MetaFilter. Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:27:51 -0800 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:27:51 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://ask.metafilter.com/111389/The%2Dultimate%2Dmusic%2Darchive%2Dcleaner%2Dlooking%2Dfor%2Dapplication%2Dto%2Dconvert%2Dhudreds%2Dof%2DGB%2Dof%2Dmusic%2Dto%2DMP3 What's the best program to convert hundreds of gigabytes of music files in different formats all to MP3, while maintaining ID3 data and bitrates? I have about 130 GB of music files in about half a dozen different audio formats. It's always a huge pain in the butt to put my music on different mp3 players/computers because of the different formats and DRM junk so I’m looking for an application to clean my music archive.<br> <br> Features I'm looking for:<br> + PC based -- Sorry, no Mac available here.<br> <br> + As automated as possible -- The more hands-free/automated the better. Since there's so many files and so many directories, I'd just like to set it and forget it otherwise this could become a month-long process.<br> <br> + Maintaining ID3 info &amp; converting to an equivalent/better audio bitrate is mandatory -- I’m not interested in losing all my data or audio quality. <br> <br> + The more formats it can convert the better -- I suspect there’s about half a dozen different formats in the archive – from Midi to M4A to Wav to MP3 -- but there could be more. So the more formats the software can convert, the better.<br> <br> + ID3 updating -- The ability to connect to the Net and update ID3 data that’s incomplete would be excellent (although the majority of these files are already filled out so it's not a deal breaker).<br> <br> + Cost – Free would be fantastic. But this is such a huge, time consuming job, I would be willing to pay a bit for the ultimate “set-it-and-forget-it” application that would go into the hundreds of different folders I have, convert the files and deletes the old format files. <br> <br> + DRM conversion, flagging or deletion -- I suspect there’s a handful of DRM-protected files in there. If this ultimate software could convert those to non-DRM MP3 that’d be even cooler. I’m at the point now where I just want to throw away any of that DRM b.s. though, so it’s not a deal breaker. If it could identify or flag DRM files that would be a excellent and I can take them out back and kill them off.<br> <br> + Cures cancer -- I know I'm asking for a lot here. :D Thanks for any help you can offer! I've been meaning to do this for so long. tag:ask.metafilter.com,2009:site.111389 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:27:51 -0800 audio conversion mp3 musis jkl345