grannyring: thanks. another case of this thread working -- will contact Mike tomorrow. BTW, love the name...
David_ten:
Have been using JRiver constantly for 4 years and have a background in relational databases (what it is). It has a severe learning curve and the documentation the Help button provides is of little help.
At first, learn that the app is designed not to actually hold the music files (they are put wherever you send them during the rip process) but, instead, to organize data about those files and present that data through a library format. So I have a main library for pop music, a classical library, and other, specialty libraries for specific interests such as Bernstein.
Within that library, each ripped CD is held as a file folder. The folder names each track and you can customize all information as you like. The data is brought in through what is termed "metadata." When you rip a CD, the program will look to an online database and match the specific timings of the total tracks to match up with the text. It is important to make sure you select the right metadata source at this time.
Also, the online connections have now gotten large enough to provide the album picture in almost all cases.
In JRiver, you spend time in the Tools/Options area and in the Player/DSP one. These format and arrange for file processing.
JRiver is one of the best database apps I have encountered and, at its very low price, is a no-brainer for me. THERE IS, however, a genuine learning curve. The result, however, is truly worth the effort.
