[mythtv-users] mythmusic issues

[Dewey Smolka]

I've found that the music module likes to crash to the desktop with a
seg fault if mythvideo was playing previoulsy but the machine has been
idle for a while. I haven't been able to track down what's wrong, but
restarting mythfrontend in the morning is no big deal. It doesn't seem
to mind if it's been idle after playing music.

It sounds to me like you have database issues. Every time you change
any files in your music directory, you have to go to Setup -> Music
Setup -> Scan for New Music. If the files are on a network share, make
sure it's working, and make sure the MythTV user can read the music
directory -- and can write if you're ripping CDs.

I find it's generally easier to use direcotry sorting rather than id3
but you need to plan your directory structure. I keep everything in
~/music/genre/artist/album/track.ogg. In the music setup, there's a
sorting option. Set it to directory.

I'd really like it if the playlists were a bit easier to deal with,
but it still works well if you just set a default playlist and
randomize. I find it's a lot easier to change the playlist later by
pressing '3' if you know where all your music is because you put it in
/genre/artist/album/ than to worry about where id3 sorting might have
put it.

I don't know what the limits of the database are, but I run a P3 700
with a Turtle Beach Riviera card. I usually keep around 40-60 records
in the playlist, but I've had the whole lot -- around 6k tracks in the
list at once with no problem.

Still, I wish it were easier to set up and maintain playlists, and
switch between them more easily. What I'd really like is if there was
a priority queue. I'd like to have it play a default playlist in
random order, but let you browse the library and send things to the
front of the line in the order you pick them.

> 4) The editor for changing the cd information in the ripping utility
> works very poorly.  

I like Grip, but there's plenty of other ways to back up your CDs.