Music Library Version 2.5 plays MP3 files (the most popular compressed audio format for music), plus the iTunes AAC formats (M4P, M4A, and M4B, including music encoded in the Apple Lossless format). Also supports APE and FLAC files (two other popular lossless compressed audio formats). "Metadata" is retrieved from embedded tags in MP3, iTunes, APE, and FLAC files. Uncompressed audio files in the WAV, AIFF, and AU formats are also supported.

Music Library Version 2.5 supports CD changers that connect to a computer by means of an RS232 serial port. The brands of changers currently supported are Sony (available in 200-disc, 300-disc, and 400-disc "carousel" models) and NSM (model CD3101AC, a 100-disc heavy-duty changer found inside many commercial jukeboxes). Sony "CD-only" mega-changers can be attached to an RS232 serial port by means of a SAVR, SAVR2, or SAVR3 adapter (made by BlackBoxDesigns) or a Slink-e adapter (which has been discontinued by its maker, but many audio/video aficionados already have one, and some dealers may still have them in stock). DVD changers are not supported.

Music Library Version 2.5 uses an Internet connection to look up disc information (including track titles) in the online database maintained by freedb.org. If you have a high-speed local area network in your home, you can run copies of Music Library on several computers at the same time; the "remote" copies of Music Library communicate with the "master" controller (the copy of Music Library that runs on the computer with the music files and the attached CD changers).

iTunes Music File Support

Support for the iTunes AAC formats uses the QuickTime code library (6.4 or later), so it works on Windows and Mac only (QuickTime is not available for Linux). Protected AAC files (M4P) must be authorized to your computer. This can be done only by iTunes, which requires Windows 2000 or XP or Mac OS X. Older versions of Windows can play unprotected AAC files (M4A and M4B).

System Requirements

Music Library requires Java 1.4.0 or later. Versions of Music Library are available for Microsoft Windows (98 or later), Macintosh (requires Mac OS X 10.2.3 or later), and Linux. (The Linux version is not sold separately; it is included free with orders for Windows or Mac.) Only the Music Library "master" controller is platform-specific; the "remote" panels will run on any OS that supports Java 1.4.0 or later.

Product History

Following the success of William C. McCain's innovative Disc Library for large CD collections, it became apparent that many audiophiles also want to play music files from their computers. Now, Music Library Version 2.5 provides all the functionality of Disc Library 2.5, plus Music Library adds a built-in music file player to support popular computer-based music files and a new, highly versatile Intelligent Song Search™ facility to "find that track" anywhere in your music collection.

• New! A cover image utility program searches merchant Web sites, downloads cover image files, and assigns them to the CDs and music files in your collection.

• New! Music files can be imported by "drag-and-drop" from other applications (such as iTunes or the operating system's "file explorer").

• New! Support for an Inday DA4X-RS digital audio switch (handy if you want to pipe digital audio from multiple music players to your stereo system). The Nirvis DXS switch is also supported (discontinued by Nirvis).

• New! "Disc memos" can be uploaded automatically or manually to the front panel displays of most Sony CD changers.

• New! You can dynamically monitor the progress of the active Play List and change the active step.

• New! "Drag-and-drop" to add steps to any open Edit Play List window from any open album track list or the album that is playing or any of the alphabetical lists of albums.

• Play Lists can be edited by both the "cut-and-paste" and "drag-and-drop" methods.

• You can run Play Lists either sequentially or randomly.

• Three different Shuffle Modes (tracks on a single album, all tracks in library, all albums in library). The "library" Shuffle Modes automatically alternate between players whenever possible, and they can be restricted to a subset of your collection, defined by selecting any combination of 15 music categories.

• Intelligent Song Search™ pinpoints that half-forgotten track anywhere in your music collection, even if you remember only a few letters of the track title and/or the music genre!

• Displays your music collection alphabetically by title, performer, and composer (a must for classical music fans). Also lists files and discs by their physical location.

• The alphabetical lists can be "filtered" by any combination of the 15 pre-defined music categories and/or up to four of the user-defined "music genre" names.

• The alphabetical lists of music files and CDs can be exported from the Music Library database in XML format. Your Web browser can format, display, and print these lists, with the aid of a provided "starter set" of XSL "style sheet" files.

• Extensive facilities for editing the information retrieved from "metadata" tags or downloaded from the Internet. You can re-assign the music category, change or add any number of user-defined "genre" names, assign an album cover scan, edit the track titles, etc.

• Two well-documented "home automation" interfaces are supported (IP and RS232 serial). These interfaces permit Music Library to be integrated with an automation system such as AMX or Crestron, and/or with other computer applications such as MainLobby or HomeSeer.

• User-specified "border skins" can change the overall appearance of the Music Library window. Different skins can be specified for the focused and unfocused modes.

• Optional support for displaying current song information from a DMX multi-channel satellite/cable radio receiver.