CD won't play in MM without the CD in my CPU

[djregi]

I am having a problem where CDs I am trying to add to my Library in MM will not play without the CD in my CPU. They just turn a light grey color when I try to click on them to play when I do not have the CD in my hard drive CPU. What's up with that? How can I just add my CDs to my MM library collection?

Simple enough question, what am I doing wrong? Isn't MM supposed to automatically detect and recognize I want to import a CD into my library collection? When I take the CD out of my CPU it's like MM doesn't recognize that music is there...

[Lowlander]

No MediaMonkey doesn't automatically rip CD's for you as users might not want that. You will need to use Tools > Rip Audio CD or Tools > Save to Virtual CD. Also see: http://www.mediamonkey.com/sw/webhelp/f ... tracks.htm

[Guest]

Hey - thanks lowlander for the help. However, when I did what you said with virtual CD it tells me i have to upgrade to MM Gold (so i don't want to do that). And to Rip a CD isn't what I am trying to do - that told me to insert a new CD.

I basically am just trying to import my old CDs into MM and haven't figured out how to do that.....yet.

I'm sure this is simple enough....just can't quite get it yet.

[Guest]

actually...from my understanding if you try to RIP a CD - you are trying to make a new copy of your music, right? or not? anyway, when i click tools>rip it just says "does not detect a CD, insert a CD" when i already have a CD in my CPU that i am just trying to import the music into MM...if that makes any sense

[Lowlander]

Can you see the CD drive in the My Computer node and play it's files?

[Donski]

I am having a problem where CDs I am trying to add to my Library in MM will not play without the CD in my CPU. They just turn a light grey color when I try to click on them to play when I do not have the CD in my hard drive CPU. What's up with that? How can I just add my CDs to my MM library collection?

Simple enough question, what am I doing wrong? Isn't MM supposed to automatically detect and recognize I want to import a CD into my library collection? When I take the CD out of my CPU it's like MM doesn't recognize that music is there...

I think you need to start by learning some computer terminology first.

CPU - Central Processing Unit, this is the engine that drives your computer and doesn't hold music in its memory.
Hard Drive - This is where all your programs and files on your computer are stored, including your music.
Rip - Take the music from a CD in your CD drive and place the files on your hard drive.
Burn - Take the files from your hard drive and place them on a CD.

So you first need to rip the tracks and place them on your hard drive where you can access them any time you like. If you don't rip them then they will only exist on the CD, and once you remove the CD then there's no way MM can access them anymore until you insert the CD again.

The free version of MediaMonkey includes a time-limited LAME MP3 encoder.

Since you don't want to get the Gold version, you will have to deal with this. They suggest that you manually replace it with the free LAME encoder but I still prefer using a separate program to rip my discs with, I normally use CDeX but also use EAC for the stubborn ones. Even Windows Media Player can rip CDs. The choice is up to you.

If you're wondering, there are legal copyright issues with the LAME MP3 Encoder which prevents software companies from including it in their install programs so that requires you to download and install LAME separately. Since it's still one of the best MP3 Encoders and it's free, there's no real incentive for software engineers to write your own.

[djregi]

ok cool - that's definitely helpful.

I tried ripping my CDs to Windows Media Player - and was successful. However, now they won't copy to MM's library....hmmmmm. Another dilemma! But I am getting closer to putting my CDs into MM!!! Any ideas for what I may be doing wrong with copying music into MM from a ripped CD?

[Donski]

What format did you rip the tracks, MP3, WMA, Wav?
And where did you have it saved to? As in where is the folder located on your hard drive?

Once you know the location and that MM is capable of playing those tracks, then in MM go to File>Add/Recan tracks to the library. Browse to the folder and it will add the new tracks.

Some people have MM set to automatically monitor that folder so that whenever they rip tracks with another program then MM will automatically add them to the library. You do that in Options\Library\File Monitor, then choose the folder. Other people don't like to use it because when you have a really large collection it can take a lot longer to open MM. Your choice.