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CNET Editors' review
Despite a glut of free player/encoders, it's tough to find one that meets our expectations. Formerly known as Sound DB, MediaMonkey has excellent library-management tools that keep the largest digital music collections well organized. Stir that up with integrated CD and DVD burning, a stellar interface, a full-featured encoder, and the ability to sync with portable audio devices such as the iPod, and you have a pretty compelling product.
Upon first launch, the program scans your drive for supported digital media files to add to the library. Files are sorted based on their ID3 tags, and the helpful Auto-Rename and Auto-Tag From Filename features keep untagged tracks from falling through the cracks. Party mode locks down your library while still allowing people to request songs. Auto DJ plays selections from your library even when there are no requests in the queue, and the all-important iPod and portable device synchronization works well. Third-party plug-ins are available from the site if you want to tinker with the playback and encoding engine or add additional sound-processing effects. The interface is well designed, with clean, colorful icons throughout.
Considering the overall polish of this application, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything you don't like. Although it's definitely geared toward managing extensive collections, just about anyone will appreciate the comprehensive feature set. For $20, MediaMonkey Gold adds advanced features such as sleep, scripting, previewing, and on-the-fly file conversion when syncing with a portable device.
MediaMonkey Standard - Manage large media collections - Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From Ventis Media:
MediaMonkey is the media manager for serious collectors. It catalogs audio and video files and can be customized to the needs of different 'collections' (e.g. contemporary, classical music, audiobooks, home movies, tv, videos), whether they're located on a hard drive or a network. MediaMonkey organizes your library, looking up and tagging Album Art and data via Freedb and the web, and organizes your files via its automated renamer. It includes a CD ripper, podcast manager, and downloader to build your library, along with a CD/DVD Burner, UPnP / DLNA server, and sync manager to share it. With built-in conversion functionality, it supports hundreds of devices including iPhones, iPods, Android devices, as well as a variety of televisions and DVD players (via DLNA). MediaMonkey's advanced playlist management complements a player that automatically adjusts volume levels and a Jukebox / Party mode that locks the UI for use at public events. Most importantly, it supports hundreds of scripts, plug-ins and visualizations to further customize it to meet your needs. *Supports MP3, OGG, WMA, FLAC, MPC, WAV, CDs, M3U, PLS, AVI, MP4, WMV.
What's new in this version: Version 4.0.7.1511 is a minor update that adds support for the iPhone 5 / iPod Touch 5G (and iOS 6 on older devices) and the iPod Nano 7G and also includes 40+ miscellaneous fixes and tweaks including several related to Android synchronization and compatibility with Windows 8.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 1,312 votes
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Current version:
3.9 starsout of 14 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Not bad, for the n00bs out there"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
~ Spiffy skins.
~ Lookit, omg, is that a .. I think it is! A monkey! Well I'll be.
~ Sleep function was unique and cool, now every other player has it.
~ Create library stats function still rocks.
~ Been around forever.Cons
~ Not intuitive at all.
~ Trying to get your library to play randomly is like pulling out your own teeth.
~ Why hide the crossfade options so deep in the bowels of the code?
~ No 'Auto-DJ' or 'Playing Doctor'. Not intuitive. Needlessly complicated.
~ No remote control. Hope you enjoy sitting at a desk for hours!
~ Support form, kinda condescending and needlessly butthurt when you mention other brands.
~ If you're dealing with *really* big libraries in excess of 1mil files, MM can't hang. Only JRMC has been able to keep up at that scale.Summary
Not bad, for the n00bs out there.
If they had better 'Play Doctor' / 'Auto DJ' functions, as opposed to a glorified search function, it's be much better.
Eclipse3 is my favorite skin of all time.... -
"Longtime Gold License user"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
I've been using Media Monkey for a very long time but learn something new about the program every now and then. It is an excellent music manager for large digital files, plays, converts and records...all one big package. Excellent sound also.
Cons
The only thing I could possibly want added would be the ability to sort a play list by more than one category. I have taken advantage of the rating, genre, mood, and tempo classifications and would love to be able to create a play list with two sorts. For example - 5 star and country.
Summary
Excellent music manager with a minor learning curve and an excellent support forum if you are really a novice.
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"The Best Music Player."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
Everything.
Cons
nothing at all.
Summary
It is the best software to manage huge music libraries.
Works perfect in windows 7 and 8. After a few years of using the free version I did the upgrade to gold version lifetime license. -
"All in one musical files player"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
All tools in one package and everything's working excellent
Cons
No cons as far as I'm concerned
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"It solved my problems!"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
It is my new media server. Windows Media Player crapped out somehow, and cant get it to work with my home network any longer. PS3's and Sony media players wont access. I've been downloading and trying a couple programs. This one finally worked!
Cons
I havent really found any. Still new to it, but some things I need more directions on. Maybe I should read the "HELP"... ;-}
Summary
Definitely worth a try if your interested in a new media server...
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"The more I use it the more I like it"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
Super powerful, for basic task super easy to use
Cons
The help file is not super helpful lots of stuff missing and written from a knowledgeable users view. It is only an online file and the search function is rather poor.
Summary
I like it much better than the Windows Media Player and look forward to learning more about it.
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"Warning for film collectors: No IMDB support!"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
+ Very intelligently configured installation wizard
+ Fetches technical metadata from most common video file types
+ Very useful for music collection managementCons
- Does NOT support autotagging from IMDB or any other recognized movie database(!) This means that most indexed movie files will NOT contain any useful information about genre, actors, director etc.
- Standard version can't create thumbnails for MKV, FLV and MP4/M4V files, unless you install specific codec packages, that aren't recommended for MKV playback in general.
- Relies almost exclusively on Amazon's databasesSummary
The lack of IMDB support is a disaster that makes Mediamonkey fundamentally useless for film collection management.
Mediamonkey is essentially still a tool for music collection management only. -
"Terrifc Software"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
I have used Media Monkey now for several years. It is very easy to use and has lots of features. Each edition adds new features, like the ability to play video files. If you have a music/video collection searching for a library management system, this is the one for you. And if you are looking for a FLAC encoder, this system cannot be beat.
Cons
None, the software is great.
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"I liked it so much I upgraded to the Gold version."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
It does so much - it's VERY flexible: Import into and configure your library as you wish, convert file types (even on-the-fly as you burn in Gold), edit your CD text files....and MUCH more. It is easier to use than it used to be. It's so good in fact that I upgraded to the Gold version just to get a couple of extra features, and faster burning and fast tech support.
Cons
As with any program I've seen that starts as freeware, the help files can be pretty confusing (the only reason it didn't get a 5). Because I liked the free version so much, that was good enough reason to upgrade. The tech support is quick.
Summary
I've tried VLC, RealPlayer, NCH products and a some others. Media Monkey has them beat.
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"Doesn't work well in Windows 8"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.7.1511
Pros
When it works, it's a great program. Easy to setup and easy to use.
Cons
Frequently crashes in Windows 8.
Summary
Finally had to uninstall it, crashes way too often to be useful.
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