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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 4.0.0.1459 adds video functionality, sharing via DLNA/UPnP, secure ripping, better syncing with with Android devices, portable mode, and a slew of usability improvements and bug fixes.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 1,316 votes
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Current version:
3.3 starsout of 18 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Replaced Media Player for my music"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
I have thousands of music files and MM handles them better than Media Player. it far surpasses MP in music management. It really helps keep your music organized and the tags updated.
Cons
The previous version crashed when I did certain things, but I have not had that problem with this version.
Summary
If you have LOTS of music, ditch Media Player.
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"Not really free"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
works somewhat
Cons
terrible with audiobooks
only free for 30 days, then can't rip, which is the only reason to get it. Confusing labeling system.Summary
So tired of everyone on the web lying. Used to think cnet was an exception, but they are so clearly driven by anyone that pays them to say anything, evidenced by how far off the editorial reviews are from actual user reviews. The lie here is that it is free. Nothing should be listed as free that only works for 30 days then requires a license to be purchase. That is free to try, nothing more. And so is this.
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"A lot of good if you work for it."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
Customization. Nice to see the media (video) addition. The Auto-tag from web function seems to be working much better, although still not perfect.
Cons
Figuring out how to customize. Importing data from other media players would have been a pro, except that it doesn't fully work. I supposed that it could be the other player at fault for not tagging the files. Still haven't found a division aside from Album Artist for sorting compilations. I still prefer iTunes's sorting method (although I'm not saying that I like iTunes, it seems to have gone all screwy lately with sorting compilations anyway.)
Summary
There's a WHOLE LOT you can do, and I've barely figured any of it out. And I suppose that's the downside. There's so much to figure out that using MediaMonkey is difficult at first glance. I chose MediaMonkey as a way to escape iTunes, but I still find myself importing into iTunes and then importing to MediaMonkey. My library still needs a lot of work. If anyone can recommend a method for a mass import of album art and tags, as well as a method other than Album Artist for separating compilations, I'd appreciate it. I haven't found anything that I'd prefer to try changing to, so that has to count for something.
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"Back to Musicmatch"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
It's free.
Cons
Maybe I'm dense, but I couldn't figure out how to even make a playlist with this thing. When I tried searching Help, I just got directed to a page explain that there'd been a bug in a previous version. Wow- that was useful.
Summary
I've been trying to find a more up to date program than my old Musicmatch Jukebox, but this one, like most of the others, is so busy trying to be impressive with all it can do that you can't figure it out. This program, like all of the others, leaves me feeling that MMJ's constant efforts to sell me the Plus version are well worth putting up with to be able to quickly and simply work with things in the library and create and run playlists.
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"Hijacked all my media files!"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
Don't know, had to uninstall this monster.
Cons
Although I used their menu and selected audio files from one folder, MediaMonkey took the lead in all media files from all folders, locations.
Summary
Did not work as I desired or instructed it. Looking for another music center which will do as I wish, not what it wishes.
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"Best Evey Used"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
Very user friendly. Easy to use, sort, rename genres, assemble playlists, etc.
Cons
More options and capabilities than most novice users need.
Summary
I have as large a mp3 collection as anyone with well over 50 thousend mp3's on 5-> 2TB Hard drives & altough it took some time at first install to scan all my music it was worth the wait. I used to think none could beat MusicMatch but boy was I wrong. MedieMonkey does every think you would ever need to do to your Music files fast & very user friendly. The Pro Version is well worth the $19.95.
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"not working"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
Used to love this program on windows xp
Cons
Not functioning on windows 7
Summary
Over loading and locking up in windows 7. Compatibility mode did not fix the problem. Too bad I liked this program.
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"too hard to figure out without detailed instructions"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
supposed to have a lot of capability
Cons
but I couldnt figure out how to do the simplest tag edit
Summary
maybe Im just too old but I really preferred the old musicmatch before it got absorbed
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"quick and easy cd ripping."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
easy to use
Cons
sometimes slow in loading to rip
Summary
Free version well worth the money
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"works great as a free WMA to MP3 converter"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.0.1459
Pros
The program installed quickly and without any unwanted software mentioned in reviews for similar apps on CNET. I was able to quickly convert my WMA into MP3s. And although I'm unable to choose to rip music from the file menu (it's faint and unchoosable, I'm guessing you have to upgrade to the paid version?), I can open music files from my computer's disk drive as CAD files in the program, then convert them into MP3s and save them on my hard drive.
Cons
None, it does everything I need it to do for free!
Summary
I was looking for a free program to convert WMA files into MP3, and I'm very happy that I found Media Monkey Standard. It's free, easy to figure out and use, and provides a lot of functionality for no cost. I can quickly convert my saved files and also save files directly from cds in my computer's disk drive. Highly recommended!
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