Compilation Albums

[Dirty Deeds]

Hi All,

Firstly let me apologise, I have read numerous threads both on this forum and on the Naim forum regarding the way Asset handles compilation albums but I can not seem to get the trial version to list compilation albums under Various Artists but still identifying the track artist without imbedding it in the track title, so sorry for starting another thread.

I am about to set up a Qnap 251 that is going to replace my aging WD My Cloud NAS and really wanted to use Asset as I have been more than happy using DB Poweramp's CD Ripper. This will be serving a Naim Uniti 2 controlled via N-Stream

I have tried all the fixes I seem to be able to find, i.e. compilation tag on and off, albumartist field blank and populated etc.

I have spoke to Naim and they have insisted that this is due to tagging and although it sounded like he knew what it was, he would divulge even when I pushed and to be honest was a little upset with the attitude, even if it is understandable as it is a third party issue.

So to the point, could someone confirm the correct tagging for a compilation album (i.e. Pulp Fiction) listed under Various Artists but still identifying the track artist without imbedding it in the track title and without fragmenting the album into numerous different artist albums. I use the Artist album search in N-stream and this works on both Twonky and Kazoo ironically Linn's server software.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[mville]

Re: Compilation Albums

What file format is your audio library? Is you library currently on a Windows PC? What version of Asset?

[Dirty Deeds]

Re: Compilation Albums

Thanks for the reply,

All files are in FLAC and have been ripped in DB Poweramp CD ripper. The library is on a Windows 7 64 bit PC, and I am running Asset version realease 5 BETA 10.

All the meta data comes from the rip by DB Poweramp CD ripper.

From what the guys over on the Naim forum have said, am almost positive my problems are to do with how the tree in asset is set up, and my ignorance of course. I have not altered anything in the tree.

My musical tastes are fairly simple and the most I do is a search on artist album through Naim's N-Stream. All I need is for Asset to treat compilation albums and various artists as Twonky and Kazoo.

[Spoon]

Re: Compilation Albums

Check the tags of these compilation albums, you should have a tag:

Compilation

set to 1

[map856]

Re: Compilation Albums

I realise this thread is a little old but I'm having the same issue, i.e., I can't get the track Artist to display on my MF M1 CliC player. This is regardless of whether I use the M1 CliC app, Kinsky or C5+ Streaming Media Player on iOS. They all display only the track Title. I can confirm I have the Compilation tag set to 1 and that I have "[artist] - [title] for Various Artist album tracks" checked in Asset UPnP Configuration. I would appreciate any help.

[mville]

Re: Compilation Albums

I realise this thread is a little old but I'm having the same issue, i.e., I can't get the track Artist to display on my MF M1 CliC player. This is regardless of whether I use the M1 CliC app, Kinsky or C5+ Streaming Media Player on iOS. They all display only the track Title. I can confirm I have the Compilation tag set to 1 and that I have "[artist] - [title] for Various Artist album tracks" checked in Asset UPnP Configuration. I would appreciate any help.

Please can you provide more detailed information on your setup?

[map856]

Re: Compilation Albums

I'm not too sure what details you need but I'll make a start. I'm running Asset UPnP R5.1 under Windows 10 on my PC. My M1 CliC Music Controller is connected to my hi-fi system and to my lan via a wired connection. I access Asset UPnP as a Media Server using one of the following: directly on the front panel of the M1 CliC (using remote control); M1 CliC app on iPhone or iPad; Kinsky on iPhone or iPad; C5+ Streaming Media Player on iPhone or iPad. Everything works really well. I can play any track on any album I have ripped to my PC. The only issue I have at present is as I described in my post above. That is, that for compilation (Various Artists) albums, none of the apps I mentioned will display the track Artist. They will only display the Title. Hope this explains it a little better but please tell me if you need further detail.

[mville]

Re: Compilation Albums

I'm not too sure what details you need but I'll make a start. I'm running Asset UPnP R5.1 under Windows 10 on my PC. My M1 CliC Music Controller is connected to my hi-fi system and to my lan via a wired connection. I access Asset UPnP as a Media Server using one of the following: directly on the front panel of the M1 CliC (using remote control); M1 CliC app on iPhone or iPad; Kinsky on iPhone or iPad; C5+ Streaming Media Player on iPhone or iPad. Everything works really well. I can play any track on any album I have ripped to my PC. The only issue I have at present is as I described in my post above. That is, that for compilation (Various Artists) albums, none of the apps I mentioned will display the track Artist. They will only display the Title. Hope this explains it a little better but please tell me if you need further detail.

Download and install Asset Control on the Windows 10 PC.

Then, check whether you are getting Artist - Title displayed correctly in Asset Control.

You can find Asset Control here:

https://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?20897-Asset-Control

[map856]

Re: Compilation Albums

As it happens, I already have it installed so I can confirm that Artist - Title display correctly in Asset Control.

[mville]

Re: Compilation Albums

As it happens, I already have it installed so I can confirm that Artist - Title display correctly in Asset Control.

Excellent, this confirms your compilations are tagged correctly. Unfortunately, it suggests that the MF M1 CliC player firmware/software cannot display the track Artist for compilations.

Does the MF M1 CliC player display the track Artist for non-compilations?

[map856]

Re: Compilation Albums

That's what I thought at first too. However, the problem occurs with other players as well. For example, see the attached screenshot from the C5+ app which in this case is set to use the iPad as the player (see top right corner) instead of M1 CliC. The music plays on the iPad itself. You can see the track listing still excludes the artist:



To answer your question, the M1 CliC does not display Artist for non-compilations but then again, it's not meant to!

[map856]

Re: Compilation Albums

That's what I thought at first too. However, the problem occurs with other players as well. For example, see the attached screenshot from the C5+ app which in this case is set to use the iPad as the player (see top right corner) instead of M1 CliC. The music plays on the iPad itself. You can see the track listing still excludes the artist:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]740[/ATTACH]

To answer your question, the M1 CliC does not display Artist for non-compilations but then again, it's not meant to!

And just to make double sure, I have also tried another UPnP player - my Samsung TV set, using the Asset UPnP server, also displays only the track Title and no track Artist:



So, with three players not displaying the track Artist, I think the problem must lie elsewhere!

[Spoon]

Re: Compilation Albums

You might have an album artist set to 'various artists' if so remove it.

[map856]

Re: Compilation Albums

I have removed the Various Artists value from the Album Artist tag for one of my albums as you suggest. I forced a rescan in Asset UPnP configuration. The album now no longer appears under my Album Artist tree (for obvious reasons) but I can navigate to it under the Album tree (by Album Name). I can confirm, that even in this tree structure, there is still no track Artist listed - only the track Title as before. :-(

[mville]

Re: Compilation Albums

And just to make double sure, I have also tried another UPnP player - my Samsung TV set, using the Asset UPnP server, also displays only the track Title and no track Artist:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]742[/ATTACH]

So, with three players not displaying the track Artist, I think the problem must lie elsewhere!

I understand your logic here, but having worked in the IT/Music environment for many years, I have learnt one very important rule, never assume anything.

I have just tested this on 3 DLNA compatible devices in my system. A Pioneer HD TV, an OPPO BDP-83SE Blu-ray Disc Player and a Samsung BD-C6900 Blu-ray Disc Player. All my Compilations have the Compilation tag = 1 and Album Artist tag = Various Artist.

The Samsung is as you describe for your Samsung TV. I get Title, but no Artist in the track listing. Also the Album Artist appears to override the Artist, so, all tracks appear to have Artist = Various Artist.

When I browse the same compilation album on the Pioneer and OPPO devices, I get Artist - Title correctly displayed in the track listing, so the Asset UPnP advanced setting, [artist] - [title] for Various Artist album tracks, appears to be working well for these devices.

I conclude (and yes, this is an assumption) that for many devices, the software/firmware is very poorly written in the handling of Album Artist, Artist and Compilation albums. I also have an iPod Classic, which due to the poorly written firmware, only uses Artist tags and completely ignores the Album Artist tag, which presents it's own very annoying issues.