Zune.net
Started by Solar257 at 12/9/2007 08:36:14. Topic has 102 replies.
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Join Date: 11/23/2007 13:01:04

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12/9/2007 08:36:14
Post Your Sync Issues Here
FURTHER SYNCING ISSUES SHOULD BE POSTED IN THE SYNCING SUB-FORUM: LINK

If you do not see your issue, post here and make a thread about it. What I want to do here is put together the threads I've seen stared and make a central thread on issues pertaining to syncing with the Zune device.  So lets be constructive and give specific instances where the device:
  • will not sync certain media (podcasts, videos, songs)
  • will not sync over wi-fi or cable
  • will sync certain media repeatedly
  • etc.
Below are links to threads with certain issues, some open and some resolved. If you don't see your issue, say something about it or post a reply:

Syncing Tips:

Not Syncing Certain Media:

Syncing Issues in General



Removing Multiple Copies

Fixed by Updating to Software Version 2.3

With regards to the last issue (and potentially the first issue), some solutions have been posted concerning the nature of a songs' tag and the format used to tag a song. Below are tagging recommendations.
Tagging Recommendations
People have been running into these issues and its time we have one thread to sort this stuff out and discuss our sync issues. If I missed any other threads with some good discussion on these issues, please post them.

Last Updated 3/9/08

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Join Date: 11/14/2007 01:38:46

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12/9/2007 10:28:25
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
The software never showed the Wireless Sync wizard, instead showing a "Wireless Off" error.
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12/9/2007 11:49:07
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
In regards to styles of ID3Tags,
Using Mp3Tag to strip all tags, the basic tagging features of Vista to write new ones, and Windows Media ASF Viewer to examine the results, Vista writes ID3 v2.3ISO tags.

Using the Mp3Tag/Win ASF Viewer combo again, but this time setting all but a test folder in my library to 'Read-Only,' placing two files in that test folder, allowing the Zune software to 'Replace all media information,' and then manually entering in artist, album and genre information from the Zune software, the Zune software writes ID3 v2.3ISO tags.

For those curious, Mp3Tag writes ID3 v2.3UTF-16 LE (Little Endian) tags and ASF Viewer does read v2.4UTF-8.

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Join Date: 11/13/2007 18:03:19

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12/9/2007 14:30:24
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
Afaik Zune software doesn't read ID3 v2.4 (and many other players don't, it's not very popular like v2.3)...if you remove completely tags with mp3tag (v1, v2.3, v2.4, ape) and then re-write tags in ONLY v2.4 you could see that tags are ignored and the collection will be a mess (I tried).
But if you write v1 and v2.4 in the file, Zune Software will read the v1 anyway.
The solution to write an additional v2.4 tags I think is another workaround without rationale...(like removing tags and rewrite completely, the way I solved ;) )...the problem is that Zune Software is mad.
The only certainty I had from Zune team is that the problem is about "hidden" tags, not read by usual tagging software. I think I found a solution, but it is far from a real practical solution (since it use a program in Windows Media Format SDK) as you can read here:
http://forums.zune.net/12477/ShowPost.aspx
I hope Zune Team could solve this asap

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12/9/2007 15:02:20
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
Its encouraging to see someone else reporting back on the v2.4 front. I agree, those that do the v1 & v2.4 route are having the software only read the v1 tags. I just added your thread to the third category. By the way, in relation to your thread's last post, you can do the same with Win ASF viewer, as a plus it also has a nice GUI to it. In fact, just thinking about your thread, I was able to catch the ZuneMediaID bug in action. The files are Clean and Explicit versions of the same file, Jay-Z's "Can I Get A..." Check out the "Private Data" Field:

Can I Get A... [Clean]
Can I Get A... [Dirty]

Like you said, this shouldn't happen.

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12/9/2007 15:17:32
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
Yes, Solar, that was what Zune Team let me noticed after I sent my catalog to them.
I'm going to download ASF viewer...I was searching for a metadataeditor Gui with no success ;)
The problem I think is ASF viewer is only a "viewer" right? With metadataedit you can delete those wrong tags.
As I said, I am experimenting the opposite problem now :-)

ps. have you tried using metadataedit.exe to remove those ~10 tags from the hostile file?

(Sorry about my English, i'm from Italy)
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12/9/2007 16:24:02
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
Yes, ASF Viewer is only a viewer. I'm looking for a program that will be a little easier than a command line utility to to remove these tags. If I find something I'll be sure to post it. If not I suppose metadataedit is going to be my best friend. Fortunately I was able to snap a screenshot of the resynced songs after my latest round of library tagging/device reformating, so I know which songs need to be fixed. What gurantee do we have of making sure that the Zune doesn't add these tags back?

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12/9/2007 16:36:37
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
What gurantee do we have of making sure that the Zune doesn't add these tags back?

Good question...
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12/9/2007 17:31:33
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
After some searching (Google: PRIV Frame ID3 Tag) and some forum reading, I came up with this:
Mp3Tag questions the utility of editing the PRIV fields since the fields only binary data
Moodmixer allows you to delete the PRIV fields
ID3 Raw Tag Viewer does too
(Both need .Net Framework 2.0)

In my 5 minutes with each, I like Raw Tag Viewer better. I've made edits to two songs with the Zune software open. Apparently one song was not in my library before. After using Raw Tag Viewer, Zune software recognized that song (good sign...). Another song was in already in my collection, but I removed the PRIV tag anyways. With this song, Raw Tag Viewer spit out an error and wouldn't remove the tags, but I opened the same file in Moodmixer and it got the job done. (Use both for a tag team maybe?) It looks like there's two PRIV tags and sometimes, they're not sequential in the tag listings. To be safe I'd remove both.

I have yet to sync, and I would guess that the software will re-ID a song as it syncs it, hopefully its different. However, something leads me to also believe that these ZuneMediaID's are based on other metadata in the ID3 v2.3 tag, similar to what a unique hardwareID is to a computer as opposed to a sequentially assigned number. If I change enough of the metadata the song is considered different, not the song being considered different becasue of the order in which it's metadata was processed by the software. But hey, I still have to song hunt and tag edit...

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12/9/2007 18:05:31
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
Good work Solar, I'm gonna try those softwares
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Join Date: 12/8/2007 14:51:00

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12/9/2007 18:15:24
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
Hi Solar257,

Thanks for combining these threads. 

I tried all of the following suggested workarounds:

With regards to the last issue (and potentially the first issue), some solutions have been posted concerning the nature of a songs' tag and the format used to tag a song. These solutions include:
  • Retagging problem songs with ID3 v2.4UTF-8
  • Some posts discussing the merits of using ID3 v2.4UTF-8 as a work around
  • Making sure all of the songs tag areas are filled
  • Using Mp3Tag as a tagging program to do the above mentioned solutions.

The problem is still there.  This time another group (62 of them) is getting synced over and over again.  As you mentioned, I was able to locate these multiple copies on the device, but not on the software.  Tagging with UTF-8 format using ID3 v2.4UTF-8 did not help.  Any other ideas how to fix this?

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12/9/2007 18:58:06
re: Post Your Sync Issues Here
As you mentioned, I was able to locate these multiple copies on the device, but not on the software.

You can't find them on the software because the software find two songs with the same ID (maybe the twin song is not even in the collection)...it's quite probable that the "twin" song is one of the same artist..maybe the same album! Not easy to find, Zune Team confirmed this since I sent my database to them, and they could have a look at it.
Tagging with v2.4 is not a solution since v2.4 tag is not supported by most of the player (but that could help sometimes in reordering tags in a way that  Zune Software likes more).
Try this. Close zune software. Take one of the 62...convert to wav! After that convert the wav to mp3 or m4a or wma. Delete the original one (or move to a safe place that Zune Software doesn't monitor). Tag the new file with v2.3. Open Zune software. Sync. That files should not be resynced anymore.
If so, try using the softwares Solar reports (removing completely ID3).
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