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How does and old version of Gracenote recognise new CD's?

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Old 03-07-2012, 11:53 AM
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How does and old version of Gracenote recognise new CD's?

Anyone know how this thing actually works, because I just got baffled beyond belief.

I have NTG 2.5 comand system in my car, which I updated about a year ago to version 5, which itself was released in and around November 2010. I haven't had my car near a dealer since probably last April when I got this service done.

The update includes a version of Gracenote media DB which it reads when I insert a CD, as there is no internet access. So lots of times it doesn't know the CD I put in, mainly new ones, but some old ones also, no big deal really, but it is a nice feature to have.

What I don't understand is that I bought a brand new CD yesterday, Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball to be precise, which has only just been released.

How the hell did my comand system know what it was?
Old 03-07-2012, 01:22 PM
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I can't say for sure. Gracenote uses an algorithm based on the number of tracks and the exact duration of each to compile a checksum - a number that identifies a CD. Two CDs that happen to have the same checksum can confuse Gracenote. But that is likely not what is happening - it's just a bit on how Gracenote works. An internet search will get you more detailed information.

I do know that if I copy a CD into iTunes, and then burn a copy with instructions to "include CD text" (song title, artist, etc) my COMAND system (which does not have Gracenote) will display the album name, song titles, and artist. That raises the question of whether you are using a copy, or an original disc (I usually keep my originals in the house, and burn copies for use in the car). If you are using a copy that was made with instructions to include CD text (ID Tag 3 info), then the burned CD carries it - but the COMAND is reading it from the CD, not from Gracenote.

Although this is not the question you asked, if you play your CD on your computer using iTunes (and likely Windows music software), the software will run a Gracenote check and load the data into the music software. If you copy the CD to an iPod, or burn a CD subsequently, the Gracenote data for the CD will be included.

I have no idea of whether any of the foregoing would update the Gracenote database in your COMAND NTG 2.5. I can't answer beyond what I have provided here.

Last edited by Skylaw; 03-07-2012 at 01:26 PM.
Old 03-08-2012, 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Skylaw
I can't say for sure. Gracenote uses an algorithm based on the number of tracks and the exact duration of each to compile a checksum - a number that identifies a CD. Two CDs that happen to have the same checksum can confuse Gracenote. But that is likely not what is happening - it's just a bit on how Gracenote works. An internet search will get you more detailed information..
Yea, I get the way Gracenote works like this, I had read up on it. But the thing is, that is fine for a CD that you might put into a PC, which is connected to the web. My Comand has a DB which is a year and a half old, is not connected to the web, but yet can read accurately a CD released on the 6th March 2012.

Originally Posted by Skylaw
I do know that if I copy a CD into iTunes, and then burn a copy with instructions to "include CD text" (song title, artist, etc) my COMAND system (which does not have Gracenote) will display the album name, song titles, and artist. That raises the question of whether you are using a copy, or an original disc (I usually keep my originals in the house, and burn copies for use in the car). If you are using a copy that was made with instructions to include CD text (ID Tag 3 info), then the burned CD carries it - but the COMAND is reading it from the CD, not from Gracenote.
It is a brand new original CD, straight out of the packet and never played anywhere else only in the car. Interesting point you make though, maybe the CD has this text on it? It does tell me though that it is reading track information from Gracenote when I insert it.

Originally Posted by Skylaw
Although this is not the question you asked, if you play your CD on your computer using iTunes (and likely Windows music software), the software will run a Gracenote check and load the data into the music software. If you copy the CD to an iPod, or burn a CD subsequently, the Gracenote data for the CD will be included.

I have no idea of whether any of the foregoing would update the Gracenote database in your COMAND NTG 2.5. I can't answer beyond what I have provided here.
I don't think it is possible to update the Gracenote DB without getting the update discs from MB. I stand to be corrected though.


Could it be that the music company registered it with Gracenote a year and a half ago when the DB which I have in my Comand system was released? It would be a bit weird though to wait all that time to release a CD, everything on it, song names, track order etc appears to be correct.
Old 03-09-2012, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Skylaw
Although this is not the question you asked, if you play your CD on your computer using iTunes (and likely Windows music software), the software will run a Gracenote check and load the data into the music software. If you copy the CD to an iPod, or burn a CD subsequently, the Gracenote data for the CD will be included.
Originally Posted by stevieob
I don't think it is possible to update the Gracenote DB without getting the update discs from MB. I stand to be corrected though.
I did not word my response very well. The "Gracenote data will be included" phrase is poorly chosen. I'm not trying to imply that when you burn a copy of a commercial CD using iTunes or Windows software that the included ID Tag 3 information would update the Gracenote database stored on your COMAND. I think that what may be happening is that your COMAND is accessing the ID Tag 3 info stored on the CD by Gracenote, in order to display song title, artist, etc. - that is, the Gracenote data is included on the burned copy - and the ID Tag 3 info is accessed by the COMAND unit, and included in the display.

By your subsequent response, however, it is clear you played the original disc in the car - so that isn't what happened.

I really can't say why the info is displayed - you present two possibilities, but like you, I can only speculate.

Last edited by Skylaw; 03-09-2012 at 08:24 AM.
Old 03-10-2012, 01:50 AM
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-Text probably cd text

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