Adding cover art myself: sub standard quality

[Erwin S]

When you rip CD's (ALAC for me) with music not in the iTunes Store, you have to add the cover art yourself by selecting the whole album>info>select the illustration field. After this I do this: start Safari, go to Google Images, look for the correct cover art with the highest quality/size (usually 300*300 or 500*500 and 25 to 150 kB JPG). Then I simply drag this pic into the illustration field in iTunes, select OK and the cover art is appearing where it should.

 

Problem is, the picture quality is always way worse than the automatic stuff from iTunes itself. This is a shame because there's now also the possibility to use full screen cover flow which looks stunning when the pics are good but ridiculous when the pic is blurred.

 

Any sollutions?

 

[blueixus]

I always use amazon for all cover art, seems to work 90% of the time.

 

I usually download the cover art myself, using info, as itunes seems to have a nasty habit of hiding it when you move libraries around various computers.

 

Good luck

 

 

[Erwin S]

Just tried Amazon and it is already a lot better when I drag the cover art into the info - illustration field. 25 to 150 kB just was not good enough compared to this. Thanks!

 

I also tried Naim label today, I got 3 free downloads (no ALAC, so went for WAV 16 bit) and the cover art that came with it was so perfect! After downloading, I converted into ALAC using iTunes and added the cover art. Great! Only problem: I don't really like the music choice on Naim label, so I won't be a paying customer until they discover Rock and Roll! You know what I mean, some of us aren't dead yet...

 

[coot]

When your at Amazon don't just click the standard first image; they usually have a "see larger image" which is higher rez. That's the one you want.

 

[Paul Held]

Also, a couple of more Amazon tricks:

 

1. Don't stop with the Amazon supplied image. The Customer supplied images underneath are often much better, assuming anyone has submitted any, but they often do.

 

2. Don't stop at A.com - check out other Amazon stores like UK, etc. - often European artists and labels have better art show up in other Amazon stores, and again often with customer supplied images that are superior

 

Have fun, Paul

 

[MichaelHowell]

But set a resolution standard in the search parameter settings that is no less than 250-300k. It's what I do.

 

[souptin]

Google, but don't just drag the thumbnails you get in google's search window. You need to follow the link until you can see the full size image. Amazon is also good, as per the tip above about user supplied images.

 

[Erwin S]

You know what this means, yeah? Hours and hours of "fun"... Found more CD's in our storage room yesterday (I bought a collection with 1,200 CD's and records in 2007 from the widow of a DJ / Sax player, most is Jazz). Reggae, Carribean and Romantic Love songs. Really enjoyed the Reggae, Jah man! But 9 out of 10 came without cover art from iTunes, hence my question for better cover quality.

 

Including the 52CD "The Blues Collection" I ripped Sunday (also from the legacy), I am now the owner of some 21,000 computer songs.

 

[Dan Gravell]

If you are looking for beautiful album art, take a look at Album Art Exchange (I have no relationship with this website). Nice high res images there.

 

Also, be careful with iTunes album art. When it installs art automatically from the store it saves it inside its own database, separate from your actual music. This means when you try and play or view your music elsewhere you won't see the album art.

 

[Erwin S]

Now you've done it! Was lusting for Miles Davis' The Complete Columbia Album Collection a couple of months before. A bit steep, 335$, I thought, since I already have 8 miles Davis albums. Turns out that on the German Amazon.de website the price is only 165€. Free of shipping cost. Ordered it! 52 albums (70CD) & a book. My birthday is next week anyway...

 

Next on my list is the Kraftwerk German Box with the 8 remastered albums, also a bit expensive @ 85 €, we 'll see. Must inform my better half.

 

[Erwin S]

Dan,

 

Thanks for the tip.

Your own software is suited only for Linux or Windows?

 

BTW, the pic in my sig is on the ferry from Dover to Calais after I took my then brand new Z4 to pic up my wife in London where she had a meeting. We drove to Snowdonia (Wales) before driveing back home. Wet, but very beautiful scenery. We also love Cornwall, we went there with the kids last summer to see Eden Project etc

 

 

[blueixus]

Wow!

 

I can see myself spending hours, days maybe months upgrading my album art - fantastic and great tip

 

Regards

 

[Dan Gravell]

Your own software is suited only for Linux or Windows?

I'm afraid so for now - I'm only a self funded startup so can't afford to be an Apple developer... just yet!