Chinese MP3 Tags

BigfootsMonk

Senior member
May 2, 2005
203
0
0
Hi,

I have some MP3s that are in Chinese. My problem is that I have XP in English. I played around in the Regional/Languages option in the CP. However, the computer still does not read the MP3 tags in Chinese. Instead, it gives me a bunch of random symbols. I can read the file names in Chinese. But when I load up WMP where you browse by song name and not file name, it gives me a string of stupid symbols. I had this problem happened to me before and the only way I went around it was to REDO ALL THE TAGS. That's several thousand tags that I really really really do not want to redo all over again. PLease HELP!!!! I am going crazy soon.

Thanks all.
 

TonyRic

Golden Member
Nov 4, 1999
1,972
0
71
The international settings won't translate them for you. If you want them renamed you need to do it manually. Unless someone knows of a tool to do this for you.
 

frododies

Member
Jun 17, 2005
180
0
0
The Godfather has some decent cddb lookup tagging/manual mass tagging tools. It might take a little learning to use though.
Musicbrainz can scan songs and try to identify them individually/suggest tags.
The lookup based things kind of depend on how popular something is though. I don't know what would have chinese tags, but I wouldn't count on it being recognized if it's something obscure.
 

BigfootsMonk

Senior member
May 2, 2005
203
0
0
Hi, thanks for the help so far Tony and Frododies.

I downloaded Godfather and the software was able to read the MP3 tags correctly. I clicked on tags, update, and then selected the tags that I wanted it to update for me and then clicked update all. Now I am able to read the tags in the My music folder in windows, but not in WMP. We're getting close, I think this is the right track I just need some more ideas from you guys .
 

hsjC

Member
Aug 12, 2005
27
0
0
I have the same problem. Thank god i only have a few Chinese songs.
My advice is you change "Language for non-Unicode programs" to Chinese,
in case you didn't try. And then, probably XP can recognize the tags.
Mine did the first time I changed to Chinese(PRC). But since I re-installed
XP a hundred times thereafter, the tags were messed up over and over again.
Dunno why. Maybe you need to keep that option as Chinese while you install it.
 

BigfootsMonk

Senior member
May 2, 2005
203
0
0
Originally posted by: hsjC
I have the same problem. Thank god i only have a few Chinese songs.
My advice is you change "Language for non-Unicode programs" to Chinese,
in case you didn't try. And then, probably XP can recognize the tags.
Mine did the first time I changed to Chinese(PRC). But since I re-installed
XP a hundred times thereafter, the tags were messed up over and over again.
Dunno why. Maybe you need to keep that option as Chinese while you install it.

I love you. Problem solved.
 

DBJ

Junior Member
Aug 20, 2005
2
0
0
Hi,

I am using a program called audiomanage, which not only supports unicode but is also very easy to use. I have songs in hindi, with hindi filenames and tags. They work well with Windows Media Player. I'm sure Chinese also works well (their website says it handles all languages like chinese, arabic, hebrew, hindi etc!). They were having a sale, and I bought it for $9 !!!

You can get it from http://www.audiomanage.com

dbj
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
2,325
0
76
No need for any software as long as you set the "language for non-unicode programs" to the language you want to see. Asian fonts (chinese,japanese,korean) are fully supported in winxp w/o any third-party software.
 

BigfootsMonk

Senior member
May 2, 2005
203
0
0
Lol. Yes I am asian and I think most of us here are. I've came back to ask a similar question to my first. Are there any free, user-friendly MP3 tag editor softwares that has really high productivity? I used to have one before I reformatted that allowed me to double click on the tag information and edit it right there instead of on a separate window. Any of you know of a software that can do that? Hopefullly its free but if it has a good enough trial period for me to change some of these tags that would be cool too.
 

Skyhanger

Senior member
Jul 16, 2005
341
0
0
You will need to stick the XP install CD in and goto the Regional and Language Options in Control Panel.

Goto the Languages tab and click on the Install East Asian Languages Files checkbox.

It will take like 30min to upack everythign from the CD. XP normally does not store Asian languages on your HDD cuz they take up so much space. They install them only when you request them.

When it's done, go to Advanced tab and look at the language checklist. You'll find languages like Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc. magically appearing next to French, English, etc. Do the same if you want to unlock Hebrew, Arabic, or other Semetic languages.

I don't need to change my non-unicode settings (default English) and I can read Chinese just fine. In fact my iTunes list is choked full of Chinese artists. Now if the iTunes Store could start listing Asian artists too...
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
2,325
0
76
Originally posted by: Skyhanger
It will take like 30min to upack everythign from the CD.

It shouldn't take more than couple minutes. Is DMA turned on for your cd-rom?

Originally posted by: Skyhanger
I don't need to change my non-unicode settings (default English) and I can read Chinese just fine. In fact my iTunes list is choked full of Chinese artists. Now if the iTunes Store could start listing Asian artists too...

Not all programs will work that way ("non-unicode" programs). Obviously, iTune is one of few unicode supporting programs.

 

magomago

Lifer
Sep 28, 2002
10,973
14
76
Something along the lines for Linux would be nice...IT would be nice seeing actual song titles instead of random Gibberish in Xmms/BMP
 

imported_toot

Member
Jan 6, 2005
52
0
0
Do you have a [legal] chinese tagged mp3 I could try out? Just curious if I can view them :)

I use mp3tag, which is free, and very good.. but I don't know if it supports chinese..