Large Album Art Not Showing After 1.06/1.08 Updates 5000NEX

Mengels7 · November 5, 2014

Before the CarPlay update, I had no issues with my iPhone 5 or 6's album art showing in the music player. After the CarPlay update, I often choose to disable CarPlay due to it being a glitchy, crashing, piece of shit. I've noticed tons of album art not loading now in the regular music player, and it seems to all be art that I've custom picked for the albums in very high resolution. All the stuff at a reasonable resolution or downloaded by iTunes works no problem. Anyone else having this issue? Any solutions? Is there a good way to submit a bug report to Pioneer? I love album art and this is depressing to me

Pjrm68 · November 5, 2014

Haven't noticed this issue, and my CarPlay works just fine.

tickerguy · November 5, 2014

These head units do not like album art that is over 600px in either dimension -- mine never did, even with original factory firmware.

Mengels7 · November 5, 2014

Mine used to have no issue with the larger stuff, but I think iTunes downloads it at 500x500 so it sounds like that's the limit for me. Thanks.

jhren · November 5, 2014

Other than on a display with greater than 600 pixels vertical (computer monitors, some tablets mostly), 600 x 600 album art stored in the media file just serves to bloat the file.

On the NEX units, you're only going to see maybe 360 x 360 pixels (guessing). That means a 600 x 600 image has to be downsampled to display it... and if you talk to any digital image guru, you will realize that a downsampled image is less pristine in appearance than one created at the size it is displayed. In fact, say you wanted to store a 360 x 360 image in the file but only have a pristine 600 x 600, you would have to shrink it in an image editor... and the gurus recommend applying an "unsharp mask" filter to the shrunken-size image to [somewhat] restore image clarity.

(If you are a guru reading this, please disregard any misuse of terminology )

FWIW, you can store more than one image in image-embed-able media files, including the same image at different resolution... but I have no idea how to tell any media player which one to display.

Mengels7 · November 6, 2014

Other than on a display with greater than 600 pixels vertical (computer monitors, some tablets mostly), 600 x 600 album art stored in the media file just serves to bloat the file.

On the NEX units, you're only going to see maybe 360 x 360 pixels (guessing). That means a 600 x 600 image has to be downsampled to display it... and if you talk to any digital image guru, you will realize that a downsampled image is less pristine in appearance than one created at the size it is displayed. In fact, say you wanted to store a 360 x 360 image in the file but only have a pristine 600 x 600, you would have to shrink it in an image editor... and the gurus recommend applying an "unsharp mask" filter to the shrunken-size image to [somewhat] restore image clarity.

(If you are a guru reading this, please disregard any misuse of terminology )

FWIW, you can store more than one image in image-embed-able media files, including the same image at different resolution... but I have no idea how to tell any media player which one to display.

Understood, it's just that with phone becoming higher and higher resolution, I like to future-proof with super high resolution artwork when iTunes doesn't automatically find it.

jhren · November 6, 2014

Understood, it's just that with phone becoming higher and higher resolution, I like to future-proof with super high resolution artwork when iTunes doesn't automatically find it.

I can relate to that

Mengels7 · November 8, 2014

Figured it out. Sort of. It happened to coincide with me installing those updates and switching to my 128GB iPhone 6, but none of that was the cause.

I started re-ripping my older albums in Apple Lossless in iTunes. The way iTunes associates album art with ripped Apple Lossless files by default doesn't work with most other applications. All of the albums I had issues with on my NEX unit were ones I had recently ripped.

Adding custom art to some of these helped, some actually needed me to get the art from iTunes. Had to do with tagging or something. It's honestly all beyond me. I made UK and Japan iTunes accounts just to get working album art for two of the albums. Point is, I guess it had nothing to do with the file size.

jhren · November 8, 2014

ITunes in my experience is very sketchy about embedding album art work in iTunes-ripped files. When you use "Get Album Art" for missing art, more often than not it downloads to an album art folder and internally associates with the file... it does not embed the art. It's fine until you play the file on another player..."Where's the album art???" I found a vbs script that embeds the art for windows.

Here's the script text:

' ###############################################################################
' #
' # itunes_insert_artwork.vbs
' #
' # This script will tag your files using artwork downloaded using iTunes 10
' #
' # written by: Robert Jacobson (http://teridon.googlepages.com/itunesscripts)
' # Last Updated: 30 Jan 2012
' # Version 1.1
' # 
' # Modified version and fixes discussion at following link:
' # http://sheerboredom.net/2010/10/11/embed-album-artwork-from-itunes-into-mp3-files/
' # 
' # This script is GPL v2.  see http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
' #
' # Use option "-k" to keep the artwork files extracted 
' # (in the same location as the song file)
' # (the default is to remove the files)
' #
' # Special Thanks to http://www.facebook.com/jrsousa2 for the error checking fix!
' #
' ###############################################################################

Option Explicit

Dim iTunesApp        ' iTunes.Application object used to access the iTunes application.
Dim tracks           ' The tracks collection object of the Library object. 
Dim TrackPath        ' The path to the track
Dim ArtPath	         ' The path to the artwork
Dim i                ' A counter variable.
Dim Msg              ' A string for a message.
Dim f                ' A file object.
Dim sources
Dim source
Dim playlists
Dim playlist
Dim playlistName
Dim j
Dim m
Dim c
Dim songName
Dim artist
Dim result
Dim listarray
Dim num
Dim k
Dim track
Dim numtracks
Dim FormatArray(4)
Dim ExtArray(4)
Dim Artobj
Dim Art
Dim ArtDir
Dim Format
Dim BasePath
Dim fso 
Dim NumFiles
Dim KeepFiles
Dim args
Dim arg
Dim IsDownlArtw_value
Dim erro_no
Dim erro_desc

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

FormatArray(0) = "Unknown"
FormatArray(1) = "JPEG"
FormatArray(2) = "PNG"
FormatArray(3) = "BMP"
ExtArray(0) = "unk"
ExtArray(1) = "jpg"
ExtArray(2) = "png"
ExtArray(3) = "bmp"

Set iTunesApp  = CreateObject("iTunes.Application.1")
Set sources = iTunesApp.Sources

Dim vers
vers = iTunesApp.Version

Dim Reg1
Set Reg1 = new RegExp
Reg1.Pattern = "^11"
if Reg1.Test(vers) Then
	' yay
Else
	Wscript.Echo "This script requires iTunes 10"
	Wscript.Quit
End If
KeepFiles = False

Set args = WScript.Arguments
' Scan command line arguments
For Each arg in args 
  ' Is it a flag.
  If Instr(1, arg, "-", 1) = 1 or Instr(1, arg, "/", 1) = 1 Then
    ' Check for list flag
    If UCase(arg) = "-K" or UCase(arg) = "/K" then
 KeepFiles = True
    End If
  End If
Next

For i = 1 to sources.Count
	Set source = sources.Item(i)
	
	IF source.Kind = 1 Then
		Set playlists = source.Playlists
		Wscript.Echo "Select from the following playlists" & chr(13) & chr(10)
		Wscript.Echo "Number of playlists: " & playlists.Count
		For j = 1 to playlists.Count
			Set playlist = playlists.Item(j)
			playlistName = playlist.Name
			Wscript.Echo j & ": " & playlistName
		Next
		Wscript.Echo ""
		Wscript.StdOut.Write "Enter comma-separated lists to process: "
		result = WScript.StdIn.ReadLine
		
 		listarray = split(result, ",")
 		For k = 0 to UBound(listarray)
 			num = listarray(k)
 		   	Set playlist = playlists.Item(num)
 		   	playlistName = playlist.Name
 		   	Wscript.Echo ""
 		   	Wscript.Echo chr(9) & "Processing playlist " & num & ": " & playlistName
 		   	
 		   	Set tracks = playlist.Tracks
 		   	numtracks = tracks.Count
 		   	Wscript.Echo chr(9) & "tracks: " & numtracks
 		   	NumFiles = 0
 		   	For m = 1 to numtracks
 		   		If m > tracks.Count Then Exit For
 		   		Set track = tracks.Item(m)
 		   		'Wscript.Echo "num: " & numtracks & " Count: " & tracks.Count & " m: " & m
 		   		
 		   		If track.Kind = 1 Then
 		   			songName = track.Name
 		   			artist = track.Artist
 		   			TrackPath = track.Location
 		   			Set Artobj = track.Artwork
					For c = 1 to Artobj.Count
						Set Art = Artobj.Item(c)
						On Error Resume Next
						if Art.IsDownloadedArtwork Then
							'On Error Resume Next
							IsDownlArtw_value = Art.IsDownloadedArtwork
							erro_no = Err.Number
							'Err.Clear
							erro_desc = Err.Description
							If Err.number <> 0 Then
								IsDownlArtw_value = False
							End If
							if IsDownlArtw_value Then
							Format = Art.Format
							End If 
							'Wscript.Echo "Format is " & FormatArray(Format)
							ArtDir = fso.GetParentFolderName(TrackPath)
							'Wscript.Echo "Artdir is " & ArtDir
							'ArtDir = fso.GetBaseName(ArtDir)
							Dim RegX
							Set RegX = new RegExp
							RegX.Pattern = "[/:\\\*\?""""<>]"
							RegX.Global = True
							songName = RegX.Replace(songName, "-")
							'songName = Replace(songName, "/", "-")
							ArtPath = fso.BuildPath(ArtDir, songName & "." & ExtArray(Format))
							Wscript.Echo "artpath is " & ArtPath
							' save to file
							Art.SaveArtworkToFile(ArtPath)
							' insert from file into track tag
							Art.SetArtworkFromFile(ArtPath)
							if (KeepFiles) Then
								' nothing
							Else
								fso.DeleteFile(ArtPath)
							End If
							NumFiles = NumFiles + 1
						End If
					Next
 		   			
 		   		End If
 		   	Next
 		   	Wscript.Echo NumFiles & " files processed in playlist " & playlistName
 		Next
 		
		'End If
	End If
Next

As I recall, I modified one line so it works with iTunes 11. If you want to run it, just copy the above text into Notepad and save it with a .vbs extension.

Supposedly there's an script out there that'll do the same on Apple computers.

Mengels7 · November 8, 2014

ITunes in my experience is very sketchy about embedding album art work in iTunes-ripped files. When you use "Get Album Art" for missing art, more often than not it downloads to an album art folder and internally associates with the file... it does not embed the art. It's fine until you play the file on another player..."Where's the album art???" I found a vbs script that embeds the art for windows.

Here's the script text:

' ###############################################################################
' #
' # itunes_insert_artwork.vbs
' #
' # This script will tag your files using artwork downloaded using iTunes 10
' #
' # written by: Robert Jacobson (http://teridon.googlepages.com/itunesscripts)
' # Last Updated: 30 Jan 2012
' # Version 1.1
' # 
' # Modified version and fixes discussion at following link:
' # http://sheerboredom.net/2010/10/11/embed-album-artwork-from-itunes-into-mp3-files/
' # 
' # This script is GPL v2.  see http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
' #
' # Use option "-k" to keep the artwork files extracted 
' # (in the same location as the song file)
' # (the default is to remove the files)
' #
' # Special Thanks to http://www.facebook.com/jrsousa2 for the error checking fix!
' #
' ###############################################################################

Option Explicit

Dim iTunesApp        ' iTunes.Application object used to access the iTunes application.
Dim tracks           ' The tracks collection object of the Library object. 
Dim TrackPath        ' The path to the track
Dim ArtPath	         ' The path to the artwork
Dim i                ' A counter variable.
Dim Msg              ' A string for a message.
Dim f                ' A file object.
Dim sources
Dim source
Dim playlists
Dim playlist
Dim playlistName
Dim j
Dim m
Dim c
Dim songName
Dim artist
Dim result
Dim listarray
Dim num
Dim k
Dim track
Dim numtracks
Dim FormatArray(4)
Dim ExtArray(4)
Dim Artobj
Dim Art
Dim ArtDir
Dim Format
Dim BasePath
Dim fso 
Dim NumFiles
Dim KeepFiles
Dim args
Dim arg
Dim IsDownlArtw_value
Dim erro_no
Dim erro_desc

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

FormatArray(0) = "Unknown"
FormatArray(1) = "JPEG"
FormatArray(2) = "PNG"
FormatArray(3) = "BMP"
ExtArray(0) = "unk"
ExtArray(1) = "jpg"
ExtArray(2) = "png"
ExtArray(3) = "bmp"

Set iTunesApp  = CreateObject("iTunes.Application.1")
Set sources = iTunesApp.Sources

Dim vers
vers = iTunesApp.Version

Dim Reg1
Set Reg1 = new RegExp
Reg1.Pattern = "^11"
if Reg1.Test(vers) Then
	' yay
Else
	Wscript.Echo "This script requires iTunes 10"
	Wscript.Quit
End If
KeepFiles = False

Set args = WScript.Arguments
' Scan command line arguments
For Each arg in args 
  ' Is it a flag.
  If Instr(1, arg, "-", 1) = 1 or Instr(1, arg, "/", 1) = 1 Then
    ' Check for list flag
    If UCase(arg) = "-K" or UCase(arg) = "/K" then
 KeepFiles = True
    End If
  End If
Next

For i = 1 to sources.Count
	Set source = sources.Item(i)
	
	IF source.Kind = 1 Then
		Set playlists = source.Playlists
		Wscript.Echo "Select from the following playlists" & chr(13) & chr(10)
		Wscript.Echo "Number of playlists: " & playlists.Count
		For j = 1 to playlists.Count
			Set playlist = playlists.Item(j)
			playlistName = playlist.Name
			Wscript.Echo j & ": " & playlistName
		Next
		Wscript.Echo ""
		Wscript.StdOut.Write "Enter comma-separated lists to process: "
		result = WScript.StdIn.ReadLine
		
 		listarray = split(result, ",")
 		For k = 0 to UBound(listarray)
 			num = listarray(k)
 		   	Set playlist = playlists.Item(num)
 		   	playlistName = playlist.Name
 		   	Wscript.Echo ""
 		   	Wscript.Echo chr(9) & "Processing playlist " & num & ": " & playlistName
 		   	
 		   	Set tracks = playlist.Tracks
 		   	numtracks = tracks.Count
 		   	Wscript.Echo chr(9) & "tracks: " & numtracks
 		   	NumFiles = 0
 		   	For m = 1 to numtracks
 		   		If m > tracks.Count Then Exit For
 		   		Set track = tracks.Item(m)
 		   		'Wscript.Echo "num: " & numtracks & " Count: " & tracks.Count & " m: " & m
 		   		
 		   		If track.Kind = 1 Then
 		   			songName = track.Name
 		   			artist = track.Artist
 		   			TrackPath = track.Location
 		   			Set Artobj = track.Artwork
					For c = 1 to Artobj.Count
						Set Art = Artobj.Item(c)
						On Error Resume Next
						if Art.IsDownloadedArtwork Then
							'On Error Resume Next
							IsDownlArtw_value = Art.IsDownloadedArtwork
							erro_no = Err.Number
							'Err.Clear
							erro_desc = Err.Description
							If Err.number <> 0 Then
								IsDownlArtw_value = False
							End If
							if IsDownlArtw_value Then
							Format = Art.Format
							End If 
							'Wscript.Echo "Format is " & FormatArray(Format)
							ArtDir = fso.GetParentFolderName(TrackPath)
							'Wscript.Echo "Artdir is " & ArtDir
							'ArtDir = fso.GetBaseName(ArtDir)
							Dim RegX
							Set RegX = new RegExp
							RegX.Pattern = "[/:\\\*\?""""<>]"
							RegX.Global = True
							songName = RegX.Replace(songName, "-")
							'songName = Replace(songName, "/", "-")
							ArtPath = fso.BuildPath(ArtDir, songName & "." & ExtArray(Format))
							Wscript.Echo "artpath is " & ArtPath
							' save to file
							Art.SaveArtworkToFile(ArtPath)
							' insert from file into track tag
							Art.SetArtworkFromFile(ArtPath)
							if (KeepFiles) Then
								' nothing
							Else
								fso.DeleteFile(ArtPath)
							End If
							NumFiles = NumFiles + 1
						End If
					Next
 		   			
 		   		End If
 		   	Next
 		   	Wscript.Echo NumFiles & " files processed in playlist " & playlistName
 		Next
 		
		'End If
	End If
Next

As I recall, I modified one line so it works with iTunes 11. If you want to run it, just copy the above text into Notepad and save it with a .vbs extension.

Supposedly there's an script out there that'll do the same on Apple computers.

Wow! If it continues to give me issues I'm definitely going to give that a shot. Thanks so much!

jhren · November 8, 2014

I just noticed iTunes 12 is out (downloaded and installed). As I mentioned elsewhere, iTunes has more updates than any other software on my computers... and that include OS updates from MS!!!

Anyway, as I understand it, the script posted above will have to be modified to run with iTunes 12 installed.... but I am not a script guru. All I can say is the script I posted above worked for me with iTunes 11.

To modify the script for iTunes 12, find the line...

Reg1.Pattern = "^11"

...and change to...

Reg1.Pattern = "^12"

Also, I noticed earlier there's another line related to this. Only makes a difference on version error.

Find, a few lines below the one above...

    Wscript.Echo "This script requires iTunes 10"

...and change to...

    Wscript.Echo "This script requires iTunes 12"

jhren · November 8, 2014

Also just ran across this piece of shareware.

http://www.maximized.com/shareware/icoverart/index.htm

As shareware, it'll only do 5 songs at a time until registered. Only $5 to register.

Haven't tried it, so if anyone does, please report your findings...

donmontalvo · November 11, 2014

No tools needed. Open up iTunes > select song(s) > Right-click > Get Album Artwork

iTunes 11 for Mac: Add artwork to songs and other items

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12161

jhren · November 12, 2014

No tools needed. Open up iTunes > select song(s) > Right-click > Get Album Artwork

iTunes 11 for Mac: Add artwork to songs and other items

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12161

That does not EMBED the artwork in the file. It just stores the artwork as a file in a separate iTunes "Artwork" folder and links it to the song file in iTunes. That works fine in iTunes... but doesn't help at all for other media players.

To give you an idea what I'm talking about.... https://www.google.com/webhp?#q=embed%20artwork%20itunes

tickerguy · November 12, 2014

Yep -- the NEX units will not look in the folder for artwork files (which is stupid and wasteful); to display the artwork must be in EACH music file individually as a tag. Yes, this means if you have 20 songs in an album you must consume 20x the album art in disk space, but since music is rather large compared against these art files it's not as bad as it initially sounds.

Large Album Art Not Showing After 1.06/1.08 Updates 5000NEX

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