iTunes Missing album cover art for WAV file

Hi,

Just got an updated Mac Mini March 9th to use as a Media Server.

Hooked up great to the TV using an DVI to HDMI cable, and even found the proper wide screen resolution.

Currently, I am ripping CD in WAV format to an external hard drive. iTunes finds some of the covers, but misses other ones that are not part of the iTunes catalog.

I know you can ADD cover art using the Artwork Tab on MP3's, ACC, and Apple Lossless, but that tab is grayed out on the WAV files. I have tried Fetch Art (errors out), Tuneup, and Album Cover Art, but none of them will add the image to the WAV file.

I have learned that while WAV files can have embedded images, Apple does not support any features on WAV files. When iTunes finds and image, it will save the image file in a proprietary format and add it to a database.

Is there anyway to attach the images to the WAV files??

I am using WAV to be more compatible, and in case I need to do some kind of retrieval on a damaged hard drive in the future.

Thanks for any info.


TOM...

Most apps won't write artwork to wav files, regardless of whether the standard supports it or not (I think it doesn't, but I may be wrong). For most intents and purposes it isn't supported by most apps anyway.

I'd recommend ripping to Apple Lossless format. It's the same quality as a WAV and you can easily convert back to a wav or aiff should you ever need to. But Apple lossless files are smaller and are placed in an mpeg4 container, so they fully support covers, all tags etc, just like aac files.

Plus most 3rd party apps will write covers directly into the file (I know ours, CoverScout 3 will)

Thanks for the info, but I will not be using Apple Lossless. Actually, the files sizes are pretty much the same. I think for a given CD it's something like 50megs smaller.

IF iTunes can ADD images to WAV files, why can't anyone else? There is a process in place, just wondering if anyone knows how it's done.

I'd use software if it could do what iTunes does with images it finds for WAV files.

Thanks...

TOM...

I just tried it and you are correct. The Artwork tab is grayed out for WAVE files. It's not though for AAIF and AAIF is exactly the same size and quality of Wave. Just a suggestion as I see no way in the latest iTunes around the artwork part.

yes mac and its disdain for .wav's (a windows media format). .. so annoying! who cares?? what is the point, apple?

anyway, if you want proper sound quality you can import your cd's as .aiff's.
-itunes
-preferences
-general
-import settings

Also, here's a link for another option. I found this looking for an answer to the very same problem for files that already exist as .wav. I haven't tried it but maybe it will work for you.
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/iTunes-artwork-wav-files

Agreed

mrlemon said:

IF iTunes can ADD images to WAV files, why can't anyone else? There is a process in place, just wondering if anyone knows how it's done.

TOM...

Click to expand...

Boy do I agree...this problem seems to be one of an Apple block, not a file issue. If it works through their site, it should work everywhere. What is more infuriating is when questioned on the issue (works through apple sourced media but no where else) the question is either ignored or the answer pretends no art is possible with WAV files, though I clearly have hundreds of covers.

Is there a third party fix for this issue?? It is the only issue I have with iTunes (aside from very poor instructions)

meta data is the reason that you guys are having issues. WAV files do not have the ability to store meta data like an MP3. That being said, there was a format called BWAV that was a wrapper for WAV to hold meta data. I bet that iTunes is using a wrapper to do this if it even really works.

The bottom line is that iTunes attached art to SOME files while not allowing it in others, and the difference seems to be in where one is supposed to have acquired the media.

That means they can make the art available to all files...ie; this is not a WAV issue so much as an Apple issue.

JIMV said:

Boy do I agree...this problem seems to be one of an Apple block, not a file issue. If it works through their site, it should work everywhere. What is more infuriating is when questioned on the issue (works through apple sourced media but no where else) the question is either ignored or the answer pretends no art is possible with WAV files, though I clearly have hundreds of covers.

Is there a third party fix for this issue?? It is the only issue I have with iTunes (aside from very poor instructions)

Click to expand...

iTunes cheats:

Since wav files don't support artwork (as well as a lot of other meta information), iTunes keeps its own cover database and just calls the right cover for the song when you play it.

iTunes actually does this for all files - it doesn't add them to the songs, it keeps them in its own artwork database.

shinigami said:

yes mac and its disdain for .wav's (a windows media format). .. so annoying! who cares?? what is the point, apple?

Click to expand...

Why in the world ware you stuck on it having to be .wav, so annoying, what's the point?? There are plenty of other formats out there, several of which have been mentioned, that are cross platform compatible, will do what you want, and are better quality. Maybe you need to get off the Windows soap box and come to the 21st century.

Better How? bit perfect is about as good as it gets...and I can use it on my iPOD...

I am not sure what is meant by the other post but AIFF is just as bit perfect as a Wave is. Same size and same quality. AIFF is not a lossless format like Apple Lossless and FLAC. Not sure it will do what you want with the Art as I have never really tried Art with it.