JB7 TO BB1

[Dave Brown]

Hi again - how do I transfer music from my JB7 to BB1  please 

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Dave,

This is an interesting but tricky question!  My reason for stating this is that the JB7 music format is different to the BB1 music format and I haven't found a direct method of converting from one format to  the other.

The JB7 stores the music data in a single level folder format of 'Artistname   Albumname' with the album tracks stored in this folder.  The only way to get this data out of the JB7 in bulk is to plug a USB device into the JB7 and run the 'USB Menu' --> 'Backup Music'. 

This will give you your music collection on the USB device in a diectory '\hardfi\music'

However each folder is in the format of  'Artistname   Albumname'. (with 3 spaces between the Artistname and the Albumname).

For the BB1 to display artists and album names absolutely correctly, each single level format folder above needs to be converted to a two level folder format of 'Artistname\Albumname' with the music tracks stored in the 'Albumname' folder.

This is where some possibilities arise.

1.  You can directly 'Import' the JB7 'Backup' into the BB1.  However, the main 'Artists' screen will only display a single artist named 'Music' instead of the individual artists.  You can click on the 'Music' artist and the list of artists will be displayed along with the album names.

2.  If you have a B2, you could use the JB7 Backup and plug the USB device into the B2.  Then use the  B2's 'Main' --> 'USB Menu' --> 'JB7 Functions' --> 'Restore USB C' function.  This will restore and convert the music folders and files to the correct format for a B2 or BB1.  Once the 'Restore' is complete, the you would run the B2's 'Export to C' function which will export the music folders to the USB device.  

Then you would transfer the USB device to the BB1 and run the 'USB Functions' --> 'Browse USB A' --> <Select folder>' --> 'Press Next to Import' and your music will be loaded in the correct format.

3.  If you don't have a B2, then you should consider a 'file format conversion' program.  These can be found on the Internet.  I ran a test today of  my JB7 Backup files converted using 'dBpoweramp' (mainly because I use it for other conversions) which is more for converting 'flac' files to 'mp3'.  You specify the source file (your JB7 Backup) and then you specify the target file and dBpoweramp copies the folders into your target folder in the correct format.  'dBpoweramp is free to use for 21 days and then is about £30 for a permanent licence.

4.  This option will depend on the size of your collection.  If your collection is relatively small, you could plug the JB7 USB Backup into your PC/Mac and manually do the conversion to the BB1 format.  For each JB7 music folder, create a new folder named 'Artistname' then drag and drop the relevant folder for that 'Artistname' into the new folder.  Then rename the 'Artistname   Albumname'  to 'Albumname'.

Regards,

Peter.

[Dave Brown]

Peter , Thank you so much for the trouble you have gone to - really appreciate it. As my music collection is over 400 albums , after some consideration , I think I will "pass" on the idea. But again thank you very much for your time and thoughts.

Best regards

Dave 

[Ian Voce]

Actually when I got my BB1 last year, I backed up my JB7 to a USB stick which took over 3 days. I then imported them into my BB1 (I can't actually remember the command but it's on the website) and everything was added to the BB1 in a "music" folder (as peter has said).

Saying that, my "music" folder has a sub-folder holding the Artist and Album Name and below this is a folder with the individual tracks (songs/symphonies etc).

If I want I can decide what to play by going into the "music" folder, then the Artist/Album folder and start playing from there, or go into the track folder to play individual tracks. Using any of the WebUis makes this task  even easier.

I must admit the folder structure is different from that which the BB1 has for all new rips but it doesn't bother me. It has, however, saved me many, many house of importing CDs.

Some of the imports from the JB7 would not play properly, so I have reimported from the original CDs, into the BB1 file structure.

I have currently got over 400 albums with over 4500 tracks.

Just my thoughts.

Hope this helps

Regards

Ian

[Daniel Taylor]

Hi Ian,

Your situation is curious to me.  It seems that the BB1 pulled in your JB7 backup music, but it stored the actual music track files one folder level higher than normal - that folder being named for Artist - Album, both in the same name.  In that case I would expect the B2 to either not find it, or to represent the names differently than normal.  Maybe I should try it and see what happens.

[Daniel Taylor]

Test complete.  I created a music folder on a USB stick.  Then I put a folder there that was named "Artist - Album" with the track files inside that.

The BB1 read it as the Artist = "music" and the Album = "Artist - Album".  It works.  

[Mark Fishman]

Peter -- there's another option. After you have the backup of the JB7, you can rename the folders by using mp3tag's "Filename -> Filename" conversion.

Here's an example:

I have a directory "Seekers   Farewell (Live)". (Three spaces between the artist and album name)

I loaded it into mp3tag and chose the "Filename -> Filename" conversion item from the toolbar.

The old filename patter is %1[three spaces]%2\%3 which means the folder ABOVE the file has two parts, and the filename itself is the third part.

The new pattern puts part 1 in one level, part 2 in the level below that, and part 3 (the file) into the level below that.

You can play around with ..\ at the beginning to move the result up from the level you're starting at, because otherwise it could be inconvenient to find all the results if you're working with more than one album.

Cheers -- m.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Mark,

Nice one!  I hadn't thought of mp3Tag, although I also use it a lot for tagging purposes.

But that is why this forum is so good; a lot of good alternative thoughts and ideas.

@Dave; this would make your music collection move much more straight-forward.  And mp3Tag is a free download from the Internet.

Thanks again Mark.

Regards,

Peter.

[lesliebr...@gmail.com]

Hi Peter, 

               you must be slipping. It was you who showed me how to batch change tracks in mp3tag to show the track number in the playing window, after I discovered using (- 01 - Live On Love) allowed it to be shown there. Actually, Martin advised against doing this, don't know why, but I have a back up of the original format just in case. I like the track number showing in the playing window. Seems somehow more complete.

Well done Mark. Some of us have these programs and only scratch the surface of what they are capable of. It takes someone with a little (a lot) more know-how to enlighten the rest of us. That's why I regularly check the forum, as you never know what you may learn. Thanks guys.

[Daniel Taylor]

Hi Leslie,

I like your idea of displaying the track number in the now playing panel. But I'm not comfortable with adding a leading character to the filename to trick the unit into doing what I want.  I'd rather see the WebUI have a user set variable to allow or not the track number display using the existing track numbers in the filename.  Wish List maybe?

[lesliebr...@gmail.com]

I hear you Daniel, that's why I keep an un-adjusted backup incase. Had no problems in over 5/6 months. Should have asked Martin why he doesn't recommend it.

Paul, if you pick up on this thread maybe you could ask Martin why he advised against it? Maybe it'll interfere with some tweak he does farther down the line as he'll be expecting everyone's layout to be without the track number displayed. If something happens, will revert to my backup. I think track number addition will be well down the Wish List priority.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Leslie,

Indeed, has it come to this!  I do now remember this event, but it had totally slipped my mind.  At the time I did a selected set of folders to see if there were any hidden problems, but all has been well since then with my Brennans.  I've now got six of them, 3 x B2s, 2 x BB1s and 1 x JB7.  My wife thinks that I have got a new version of Covid which she calls 'the Brennan strain'!

Anyway I've got my first jab a while ago and the second is in mid April.

Regards and stay safe,

Peter

[PMB]

Hi All,

I asked Martin about this issue and he says the BB1 doesn't have the 'Restore' command that the B2 has, so cannot extract the Artist names, as the B2 does, when a JB7 backup is imported.

He will look at adding this function (no date given for this yet) - please check our Latest Software page - link - for any updates.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[PMB]

Hi Leslie,

I'll ask about the   - 01 - Track name thing.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Dave,

Martin B has introduced a new BB1 function called 'JB7 Restore' on the latest BB1 software 'BB1 May 12 2021' (released today), so if you run the 'Web Upgrade' on your BB1 today, you will now have the capaility to directly restore your JB7 Backup to your BB1.

 Good one Martin, this added functionality is going to be useful!

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi All,

Please post any feedback on using the new 'Restore' function.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Paul,

I have just used the 'JB7 to BB1 Restore' function today and here are the details.

JB7 Backup; 20.330 tracks, 1498 album/artists, 122.72 GB.

On BB1, 'Settings & Status'; 20330 tracks, 1498 albums, 630 artists, size 122.72GB.

Imported into BB1 (my wife's but don't tell her!) completed successfully in 4 hours 25 minutes.  That is a transfer rate of 28.8GB/ hour, much the same as the B2.

Everything looks really good.

Regards,
Peter.

[PMB]

Hi Peter,

Thanks!!

Paul

Brennan Support.