How does Windoze(tm) Media Player figure out what I'm playing?

[zeitghost]

It seems to take about 15 seconds or so to do it, depending on what I'm playing.

Takes no particular account of the file name.

But it gets the band (ZZ Top at the moment), the Composer (Billy Gibbons) and the track (Afterburner) correct.

It got the wrong CD for Rough Boy, which it reckoned came off "Greatest Hits" rather than Afterburner.

I assume it's using the interweb thingie in some fashion.

Is that correct?

[NickFitz]

Yes, it looks it up online: Adding or editing media information in Windows Media Player - Windows Help

[darrylmg]

It seems to take about 15 seconds or so to do it, depending on what I'm playing.

Takes no particular account of the file name.

But it gets the band (ZZ Top at the moment), the Composer (Billy Gibbons) and the track (Afterburner) correct.

It got the wrong CD for Rough Boy, which it reckoned came off "Greatest Hits" rather than Afterburner.

I assume it's using the interweb thingie in some fashion.

Is that correct?

It does. But sometimes it's not particularly clever.
I find it struggles identifying bonus discs and special imports with extra tracks.
Someone somewhere must be updating a database and they can't be arsed putting all the Bowie specials on, or Rod Stewart. Or maybe it only caters for HRH Bill Gates' lp collection...