Could Mac search/find really replace SFX software?

[CCash]

I need to make my SFX library work with OSX... so I need to upgrade MTools to OSX or buy Soundminer (expensive on multiple machines).

I've just started hearing a little about Spotlight, a new search tool in Tiger, and people talking about using this to do SFX searches.

If it's fast, then great, that's part of the battle, but what about the Metadata? I mean, isn't that why we use programs like Soundminer and MTools?

I'm trying to figure out what the people who talk about using the Mac OS (or even DigiDatabases) for SFX searches are thinking. I suppose any description about the sound would have to crammed into the name of the file, right?

[jeremiahmoore]

Check with soundminer - they're releasing a (free?) spotlight metadata importer for certain soundminer metadata. This allows tiger/spotlight to index and search your soundminer-tagged files.

-jeremiah moore

[ricey]

AudioFinder is a great app. the idea of smart folders is intriguing though.

[bad jitter]

Don't do that. Gallery and their attitude sucks. I wouldn't buy anything from that "company".

so I need to upgrade MTools to OSX...

[iamstudios]

I don't agree bad jitter. Marc of Gallery offers the best support ever. I usually get a reply within 30 minutes, that mostly solves my problem. Whether u use MTools or Soundminer is a matter of personal taste (we use Soundminer, used MTools) but there's nothing wrong with Gallery's 'attitude'. We use ADRstudio and VVTR and both are wonderful products.

[bad jitter]

Dear imperium,

I am happy for you that you've had success with Gallery. You've been lucky.

But I do agree with you that if you use Gallery products, you will have problems.

[CCash]

Regarding Gallery products... I have mixed feelings. They tend to be innovative products, and with that seems to be a certain degree of unstableness, which may not entirely be Gallery's fault.

As far a customer support goes, Mark has always emailed me directly and promptly (once in real time). It's cool to have the designer of the products to talk to. But can we please not debate the quality of the software or service?

Everyone seems to know Soundminer's great. I'll probably try OSX MTools because the correct metadata is already in all the files, though I do know that Soundiner can import or convert this to its own metadata requirements.

[CCash]

Check with soundminer - they're releasing a (free?) spotlight metadata importer for certain soundminer metadata.

At first it sounds like Soundminer would hurt themselves allowing this. But I guess you'd still need to encode the metadata with Soundminer... so you might as well use SM.

Then again, you could have one copy of SM for metadata encoding, and on the rest of your systems use Spotlight... that is -- if the Mac Finder or Spotlight can actually use the metadata. If so, there would have to be a search sub-field that allows you to enter the desciptions.

Am I missing something? If I have time to research it, I'll post my findings here.

[Noiz2]

The thing is that SM is quite a bit more than a search engine. If all you want to do is search for files then you have a lot of options. CD Finder does an excellent job and is very cheap. Sound Log Pro has a lot more film features and doesn't cost too much, you could program your own FM DB (or I can send you one that I made). They all have some trade off's. FM based DB's are not as fast (with really large DB's - though with a lib. under 30k or so they can be quite fast if programed right), apps like CDfinder are not film oriented. When it comes to apps that are film/post oriented you have SLP, NetMix, Soundminer, and Mtools - in aprox ascending $ order. All can search, have places to put in info that is post related and can import sounds into a PT session. SM can spot in a variety of ways and has an incredibly good varispeed that is set as part of the spotting, a very good project/bin system and a lot more, and I'm only talking about the "Le" version at ~$400. I'm a long term SLP user and like it a lot but SM is a much more versatile tool for and editor/designer. NetMix I have heard very lukewarm reviews of, it's not tremendously fast and supposedly has some issues related to it's reliance on Quicktime, also for Mac users it has a somewhat PC ported feel about it. They have a demo. Mtools people seem to either love or hate. My experiences with Gallery have not been great but?
So my $.02 is
SLP is the least expensive post oriented app. David Farmer is great to deal with but I think he is only selling SLP now with the understanding that you will get very little support and he is recommending people get Soundminer instead.
The next step price wise is I believe Soundminer Le. It adds a lot of features and is in constant development. They are very helpful and responsive. Some of the things they are talking about adding are going to make SM a very useful sound design tool. The higher priced full version adds many, many useful features, transport sync with PT VST plugin support etc... At ~$800-$1050 its around the same price as Mtools.
NetMix has an Le version that is around the $400 mark and a full version that is around the $800-$1000 mark. I played with the demo and decided I didn't like it, for mostly touch and feel reasons. It use to have the plus of being cross platform but now Soundminer is also.
Mtools is the most expensive (since it has no lite version and it's a virtual tie with the full versions of SM and NM). It's followers like it, but it is FileMaker based like SPL. I have found Gallery to be ify in the support area and not real quick to update products.

Bottom line is I would get SM. If you need a bunch of stations there is a network version (and a web based version). Also the copy protection is a hasp key so you can take your authorization with you. Also even with the Le version you can install it in a way that the DB and all your prefs sit on your FX lib and HASP key so you can take the drive and key and plugin and work with out having to install any software on the new computer. Also the Le version uses the same DB's as the the full version so you can mix and match depending on who needs what.

At first it sounds like Soundminer would hurt themselves allowing this. But I guess you'd still need to encode the metadata with Soundminer... so you might as well use SM.

Then again, you could have one copy of SM for metadata encoding, and on the rest of your systems use Spotlight... that is -- if the Mac Finder or Spotlight can actually use the metadata. If so, there would have to be a search sub-field that allows you to enter the desciptions.

Am I missing something? If I have time to research it, I'll post my findings here.

[CCash]

Alright, well, it doesn't sound like abandoning SFX search software is a viable option.

Thanks Noiz2 for the very informative reply. Really helps with weighing the options.