View Poll Results: What are you currently primarily using to do DVD cataloging?
Delicious Library [Mac-only]
6
2.64%
DVD Aficionado [Online]
43
18.94%
DVD Profiler
91
40.09%
DVDPedia [Mac-only]
6
2.64%
Movie Collector (Collectorz)
14
6.17%
Movienizer
0
0%
My Movies (mymovies.dk)
3
1.32%
Personal Video Database (PVD)
3
1.32%
ReaderwareVW
0
0%
Another of the many programs not in this poll
13
5.73%
Your own spreadsheet/table (such as MS Excel or Google Docs)
18
7.93%
Your own database (such as MS Access)
3
1.32%
Your own custom webpage (not generated by another program)
0
0%
Hand-written list
7
3.08%
Nothing, but I'm interested in starting (or starting again)
16
7.05%
Nothing, and I'm not interested in starting
4
1.76%
Voters: 227. You may not vote on this poll
Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
06-01-10, 09:55 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Behold, 202 options for DVD cataloging software programs - offline, online, and mobile - all gathered in one place! 
Many of the DVDTalk forum members use DVD Profiler or the online DVD Aficionado, with a handful of other programs scattered around. Some people have tried using a program but got frustrated or tired of it (or had it disappear on them) and gave up. Some people are using manual spreadsheets; some are even using hand-written lists. And some aren't cataloging at all.
I've included a poll of some of the programs that seem to be popular, DIY options, and 'none of the above' type options. Please vote for your current cataloging solution.
I began this research because I was considering starting to catalog my DVDs, and wanted to know what my options were beyond the obvious DVD Profiler and DVD Aficionado seen linked in many people's signatures. As I kept finding more and more programs (many more than expected), I thought this would be a useful reference to share.
If you're happy with your current cataloging method (or lack thereof), keep on doing what works for you. But if you're curious what your options are to change programs or to get started cataloging, here is the current complete compendium!
Notes:
Many of the DVDTalk forum members use DVD Profiler or the online DVD Aficionado, with a handful of other programs scattered around. Some people have tried using a program but got frustrated or tired of it (or had it disappear on them) and gave up. Some people are using manual spreadsheets; some are even using hand-written lists. And some aren't cataloging at all.
I've included a poll of some of the programs that seem to be popular, DIY options, and 'none of the above' type options. Please vote for your current cataloging solution.
I began this research because I was considering starting to catalog my DVDs, and wanted to know what my options were beyond the obvious DVD Profiler and DVD Aficionado seen linked in many people's signatures. As I kept finding more and more programs (many more than expected), I thought this would be a useful reference to share.
If you're happy with your current cataloging method (or lack thereof), keep on doing what works for you. But if you're curious what your options are to change programs or to get started cataloging, here is the current complete compendium!
Notes:
- All information in this list, and the following tables in which it is presented, is current as of May 31, 2010, when I completed this research. Like a few other programs (particularly online ones) have disappeared in the past, any of this information may change in the future, and it's way too much to be constantly re-checking for changes.
- I did not attempt to document which programs offer which features, as there are too many programs and too many features. The tables subdividing the list by free/non-free and OS should help narrow it down some at least; I suggest opening all the links from a table of potential interest to you in a bevy of new tabs, to easily compare the programs' websites, closing tabs as you narrow it down further.
- When a link to an official publisher's/programmer's website isn't provided, only a third-party software archive, it's because the official site is no longer working.
- When a link to a third-party software archive is provided in addition to an official website, it's because the official website has very little information about the program, so you can learn about it on the third-party site.
- Directly-related programs are listed next to each other in a sensible order, causing some of them to not be in strict alphabetical order. Like shelving sequels in order next to the original movie.
- Programs I tried not to include in this list (yes, despite the size of this list, there's even more that could've been included
):- Non-free programs that can no longer be purchased, because they:
- no longer have a working official site
- have an otherwise-working official site but I noticed that the purchase function is broken
- have an otherwise-working official site but are no longer being offered since the publisher/programmer has moved on to other things
- Free programs that no longer have a working download source, and online programs that no longer have a working website.
- Expensive programs (and higher-level editions of some of the included programs) designed for businesses/libraries.
- Programs that can only catalog movies as video files (avi, etc), with no provisions evident for entering movies as physical DVD video discs. (Some of the programs that are in this list can do video files in addition to DVDs.)
- Programs that are designed to index data files/folders. You don't want a list of "VIDEO_TS" stuff, you want to know about the movies. Some of these programs mention DVDs in addition to CDs/hard-drives/etc, but they only mean the files on data DVDs, mainly burned DVD-R/RW discs.
- Programs that don't provide some amount of features specific to movies; any general spreadsheet software (including Microsoft Excel and Google Docs) or general database software (including Microsoft Access) can of course also be used to catalog DVDs, but you have to set it all up from scratch yourself, and you don't get any auto-lookup help filling in the data like is provided by many (but not all) of the programs included in this list.
- Non-free programs that can no longer be purchased, because they:
- Programs that haven't been updated in quite some time, but are still available, are included in this list. I made a "Last Updated" column so you can avoid the older ones (from whatever cutoff you want) if desired, but most of them are still useable for most people, and might happen to fit someone's needs.
- If a program's official website is only in a non-English language, even if the program itself might have English as a language option, it is designated as "('x' language only)". There are a couple of them whose website appears to provide an English option, but didn't actually work for me at all or only on the first page.
- Some of the programs not designated "('x' language only)" do provide options of using them in non-English languages, but I didn't attempt to list all available languages, since the vast majority of people reading this forum can at least use the English language on all the programs.
- All iPhone programs can be used on the iPad. Only programs with a separate version designed for the iPad specifically mention iPad in the OS column.
- Many non-mobile programs can be used to export your catalog in a format such as CSV, HTML, or PDF which can be viewed on a mobile device.
- Programs that need to be set up on your own web server (on your own computer or a hosted server) are only listed under the Linux category. They can be set up on Windows too, but the vast majority of people who'd want to mess with setting up things like Apache web server software would be doing it on Linux, and the vast majority of people looking in the Windows category would expect to find regular desktop software rather than things as involved as that. The Online category has ready-to-go multiuser services already on web servers.
Last edited by Gatherer; 06-04-10 at 10:15 PM.
The following 2 users liked this post by Gatherer:
DVDTalker12325 (08-06-21),
Trevor (03-09-20)
06-01-10, 09:59 AM
#7
Member
Thread Starter
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Free: Mobile (Android, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, Palm, Symbian, WinMobile)
Spoiler:
Last edited by Gatherer; 06-01-10 at 11:31 AM.
06-01-10, 10:00 AM
#12
Member
Thread Starter
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Non-Free: Mobile (Android, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, Palm, Symbian, WinMobile)
Spoiler:
Last edited by Gatherer; 06-01-10 at 11:34 AM.
06-02-10, 02:12 AM
#14
Member
Thread Starter
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
06-02-10, 10:25 AM
#15
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Awesome job Gatherer!
I think I'm going to check out a few of the free ones before I take the $30 plunge. My plan is this: take 30 or so of the 'rarities' of my collection and try to input them into all the choices. Whichever one can handle the most of them gets my business.
I think I'm going to check out a few of the free ones before I take the $30 plunge. My plan is this: take 30 or so of the 'rarities' of my collection and try to input them into all the choices. Whichever one can handle the most of them gets my business.
06-02-10, 12:01 PM
#16
Senior Member
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Awesome job Gatherer!
I think I'm going to check out a few of the free ones before I take the $30 plunge. My plan is this: take 30 or so of the 'rarities' of my collection and try to input them into all the choices. Whichever one can handle the most of them gets my business.
I think I'm going to check out a few of the free ones before I take the $30 plunge. My plan is this: take 30 or so of the 'rarities' of my collection and try to input them into all the choices. Whichever one can handle the most of them gets my business.
The following users liked this post:
Trevor (03-09-20)
06-02-10, 12:45 PM
#17
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
So far I've tried Eric's Movie Database (EMDB), WAY too much work involved entering details for each DVD. It would take less time to make a hand written list and scan it.
Tried Personal Video Database, looked promising, clean interface, ultimately too much work involved entering each DVD. When you bring it up the first time, you're presented with blank boxes, no explanation as to what goes where. Consulted the Help file, eventually gave up after entering 3 DVDs.
Tried Movie Organizer (MOODb), it promised to let you enter your DVDs by UPC code. That worked ONCE. It didn't recognize the UPC codes for Aeon Flux, AI, or Alien, so I said screw that. Also requires that you enter details for each DVD manually. I thought this one might have been a good alternative to having to shell out $30 for DVD Profiler, but such was not the case.
I'm going to keep searching, there are a few other possibilities in the list yet, I'm not done by any means although I fear that DVD Profiler has spoiled me. -kd5-
Tried Personal Video Database, looked promising, clean interface, ultimately too much work involved entering each DVD. When you bring it up the first time, you're presented with blank boxes, no explanation as to what goes where. Consulted the Help file, eventually gave up after entering 3 DVDs.
Tried Movie Organizer (MOODb), it promised to let you enter your DVDs by UPC code. That worked ONCE. It didn't recognize the UPC codes for Aeon Flux, AI, or Alien, so I said screw that. Also requires that you enter details for each DVD manually. I thought this one might have been a good alternative to having to shell out $30 for DVD Profiler, but such was not the case.
I'm going to keep searching, there are a few other possibilities in the list yet, I'm not done by any means although I fear that DVD Profiler has spoiled me. -kd5-
06-02-10, 02:59 PM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Currently trying Ant Movie Catalog, it claimed it could import data from DVD Profiler but it turns out you have to have had DVD Profiler create a report but you can't do that unless you pay for DVD Profiler, and what's the point of messing with Ant Movie Catalog if you already have the paid version of DVD Profiler?
Besides that, it seems relatively simple to add DVDs, but how/where are you supposed to get the artwork?
Still looking at this one. -kd5-
Edit: Just realized, Ant is limited to your PC only. Movie Organizer had some online functionality but since I couldn't get the import via UPC to work, I still had to manually enter alot of the data, and the site hasn't been updated since '09, I decided it ultimately wasn't worth the effort.
Besides that, it seems relatively simple to add DVDs, but how/where are you supposed to get the artwork?
Still looking at this one. -kd5-
Edit: Just realized, Ant is limited to your PC only. Movie Organizer had some online functionality but since I couldn't get the import via UPC to work, I still had to manually enter alot of the data, and the site hasn't been updated since '09, I decided it ultimately wasn't worth the effort.
Last edited by kd5; 06-02-10 at 04:38 PM.
06-02-10, 08:51 PM
#21
Member
Thread Starter
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Currently trying Ant Movie Catalog, it claimed it could import data from DVD Profiler but it turns out you have to have had DVD Profiler create a report but you can't do that unless you pay for DVD Profiler, and what's the point of messing with Ant Movie Catalog if you already have the paid version of DVD Profiler?
Besides that, it seems relatively simple to add DVDs, but how/where are you supposed to get the artwork?
Still looking at this one. -kd5-
Edit: Just realized, Ant is limited to your PC only. Movie Organizer had some online functionality but since I couldn't get the import via UPC to work, I still had to manually enter alot of the data, and the site hasn't been updated since '09, I decided it ultimately wasn't worth the effort.
Besides that, it seems relatively simple to add DVDs, but how/where are you supposed to get the artwork?
Still looking at this one. -kd5-
Edit: Just realized, Ant is limited to your PC only. Movie Organizer had some online functionality but since I couldn't get the import via UPC to work, I still had to manually enter alot of the data, and the site hasn't been updated since '09, I decided it ultimately wasn't worth the effort.
Its scripts are supposed to retrieve the cover artwork from the internet just like all the other data, but they occasionally need updates when source site changes cause them to break. The Ant download package isn't being updated nearly as often as it should anymore to keep up with this kind of stuff (which has caused some ex-users to move to other programs, including PVD), but users are still posting fixed scripts in Ant's forums. Here's one that fixes the DVDEmpire script, so that it should be able to get the covers again: http://forum.antp.be/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=4628
06-02-10, 09:26 PM
#22
Member
Thread Starter
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
Originally Posted by Trevor
Awesome job Gatherer!
I think I'm going to check out a few of the free ones before I take the $30 plunge. My plan is this: take 30 or so of the 'rarities' of my collection and try to input them into all the choices. Whichever one can handle the most of them gets my business.
I think I'm going to check out a few of the free ones before I take the $30 plunge. My plan is this: take 30 or so of the 'rarities' of my collection and try to input them into all the choices. Whichever one can handle the most of them gets my business.
06-02-10, 10:11 PM
#23
Member
Thread Starter
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
So far I've tried Eric's Movie Database (EMDB), WAY too much work involved entering details for each DVD. It would take less time to make a hand written list and scan it.
Tried Personal Video Database, looked promising, clean interface, ultimately too much work involved entering each DVD. When you bring it up the first time, you're presented with blank boxes, no explanation as to what goes where. Consulted the Help file, eventually gave up after entering 3 DVDs.
Tried Movie Organizer (MOODb), it promised to let you enter your DVDs by UPC code. That worked ONCE. It didn't recognize the UPC codes for Aeon Flux, AI, or Alien, so I said screw that. Also requires that you enter details for each DVD manually. I thought this one might have been a good alternative to having to shell out $30 for DVD Profiler, but such was not the case.
I'm going to keep searching, there are a few other possibilities in the list yet, I'm not done by any means although I fear that DVD Profiler has spoiled me. -kd5-
Tried Personal Video Database, looked promising, clean interface, ultimately too much work involved entering each DVD. When you bring it up the first time, you're presented with blank boxes, no explanation as to what goes where. Consulted the Help file, eventually gave up after entering 3 DVDs.
Tried Movie Organizer (MOODb), it promised to let you enter your DVDs by UPC code. That worked ONCE. It didn't recognize the UPC codes for Aeon Flux, AI, or Alien, so I said screw that. Also requires that you enter details for each DVD manually. I thought this one might have been a good alternative to having to shell out $30 for DVD Profiler, but such was not the case.
I'm going to keep searching, there are a few other possibilities in the list yet, I'm not done by any means although I fear that DVD Profiler has spoiled me. -kd5-
Personally I'm currently considering trying (when I get around to it):
- Data Crow
- Eax Movie Catalog [I had it on the list as no updates since 2009, but I found in its forum that a major new version is in beta testing and should be released soon: http://www.eaxmc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=735 ... will change it on the list to say 2010, since it is in active development]
- GrieeX Movie Archive
- Griffith
- MBase
-
- Personal Video Database (PVD)
- VisualDivX
- XI Combination System Standard
Last edited by Gatherer; 06-04-10 at 12:51 AM. Reason: decided against My Movies
06-03-10, 08:31 AM
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
I see you've already decided Ant is more trouble than it's worth, but FWIW:
Its scripts are supposed to retrieve the cover artwork from the internet just like all the other data, but they occasionally need updates when source site changes cause them to break. The Ant download package isn't being updated nearly as often as it should anymore to keep up with this kind of stuff (which has caused some ex-users to move to other programs, including PVD), but users are still posting fixed scripts in Ant's forums. Here's one that fixes the DVDEmpire script, so that it should be able to get the covers again: http://forum.antp.be/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=4628
Its scripts are supposed to retrieve the cover artwork from the internet just like all the other data, but they occasionally need updates when source site changes cause them to break. The Ant download package isn't being updated nearly as often as it should anymore to keep up with this kind of stuff (which has caused some ex-users to move to other programs, including PVD), but users are still posting fixed scripts in Ant's forums. Here's one that fixes the DVDEmpire script, so that it should be able to get the covers again: http://forum.antp.be/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=4628
06-03-10, 09:30 AM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Catalog of DVD Cataloging Software
XI is a 30 day trial.
VisualDivX looks promising, but here again, it has no online functionality (beyond importing movie data).
I wish the UPC import function of Movie Organizer (MOODb) would've worked, that one had online functionality: "Upload your movie collection online and get your own URL to your collection., the fact that it hasn't been updated since January 20, 2009 also concerns me.
My Movies appears to give you basic online functionality with the option to purchase "points" which give you the ability to customize your online list. You can also purchase "points" to customize other aspects of the application:
http://www.mymovies.dk/how-to/writte...iring%20Points
That one can get pricey if you require additional functionality...
Just my additional .02 cents worth, -kd5-
VisualDivX looks promising, but here again, it has no online functionality (beyond importing movie data).
I wish the UPC import function of Movie Organizer (MOODb) would've worked, that one had online functionality: "Upload your movie collection online and get your own URL to your collection., the fact that it hasn't been updated since January 20, 2009 also concerns me.
My Movies appears to give you basic online functionality with the option to purchase "points" which give you the ability to customize your online list. You can also purchase "points" to customize other aspects of the application:
http://www.mymovies.dk/how-to/writte...iring%20Points
That one can get pricey if you require additional functionality...
Just my additional .02 cents worth, -kd5-
