# Where and how to get traditional chinese displayed
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 10, 2006, 8:11am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882 "2006-02-10T08:11:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tiffanyrchu](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tiffanyrchu)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2006, 8:11am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/1 "2006-02-10T08:11:48Z")
Hi all,
I'm new to mp3tag. Just installed it today. I'm trying to import tags from freedb on my chinese CD's and it's showing up as strange characters. I am using the latest version download and realize that the traditional chinese characters are supported. I just have no idea how to configure mp3tag so that it will show the traditional chinese? I've searched and searched and couldn't find instructions or FAQ on how to do this. Any help would really be appreciated!
Thanks,
Tiff
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2006, 9:02am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/2 "2006-02-10T09:02:30Z")
In the freedb window, there's a Utils button on the left. Click on it and choose "Convert Codepage". Then select for the correct Chinese codepage.
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### Author:  [@tiffanyrchu](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tiffanyrchu)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/3 "2006-02-10T14:24:55Z")
I can't seem to find the Utils button on the freedb window. How do you get to this freedb window? By going to menu on top and freedb, this only shows me four options when highlighting a song. Otherwise, it is grayed out.
Is this because I'm using beginner settings when I started mp3tag? How do I change the setting to see advance settings?
Thanks in advance,
tiff
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/4 "2006-02-10T15:06:03Z")
You must be in the window where you see the results and where you tag the files.
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### Author:  [@tiffanyrchu](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/tiffanyrchu)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/5 "2006-02-10T19:09:05Z")
Got it! Thank you very very much!!
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### Author:  [@Lisa](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Lisa)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2006, 10:41am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/6 "2006-03-10T10:41:42Z")
> [@](#):
>
> You must be in the window where you see the results and where you tag the files.
>
> \<{POST\_SNAPBACK}\>
Hi Dano,
I can't seem to get into the same window as the one that your pictures are based on... You said that that window is where you 'see the results and where you tag the files.' I assume that the results you are talking about are the results of the freedb search. I believe I found this window, but it doesn't have any Chinese code in the Utils button. I tried looking for Simplifed Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Mandarin, etc. but there is none!
To make things easier, I'd list down all the steps I did.
I highlighted a song, then click freedb on the top menu, followed by another freedb. I chose the 'determine via web-search' option, and eventually found the album I was looking for. I clicked OK on that album and a window popped up. I'll refer you to the image of that window. It's similar to yours, which is why I believe I am in the right place. Anyway, I clicked on Utils which has a drop down menu, and I chose Convert Codepage. Then I can't do anything because there isn't any Chinese codepage!
I'm using the latest version (2.35) and I'm sure that the version I've got is supposed to be able to display Chinese characters. Is there a guide/fAQ for converting these codes?
Cheers
Lisa
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2006, 11:09am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/7 "2006-03-10T11:09:40Z")
Do you have a chinese windows or did you install east asian language support?
This is how the Convert Codepage dialog looks:
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### Author:  [@Lisa](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Lisa)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/8 "2006-03-10T16:10:13Z")
I don't think I have those installed. It seems I have about a thousand different codes ofr English installed but none from East Asia. I didn't actually realise that the language pack is necessary for this to work anyway.
So.. if I install the East Asian language support or any language support in general, would I be able to have ANY song displayed in its original characters? Is this a misconception?
If you say yes to the previous question, then I've got some more enquiry:
I know Mp3tag supports simplified and traditional Chinese specifically, but doesn't it also operate with Unicode? I admit I know naught about Unicode or coding in general, but I would've thought that Unicode covers just about every character there is in the world since it's called Unicode (a.ka. ''universal code").
Thank you for your patience,
Lisa
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### Author:  [@dano](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/dano)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/9 "2006-03-10T17:32:39Z")
It needs to be clear that this is an issue of the freedb database, not Mp3tag.
The problem is that these freedb entries are NOT encoded in unicode but in a chinese codepage (that according to the freedb terms is even illegal).
To circumveit this problem there is the Convert codepage function.
You select the codepage that you assume the cd information is and then Mp3tag can convert the information to unicode.
So Mp3tag can only convert this to unicode if you tell it the codepage and this codepage also must be available on your system.
Now your problem is just that you don't have this chinese codepage installed (and maybe you don't even have fonts on yours system that contain chinese characters).
The easiest solution for you is to install east asian language support ([here](http://newton.uor.edu/Departments&Programs/AsianStudiesDept/Language/asianlanguageinstallation_XP.html) is a tutorial, but only proceed until step 4, the rest is unnecessary)
> [@](#):
>
> So.. if I install the East Asian language support or any language support in general, would I be able to have ANY song displayed in its original characters? Is this a misconception?
As explained above, this is only needed for the codepage conversion. If you have tags or freedb entries in unicode they will display correctly.
> [@](#):
>
> I know Mp3tag supports simplified and traditional Chinese specifically, but doesn't it also operate with Unicode?
No it doesn't. It fully supports unicode, there is nothing specially implemented for chinese, only a language file maybe.
> [@](#):
>
> I admit I know naught about Unicode or coding in general, but I would've thought that Unicode covers just about every character there is in the world since it's called Unicode (a.ka. ''universal code").
That's correct. Unicode contains more or less every character and that's why it is used now in Mp3tag (since the version 2.33)
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/where-and-how-to-get-traditional-chinese-displayed/2882/10 "2026-02-09T12:19:38Z")