MP3 CD-R Disc
MP3 Format
If you burn an MP3 disc on a personal computer:
| • | Make sure the MP3 files are recorded on a CD-R disc. |
| • | Do not mix standard audio and MP3 files on one disc. |
| • | Make sure playlists have a.m3u or.wpl extension, other file extensions may not work. |
| • | Files can be recorded with a variety of fixed or variable bit rates. Song title, artist name, and album will be available for display by the radio when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2. |
| • | Create a folder structure that makes it easy to find songs while driving. Organize songs by albums using one folder for each album. Each folder or album should contain 18 songs or less. |
| • | Make sure to finalize the disc when burning an MP3 disc, using multiple sessions. It is usually better to burn the disc all at once. |
The player is able to read and play a maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, 10 sessions, and 255 files. Long file names, folder names, or playlist names could use more disc memory space than necessary. To conserve disc space, keep the length of the file, folder, or playlist name brief. MP3 CDs do not require file folders. The system can support up to 11 folders in depth. The depth of the folders should be kept down to make it easier while locating a folder during playback. All items over the maximum are ignored.
Root Directory
The root directory is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio files, the directory displays as F1 ROOT. All files contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any root directory folders. However, playlists (Px) always are accessed before root folders or files.
Empty Directory or Folder
If a root directory or a folder exists somewhere in the file structure that contains only folders/subfolders and no compressed files directly beneath them, the player advances to the next folder in the file structure that contains compressed audio files and the empty folder does not display.
No Folder
If a CD has no folder, only compressed files or playlists are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder functions have no function on a CD that is recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT.
Order of Play
Tracks are played in the following order:
| • | Play begins from the first track in the first playlist and continues sequentially through all tracks in each playlist. When the last track of the last playlist has played, play continues from the first track of the first playlist. |
| • | If the CD does not contain any playlists, then play begins from the first track under the root directory. When all tracks from the root directory have played, play continues from files according to their numerical listing. After playing the last track from the last folder, play begins again at the first track of the first folder or root directory. |
When play enters a new folder, the display does not automatically show the new folder name unless the folder mode is chosen as the default display. See "DISP" later in this section for more information. The new track name displays.
File System and Naming
The song name that displays is the song name that is contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the file name without the extension (such as.mp3) as the track name.
Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages are shortened. The display does not show parts of words on the last page of text, and the extension of the filename is not displayed.
Preprogrammed Playlists
Preprogrammed playlists which were created by WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software can be accessed, however, there is no editing capability. These playlists are treated as special folders containing compressed audio song files.
Playing an MP3
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls it in, and READING DISC displays. The CD should begin playing and the CD symbol displays. See "Playing a CD" earlier in this section.
3 (Repeat): Repeat lets one track, the entire folder, or playlist be repeated. Press and release this button until REPEAT TRACK, REPEAT FOLDER, or REPEAT P-LIST displays. The current track, folder or playlist continues to repeat. Press and release this button until REPEAT OFF displays to turn off repeated play.4 RDM (Random): Press to hear tracks in random, rather than sequential order. The entire folder, playlist, or CD can be played in random order. Press and release this pushbutton until RANDOM FOLDER, RANDOM P-LIST (playlist), or RANDOM DISC displays. Once all of the tracks in the current folder or playlist have played, the system moves on to the next folder or playlist, and plays all of the tracks in random order. While in random, pressing and releasing or SEEK arrow takes you to the previous or to the next random track. Press and release this pushbutton until RANDOM OFF displays, to turn off random play.
5 (Previous Folder): Press to go to the first track in the previous folder. Press this button while in random folder mode to go to the previous folder and randomly play the tracks in that folder.
6 (Next Folder): Press to go to the first track in the next folder. Press this button while in random folder mode to go to the next folder and randomly play the tracks in that folder.
DISP (Display): Press to change between track mode, folder/playlist mode, and ID3 tag. The display shows only eight characters, but there can be up to four pages of text. If there are more than eight characters in the song, folder, or playlist name, pressing this knob within two seconds goes to the next page of text. If there are no other pages to be shown, pressing this button within two seconds goes to the next display mode.
| • | Song name and time of day mode displays the current song name and time of day. |
| • | Folder/playlist mode displays the current folder or playlist number the track number and the elapsed time of the track. |
| • | Song name and track number mode displays the current song name and track number. |
| • | ID3 Tag and folder mode displays the ID3 tag information and the folder number. |
| • | Song and folder mode displays the number of songs in the folder and the folder number. |
BAND: Press to listen to the radio when a CD is playing. The inactive CD remains inside the radio for future listening.
