Using an MP3 Radio with CD or Six-Disc CD Player
MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc
The radio plays MP3 files that were recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. The files can be recorded with the following fixed bit rates: 32 kbps, 40 kbps, 56 kbps, 64 kbps, 80 kbps, 96 kbps, 112 kbps, 128 kbps, 160 kbps, 192 kbps, 224 kbps, 256 kbps, and 320 kbps or a variable bit rate. Song title, artist name, and album are available for display by the radio when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2.
Compressed Audio
The radio also plays discs that contain both uncompressed CD audio (.CDA files) and MP3 files. By default the radio shows the MP3 label on the left side of the screen but plays both file formats in the order in which they were recorded to the disc.
MP3 Format
If you burn your own MP3 disc on a personal computer:
| • | Make sure the MP3 files are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. |
| • | Do not mix standard audio and MP3 files on one disc. |
| • | The CD player is able to read and play a maximum of 50 folders, 15 playlists, and 512 folders and files. |
| • | 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. |
| • | Avoid subfolders. The system can support up to eight subfolders deep, however, keep the total number of folders to a minimum in order to reduce the complexity and confusion in trying to locate a particular folder during playback. |
| • | Make sure playlists have a .m3u or .wpl extension (other file extensions might not work). |
| • | Minimize the length of the file, folder, or playlist names. Long file, folder, or playlist names, or a combination of a large number of files and folders, or playlists could cause the player to be unable to play up to the maximum number of files, folders, playlists, or sessions. If you wish to play a large number of files, folders, playlists or sessions, minimize the length of the file, folder, or playlist name. Long names also take up more space on the display, potentially getting cut off. |
| • | Finalize the audio disc before you burn it. Trying to add music to an existing disc could cause the disc not to function in the player. |
You can change playlists by using the (previous) and (next) folder buttons, the knob, or the SEEK arrows. You can also play an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW that was recorded using no file folders. If a CD-R or CD-RW contains more than the maximum of 50 folders, 15 playlists, and 512 folders and files, the player lets you access and navigate up to the maximum, but all items over the maximum are not accessible.
Root Directory
The root directory of the CD-R is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio files, the directory displays as the CD label. All files contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any root directory folders. However, playlists (Px) are always accessed before root folders or files.
If a disc contains both uncompressed CD audio (.CDA) and MP3 files, a folder under the root directory called CD accesses all of the CD audio tracks on the disc.
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. The empty folder does not display.
No Folder
When the CD-R or CD-RW contains only compressed files, the files are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder function does not display on a CD-R or CD-RW that was recorded without folders or playlists.
When the CD-R or CD-RW contains only playlists and compressed audio files, but no folders, all files are located under the root folder. The folder down and up buttons search playlists (Px) first and then goes to the root folder.
Order of Play
Tracks recorded to the CD-R or CD-RW 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. |
| • | Play begins from the first track in the first folder and continues sequentially through all tracks in each folder. When the last track of the last folder has played, play continues from the first track of the first folder. |
When play enters a new folder, the display does not automatically show the new folder name unless you have chosen the folder mode as the default display. 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. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the filename does not display.
Preprogrammed Playlists
Preprogrammed playlists that were created using WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited using the radio. These playlists are treated as special folders containing compressed audio song files.
Playing an MP3
Insert a CD-R or CD-RW partway into the slot (Single CD Player), or press the load button and wait for the message to insert disc (Six-Disc CD Player), label side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R or CD-RW should begin playing.
If you turn off the ignition or radio with a CD-R in the player it stays in the player. When you turn on the ignition or radio, the CD-R starts to play where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
As each new track starts to play, the track number and song title displays.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CD-Rs/CD-CD-RWs with an adapter ring. Full-size CD-Rs or CD-RWs and the smaller CD-Rs or CD-RWs are loaded in the same manner.
If playing a CD-R or CD-RW , the sound quality could be reduced due to CD-R or CD-RW quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R or CD-RW has been handled. There could be an increase in skipping, difficulty in finding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD does not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs and DVDs for more information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
Notice: If a label is added to a CD, or more than one CD is inserted into the slot at a time, or an attempt is made to play scratched or damaged CDs, the CD player could be damaged. While using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris.
Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen.
If an error displays, see "CD Messages" later in this section.
EJECT: Press the EJECT button to eject CD-R(s) or CD-RW(s). To eject the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently playing, press and release the EJECT button. A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. The CD-R or CD-RW can be removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R or CD-RW automatically pulls back into the player and begins playing. For the Six-Disc CD player, press and hold the EJECT button for two seconds to eject all discs.(Tune): Turn the knob to select MP3 files on the CD-R currently playing.
SEEK : Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current MP3 file, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next MP3 file. If either the left or right SEEK arrow is held or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through MP3 files on the CD.
(Previous Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the first track in the previous folder.
(Next Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the first track in the next folder.
REV (Reverse): Press and hold the REV button to reverse playback quickly within an MP3 file. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the REV button to resume playing the file. The elapsed time of the file displays.
FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold the FWD button to advance playback quickly within an MP3 file. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the FWD button to resume playing the file. The elapsed time of the file displays.
RDM (Random): With the random setting, MP3 files on the CD-R or CD-RW can be listened to in random, rather than sequential order, on one CD-R or CD-RW or all discs in a six-disc CD player. To use random, do one of the following:
- To play MP3 files from the CD-R or CD-RW you are listening to in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play.
- To play songs from all CDs loaded in a six-disc CD player in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Randomize All Discs displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play.
BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD is playing. The CD remains safely inside the radio for future listening.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button to play a CD when listening to the radio. The CD icon and a message showing disc and/or track number displays when a CD is in the player. Press this button again and the system automatically searches for an auxiliary input device such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, "No Input Device Found" displays.
Using an MP3 Radio with CD and DVD Player
MP3/WMA CD-R or CD-RW Disc
Compressed Audio or Mixed Mode Discs
The radio also plays discs that contain both uncompressed CD audio (.CDA files) and MP3/WMA files depending on which slot the disc is loaded into. By default the radio reads only the uncompressed audio (.CDA) and ignores the MP3/WMA files on the DVD deck. On the CD deck, pressing the CAT (category) button toggles between compressed and uncompressed audio format, the default being the uncompressed format (.CDA).
MP3/WMA Format
If you burn your own MP3/WMA disc on a personal computer:
| • | Make sure the MP3/WMA files are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. |
| • | Do not mix standard audio and MP3/WMA files on one disc. |
| • | The CD player (lower slot) is able to read and play a maximum combination of 512 files and folders. The DVD player (upper slot) is able to read 255 folders, 15 playlists and 40 sessions. |
| • | 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. |
| • | Avoid subfolders. The system can support up to eight subfolders deep, however, keep the total number of folders to a minimum in order to reduce the complexity and confusion in trying to locate a particular folder during playback. |
| • | Make sure playlists have a .m3u, .wpl or .pls extension as other file extensions might not work. |
| • | Minimize the length of the file, folder or playlist names. Long file, folder, or playlist names, or a combination of a large number of files and folders, or playlists could cause the player to be unable to play up to the maximum number of files, folders, playlists, or sessions. If you wish to play a large number of files, folders, playlists, or sessions, minimize the length of the file, folder, or playlist name. Long names also take up more space on the display, potentially getting cut off. |
| • | Finalize the audio disc before you burn it. Trying to add music to an existing disc could cause the disc not to function in the player. |
Root Directory
The root directory of the CD-R or CD-RW is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio files, the directory is displayed as F1 ROOT. All files contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any root directory folders. However, playlists (Px) are always 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. The empty folder does not display.
No Folder
When the CD-R or CD-RW contains only compressed files, the files are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder function does not function on a CD-R or CD-RW that was recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT.
When the CD-R or CD-RW contains only playlists and compressed audio files, but no folders, all files are located under the root folder. The folder down and the folder up buttons search playlists (Px) first and then goes to the root folder. When the radio displays the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT.
Order of Play
Tracks recorded to the CD-R or CD-RW 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. |
| • | Play begins from the first track in the first folder and continues sequentially through all tracks in each folder. When the last track of the last folder has played, play continues from the first track of the first folder. |
When play enters a new folder, the display does not automatically show the new folder name unless you have chosen the folder mode as the default display. The new track name displays.
File System and Naming
The song name that is displayed 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. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the filename displays.
Preprogrammed Playlists
Preprogrammed playlists that were created using WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited using the radio. These playlists are treated as special folders containing compressed audio song files.
Playing an MP3/WMA (In Either the DVD or CD Slot)
Insert a CD-R or CD-RW partway into either the top or bottom slot, label side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R or CD-RW should begin playing.
Depending on the format of the disc, a softkey menu appears and allows navigation of the disc. The menu reads left to right as RDM (Randomize song play order), a Folder icon with left and right arrows (to move up or down through available folders), a PL tag if the disc has a Playlist available, and a Music Navigator tag. If a Playlist tag is shown, toggling this key brings up a Folder softkey only or the menu as previously described.
If you turn off the ignition or radio with a CD-R or CD-RW in the player it stays in the player. When you turn on the ignition or radio, the CD-R starts to play where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.
As each new track starts to play, the track number and song title displays.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CD-Rs or CD-RWs with an adapter ring. Full-size CD-Rs or CD-RWs and the smaller CD-Rs or CD-RWs are loaded in the same manner.
If playing a CD-R or CD-RW, the sound quality could be reduced due to CD-R or CD-RW quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R or CD-RW has been handled. There could be an increase in skipping, difficulty in finding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs and DVDs for more information.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
Notice: If a label is added to a CD, or more than one CD is inserted into the slot at a time, or an attempt is made to play scratched or damaged CDs, the CD player could be damaged. While using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris.
Do not add any label to a CD. It could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen.
If an error displays, see "CD Messages" later in this section.
CD (Eject): Press and release the CD button to eject the CD-R that is currently playing in the bottom slot. A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. The CD-R or CD-RW can be removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R or CD-RW automatically pulls back into the player. If loading and reading of a CD cannot be completed, such as unknown format, etc., and the disc fails to eject, press and hold the CD button for more than five seconds to force the disc to eject.DVD (Eject): Press and release the DVD button to eject the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently playing in the top slot. A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected, Remove Disc displays. The CD-R or CD-RW can be removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed, after several seconds, the CD-R automatically pulls back into the player. If loading and reading of a CD cannot be completed, such as unknown format, etc., and the disc fails to eject, press and hold the DVD button for more than five seconds to force the disc to eject.
(Tune): Turn the knob to select MP3 files on the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently playing.
SEEK : Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the start of the current MP3/WMA file, if more than five seconds have played. If less than five seconds have played, the previous MP3/WMa file plays. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to the next MP3/WMA file. If either the left or right SEEK arrow is held, or pressed multiple times, the player continues moving backward or forward through the MP3/WMA files on the CD.
(Previous Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the first track in the previous folder.
(Next Folder): Press the pushbutton positioned under the Folder label to go to the first track in the next folder.
REV (Reverse): Press and hold the REV button to reverse playback quickly within an MP3 file. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the REV button to resume playing the file. The elapsed time of the file displays.
FWD (Fast Forward): Press and hold the FWD button to advance playback quickly within an MP3/WMA file. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the FWD button to resume playing the file. The elapsed time of the file displays.
RDM (Random): With the random setting, MP3/WMA files on the CD-R or CD-RW can be listened to in random, rather than sequential order. To play MP3/WMA files from the CD-R or CD-RW you are listening to in random order, press the pushbutton positioned under the RDM label until Random Current Disc displays. Press the same pushbutton again to turn off random play.
(Music Navigator): Use the music navigator feature to play MP3/WMA files on the CD-R or CD-RW in order by artist or album. Press the pushbutton located below the music navigator label. The player scans the disc to sort the files by artist and album ID3 tag information. It could take several minutes to scan the disc depending on the number of MP3/WMA files recorded to the CD-R or CD-RW. To cancel music navigator while the player is scanning, press the pushbutton located below the music navigator label or eject the disc. The radio can begin playing while it is scanning the disc in the background. When the scan is finished, the CD-R or CD-RW begins playing again. Once the disc has been scanned, the player defaults to playing MP3/WMA files in order by artist. The current artist playing is shown on the second line of the display between the arrows. If you want to listen to MP3/WMA files by another artist, press the pushbutton located below either arrow button. The disc goes to the next or previous artist in alphabetical order. Continue pressing either button until the desired artist is displayed. To change from playback by artist to playback by album, press the pushbutton located below the Sort By label. From the sort screen, push one of the buttons below the album button. Press the pushbutton below the back label to return to the main music navigator screen. Now the album name displays on the second line between the arrows and songs from the current album begin to play. Once all songs from that album are played, the player moves to the next album in alphabetical order on the CD-R or CD-RW and begins playing MP3/WMA files from that album. To exit music navigator mode, press the pushbutton below the Back label to return to normal MP3/WMA playback.
BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD or a DVD is playing. The CD or DVD remains inside the radio for future listening or viewing entertainment.
DVD/CD AUX (Auxiliary): Press this button to cycle through DVD, CD, or Auxiliary when listening to the radio. The DVD/CD text label and a message showing track or chapter number displays when a disc is in either slot. Press this button again and the system automatically searches for an auxiliary input device, such as a portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not connected, "No Aux Input Device" displays. If a disc is in both the DVD slot and the CD slot the DVD/CD AUX button cycles between the two sources and not indicate "No Aux Input Device". If a front auxiliary device is connected, the DVD/CD AUX button cycles through all available options, such as: DVD slot, CD slot, Front Auxiliary, and Rear Auxiliary (if available). See "Using the Auxiliary Input Jack(s)" later in this section, or "Audio/Video (A/V) Jacks" under, Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) System for more information. If a MP3/WMA is inserted into top DVD slot, the rear seat operator can turn on the video screen and use the remote control to navigate the CD (tracks only) through the remote control.
