Is there any kind of rule for placing files on the SDCARD when using the columbus? I have files in a sub folder on the card. The only thing that happens when I stick in the card at the moments is a 'reading card' spah screen followed by nothing....

Cheers

Chris

You cannot use a card larger than 2GB or labelled as SDHC in the columbus.

You cannot use a card larger than 2GB or labelled as SDHC in the columbus.

2G non SDHC....

Cheers for the almost instant reply though!

Chris

What format are the files currently in, are they VBR or CBR.

I would make a folder for each album, and copy the album files into each one. Thats worked on all mp3 hu's I have tried.

I normally have them in a folder named as the album.

Have you selected the SD card as a source?

Files must be MP3 or WMA.

I normally have them in a folder named as the album.

Have you selected the SD card as a source?

Files must be MP3 or WMA.

Right, this is where it gets interesting. They are .FLAC files which are lossless. They should (according to the web) play on all audio readers that can read mp3 (they are simply lossless mp3's)

I can't select the SD card as a sources as its greyed out.

Cheers!

I dont know a single HU that can play .FLAC files, maybe reencode them as .mp3 and see what happens.

I think you found your problem.

I dont know a single HU that can play .FLAC files, maybe reencode them as .mp3 and see what happens.

Ok, seems the sensible way forward. Was hoping i was doing something wrong rather than the format of the files!

Cheers

Chris

Put them in highest quality MP3 format. In the car you won't tell the difference between flac and high quality mp3. Make sure not to over spec the bitrate, I think the max is 320kb/s.

I think you found your problem.

Ah, well the columbus had its chance. Back to MP£'s from now on

Chris

Right, this is where it gets interesting. They are .FLAC files which are lossless. They should (according to the web) play on all audio readers that can read mp3 (they are simply lossless mp3's)

I can't select the SD card as a sources as its greyed out.

Cheers!

if that actually is the case that any mp3 decoder can read them, then it may just simply be a case of renaming them to .mp3 rath than .flac

if that actually is the case that any mp3 decoder can read them, then it may just simply be a case of renaming them to .mp3 rath than .flac

Well that's what I thought....ok' i'll try a global remame of the extensions...

Chris

FLAC is not simply "losless MP3"

FLAC and MP3 are different audio codecs altogether

If you have not used "lossy" codecs before such as MP3 then don;t take anecdotal evidence about one bitrate being better than another as gospel.

...listen for yourself with the same track encoded at difference bitrates and determine at what point you yourself start to notice degradation in sound quality......one person may say they will notice below 256kbps another may say they listen to 128kbps and it sounds fine to them...we all have different ears

basically use the lowest bitrate you can with qacceptable sound quality ot you, becasue this will mean you can fit more tracks in the saem amount of storage space

BTW never trasncode from one lossy codec to another or one bitrate of mp3 to another bitrate, always ecnode from the original source if at all possible...transcoding will just result in encoding being even more lossy, sort of a cummulative effect....