MP3 CDs

[Paul_Sc]

I have an Octavia with the stream MP3 radio. Make a CD with MP3s on it I thought, nice and easy. The manual says just burn a normal CD with MP3s in a folder. Again, nice and easy I thought.

Sadly not. The car won't read them.

I think it is to do with bitrate and that I have encoded them at the wrong rate. Can someone tell me exactly what format is correct because the manual doesn't give any details. My old Mazda gave exact details of format, datarate, and folder structure that the Cd needed to be.

Any help gratefully received so I don't keep having to burn test CDs

cheers

PSc

[psycholist]

For MP3's it shouldn't really matter what bitrate etc. you use as the MP3 standard can deal with a wide range. Most MP3's are between 128 and 320 bits/sec in my experience. My radio is not MP3 ready though, so I've only done this with a previous Sony radio and one I got from Aldi for another car. One thing worth trying is using a different brand of CD. Some of the writable CD's are too transparent for the Laser in certain radios to read reliably. Hold the CD up to bright light preferably side by side with a mass produced music CD - If the writable CD is noticeably more transparent that could be the reason it's not reading (Most CD's are slightly transparent incidentally)...

[andymcpherson24]

Are you using the CD player built into the radio and not the disc changer? The disc changer will not play mp3's

[Evening Star]

How did you create the disc?

The best method to use is Data.

Load up your software with all the tracks you want and when it comes to burn speed, choose a low one. I'm not suggesting 1x that would take hours & hours although the burn quality would be superb!

I would recommend on a 48x disc, choose 16x burn speed, then when written don't forget to finalize it otherwise it won't be readable.

[Pozza]

I have an MP3 stream and i use Nero software to burn my mp3's onto cd. I use it at the standard bit rate and speed it automatically selects and it works absolutely no problems

[modra_vrs]

don't forget to finalize it otherwise it won't be readable.

You don't actually need to finalise it I have found. You must finalise if you convert the MP3 to an Audio CD format.

Sh*te quality CD's do however mean less chance of success, I only use Sony 48x (cos I got a box of 100 from Woolworths for £3 on closing day.)

[apd007]

Does the head unit actually have mp3 written on it?

Other than that, as above, use decent quality CD's burn at a slow rate. You don't have to finalise the disc for mp3's, oh, and burn as data not audio.

[dorfl]

If you look in the Manual for the Cruise or Swing radios you'll get the following requirements. File name length bit me at first.

Requirements for the MP3 data and data carrier

• 650 MB and 700 MB CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW.

• The CDs must correspond to the ISO 9660 Level 2 standard as well as the Joliet data system (single and multi-session).

• Data names must be no longer than 64 characters.

• The list structure is restricted to a depth of 8 list levels.

• The name of the artist, the album and the title of the reproduced MP3 data can

be shown as ID3 tag, providing this information is available. The list and data name

will be displayed if there is no ID3 tag.

[Paul_Sc]

Most of my files are at 384kps (yes - audio geek).

I am creating the disks by just burning a data disk in Nero and chucking some MP3s onto it. I will try the options of slowing down the burn and also dropping the data rate on some test ones + a different brand of CDs and see what happens.

I am using the radio rather than the changer and it does say Stream MP3 on the front of it.

[Simon TDI Sport]

Are you using the CD player built into the radio and not the disc changer? The disc changer will not play mp3's

My 6 disc changer plays mp3 CD's with no problems.

[cbr600]

Downloaded some mp3 tracks today from torrent site put onto disc via i tunes and works fine in my stream.

[Paul_Sc]

hmmmm, most odd. I used itunes to burn a CD at 4x speed and the head unit just said CD Error and the changer said: CD-ROM, but neither would play it. This was with MP3s at 384kps and 192k

What brand of CDRs have people used? I have been using phillips, Staples and imation. Phillips and Staples are very see thru, but the imations aren't too bad

PSc

[gadgetman]

Paul, they are MP3 and not WMA arent they?

[Timmyboy]

My 6 disc changer plays mp3 CD's with no problems.

Unless you've replaced it with some after market changer, it shouldn't do

Remember we're talking about CDs full of MP3 files, not audio CDs that have been burnt from MP3 files.

Depending on the bit rate, you can fit well over 100 tracks on one CD for example.

[apd007]

I think it is starting to look like the head unit is faulty tbh.

[gregoir]

My Bolero can apparently cope with both MP3 and WMA files. Using WMA with an SD card at present.

[darrenw]

The tip I'd give is only use quality discs from reputable manufactures rather than supermarket 'bargins'.

Not all CD's are born the same.

[Reds]

I ripped my entire CD collection to WMA instead of MP3 - the Stream wouldn't recognise this format, so I had to re-rip as MP3 ( after I changed the settings in Windows Media). When I copied these to disc for the car, they played fine in the Stream - irrespective of disc type, burn speed, and bitrate.

[mannyo]

I only use the cheapest of the cheap CD's and never had a problrm, after all once you have finished with the disk the chances are its going to end up in with the rubbish as mine do, so no point in spending a fortune.

[martziniuk]

Do they play cdrw discs?

[Dan Clancy]

hmmmm, most odd. I used itunes to burn a CD at 4x speed and the head unit just said CD Error and the changer said: CD-ROM, but neither would play it. This was with MP3s at 384kps and 192k

What brand of CDRs have people used? I have been using phillips, Staples and imation. Phillips and Staples are very see thru, but the imations aren't too bad

PSc

I notice that you mention itunes for burning. If your track list includes any purchased itunes tracks you'll probably only be able to burn in standard audio format i.e. max approx 25 tracks per cd. I think its one of those annoying features that apple have used to stop tonnes of stuff going from one pc to another with relative ease.

I have an Audience unit with in-dash 6 cd changer and had the same error message when I burned purchased tracks in data format.

Re the CDRs I have only used imations and have never had any bother

[mannyo]

Ah, just noticed the mention of itunes. The native itunes format is NOT mp3, but AAC. AAC files (M4A or M4B extension) cannot be played on the MP3 headunits unless burnt as normal audio CDs.

[Paul_Sc]

Many thanks for the advice. I have tried burning CDs with i-tunes and with Roxio CD-Creator. The source files are definitely MP3 because I create everything with audio-grabber and the lame encoder. I only used i-tunes as a test.

I have tried CDs from tesco, phillips and imation and all do the same whether encoded at 128kbs, 192, or 384. It just spits the disk out.

It is going in to Skoda tomorrow to have it's lights converted for driving in Euroland (still need to find the instructions so I can do this myself), so I will take Cds with me and try them with their cars.

Interestingly, when I spoke to them on the phone they said that apparently Skoda don't recommend CD-Rs and if you get one jammed in your head unit, it isn't covered by the warrantee. So how you are meant to create your own MP3 CDs I don't know.

Perhaps it is that the head unit is faulty. Most odd and annoying.

PSc

[gadgetman]

The light instructions are on here if you search for them

[IJWS15]

Light instructions are on here - make sure you have a long electrical screwdriver, piece of cake after a couple of practices. If the dealer does it don't allow them any more than 10 minutes for the job, I can do it in 5!

I use Cheap CDs and Windows Media Player, files ripped at 128kbits??

Have 100 tracks on one CD --no folders

about 12 cds in folders on another.

Both play happily in the Ocavia and her Fiesta, also played in a Corsa (now getting MP3 discs right for them is difficult)