As above, really. Having read through a load of threads on here and VW forums I've noticed that the above players (and VW's Discover/Discover Pro HUs) tend to not play nice with songs that are transferred from iTunes. Why this is the case is beyond me, given that the vast majority of people at this stage now use iTunes for their album collections.

 

So; with that, I'm wondering is there one definitive software application that rips CDs that, by default; downloads the appropriate tag information and embeds the album cover in the correct way (400 x 400, jpg etc) so that the file will play correctly, with album work and layout, from the get go?

 

I'm wondering if it was all tested using Windows Media Player - unless the techs in Skoda/VW use little known programs for their music ripping?

 

Also. I think the lesson here is not to buy songs from iTunes and get a hold of an original CD. At least that way you're pretty much future proof with ICE. Thanks guys..!

As above, really. Having read through a load of threads on here and VW forums I've noticed that the above players (and VW's Discover/Discover Pro HUs) tend to not play nice with songs that are transferred from iTunes. Why this is the case is beyond me, given that the vast majority of people at this stage now use iTunes for their album collections.

 

the m4a file from itunes has some info attached that blocks it from being read on the unit (the RCD310 in my Scirocco has that problem). Not sure if it thinks it's DRM protected, the files certainly aren't. I had to convert all my itunes tracks to aac. Which is a pita and certainly won't help the quality.

 

I'm wondering if it was all tested using Windows Media Player - unless the techs in Skoda/VW use little known programs for their music ripping?

That's what I use with WMA VBR and works fine in my VW. I have done the same for the new albums which will be played in the Octy (Bolero). I'm sure there are better ones out there but it all depends what you want to do with the mps3 on your PC (use playlists, the library, etc.)

 

 

Also. I think the lesson here is not to buy songs from iTunes and get a hold of an original CD. At least that way you're pretty much future proof with ICE. Thanks guys..!

 

Exactly. I haven't bought anything from itunes (that I can get on a good old fashioned CD) in ages for that reason. And I like the fact of having a CD in my hand instead of a USB stick full of files...just seems wrong. oh my I am old...

I dont think the iTunes comment is as accurate as you may think. Likely for people with Apple devices or people who know little of the variety of options but I'd far from say it's ubiquitous.

 

As to ripping I personally use the following as it's easy to use with plenty of advanced settings to get the quality to file size you want.

 

http://www.audiograbber.org/download.html

 

With the latest Lame.dll installed

 

http://lame1.buanzo.com.ar/

 

And then set up to default to the correct file names and tag information. All dragged down from the DB for tags and artwork.

I use EAC to rip to FLAC - dead easy and fetches track lists and artwork with a couple of clicks.

http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

I think it does other formats too but I've previously used Media Player to rip VBR WMAs or MP3s - wasn't that bothered about artwork for those as I'd use them on my phone or PC.

You can make Itunes produce an mp3 copy of your music, that's what mine does.

 

In preferences: General go to  "When you import a CD" - Import settings and alter it accordingly, mine is set to 192kbps, but you can do a custom setting and set it to 320kbps should you want to.

 

When I download a track from Itunes store I then find by sorting it by bit rate (as it usually downloads at 256kbps), click on it to highlight it, then right click on it and it should somewhere on the menu say "Create mp3 version", then click on it to create the mp3 version, you can do that as many times as you like.

 

For me it was a case of buying my music then selecting all of them, getting Itunes to convert them en-masse and then saving the mp3 versions in one folder and the mp4/aac versions in another. The mp3 versions are the "working versions" of the music which I have transferred to a USB stick and is in my car.

I dont think the iTunes comment is as accurate as you may think. Likely for people with Apple devices or people who know little of the variety of options but I'd far from say it's ubiquitous.

 

Of course if you use your iphone, ipod, ipad, etc to play the music via USB on the Bolero etc. there will be no problem. It's when you don't have any of those players, download the music from itunes and then want to put them on a USB or SDcard to play on the unit. As I said my unit in the Scirocco can't play any of the itunes .m4a files. There is no DRM on them as they play on my android phone and any PC. But when you open the file in a text editor you find your itunes ID and other bits in it and It seems that that piece of the file blocks it from being played on via nonApple devices on certain VAG units.

 

For me it was a case of buying my music then selecting all of them, getting Itunes to convert them en-masse and then saving the mp3 versions in one folder and the mp4/aac versions in another. The mp3 versions are the "working versions" of the music which I have transferred to a USB stick and is in my car.

 

Yes you can (aac or mp3, doesn't matter). What my point was: you pay itunes for a lossy compressed format, and then in order to play on your car unit (in my case with the Canton, resp. the Dynaudio) you have to let itunes reincode in a different format, thus adding another conversion step.

So in my case (and I acknowledge that it will be different for others) I prefer to buy in the best format (CD) then convert once into the format that I can use everywhere.

 

As for the use of Windows Media player: I know that it downloads the artwork as well, since it shows up when playing on my android phone, so I hope that the Bolero in the Octy will also display it.

Edited 10 February, 201511 yr by TomLux

Of course if you use your iphone, ipod, ipad, etc to play the music via USB on the Bolero etc. there will be no problem. It's when you don't have any of those players, download the music from itunes and then want to put them on a USB or SDcard to play on the unit. As I said my unit in the Scirocco can't play any of the itunes .m4a files. There is no DRM on them as they play on my android phone and any PC. But when you open the file in a text editor you find your itunes ID and other bits in it and It seems that that piece of the file blocks it from being played on via nonApple devices on certain VAG units.

 

You realise my comment was in relation to the OP's comment.....?

 

 

Why this is the case is beyond me, given that the vast majority of people at this stage now use iTunes for their album collections.

Edited 10 February, 201511 yr by Astec123

You realise my comment was in relation to the OP's comment.....?

Oh sorry no. I thought your comment was regarding the fact that they have problems playing the files (and thus my explanation as to why), not about the OP's assumption that most people use itunes.

Sorry my bad.

Do really the majority use iTunes?

And why use iTunes if you dont have any iProducts?

 I haven't bought a CD in about 3 years!

 

The last one was a Vangelis Voices.

 

I generally find CDs poor VFM, as there's generally only a few tracks on them that I like or want so it's far more cost effective just to buy (download) the ones I want from either Amazon or Itunes and convert them to a standard 192kpbs mp3 format track, to maintain a standard format across all of my music.

 

That way I know that the Bolero will play my mp3's, I know my PC & mobile will also play them and I can transfer them freely amongst them all without any issues.

Do really the majority use iTunes?

And why use iTunes if you dont have any iProducts?

 

You don't need to have any Apple products to use Itunes, I used to have an Ipod Classic until some feckwit builder went and smashed it.

 

I wish I'd replaced it as you can't get them anymore at least brand new ones without paying through the nose for it, you now have to have a crappy Ipod Touch with loads of rubbish on them.

 

That's why I download from Itunes & Amazon, I can instantly convert them to mp3 using Itunes and I don't have any CD to lose or worry about, the only thing I do is back them up to a 4Tb HDD drive and a 25Gb Blu-ray disc every so often.

You don't need to have any Apple products to use Itunes, I used to have an Ipod Classic until some feckwit builder went and smashed it.

I wish I'd replaced it as you can't get them anymore at least brand new ones without paying through the nose for it, you now have to have a crappy Ipod Touch with loads of rubbish on them.

That's why I download from Itunes & Amazon, I can instantly convert them to mp3 using Itunes and I don't have any CD to lose or worry about, the only thing I do is back them up to a 4Tb HDD drive and a 25Gb Blu-ray disc every so often.

I know you dont need Apple products to use iTunes. I just dont see the point in doing so when you are free from the Apple ecosystem on the hardwareside.

But then again, I really dont like Apple, so that might cloud my judgement some

I don't like Apple either, I haven't been sucked into the sterile Iphone/Ipad world because of Apple's attitude to Bluetooth technology & the lack of a radio on an Iphone or Ipad, but I still use Itunes because I feel it has the best selection of music in its store and it organises the music that I have beautifully.

 

I've tried others and nothing comes near so far, especially when you have say 3 or more tracks with the same title, but by differing artistes. 

I use MediaMonkey, excellent program for ripping, tagging and syncing with all kinds of devices

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Thanks guys for the feedback! I rarely relied on any particular type of software or archiving system until I bought my MkII FL Elegance back in 2010. I specifically ordered the MDI connection and then went out and bought a 5th Gen iPod Nano for it. I have to admit I've since become quite fond of the setup. I'm satisfied with the quality of 'itunes plus' 256kb/s bitrate and have bought a few albums from the store.

 

The problem with converting itunes tracks to mp3 is that you're compressing a song that has already been compressed once before - resulting in more loss. In this day and age we really should have the option of downloading tracks in a lossless format but that aside - if I'm going down the road of a MKIII I want to be able to put the tracks on an SD card as I'd rather not have the iPod sitting in front of the gear stick all of the time (having it hidden in the glovebox was ideal in the MkII!)

 

So people who have used Windows Media Player have had success using it's files in the car. How does it fair with VBR bitrates in the 256/320 range? Same goes for Mediamonkey. Is it straight up easy to use?

 

I'm thinking about getting the Columbus but seeing as the Octy might be getting the bigger screen Bolero/Amundsen soon I might just stick with one of those units instead..!

Edited 11 February, 201511 yr by foregonereality

So people who have used Windows Media Player have had success using it's files in the car. How does it fair with VBR bitrates in the 256/320 range?

I don't think the player you use to convert makes any difference. While LAME should give you better mp3 than the WMplayer, they will be just as recognisable for the car unit as the ones made with mediamonkey, etc. The format and the settings within within that format have more effects. Since WMA VBR with the highest setting is 240-355kbps, yet the Bolero, Columbus et al should only read up to 320kbps I wonder if those files are potentially vulnerable. I'll have mine on Monday and will test around since I now have pretty much every format on my SDCard that WMplayer lets me do. That said I have successfully used WMA VBR and mp3 in the unit in the Scirocco (pretty much the same specs on those VAG units without satnav). Only problem files I ever had were those m4a files from itunes.

What to use? 320 kbps VBR or CBR? For quality.

Edited 11 February, 201511 yr by borchgrevink

Another thumbs up for EAC. I ripped all my CDs to FLAC with this - adds tags, album art and checks that it's an accurate rip all in one. If you don't want to lose any info and save storage space, FLAC is the way to go.