SD Card Gapless Playback Issues

[SkudMissile21]

Just recently upgraded to a mk3 sportline 280 (and what an upgrade!) so was planning to move on from my trusty iPod classic 6th gen (with its 128gb sd card upgrade) to what should be a much easier solution - the SD card in the glove box’s Columbus MIB2.5 unit.

after several evenings editing tags and album art with mp3tag I’ve finally got everything sorted and displaying the art properly (had a whole bunch of albums with the wrong versions of art even though it was there and embedded at 600x600...) but I still have an issue with continuous / gapless playback for my vast collection of mix albums (and some rock ones etc that seamlessly blend tracks).

I had this issue on my old Kenwood in the last car but as I had the iPod it didn’t matter. In this case I’ve discovered the iPod actually works perfectly plugged into the cars USB port but there are two downsides to that, 1 - can no longer use CarPlay/charge my iPhone without separate charger and 2 - I have to select albums the long way through the database menus rather than just clicking on the album art.

I’ve updated the software using the Skoda portal (gather that is just maps).

curiously the same sd card plays gapless in my wife’s 2016 Fabia (Bolero?) so I’m guessing it’s a head unit firmware problem so wondered if anyone has this working?

Some short videos below showing the various tests:

Test 1 is Fabia working gapless:

 

Test 2 is superb iPod working gapless:

 

Test 3 is superb SD with the annoying gap:

 

 

Also I have tried multiple file formats including a cd which was also ripped to flax, m4a, mp3 and wav - only the cd plays ok and copying files to the internal jukebox makes no difference.
I’m planning on hitting my local dealers with a request to see if this can be sorted with a firmware update but would like to get as much info as possible so if anyone can shed some light it would be much appreciated!

screenshots of both cars firmware info below.

[SkudMissile21]

Called in my local dealers today and logged this with a view to them sending an email to Skoda technical to see if there’s an easy answer but would still be interested to hear from any mk3 owners using the sd card for music if the issue is there and also to compare the firmware versions of the units?

[SkudMissile21]

Bump.....

surely someone else out there must be able to at least tell me if theirs just works and if so what software number they have???

[Just]

Sorry Skud, I'm not sure whether I should've ripped my cds in a certain way to get gapless - but would be interested to see if you get a fix - be nice to hear albums like The Beatles - Abbey Road without the annoying gaps!

[langers2k]

I can't remember the last time I played music from a SD card.

 

Still, if you can upload the files somewhere, I'm happy to try the same experiment on a MIB2.5 Amundsen running SW:0478

[SkudMissile21]

3 hours ago, langers2k said:

I can't remember the last time I played music from a SD card.

 

Still, if you can upload the files somewhere, I'm happy to try the same experiment on a MIB2.5 Amundsen running SW:0478

Sure I can find a way to upload a couple of consecutive tracks to try, I know they are gapless as I have analysed them with wav editing software and when pasted together directly they play with no gap or stutter at all (I used to do quite a bit of wav editing back in my clubbing days so know all about that!) and obviously the fact they play fine in my wife’s car (which I’m assuming is a bolero as it has no sat nav and only an sd slot in the glove box (no CD player or separate head unit/controller like the mib2.5 unit I have).

I might create another thread in the audio section with a link back to here as well, maybe I’m not reaching a big enough audience for a response though I don’t know how many other models would have the same head unit hence posting it in the superb section.

[langers2k]

Looking online, there are certainly scans from both Superbs and Kodiaqs with a 565035021B headunit fitted.

 

At least one Superb, seems to have the same headunit with newer software installed (1240 vs 1163) as per this scan: https://forums.ross-tech.com/index.php?threads/18783/#post-165899

 

No idea if it'll help the gapless issue. A dealer might perform the update although I expect @pab567 might be a better bet...

[BriskodaJeff]

Hi @SkudMissile21 just to confirm my MY17 L&K has the same gaps. Annoying for live albums for sure. Would be interested if you find a fix.

[SkudMissile21]

Quick update, nothing from the dealers in over a week (and not expecting anything either tbh...) but I found the thread on updating the amundsen units in the octavia 3 section so sent my versions to Pab567 who kindly sent back a link to the later 1440 version which I have successfully installed.

unfortunately it’s made no difference to the playback issue so I’m guessing I’m stuck with that.

Thankfully for me I am able to continue using my iPod classic 6th gen plugged in on the usb and play albums without gaps but this does rule out me ever using CarPlay with my iPhone. I’ll still keep the SD card loaded with albums as the interface for finding things on there is a lot better than either the iPod usb one or even the CarPlay usb and I don’t like the Bluetooth streaming interface at all as it does not seem to display album art and is horrible to navigate around. Guess I still have the option to fill my phone with music and use the plugged in car play but that’s an extra faff every time I get in the car that I don’t really want.

 

Edited 4 October, 2020 by SkudMissile21
Added screenshot

[themacster]

I suffer with gaps between tracks too, ripped all my CDs to flac and mp3 and put mp3s on SD card. Very annoying.

[SkudMissile21]

I’ve pretty much given up on this being fixed for now.

after speaking to the dealer technician about this he confirmed he’s seen the issue before and there has been no fix.

claimed it was likely due to being different hardware the reason my wife’s Fabia does play Gapless vs my Columbus not.

I have accepted I just need to use my phone for mix albums now so I alternate between that and use the sd card for shuffle playlists that mostly don’t have Gapless issues (such as my rock or now album playlists).

when I want to listen to a bit of trance etc I just use the phone, I’ve slowly got used to the idea and have actually put the iPod in the glove box as it’s not been used for over a month now.

[john999boy]

6 minutes ago, SkudMissile21 said:

when I want to listen to a bit of trance etc

Totally OT but any albums, artistes or streams that you recommend?

[SkudMissile21]

7 hours ago, john999boy said:

Totally OT but any albums, artistes or streams that you recommend?

I don’t use streams, latest ones I downloaded were armin van beuren’s a state of trance 2019 and 2020 which are both pretty good.

it’s getting harder to find decent mixed stuff these days since today’s generation don’t seem to be clubbers like mine were!

[Donkiwi]

Hi guys

 

Hey I'm a newbie on this and mildly off topic. I want to rip some of my CD collection onto SD card/s and upload to the jukebox (Canton system in a MkIII Siperb). Can anyone point me to guide (at 101 level LOL)? Looking for insight into what quality to rip (lossless or not?), what size of SD cards I need, will the track listings and artwork port across, etc., etc. 

 

Many thanks, cheers Don