Hey, I was wondering if anyone else plays MP3 Cd's in their RL and used the voice command feature with it. I noticed that voice command only goes up to track 30, so you can't issue a command past that. For example, "MP3 Play Track 69." I wondered if it ever occurred to the programmers that a 700MB CD can hold way more than 30 tracks in the mp3 format. Should this be listed in the sticky as a "quirk or annoyance"? Anyhow, it just doesn't make sense that you can jump around 255 channels of XM, but not more than 30 tracks on an MP3 CD. Also, does anyone know if the RL will play a DVD+R or DVD-R??? I don't have a DVD burner to try out, but 4GB of mp3's per disc in a 6 disc changer would be awesome. Who needs an iPod?

 

Doesn't play MP3s on DVD media unless you convert the files into DVD-A tracks. That only gives you ~99 tracks per disc.

However, it is much faster (and potentially better quality) than sorting through 99+ MP3s on a CD.

 

Have you actually done this? What software did you use to make a DVD-A disk?

I tried making a DVD MP3 disk with Nero, but it wasn't recognized by the RL. If anyone figures out how to play DVD MP3 disks and cared to share how to do it on the forum, I would be forever grateful.

-Mark

 

DVDs with MP3 files are not going to play. No way around that; at least not today.

To make a DVD-A disc, you need DVD-A authoring software like Steinberg WaveLab5 to convert the MP3s into DVD-A tracks. I have used this software with great success. I usually get 99 songs (tracks) in 24-bit audio, converted from 320kbps MP3 files.

There are a ton of posts on this software and DVD-A in the 3rd Gen TL (Electronics) forum.

 

And if you use a Mac, you can use DiscWelder BRONZE (about $85 online) to make DVD-Audio discs. Obviously, you need a DVD burner. But you can use stereo files (like AIFF that you convert up from mp3 files) or, if you have them, 5 channel audio sources. Again, you are limited by the format itself to 99 tracks per disc.

 

Big question....

Where are you guys getting MP3s at 320kbps?

Are you simply converting them from CD tracks?

I have been playing MP3 tracks in my RL. I download
them from YAHOO UNLIMITED MUSIC SERVICE and the
software converts them to .WAV or comperable format.

No, they don't stay as an MP3 on the CD so I am only
getting 20 songs per disc.

The RL displays the CD and song title. Neat!

Yahoo is the only *legal* music service that offers all
their tracks at 192 kbps which sounds a hell of a lot
better than 128 kbps.

Wish I could find something that offers downloadable
songs at 320kbps.

 

Yes, most are direct from CDs.

You should keep them as MP3 files (Data disc). You will be able to get nearly 10x the number of songs per disc if they are in 192kbps.

 

ASP,

Thanks for the response.

I suppose my fear is that I want the title of the song
featured in the audio/nav display window. Not certain
it will do that in MP3 form.

Also, if the display is limited to 30 tracks it makes no sense
to put more than that on a single CD if my goal is title display.

 

NJRonnbo,

I am pretty sure the display will show the title for all songs. I have one CD with approximately 140 songs, selected random play and I believe the display showed the title for track # 133, 142, etc.
I believe the original post referred to voice commands, where it won't regognize "play track 50". I havent' tried that yet but will later today. If any of this is wrong I will post a correction later today.

 

The top display only shows "MP3" for me.

All track titiles show up in the main display and in the folder list.

You can also have a Album name show up. Takes a little hack though. Basically have to make a short (.5 second) MP3 with the title of your choice as the first track.

Something link this on the main display:

Album: RL Mix One
Track: Green Day - Blvd of Broken Dreams

 

If you create an mp3 disc, all titles will appear in the nav display area listed 1-whatever. You can always find the selection you want using the selection dial. The RL's voice system will even read the title(s) you select. And BTW, encoding at higher rates doesn't always provide better listening. Only if all other factors, including the digital source, are equal will higher rates produce cleaner sound. For example, the iTunes store uses AAC encoding which allows lower rates for sound that equals higher mp3 encoding values. Apple also offers "loss-less" encoding which allows no audible degradation of the digital signal. But you won't get nearly as many tracks on a CD.

 

I agree with you 100%. The top display only shows "MP3".
I should have said "nav/main screen" instead of display
I now realize that display refers to one thing and the nav/ main screen refers to another. Sorry! I am new here and have a lot to learn.

 

I have also been playing mp3 files. I have more than 110 tracks on a disc and it was not full when I stopped downloading to the disc.

I used 'd-amp' software. Got it from searching CNET and downloading for a 30 day trial. Since it is only a trial version I didn't have all the options but it works well enuff for a trial. That's how I discovered that the voice command doesn't cover all the tracks on my disc also. I agree it was very shortsighted of Acura to not realize that mp3 technology allows for hundreds of titles.

 

Man oh man it looks like Acura (or whoever they bought their stereo from) dropped the ball on this one. They have a DVD drive and data capability and they can't deal with plain old mp3s or mwas, oggs, whatever on a DVD? That's silly. I currrently use a Creative Zen Touch with 20 GB harddisk that I spliced into the CD changer wiring in my S4. Never going back to disks or radio, what a relief. Simply load up my music and hit 'random play all'. Always something good on the stereo. Looking back it's amazing I survived for so long listening to crummy FM (what a joke that is).

So, does anyone know if some kind of iPod/aux adapter exists for the RL? I'd rather not go the radio route. Tried that and it positively sucked. Maybe because the SF Bay Area is saturated with radio stations, not sure.

The RL's player really should be able to navigate DVDs with directories of audio files of various formats. And be able to play playlists of course. I can imagine a German car being stuck in the 90s but a Japanese?