MP3 Disk Burning - How To - Page 2 - Benzworld.org

gpit · 10-03-2005, 05:37 PM

Thx for your thoughts, gmabli. Yes, I've never encountered commercial MP3's, either (hadn't thought of that as a test.....!).

Once I'm a little more clued-up on it I'll drop in to the dealer next w/end and do a bit more questioning though I dont expect too much success, for the reason you outlined.

The E280, here, it seems, doesn't come with the Comand system (Aust$7K option!!), only the E350/500/55's have it standard. Anyway, now the initial rush is over, I'll spend an evening reading the manuals and see if they make a similar comment for non-Comand, as you quoted re MP3 burning for your Comand system.

By the way, you mention "in-dash MP3 players" - I presume you mean the normal CD + stacker unit, but it just includes s/ware to read the MP3 coding, in addition to the normal Cd .cda code - not a separate physical unit?.

BTW I recollect a thread in these pages talking about overcoming problems of non-playing of MP3 files (when it should have) by ensuring you do not have a mix of formats on the same CD e.g. MP3 plus CDEA plus wav for instance.

Cheers, G.

**ttaleric** · 10-03-2005, 05:44 PM

I would like to add... That if you are trying to get your Itunes music .m4p or .aac format to .mp3 there is a sweet little proggie called JHymn... Just if you guys are wondering!

gmabli · 10-03-2005, 07:35 PM

Yes, gpit, I'm referring to the in dash unit that is part of the COMAND as opposed to the 6-CD changers in the glove box. I believe the changers don't play MP3's on any model.

And yes, you cannot mix formats. The MP3 players ONLY play MP3 files and not AAC or AIFF files. As mentioned elsewhere, there are plenty of free converter programs to convert AAC or others to MP3 including the grandaddy of all, iTunes.

Let me know if you have any more questions. If I can help, I'd be glad to do it.
G.

**ttaleric** · 10-03-2005, 08:00 PM

pretty sure the it will only stay in aac..

that is Itunes will not convert to mp3 from what i understand.

snips · 10-03-2005, 09:34 PM

First off can I use a variable bitrate?

Secondly I am unsure why something like the Phatbox that I have in my Audi was never created for Mercedes considering every model I know of has a CD changer option.

Thank you for the How To, I was actually unaware of the NAV system having this capability.

gpit · 10-03-2005, 09:53 PM

Once again, thanks, G. and TT. Interesting - variations on variations - my 6-CD stacker is, I'm pretty sure, a non-Comand type, but mounted in the centre console below the radio LCD display and accessed by the wood-trim panel which swings out and up. Very presentable. I'll chuck in a photo sometime with an update on how this whole thing pans out.

Bit off-topic, but I'm typically in .shn, .ape and flac format (so-called "non-lossy") downloads of legal soundboard recordings of live concerts from the US. Each has good decompression utilities to wav and mp3. D/L files are still large, but great quality.

Cheers, G.

gpit · 10-20-2005, 06:12 PM

gmabli and ttaleric,

as promised, a note or two on how the MP3 thing panned out. Firstly, the MB is an E280, ie the 3litre version of the new 2350 (3.7litre?) engine and that superb 7G-tronic box. Delivered 2 weeks ago - pure nirvana... until the next one >:)) and for what its worth, the dealer service (Westpoint Star, Perth, Wwestern Australia) has been faultless throughout.

The audio system is a thing called Audio-20, a 6-stacker CD changer in the centre console just ahead oh the gearstick, plus a single-slot CD player immediately above it. Over here the Comand system comes in with the E350 and above, so I missed out.

The single-slot does not play MP3 or other formats, only standard CD's. The stacker plays standard CD (cda), also MP3 and I suspect wav or wma. Tried a mixed format burn of MP3 and cda and it would only play the first track, recognising the first track's format, but not subsequent tracks of other formats. This merely confirms what many have noted re mixed-format burns in CD readers whether in cars or computers.

Dealer's service mgr was more concerned about skipping on home-burned MP3 CD's (ie poor audio quality), rather than the jamming the sales rep was talking about, and was moderately relaxed re extracting jammed CD's. The LCD display in this system gives only the Track #, etc, not the file title from the CD TOC header, up to a max of 99 tracks per CD.

Rgds, Graham.

Skylaw · 10-21-2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

ttaleric - 10/3/2005 11:00 PM

pretty sure the it will only stay in aac..

that is Itunes will not convert to mp3 from what i understand.

iTunes for Mac will convert any of its compatible music file types to .mp3, except protected AAC (the file format for music purchased through the Apple Music Store).

Further, you can rip your CDs and other files into iTunes in the .mp3 format by choosing that option in your import preferences; and you can choose a high bit rate (192 bps) if you wish (but not VBR).

Having developed a 30 MB music library recorded largely in AIFF (the original CD format) and AAC, I just converted a copy of it to .mp3 and recorded my library on 2 .mp3 DVDs; it's under 8 MB.

However, on my instrument cluster display, the typeface for the DVD song title is very large, preventing all but short titles from displaying (they do display properly on the COMAND screen). By contrast, my music CD titles display in variable size type, and usually the whole title appears on the instrument cluster display. Does anyone know if the size of the type displayed is related to the font size that the file name is saved in, on the computer, when burning the disc? The name of the folder containing the song is in the same font on the computer, but displays in small type on the instrument cluster.

Also, iTunes will only let me burn one folder (playlist), and that is limited in the number of songs you can burn; so I copy my multiple playlist contents to individual folders in Toast. When I do that, the song title transfers (it's the file name, of course), but the rest of the ID Tag information does not transfer. That might be a good way to get rid of extraneous info if it causes problems, but you lose artist, composer, album info (unless you put it into the song title).

Skylaw · 10-22-2005, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Skylaw - 10/21/2005 5:43 PM

However, on my instrument cluster display, the typeface for the DVD song title is very large, preventing all but short titles from displaying (they do display properly on the COMAND screen). By contrast, my music CD titles display in variable size type, and usually the whole title appears on the instrument cluster display. Does anyone know if the size of the type displayed is related to the font size that the file name is saved in, on the computer, when burning the disc? The name of the folder containing the song is in the same font on the computer, but displays in small type on the instrument cluster.

Actully, the variable size typeface on my instrument cluster display was for names in the phone book, not CD song titles (will have to check this with a commercial CD - my home-burned ones display the same as the DVD. Still wonder if the size of the font in which the song title is stored on the computer (and therefore burned to disc) is a factor.

Skylaw · 11-05-2005, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Skylaw - 10/21/2005 5:43 PM
Having developed a 30 MB music library recorded largely in AIFF (the original CD format) and AAC, I just converted a copy of it to .mp3 and recorded my library on 2 .mp3 DVDs; it's under 8 MB.

Just going back over this post, and saw a gross error - sorry. The music library was 30 GB, and was reduced to under 8 GB.