So the ‘non bose’ standard head unit has an MP3 symbol on it but I can’t get it to play mp3s at all…seen some threads where others have given up trying.
Has anyone resolved this? Is there a setting or something I’m doing wrong?
D
I used one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5mm-Audio-Aux-In-USB-Input-Cable-Connector-Adapter-For-Mazda-323-MX5-Miata-/332316879079?hash=item4d5fa128e7
Do you mean a CD with MP3’s on? If you do you need to make the CD using the ISO/Joliet file system not UDF as it won’t read that. (Or it could be the other way round but I’m pretty sure I have it correct way round).
Ian
Do you mean a CD with MP3’s on? If you do you need to make the CD using the ISO/Joliet file system not UDF as it won’t read that. (Or it could be the other way round but I’m pretty sure I have it correct way round).
Ian
Thank you Ian
Yes I downloaded the music onto a CD. I used windows 10 laptop but didn’t see any options to choose that looked like the ISO/Joliet file you describe. How do I get that option?
D
I use a program called CDburnerXP which is far better than the built in Windows one and is free. It’s in the options when you burn the disc.
Ian
Thank you… I’ll try that.
Hmm, I just put the R/W CD in the burner and copied the previously ripped files across to it using the normal File Manager, same as it has always been on all generations of PC. There were two choices as to how the disc should be used, as RAM or like a removable hard drive or USB, I chose the removable option.
Always ask the file system to “Eject” the CD, this allows it to finish copying and to tidy up the directory on the CD. Subsequent additions of more files work the same.
My files have been ripped over many years using either Media Player or VLC Player, files from both worked in my NC with its standard head unit.
Richard
Are your files put onto disc as mp3s?..that allows many more tracks to be put on the disc than normal format. My car cd will play those but not mp3s
Yes.
My files are generic mp3 128Kb/s and can be played off USB or CD on anything that can see them.
When I first tried WMAs they didn’t work, but that might have been for another reason, and the same tracks translated to mp3 did.
Edit. The directory structure is only two levels; Albums top level, and then the tracks in them.
Well I appear to have moved forward a little…CD-R is now playing in the car but no sound…whilst there is sound when .play them on the laptop.
One step forward…
My downloads have four tiers
Music/artist/album/track…maybe that’s the issue?
Also noticed that the tracks are set to open with ‘Groove Music’ is that ok?
Groove music must be the default player on your computer, nothing to worry about.
In my MX5 the mp3s are much quieter than the radio. Try winding the volume up.
Ian
Have a look in the MX5 Owners Manual under audio. In mine (Oct 2007) on page 6-22 it lists what can be done regarding MP3s.
Hierarchy is not an issue as it can handle up to 8 levels, but fewer levels are recommended for quicker searching and less waiting time before it plays. Hence why I kept to just two levels.
Also if you have very long file names there could be a problem see the manual for the options depending on the file system in use on the CD. I’ve seen this with some domestic NAS drives too where the folder hierarchy adds to the track name length and long names can cause a problem. So keeping to short names combining artist, album, track, separators and file extension (ie less than 64 chars for Joliet and 128 for Romeo) is a good idea, even though the PC/MAC can do double this (255). The car player can only display 30 chars.
There is a maximum of 512 tracks playable from the disk (I guess the memory in the player can’t index any more), or 255 from a single folder.
Groove Music is a W10 oddity, and not relevant to MX5. (I quickly gave up on it in W10, and prefer MediaPlayer or VLPlayer depending on what was needed. Just my choice, and many others do use GM.)
Thank you Richard…that’s helpful.??
Tonight I have managed to get a burned CD to play in the car but it s with the tracks recorded in .cda format which gets me just two original CDs onto one burned disc so not a great result yet.
I will persevere with reference to my handbook and update the thread with the outcome.
??
I tried all sorts and could never get the head unit to recognise an MP3 disc.
I gave up in the end.
Whilst blanck CD’s are not longer expensive, i still hurts to burn one and then chuck it away to burn another and do the same.
In the end I opted for an AUX adaptor.
Cost only a few pounds, can be fitted in a few minutes (if your’e nimble).
The best thing I ever bought.
Thank you…did you go for the one listed earlier in these thread… about 17 quid off eBay…or the mx5 parts one at about 80 quid?
I’m now tempted by the eBay one…if they work ok??
My e8ay unit works fine with usb input.
Only problem - probably to do withthe head unit/age of the car - is that it only recognises 6 folders.
All I do is copy stuff into 6 folders with 6 different genres of music.
Some members have posted having success with fitting one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5mm-Adapter-Input-Aux-Audio-Cable-For-iPhone-MP3-Mazda-3-6-2-5-MX-5-RX8-CX/231921375617?epid=688045682&hash=item35ff975981:g:BZAAAOSwm3paTGsx
To fit the above it can be accessed by removing the glove box and fitting from the rear up behind the dash, removal of the aerial plug may be needed though. I found it easier said than done and removed the head unit, contortionist springs to mind. I fitted the audio link though, much more expensive.
I went the whole hog later and replaced the standard head unit with a Bluetooth enabled jobbie with a USB connection on the front, now I just plug in my USB stick for tunes or bluetooth from my phone and have handsfree phone calling. The sound’s a whole lot better too coming out of the Alpine head unit.