mikochu

This tutorial is for the people who would like to know how to burn a compliant MP3 CD for their stock (and aftermarket?) head unit. I personally use Nero 6 (version 5 has the same settings). The settings can easily be adapted to other burning software such as Roxio's Easy CD Creator. These settings have worked for me flawlessly for all the MP3 CDs I've made.

In Nero 6, if in Express Mode, click the Nero button to go into Advanced Mode. Once in Advance Mode, Click on File > New. Once there, verify these settings.
The MP3s themselves have bitrates ranging from Constant Bit Rate (CBR) 128kbit-192kbit to Variable Bit Rate (VBR) maxed at 320kbit. I know there might be audiophiles out there, but I just use Nero's CD ripping software. All mp3s I've thrown at my stock head unit has played. Although, those of you who use p2p software such as Kazaa and Limewire, the mp3s you download might have data "hiccups." These mp3s might have lost data integrity through the p2p network, or just poor encoding. I only suggest mp3s you have ripped yourself via their Compact Disc counterpart.

My MP3 CDs are well organized with Artist names folders in the root directory. In the Artist Directory, I have the Album names folders. In each Album folder, I have all the mp3s numbered and titled. The stock head unit will go through the directories alphabetically, if not by the order of how the mp3s were burned. Though, most CD Burning software organizes files/folders numerically/alphabetically...

root:\05 - song title.mp3
root:\Artist01\Album01\01 - Artist - Song Title.mp3
root:\Artist01\Album02\CD1\01 - Artist - Song Title.mp3
root:\Artist01\Album02\CD2\01 - Artist - Song Title.mp3

I personally save the compilations just in case one of the CDs gets scratched or misplaced (stolen by a passenger!)

If you have any questions, please post in this thread.

Kremtok

Is there any way to eliminate the short delay between tracks on an MP3 CD? I use Windows Media Player to burn rip the music from a CD, then convert to MP3, and I have the stock head unit.

mikochu

Nope, I haven't found a way to do that... You could fix it by making the mp3s into 1 big one, but that's too cumbersome...

chewd0g

I gotta couple questions, some are related with the head unit more than the CDs but seems to fit here...

1. Is there a way to skip tracks like 10 at a time rather than having to hit the up or down button 50 times?

2. Is there a way to rename the "root"?

3. And is there a way to skip time when listening to a long mp3 file such as a dj mix, like 10 minutes each time?

donjay322

I have the in-dash 6CD in my tC, and although it plays regular CDs fine, I keep getting glitches when playing mp3s. The track sounds like there is a stutter to it, like the file is corrupted. But when I play the mp3s elsewhere, they sound fine. I'm starting to think it's the quality of the deck now.
- I do not download; all the tracks were ripped by me.
- I have tried recording at higher bitrates (going from 96 upto 160).
- I have tried enabling error-correction when ripping from the CDs.
- I have tried using both Nero AND Real Player to burn my mp3 discs.
I'm at a loss now. Is there anyone else having these problems? Does anyone have any suggestions to help?
Thanks.

EAN10775

I make all my MP3 CDs using iTunes...the song title text comes through, but not the artist or CD title text. Also, I haven't been able to create folders for different artists/CDs and such. Anyone have any idea on how to do this in iTunes?

itimebomb

nero has a way to get rid of the 3 second delay (the negative countdown) till the next track. if you're really that interested i'll look at it to tell you how to do it but i don't have the program right in front of me.

donjay322

I posted earlier with MP3 troubles...
Since then I've recorded all my MP3s using VBR at the highest setting (on Real: ~192khz), and I've had better results: no more "stuttering" on the tracks. All looks well, but I'll update again if this is just a temporary fix...
In the meantime, I loaded up my 6-CD and now I have ~750 tracks to play without ever having to change a disc!

wawamr2

I got the glitches problem too and I dont know what to do with it!!

donjay322, when you say : since then I've recorded all my MP3s using VBR at the highest setting (on Real: ~192khz), and I've had better results: no more "stuttering" on the tracks.

Do you mean when you burn the MP3, or when you encoded it yourself from the original CD?

Thanks
wawa 86 MR2 MKI SC & 05 Scion tC

donjay322

wawamr2:
I rip all my mp3s from the original cd, and I encode them when I rip to VBR ~192+.
When I burn the mp3 CD, I don't use Real player anymore (or any other mp3 manager). I just drag and drop the files using Easy CD Creator.

DJ_X_Trodinaire

a lot of step
you will need a mp3 to wav converter wav editor cut off the "dead" air
convert back to mp3 or go ahead burn wav to CD

or become a DJ and Mix em up!

phinz

I use Roxio CD Creator and can eliminate the gap. I can even overlap songs so that one fades as the next comes in. It is all done automatically by setting the options correctly. There's no need to convert to wav/mp3/back to wav, as this 3-second gap is not part of the song. It's a function of the recording process and is inserted by the software during the burn process. I use this setting when I need to create a seamless effect, like a CD of a live performance.

For ripping I use CDex. It's freeware and works great. It's pretty user friendly and free of all the little doodads that bog software down. It will convert WAV to MP3, MP3 to WAV and it will rip CDs to WAV or MP3. It communicates with CDDB remote, pulling all of your album titles/song titles/etc... in for you automatically. I rip at very high bitrate. IIRC it's called. alt.insane. I'm in the process of ripping my 800+ CD collection so that I can burn a few mp3 DVDs and put the originals away (and or sell them.)

If I remember to, I'll take a screenshot of each of these pieces of software.

daclothe

guys i just wanted to give everyone a heads up about a GREAT little program called mpTrim (formerly mp3Trim). with this program you don't need to convert the files to wav's or anything. it trims the silence at the beginning and end like a champ. i highly recommend it!

http://www.mptrim.com/

sammydad1

Hi,

I didn't see any mention of Musicmatch Jukebox in this thread, but it does a very nice job of creating MP3 CD's from files on your pc.

I have created a few discs from my PC files and they play very nicely. I rip at 192 Kbps and they sound fine to me.

Musicmatch has a free version for testing. I had purchased their "PLUS" version some time ago, and it does the job very well.

No affiliation with Musicmatch. Just a satisfied user.

Dave

ProzacRsin

Ok... I just orderd my scion XB and the guy told me instead of getting the 6disc changer to just burn mp3's on cd's. My sister just got a new laptop with Itunes. My question is it possible to take CD's and transfer them into MP3 with Itunes?
I never messed with mp3 before but would like to now just so i don't have to carry so many cd's. PLEASE respond if you can help my scion should be here in a few weeks thank you.

ams04b

I'm trying to burn MP3s to CD-RW so that I can add more songs as time goes on.

I use Nero 6.

how do I prepare the CD-RW disk so that it's prepared to add more songs in later times? Also, what's the correct steps to burn mp3 to CD-RW disk using Nero?

Thx

raWr215

i duno would turning the cd into a direct cd would play correctly on the cd player, u have to try it

toupy

iTrader: (1)

to take out the gaps/pause in between tracks is easy... you gotta convert all the songs to wav make sure that any excess pause is cut off (ie - on dj mixes) and take it to nero and when you're burning it, you should have an optop where you click no gaps/pause(something like this on the side) and tahts it. I use this when I burn out dj mixes its a plus because you can skip tracks whenever and still hear the whole cd as one mix.

raWr215

mm, i don't think you can "fade" songs if you are burning your cds as mp3 format, i believe you are doing it as cd format for regular cd players? that eliminates the gap and allows cross fades. If i am wrong, then i will hafta use the software you are using XD

for the mp3 players, you just burn as a data format. which burns exactly format it is on your computer. You will have to cut those slienced gap as mentioned above

any way, i am here to also give a tip

the less folders you have, the less gap it will have between tracks. i believed this was mentioned in the stereo manual some where, but if not, o wellz, there is the tip

Skeorx13

Um... is this serious?
As long as you have windows XP you just put a blank cd in the drive. It asks you if you want to open a directory to burn stuff on the cd. You click it. Then put the files in the directory. Then you click "Burn to cd." No software or goofy settings necessary.