PLAYING BACK AN MP3 DISC

The unit can play back MP3s recorded on CD-ROM, CD-R or CD-RW discs.

Before playing back an MP3 disc, read the following notes.

Notes on MP3 discs

An MP3 file stores audio data compressed using MPEG1, the audio layer-3 file-coding scheme.

In this manual, we refer to what, in PC terminology , are called "folders" and "files" as "albums" and "tracks".

Notes on playing MP3s

• An MP3 track must be recorded on a disc in the format compliant with ISO 9660. Note however , that the unit may not play tracks in the order they were recorded.

•The maximum allowable number of tracks and/or albums in a disc is 900, including the root albums (directory).

•The maximum allowable depth of a nested folder is 127, including files.

•If a disc contains audio tracks and MP3 tracks, the unit cannot play it.

•As for multi-session discs, the unit can play up to 20 sessions.

•The unit can play only MP3 tracks which were converted with a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz and a fixed bit rate of 128 kbps.

•The unit may not play MP3 tracks recorded using a packet

writing utility .

•The unit can play only MP3 tracks having a file extension ".mp3".

•It may take 30 seconds or more before the unit can start play of MP3 tracks, depending on the number of recorded tracks and the complexity of the album tree.

•If you play a non-MP3 track that has the ".mp3" file

extension, it will skip to the next valid track automatically

.

•Digital recordings with this unit cannot be done while playing back MP3 discs.

Notes on display indications during playback

•Up to 8 characters are displayed for the name of an album or track.

•Characters other than uppercase letters ("A" to "Z"),

numerals ("0" to "9") and underscore ("_") may not be displayed, or may be displayed in dif ferent characters.

•The elapsed playing time may not be displayed correctly for MP3 tracks.

•Depending on the condition of the recording equipment or the CD-R/R W disc itself, a false album or track which

cannot be played on the unit may be displayed on TV screen.

Notes on creating MP3 discs

•When converting audio data to MP3

Create MP3 files with a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz and a fixed bit rate of 128 kbps.

•When creating MP3 discs

Do not store more than 900 albums and/or tracks in a disc.

•To play tracks in the order they were recorded

1. Use a writing software capable of recording MP3 tracks (files) in numerical and alphabetical order . For details on using the software, refer to the operating instructions supplied with the software.

2.Use only one album. (Do not create a sub-album within an album.)

3.Include a two or three-digit number at the beginning of each album or track name so that the albums and

tracks are played in order .

<Example of recommended name structure>

01XXXXX.mp3

02XXXXX.mp3

03XXXXX.mp3

04XXXXX.mp3

05XXXXX.mp3

<Avoid using the following structure>

1XXXXX.mp3

5XXXXX.mp3

10XXXXX.mp3

15XXXXX.mp3

20XXXXX.mp3

(The beginning numbers determine the order , therefore

the tracks shown above will be played in wrong order

,

i.e., "1", "10", "15", "20", and "5".)

 

Glossary

File extension:

A 3-character string added to a file name under the

Windows or DOS environment is called a "file extension".

 

A file extension is used mainly to identify types of files.

The

file extension for MP3 files is ".mp3".

 

ISO 9660:

ISO stands for the "International Organization for Standardization". ISO 9660 determines the file structure for the CD-ROMs. This unit can play MP3 files recorded in the format compliant with ISO 9660.

Nesting of folders (albums):

To organize data files stored in a PC, you can store related files in a folder . A folder can contain other folders as well as files. For example, folder A can contain folder B, and folder B can contain folder C; this is called "nesting of folders".

Session:

A session is one uninterrupted section of written data on a disc.

A multi-session disc is a disc which has more than two sessions.

36 ENGLISH