JVC XL-R5020BK manual Playing Back MP3 Discs on 3-CD Changer, About MP3, MP3 Disc Structure

Playing Back MP3 Discs on 3-CD Changer

•You can play back MP3 tracks (files) recorded on MP3 discs (CD-R/CD-RW) on the built-in 3-CD Changer.

•You cannot record MP3 tracks using the built-in CD Recorder.

•Program Play, Random Play and Pitch Control are not available for MP3 discs.

About MP3

MP3 is an abbreviation of Motion Picture Experts Group (or MPEG) Audio Layer 3. MP3 is simply a file format with a data compression ratio of 1:10 (128 kbps*). That means, by using MP3 format, one CD-R or CD-RW can contain 10 times as much data volume as a regular CD can.

*Bit rate is the average number of bits that one second of audio data will consume. The unit used is kbps (1024 bits/second). To get a better audio quality, choose a higher bit rate. The most popular bit rate for encoding and the most recommended for this 3-CD Changer is 128 kbps.

Compatible with ID3v1

Extra information data such as album title, performer name, song title, recording year, music genre and a brief comment can be stored within an MP3 track.

3-CD Changer can show ID3v1 tags (album title, performer name and song title) on the display.

•Some characters cannot be shown correctly.

•3-CD Changer is not compatible with ID3v2.

Other Main Features in this unit:

•Maximum number of groups (directories)/files (files): 512 (total)

•Available characters for group/track names:

A–Z, 0–9, _ (underscore)

•Maximum number of characters for track name

(ISO 9660 Level 1): 12 (inclusive of separation mark—“.”

and extension code—“mp3”)

(ISO 9660 Level 2): 31 (inclusive of separation mark—“.” and extension code—“mp3”)

•Maximum number of characters for group name: 31

•3-CD Changer cannot read or play an MP3 track without the extension code—mp3.

•3-CD Changer can only read MP3 tracks compliant with ISO 9660 Level 1 or Level 2.

•Unfinalized discs cannot be played back.

•“Packet Writing” discs cannot be played back.

•If a disc is recorded with multiple sessions, only the first session can be played back. However if a session is not closed (not finalized), it cannot be played back.

MP3 Disc Structure

MP3 “tracks (files)” can be recorded in “groups (directories)”—in PC terminology.

During recording, the tracks and groups can be arranged in a way similar to arranging files and directories of computer data.

“Root” is similar to the root of a tree. Every track and group can be linked to and be accessed from the root.

Playback order, track search order, and group search order of the MP3 tracks recorded on a disc are determined by the writing (or encoding) application; therefore, playback order may be different from the one you have intended while recording the groups and the tracks.

The illustration below shows an example of how MP3 tracks are recorded on a CD-R or CD-RW, how they are played back, and how they are searched for on this 3-CD Changer.

MP3 group/track configuration
	1
	Level							ROOT
	2
	Level							01
	3
Hierarchy	1	2	3	4	02			03
	Level4
	Level					04			05
				5	6		7	8
	5
	Level									06			07
					9	10	11	12	13
	Level6								14	15	16	17	18	19
	ROOT			:ROOT			01	:Groups			:MP3 tracks

MP3 playback and search order

•The numbers in circles below the MP3 tracks ( ) indicate the playback order and search order of the MP3 tracks. Normally 3-CD Changer plays back MP3 tracks in the recorded order.

•The numbers inside the groups indicate the playback order and search order of the groups on an MP3 disc. Normally 3-CD Changer plays back MP3 tracks in the groups in the recorded order.

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