Playing a disc with MP3

files

About MP3 files

MP3 (MPEG 1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard technology and format for compressing a sound sequence. The file is compressed to about 1/10 of its original size. Sounds outside the range of human hearing are compressed while the sounds we can hear are not compressed. Playback of some MP3 files may not be possible, depending on the encoding.

Notes on discs

You can play MP3 files recorded on CD-ROMs CD-Rs (recordable CDs), and CD-RWs (rewritable CDs).

The disc must be in the ISO 9660*1 level 1 or level 2 format, or Joliet in the expansion format.

You can use a disc recorded in Multi Session*2.

*1 ISO 9660 Format

The most common international standard for the logical format of files and folders on a CD-ROM. There are several specification levels. In Level 1, file names must be in the 8.3 format (no more than eight characters in the name, no more than three characters in the extension “.MP3”) and in capital letters. Folder names can be no longer than eight characters. There can be no more than eight nested folder levels. Level 2 specifications allow file names and folder names up to 31 characters long. Each folder can have up to 8 trees.

For Joliet in the expansion format (file and folder names can have up to 64 characters) make sure of the contents of the writing software, etc.

*2 Multi Session

This is a recording method that enables adding of data using the Track-At-Once method. Conventional CDs begin at a CD control area called the Lead-in and end at an area called Lead- out. A Multi Session CD is a CD having multiple sessions, with each segment from Lead-in to Lead- out regarded as a single session.

CD-Extra: This format records audio (audio CD data) on the tracks in session 1 and data on the tracks in session 2.

Mixed CD: This format records data on the first track and audio (audio CD data) on the second and subsequent tracks of a session.

Notes

•With formats other than ISO 9660 level 1 and 2, folder names or file names may not be displayed correctly.

•When naming, be sure to add the file extension “MP3” to the file name.

•If you put the extension “MP3” to a file other than MP3, the unit cannot recognize the file properly and will generate random noise that could damage your speakers.

•The following discs take a longer time to start playback.

–a disc recorded with complicated tree structure.

–a disc recorded in Multi Session.

–a disc to which data can be added (non-finalized disc).

•The encoding method (i.e., the bit rate selected for encoding) will affect the sound quality of the MP3 files.

•The bit rate typically used for MP3 files is

128 kbps.

Cautions when playing a disc that is recorded in Multi Session

CD-DA (audio) data or MP3 files stored on a Multi Session CD may be subject to some restrictions on playback.

–If the disc begins with a CD-DA session, it is recognized as a CD-DA (audio) disc, and playback continues until an MP3 session is encountered.

–If the disc begins with an MP3 session, it is recognized as an MP3 disc, and playback continues until a CD-DA (audio) session is encountered.

–The playback range of an MP3 disc is determined by the tree structure of files produced by analyzing of the disc.

–A disc with a mixed CD format will be recognized as a CD-DA (audio) disc.

18US