MP3/CD Formatting Information for MP3/CD Radios
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Saturn Vue. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The MP3/CD equipped radios will play standard audio CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs. The CD-R/RWs may contain either standard audio (*.cda) or compressed audio (*.mp3). Customers who record their own music CDs should be aware of the following:
- The files can be recorded on a CD-R/RW disc with a maximum capacity of 700 MB.
- The radio will play only compressed audio files recorded in the *.mp3 format. It also supports playlists that can be made and saved with popular MP3 software (in the *.m3u format). A playlist name must be no more than 32 characters in length. If the name of a playlist is longer than 32 characters, the radio will ignore the playlist.
- The radio will only play audio from a CD-R/RW, it cannot record audio.
- The radio will play a mixed mode CD-R/RW (one recorded with both *.cda and *.mp3 files). If a mixed mode CD is inserted in the radio, the radio will assign the standard CD audio to a directory which is listed as ROM audio directory.
- ID3 tag information is displayed by the radio, if available. The ID3 tag information can either be version 1 or 2. The radio will display the filename, song name, artist name, album name, directory name, and playlist name, etc.
- The radio supports multi-session discs, but only the files from the last session will be played.
- There are a total of 20 directories (folders) allowed on a disc. The file structure can be 0-4 directories deep (a folder within a folder, within a folder, etc.) Anything more than 20 directories will be ignored. Each directory may have up to 99 files contained within it. Files not having the *.mp3 extension will not be played, but still count toward the maximum. Anything more than the first 99 files within a directory will be ignored. A single disc may have up to 254 files and directories. Anything beyond the 254 limit will be ignored.
- MP3 files must be written to a CD-R/RW in one of the following industry-standard formats:
- ISO 9660 Level 1
- ISO 9660 Level 2
- Joliet
- Romeo
If the customer does not follow these guidelines when recording a CD-R/RW, the disc may not play in the MP3 Radio.