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MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

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  #1  
Old 09-01-2004, 02:00 AM
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MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

I just need to clear something up that seems to be a somewhat misunderstood topic on the forum recently--

Our cars support "MP3 music CDs", meaning you can burn a 70 minute CD off of your computer, and it will play. That's a music CD made from MP3s. It's not different in any major (other than printing) way from a regular 'ol CD.

Our cars do NOT support MP3s burned to a CD *as* MP3 files, in folders. For example, on my other car's system, I can burn 700 Megs of MP3s (about 10 hours) as files. I put them in folders like "Top 40", "Classical", etc. It's a data disc, not a music disc. The head unit displays "Classical" and the name of the song.

On my G, those files MUST be converted to .wav, etc. format (your burning software does this without you knowing it) and burned as music tracks. It converts them from 7Mb files to 70Mb files.

If a CD player supports MP3 data discs, it supports discs that hold upwards of 700 minutes of music. If it's a "MP3 CD", it's really just a regular CD that was made from MP3s. Not date, just music.

The 2003+ models all support MP3 CSs, but I've yet to read a press release that says they will support MP3 DATA CDs. That is the big leap we all hope for. I can take a road trip from Indiana to Las Vegas using 3 CDs on my other car. It takes 25 or so in the G.

G

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  #2  
Old 09-01-2004, 12:00 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Images from the 2005 radios show a mp3 status indicator. If that is actually an image from the final 2005 g35s, I absolutly garuntee you that they will support what you call mp3 data cds.

 
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Old 09-01-2004, 12:42 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

The manual for the 2005 model is already available online and I believe it confirms that then new headunit does play mp3's (not sure if premium).

 
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Old 09-01-2004, 12:48 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Here is my understand of CDA vs MP3. CDA is a format use by conventional cd player. a minute of music go for approx 10 meg. MP3 compression allow a minute of music to 1 meg with bitrate of 128. Now if you rip your music with higher bit rate, say 256, it will probally cost u approx 1.2-1.5 meg per minute.

Average MP3 bitrate is 128. I took the same song playing from the original cd vs mp3 on my home system. What i noticed is a big differences. The bass is muddy and not very clean and tight. So i decide to rip the same song with 160, 196 and 256. I still notice the difference but less appearance as i move up to 256. At 256, not much difference.

So i decide to test out on my car. at 196 above, i really can't tell the difference.

MP3 file can be burn to cda using the conventional cd burner software. But still the song that is from MP3 is not the same quality as it was from the orignal cd. If you convert to CDA, then 1 minute is 10 meg.

hope i clearify it up for u.

g35mt

 
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Old 09-01-2004, 01:56 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

What is being said in this thread so far is basically not wrong, but the terminology is.

MP3 is a file format. Period.

There is no such thing as an "MP3 music CD".

The correct terminology for the conventional store-bought music CDs is: Compact Disc Digital Audio system, or CDDA. These are the disks that any audio CD player is compatible with, and the standard is known as the Red Book format. The basic file format within a Red Book CD is *.wav, but the organization of these files does not correspond to any regular PC file format.

The 2003-2004 G35's headunit obviously plays Red Book CDs, but also plays CD-R's (Orange Book) formatted as Red Book. What is does not play is CD-ROM format (known as Yellow Book), and sometimes referred to as a "data disk". It will not play MP3 files, which are compressed using a patented lossy technique.

It has been confirmed on the Infinitinews website that the 2005 model headunit will play MP3's!

<font color=blue>'04 G35S 5AT, Black Obsidian/Willow, Prem/Nav/Sat</font color=blue>
 
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Old 09-01-2004, 07:06 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

I just call it CD audio and MP3 audio

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  #8  
Old 09-01-2004, 10:09 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Just to clarify- I don't need clarification on the issue, but thank you for the input.

Terminology aside, the premise is simple. What a lot of people seem to be hung up on is generally the premise itself. They don't understand the difference between burning a "Music Disk" vs. a "Data Disk". I'm using the terminology that's prevelent in the most popular burning software titles so people have a frame of reference; hope that is clear.

It seems that those reading this thread already understand the concept; now hopefully those that do NOT (ie. "You don't need to wait for the '05-- I just burned an MP3 CD and it works in my '03!!") will read it and gain a new understanding.

Just to clarify my intent.

G

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  #9  
Old 09-02-2004, 02:10 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

that would be great if the '05's can play mp3 data discs. all these details are making me make up my mind even more to get the '05 rather than a used M3. but of course, i'm not going to believe it until someone actually gets the '05 and try it out themselves -- too many false rumors have been floating around on the '05 for almost a year now : )~

 
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Old 09-02-2004, 09:24 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Z2G-- It's official and confirmed from Infiniti. The 2005 model will play mp3's. See the press release here.

<font color=blue>'04 G35S 5AT, Black Obsidian/Willow, Prem/Nav/Sat</font color=blue>
 
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Old 10-03-2004, 07:44 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Here's a slightly forward looking question -- will the 2005 head unit be swappable into the 2004 vehicle? It may be possible that the signalling with be the same and that the head unit identifies itself the same on the bus.

 
  #12  
Old 10-04-2004, 02:45 AM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Excellent question.

Any excellent answers out there?

G

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Old 10-04-2004, 10:13 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

"Just to clarify- I don't need clarification on the issue, but thank you for the input.

Terminology aside, the premise is simple. What a lot of people seem to be hung up on is generally the premise itself. They don't understand the difference between burning a "Music Disk" vs. a "Data Disk". I'm using the terminology that's prevelent in the most popular burning software titles so people have a frame of reference; hope that is clear.

It seems that those reading this thread already understand the concept; now hopefully those that do NOT (ie. "You don't need to wait for the '05-- I just burned an MP3 CD and it works in my '03!!") will read it and gain a new understanding.

Just to clarify my intent. "

Perhaps you should be more clear. Was the intent of your message to say that you made a CD in CDA format using MP3 files? If so most CD players these days can handle that. What MP3 players can handle that standard CD players can not are when you burn files in MP3 format onto the CD(without decompressing it into CDA format).

 
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Old 10-04-2004, 11:14 PM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

VBR is awesome, but there is a problem in that a lot of HU specially the older ones don't support VBR.

I wonder if the '05 will support MP3 VBR and also WMA at all?

 
  #15  
Old 10-05-2004, 03:26 AM
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Re: MP3 CDs vs. Music CDs

Eh, I don't feel the necessity to be more clear. I feel that the information provided gives quite a simple road map to anyone with a modicum of intelligence.

I would hope that by reading my previous posts on the subject, those who don't understand the concept might have the tiniest bit of light shed upon them.

If not, then screw it. I've not spent my life pandering to the lowest common denominator, however if I must start now, then my posts will be much, much longer than usual. Nobody wants that.

I'm assuming from your post that you understand, and so far now one's expressed that they haven't. As I said before, terminology aside, it's a very simple concept. If anybody cannot deduce that from the information provided, please hand me your keys-- you don't deserve this car [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

G

To those that do NOT understand the concept: My intent was to inform people that merely choosing "Make an MP3 CD" in your little CD burner program does NOT mean it's making a ~700min CD. It's making a regular CD that is playable in most players. If you chose to make a Data Disc and poured tons of MP3s on it, only to have it play in your G's CD changer, I'll eat my hat. Oh, and hand me your keys.

2003.5 Black w/ Willow G35s
Premium / Sport / Aero / Winter / Navi / XM / Tint
Z-tube, Pop-charger, Borla True-Dual Exhaust, Eibach Pro Kit, GroundingGear

<font color=red>B.A.S.T.A.R.D Squad</font color=red>
 


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