1080iAddict

Certainly adding iPOD integration into MOST will be a great thing one day. But until that day happens..... I have a partial solution.

For those of you that have the in-dsah CD that plays MP3s (model year 2006 and some later 2005s), the PCM system allows "nested folders" to be created on a CDR. In other words, whether you know this or not, the PCM will display the name of the artist and the song on the PCM screen for properly named MP3 files, and you can scroll the list on the display. But did you know the PCM also displays the names of nested folders?

In other words, you can burn a custom CDR with MP3 files and create named folders and sub-folders to hold those songs. Thus, you can have folders at the first tier with the names of artists and sub-folders at the second tier with the names of albums - similar to the iPOD heiarchy. The selector **** on the PCM and on the multi-function steering wheel (if you have that) will allow you to browse by name the artists (the 'folders') and the albums (the 'subfolders') and then ultimately the names of individual songs. This is the same methodology used on the iPOD. You can fit up to 175 songs on a single CDR depending on MP3 compression settings - or you can make a set of CDRs.

Now, you ask, how do I get the iPOD songs out of iTunes onto a CDR because when you try and burn a CDR in iTunes using the MP3 setting, iTunes will not let you unless you originally own the MP3. In other words, music you legally downloaded or imported off a regular CD cannot be burned as a MP3 because its stored as an m4a or m4p file. iTunes will only let you burn the song onto a 'regular' audio CDR that plays in any CD player, i.e., not an MP3 CDR.

The answer is that you need to 'unlock' those files if you want to listen to them outside of iTunes or your iPOD. Can you do this? All I will say is that I 'heard' it is possible if you are the true owner of the original file. I will give you the site and you can read up on it. This free program checks with iTunes to see if you actually have the rights to the file you purchased and then lets you convert the same to an MP3. Is it legal? Not for me to say. You must be the owner of the purchased song from iTunes or it will not work - the program actually checks with the iTunes music store. I will say this: If I own the song and I purchased the same with my own money, should it matter if I own it as an m4p file or as an MP3 file so I can listen to my own song in my own car? I will leave it at that. Here is the site:

http://hymn-project.org/

Bottom line, the existing MOST system with PCM can pretty close emulate the iPOD with a little work. You can make a 4 disc collection and have over 600 songs.

Just thought I would pass this along.

Paul523

Wow, thanks 1080i. I'll try this. I'm glad we hired you.

Carcam

I've been burning songs from my itunes library on audio cd's since I don't have the '06 mp3 capable 997 but I have notice that when I take a song from an audio cd and put it into my library it takes up lots more memory than an mp3 format song. Can that be converted to take up less room in my ipod? I know this is OT but I want the best sounding music to go along with the great sound of the PSE. I have FM modulated XM radio in our Rover and it sounds worse than a cheap AM radio. Why can't they just give us what we want...I don't mean X-51 for half price, just decent audio options like every Japanese econobox has. Sorry for the rant.

NoSubEDU

Basically, no. It's converted to a WAV file when it's put on a CD, and wavs are much larger than mp3's...hence the hype over the format.

Bitrates are important factor when it comes to file size, but again, that's mainly with mp3's.

texas911

You can just burn a protected iTunes song then rip it as an mp3. A work around. Or you can convert the mp4 into an mp3 using a third party app. Another tip is if you rip your own CD's make sure to use mp3 as the format, that way you can burn those as mp3s. I made the mistake of ripping all my CDs into AAC to get better sound but then couldn't use them in other mp3 players. Now have to re-rip them, or just keep using my iPod.

1080iAddict

If you burn to a audio CD and then to a MP3 as a work-around, you loose the ID3 tags, i.e., song names and artist names. You would need to manually re-type everything and re-name the file names. The CDDB database wont help you (the database that samples the music and pulls the info from the net) - they smartened up on that and disabled it when you try such a work-around.

This is the app you want - the one I posted.

KrisKringle

Don't know the exact model of stereo in the 997 (not an owner YET), but check out the following links (I have absolutely no affiliation with either company):
http://enfigpics.com/shopsite_sc/sto...sche_ipod.html
http://www.blitzsafe.com/
If no product available I would try contacting the second company and see if they are working on something.
cheers.

Sobe

Sound quality of an mp3 files is much less than an AIFF that is on a real CD or on an Ipod that has been imported from a CD in the AIFF mode . You get lots of songs with the mp3 format but that 10 -1 compression takes its toll on the dynamics when it comes to the sound quality of the original source .

On the stuff you want to sound good go into Itunes and make sure that you have this setting when importing a CD ..........

1080iAddict

Sobe is correct. But you are also talking about a sound system in the 997 that has limited dynamic range anyway, plus add road noise, etc.

Also, related to the above software, DO NOT replace a file you downloaded from the iTunes store or that you imported from a CD (assuming you imported in a non-lossy compression). When you convert to MP3, it is a 'lossy' compression which degrades sound quality. AAC is the format when you download from the iTunes store and AAC is already a lossy compression. Thus, if you 'replace' that file with the new MP3 the above software generates, you will effectively turn a lossy compression format into a second generation lossy compression, i.e., it gets compressed again. If you use AIFF, like Sobe said, you will replace your non-lossy song with the lossy MP3 file.

Instead, the software lets you save to another directory (or so I hear.... ), which in theory would let the user of such software use the separate MP3 copy of the song for situations where you can only use the MP3 file (such as burning the song on a CDR for the 997), and you still have the higher quality version in your iTunes library.


Sobe - - Thanks - I edited the above from what I learned from you.

I think I got this correct: AAC & MP3 = lossy; AIFF and Apple Lossless = non-lossy

Coochas

1080i - Thanks for these posts! We are a major iPod household and when I take delivery in December I'll have to implement your 'tricks.'
With your screen name, shouldn't you be advising us about HDTV?
GO SOX !

1080iAddict

No problem Coochas aka Dave!! When you're ready for HD Theater mods you just let me know!! Here is my other 'baby'.... always a work in progress

JFScheck

Hey, don't those tags get uncomfortable?

So, when is the Porsche night at your house? I'll bring the drinks... (Couple gallons of Grey Goose)

Coochas

Niiiiiiice.
And I thought I was rockin' watching the Sox game on our 50" in HD.
BTW, I'll bring the beer.

wross996tt

We're not worthy. You can change (using preferences in iTunes) how you want to import music in 5 different ways, also can change the quality.

Leader

FYI - the JHymn program, while pretty cool, does not work with the last few versions of iTunes, including the latest version 5.0.1 - too bad. I was looking forward to burning a big old CD chock full of mp3s to play in my new 997S, but I'm back to square one.