Still not worked out this USB media player yet ...

[Walter Eagle]

A couple of queries on USB MP3 display - answers must be buried in the settings or options somewhere, but I can't seem to find what I'm after.

1) When playing a list of mp3 tracks the list doesn't scroll to follow the currently playing track. You start with the top 5-6 tracks visible and the highlight moves down the list as each tracks plays, but then when the next tracks are playing you still have these same first few shown. The actual track currently being played is shown in a separate section of the screen, so that's not a problem. But surely there's a way to see about to come? Otherwise what's the point of the list in the first place? (Oh, and each track in the list doesn't show the album cover image thumbnail as illustrated in all the Volvo documents I've seen!)

2) Select Library > Albums. Now we've got a problem. If I have a compilation album, or even one where each track may have different performers (e.g. an opera), I get multiple instances listed for these albums. It appears the Volvo system is ignoring the mp3 tag TPE2 that is generally used for Album Artist, and simply reading Track Artist regardless. So instead of a single album with 30 tracks all united by a common Album Artist (e.g. Various Artists), I end up with 30 identically named 'albums' listed, but each one only has one track. So trying to play the entire album is well-nigh impossible. It appears this Library > Album selection still focuses on tracks for its display. It simply sorts the track display, it doesn't group it in any way. It lists tracks in the order of the Album Title. And if each track has a different Artist, then it gets a separate listing.

3) Another issue that the Volvo player s/w appears to have problems with is the numbering of tracks. I have very many mp3 that have come from ripping CDs I accumulated over the years. My tagging of these rips includes, correctly in my mind, disc number and track number, to account for CD albums with more than one disc. However Volvo appears to ignore the disc numbers and reads track numbers only. So, I end up trying to play a 2-disc album and get both track 1's followed by both track 2's followed by both track 3's etc.

I guess I can get round some of these issues by re-tagging all the files, but it seems a substantial backward step to take in order to match a primitive player.

Has anyone else spotted these issues, or I am out on a limb here?

Walter

[CharlieW4]

I am also suffering "teething" issues. I have noticed the same issue as your point 1.

Have you also noticed that if you select the "DNA" button when on a track (to get it to find other tracks in the same genre) it is then stuck "on" and can't be turned off. The only way I have found to I select it is to go to all tracks, and then click on something in a different genre. I have the updated Infotainment download installed too, so this is not ideal...

Any ideas on solving this one most appreciated.

[Walter Eagle]

Ah-ha! "DNA" - now I understand what that's meant to be. Thanks for that.
I really hadn't understood the significance of the symbol. Doh!

Just to confirm my suspicions about the reading of tag values I did an experiment. I have several compilation albums where the TPE2 tag (Album Artist) is set to read "Various Artists". This is read and interpreted correctly on the main PC mp3 player I use (foobar2000) and on a Sonos system. The Volvo software showed no album or track listed assigned to "Various Artists". I then edited one track on a non-compilation album and assigned "Various Artists" to the Track Artist tag. And all of a sudden I now had one album with one track showing under that name in the Volvo display.

I've no idea who Volvo bought their mp3 player s/w from, but it really is quite poorly thought out and under-featured. I can't help comparing it to the player s/w in the Audi I've just got rid of. Even four years ago when I got it, the Audi controls and features were, IMHO, better than I have now.

There are the objective issues of not reading the correct tag data, and the added 'benefit' of Gracenote connectivity. (I was playing an album by '70s duo Gallagher & Lyle, when I noticed that Gracenote had decided it should really be by Noel Gallagher! Soon switched that option off!)

There are also subjective issues of basic track and album management. If I'm listening to a track by, say, Van Morrison, and decide to select a different track on a different album, where do you think the Album list should be positioned? I think it makes sense to have it positioned at the last album I was listening to, among all the other Van Morrison albums. Nope. Volvo s/w shows the album list starting with 'A' every time. There also seems no way of using the folder structure on the USB stick to manage your navigation through the music.

(By the way, if you think I'm spending time writing about inconsequential issues, you may well be right. I got a Private Message from another member but although I can read it, apparently I can't reply to it until I have over 30 posts. Weird rule brings out weird behaviour. Watch out for lots of one-word posts in the near future.)

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Walter Eagle

I got a Private Message from another member but although I can read it, apparently I can't reply to it until I have over 30 posts. Weird rule brings out weird behaviour. Watch out for lots of one-word posts in the near future.)

Walter. I have lots of interest in this topic so please keep up the good work. I too have a stick with 16gb of music on it and like to be able to select it.

I now know why you haven't replied. I will send you my email address by PM.

[Walter Eagle]

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[Lexman8]

Your OCD seems similar to mine. I hate it when music (and other things) aren't organised properly.