I found a lot of info about the RX8 MP3 player using the search. However, I have a few unanswered questions:

1. Does it support playlists, such as ones created with WinAMP? (I assume the answer is no)

2. I know it pauses in-between-tracks. How long is that pause and does it vary with bitrate and/or length of songs? (ie filesize)

3. I know the loading time is high for an MP3 disc with 100+ songs in the root directory. How long does it take to initially load a CD if it has, say, 20 songs in the root directory and 5 or 6 sub-directories?

4. If there are no songs in the root directory, does it start playing the first song in the first directory automatically?

5. When it finishes playing all songs in a directory, does it advance to the next directory automatically? More specifically, do you have the options to either (1) repeat the current directory or (2) go through all directories?

6. Is there any sort of delay when you (1) turn the car off and back on or (2) just the MP3 player and turn it back on or (3) if you switch from MP3 to radio back to MP3? In otherwords, does it resume playback immediately?

7. Does it support bitrates as high as 256 kbps? (I usually encode VBR 128-224)

Thanks!

P.S. I compliled some of the info I found for anyone who reads this thread in future searches. The RX-8 MP3 reportedly:

- supports VBR
- has no support for WMA, Ogg, FLAC, etc
- ID tags must be V1 *only*
- takes 20-30 seconds to initially load a disc with 100+ tracks if songs are not in subdirectories.
- random only works for current directory
- text does not auto-scroll
- if you use steering wheel buttons to move to next track during random play, random play is turned off
- pauses between tracks (unfortunately, most MP3 players does this)

 

1. Does it support playlists, such as ones created with WinAMP?
No

2. I know it pauses in-between-tracks. How long is that pause and does it vary with bitrate and/or length of songs? (ie filesize)
The pause is not any longer than other devices switches from track to track.

3. I know the loading time is high for an MP3 disc with 100+ songs in the root directory. How long does it take to initially load a CD if it has, say, 20 songs in the root directory and 5 or 6 sub-directories?
The very first time you put a disc in the car it will take some time to read it. The more files/folders you have the longer it takes. The longest of have experienced regardless of the circumstances is in the neighborhood of 20 seconds max? Remember this only happens when you put a 'fresh' disc in, if you turn the car off and on, it is not required to enumerate the disc again.

4. If there are no songs in the root directory, does it start playing the first song in the first directory automatically?
yes

5. When it finishes playing all songs in a directory, does it advance to the next directory automatically?
yes, unless you are in shuffle mode.

More specifically, do you have the options to either (1) repeat the current directory or (2) go through all directories?
Regular play will go thru all the directories, shuffle play ONLY plays in the current directory.

6. Is there any sort of delay when you (1) turn the car off and back on or (2) just the MP3 player and turn it back on or (3) if you switch from MP3 to radio back to MP3? In otherwords, does it resume playback immediately?
It resumes mp3 playback where you left off previous to turning off the car.

7. Does it support bitrates as high as 256 kbps? (I usually encode VBR 128-224)
yes

 

You are correct that someone did report that it supports ID3v1 only. However, my personal experience has been that while it only reads ID3v1 tags, it is unaffected by the presence of ID3v2 tags, so there's no need to rip out any v2 tags before you blow a CD for the car.

 

That's been my observation as well. One of the tools I was using when burning my CDRW's for the MP3 player wrote both v1 and v2 tags.

It also doesn't understand high bit ASCII or Unicode characters either. The presence of any invalid character simply results in the display showing NO TITLE.

 

Another note on this question, at the end of the last song in a folder, it will automatically advance to the next folder. However, if you use the track advance button, it will go to track 1 of the current folder.

 

One other note if you go through with your purchase. There is a supplemental manual that comes with the MP3 player and faceplate. Everything but the MP3 player is covered in the normal owners manual. If the dealer does your install, make sure you get the MP3 player manual from them.

 

damn I didnt get the MP3 manual from the dealer- is there anything I may not have figured out in it?

 

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have one more question: Does it work with 850 MB (99 min) CDRs?

 

Probably not. I'm pretty sure it went into specifics on disc formats like ISO-9660, Joliet, etc. I'll try to flip through mine and see if there's anything I haven't seen mentioned here before.

 

The only thing i dont like about the MP3 player is that if you have it on shuffle and hit next track, it goes out of shuffle mode and gives you the next track on the disc. I wanted the next random track! Just a nuissance.

 

I've never looked into MP3 Players before. Do they normally play regular CDs as well? Does this one?

 

Yes it does.

 

Do I lose anything switching? I mean, does it pause between tracks on a CD? When its in shuffle mode, will advancing tracks skip to another random track or the next sequential track?

This thread has answered so many questions that I think I'm going to buy the player. I think these are the final questions I have.

 

Ok how come I can't skip a track while in random???? I used the buttons on the center console and tried the ones on the steering wheel and every time it turns off random and goes to the next track in sequence....Am I doing something wrong here??

This also happens with normal audio CDs.

EDIT: Guess I should've read all the threads that came up in the search! :D I do currently double press the RDM button to skip to a random track, but wasn't sure if there was another way.