Compact Disc Playback
Note:
During playback, the display indicates the disc, track and time that have elapsed since the start of the track.
During radio reception, press CD once to start CD playback.
After a disc is loaded, playback starts immediately.
Track Selection
- Press the seek down button once to replay the current track. If pressed within two seconds of the start of a track, the previous track plays.
- Press the up or down arrow buttons to select the required track, then press OK.
You can select a track by using the numeric keypad. Dial the required track number until complete (for example, 1 then 2 for track 12), or dial the number and directly press OK.
Fast Forward and Reverse
Press and hold the seek down or up buttons to search backward or forward within the tracks on the disc.
Shuffle and Random
Random track playback, also known as shuffle, plays all tracks on the CD in random order.
Press function button 2.
Note:
When an MP3 CD is playing, you can have the system shuffle tracks for the whole CD, or within the current folder. Pressing function button 2 toggles these options.
Use the seek up or down button to select the next track to shuffle, if required.
Repeat Compact Disc Tracks
Press function button 1.
Note:
When an MP3 or WMA CD is playing, you can have the system repeat the current track or all tracks within the current folder. Pressing function button 1 toggles these options.
Compact Disc Track Scanning
Press function button 3.
Note:
When an MP3 CD is playing, you can have the system shuffle tracks for the whole CD or within the current folder. Pressing function button 3 toggles these options.
MP3 and WMA File Playback
MP3 (MPEG 1 Audio Layer-3) or WMA (Windows media audio) is a standard technology and format for compressing audio data. This allows a more efficient use of the media.
You can play MP3 files recorded on CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW formats. The disc must be in the ISO 9660 level 1 or level 2 format, or Joliet or Romeo in the expansion format. You can also use a disc recorded in multi session.
ISO 9660 Format
This is the most common international standard for the logical format of files and folders on a CD-ROM.
There are several specification levels. In Level 1, file names must be in the 8.3 format (no more than eight characters in the name, no more than three characters in the extension MP3 and WMA) and in capital letters.
Folder names can be no longer than eight characters. There can be no more than eight folder levels (trees). Level 2 specifications allow file names up to 31 characters long.
Each folder can have up to eight trees.
For Joliet or Romeo in the expansion format, consider these restrictions when configuring your CD writing software.
Multi Session
This recording method enables adding of data using the track-at-once method.
Conventional CDs begin at a CD control area called the lead-in and end at an area called lead-out. A multi session CD is a CD having multiple sessions, with each segment from lead-in to lead-out regarded as a single session.
CD-Extra: The format that records audio (audio CD data) as tracks on session 1, and records data as tracks on session 2.
Mixed CD: In this format, data records as track 1 and audio (audio CD data) records as track 2.
File Formats
With formats other than ISO 9660 level 1 and level 2, folder names or file names may not display correctly.
When naming, be sure to add the file extension MP3 or WMA to the file name.
If you put the extension MP3 or WMA to a file other than MP3 or WMA, the unit cannot recognize the file correctly and generates random noise that could damage your speakers.
The following discs take a longer time to start playback.
- A disc recorded with complicated tree structure.
- A disc recorded in multi session.
- A non-finalized disc, where you can add more data.
Playing a Multi Session Disc
When the first track of the first session is audio CD data only, the audio CD data of the first session plays. Non-audio CD data, MP3 or WMA file information (such as track number and time) displays with no sound.
When the first track of the first session is not audio CD data:
- If an MP3 or WMA file is on the disc, the system skips these file and other data. Audio CD data is not recognized.
- If no MP3 or WMA file is in the disc, nothing plays. Audio CD data is not recognized.
MP3 and WMA Files Playback Order
The playback order of the folders and files are as shown.
Note:
The system skips any folder that does not include an MP3 or WMA file.
To specify a desired playback order before the folder or file name, input the order by number (for example, 01 or 02) then record the contents onto a disc. The order differs depending on the writing software.

ID3 Tag Version 2
The following occurs when an MP3 or WMA file containing a tag plays:
- When skipping a portion of a tag (at the beginning of the track) there is no sound output. Skip time changes depending on the tag capacity. Example: At 64 kbytes, it is about 2 seconds (with RealJukebox).
- The displayed elapsed playing time when skipping a portion of the tag is inaccurate. For MP3 files of a bit rate other than 128 kbps, time does not display accurately during playback.
- When an MP3 file is created with MP3 conversion software (such as RealJukebox - a registered trademark of RealNetworks Inc.), the tag generates automatically.
MP3 or WMA Navigation
You can record MP3 tracks on the CD in several ways. You can place them in the root directory like a conventional audio CD, or in folders that may represent categories, such as album, artist, or genre.
The normal playing sequence on CDs with multiple folders is:
- Play the tracks within the root (top level) first.
- Then the tracks in any folder(s) within the root.
- Then move to the second folder, and so forth.
To navigate to a track:
- Press the up or down arrow buttons to enter the track list.
- Navigate the hierarchy using the arrow buttons to select another folder or track (file).
- Press OK to select a highlighted track.
MP3 and WMA Display Options
When an MP3 or WMA disc is playing, certain information encoded in each track can display. Such information normally includes:
- The file name.
- The folder name.
- ID3 information, which might be the album or artist name.
The unit normally shows the file name that is playing. To select one of the other items of information, press INFO repeatedly until the required item appears in the display.
Note:
If the ID3 information selected is unavailable, NO MP3 or WMA TAG appears in the display.
CD Text Display Options
When an audio disc with CD text is playing, limited information encoded in each track can display. Such information normally includes:
- The disc name.
- The artist name.
- The track name.
Note:
You can select these display options in the same way as MP3 displays. NO DISC NAME or NO TRACK NAME appears in the display if there is no encoded information.
Ending Compact Disc Playback
To restore radio reception on all units, press RADIO.
Note:
The CD does not eject. The disc pauses at the point where radio reception returned.
To resume CD playback, press CD again.