Really dumb question: MP3s and MP3-capable DVD settop player

[joejackson]

I did some searching, but I think my question is too basic....

Just bought a DVD player (Digix DV-288) that is susposed to play MP3s and Kodak Picture CDs/JPEGS. I burned some MP3 files onto a CDR, put it in the player, it did not reject the disk, but nothing happened - no audio and a blank TV - no display about errors, no list of MP3s. Nada. Nothing happened. Manual with the player is, of course, useless - bad translation of Chinese into English, and nothing about how it works for MP3s. Just a logo on the box and in the manual. (and reports on this site that it does indeed play MP3s.)

Same result for Kodak Picture CDs and CDRs with JPEGs burned on as a standard Data CDR.

Is there a particular format I was susposed to use? I used the HP DLA software to "Format" the CDR, dragged and dropped about 20 MP3s on the root directory of the CDR, then used HP DLA to "Make Compatible" the data CDR.

It could be, of course, a defective player. But I've found it safer to assume "operator error" first when if comes to problems with electronic devices that other people rave about...

Was I susposed to use a folder in the CD? Or should I use other burning software for data CDs? Or what? Any ideas?

All input much appreciated.

--Joe Jackson

[tygrus2000]

I believe you have to use a UDF format when burning the CDR with MP3 files so your player can recognize the files names. Winoncd does UDF, so does Nero I think. UDF stands for Universal Disc Format.

If your player still wont play mp3s or jpgs, you can use the DVD Music album feature in Winoncd to turn your mp3s into mpeg2 audio and use Ulead DVD Picture Show to turn your jpgs into a mpeg2 movie. Both of those are guarunteed to work.

Tygrus

[Cornucopia]

Your problem stems from using HP-DLA. This software is a type of packet writing software, which records onto the disc differently than by the standard track-at-once or disc-at-once methods. Very good for computer drag-and-drop like a floppy disk, very bad for compatibility with set-tops, etc.

What other burning software do you have?
Try some of the apps listed here, incl. Nero, CDRDAO, CDRWIN, even EZCD creator. But avoid the packet writing apps--InCD, DirectCD, the new stuff that works with Mt. Ranier.

You want to make an ISO9660 type filesystem. It could be bridged with Joliet or UDF if you can make use of the long filenames. Another LFN alternative would be ISO9660 level2. Track type should be CDROM Mode1 or CDROM-XA Mode2Form1, single session is greatly preferred. As mentioned above, record in either TAO or DAO. Close the session and Finalize (Close) the disc.

Use folders if your player supports it and you want better organization.

Hope that gets you closer to your intention...
Scott

[joejackson]

Thanks folks. I downloaded CDBurner XP (freeware mentioned on Tech TV) and burned without using the DLA stuff. Worked! Now the jpegs and mp3 work on this DVD player. (user interface for jpegs is akward, though. But it works.)

Thanks!