Car CD player stops displaying titles

[JudgeGarth]

I know this is a video forum, but maybe someone has an answer. When I play home-ripped CD's on my car CD player, it stops displaying the titles about halfway through the disk. It keeps on playing okay, it just stops displaying the titles. It doesn't always happen at the same place, even on the same disk. Sometimes when I turn the engine off and start it up again, it will start displaying the titles from that point forward, but again only for a while. I went on a trip a couple of months ago and rented a car (the same car I have at home) and the same thing happened.

[redwudz]

First you should try them in a different car, at least one with a different player. If you get the same response, maybe the player. But I would suspect the disc brand more. Or possibly the burning program. You can change disc brands easy enough. Try that first.

If no luck with the changing the disc brand and other players have the same problem, then try a different burning program or a different burner as it could be either.

You have probably thought of these ideas already, but that's about all I can come up with. Rule out everything that isn't causing it and the answer should be whats left.

[JudgeGarth]

Thanks, Redwudz. I don't expect the problem to ever be fixed, short of getting a new car . I suspect the player used in that model car (2006 Pontiac G6) rather than the disk brand, because I've used a variety of brands of disk. I suppose it could be the recording program. I'll try that and I'll also have to try them in a totally different car sometime.

[jsmithepa]

Looks like u need a new head.

[redwudz]

As long as they play, who cares about the titles. Some of the older Ford CD players wouldn't play burned CDs at all, so whatever works. If I ever upgrade my car stereo, it will be a MP3 deck that will accept DVD data music discs. Then I should have enough music to last a few miles.

As another alternative, I've got a couple of friends that have satellite radio in their cars. That's really nice and with a incredible selection of music and programming for those long trips.

But try the discs in some different car players and see if the problem persists. Factory car players are usually made by the lowest bidder, so quality is not a primary concern of most car companies. If it bothers you, as jsmithepa suggests, there are alternatives.

[hech54]

Are we talking about an MP3 CD or a regular music CD?

[JudgeGarth]

Are we talking about an MP3 CD or a regular music CD?

A regular music CD.

[hech54]

The changer in my VW does the same thing....BUT the head unit doesn't give a damn.
I found out(after a bit of experimenting) that the changer needs to have CD's burned as TAO - Track At Once.

Every SAO/DAO disc I put in the changer started half way through(if it started at all), the track display was wrong, and it couldn't press "next or back" to the next or previous song.
And this car/unit is only about 6 months old.

I re-ripped my discs....burned them as TAO with Prassi Ones and my problems are solved.

Might help for you....ya' never know.

[rjc7394]

I'm having the same exact problem with CD-RWs recently on my Alpine. Someone mentioned that I should clean the lens. So I bought a Memorex CD drive cleaner w/brushes and used that and it seemed to clear it up a bit. I still get it now and then but I suggest trying to clean the lens first. And the salesman told me never use a "wet" cleaner. You can smear the lens, etc. The Memorex cleaner CD is really good, $10.