CD Player and MP3 files problems - 2012 Mazda5

DWalt

Member
:
2012 Mazda5
I am the new owner (as of today) of a new 2012 Mazda5. I have a problem with the CD player that I assume is old news. But in searching the internet, I cannot find that anyone can give a straight answer. First off, I DO know the difference between a CD music file and an MP3 file (it seems most people with this problem do not). The CD player in my new Mazda is supposedly MP3-capable, and of course it says so right on the CD player nameplate. But upon burning a CD disc with MP3 music files, it will not play in this player. This very same disc of MP3 music files plays properly on both my laptop and my home CD player (which is MP3-capable). So exactly what is the problem? The owner's manual provides no assistance. I have also burned a disc using Windows Media Player of conventional music files converted from MP3 files, and it plays properly in the Mazda CD player, so the basic CD player should be OK.

So can someone help me out, other than suggesting I don't use MP3 files, or that I don't know the difference between an MP3 file and other music files, or that my CD player won't read MP3 files?
 
Last edited:
That is strange, did you try burning with a different software program to see if it would work? or maybe try a different brand blank CD?
 
That is strange, did you try burning with a different software program to see if it would work? or maybe try a different brand blank CD?

There is no requirement for a software program to burn a disc. You simply move MP3 files from where they are stored on a hard drive, iPod, etc. onto a blank formatted CD. Then just close the disc, exactly like storing any other file type on a CD or DVD. If there were a disc brand problem, why would it play OK on two other players?
 
You could try burning at the lowest speed setting. I've had problems with playing audio cd's burned at high speed in my home cd-player, which were solved by burning at low speed.
 
Our 2012 with the 6-disc changer plays MP3s just fine. Just loaded it up the other day. It will not display info, however. On a previous car, the brand/type of disc used to create the MP3 disc mattered. Maybe that's your issue?
 
I solved the problem, and it is pretty simple if anyone wants to do it. Instead of copying the MP3 files directly to the disc, use Windows Media Player and copy from it. Drag all of the MP3 files to the pane, select recording as a data file, and go. It puts an .M3U directory file on the disc, which is apparently needed. The .M3U file is necessary for use in the Mazda CD player, but some other players may not as they perhaps have the capability to generate an internal directory.
 
Holy cow...I would've never guessed that. I'm so old I remember when they cracked the digital audio code and it was released to the world... Everyone was decoding their audio CDs converting to .mp3 files, they were so small compared to CD audio files. It was the best thing since salt on pretzels. As things go, today they probably have even smaller audio files that deliver the same quality but I've been out of the PC and IT arena for so long, I'm just guessing. Anyone remember laser disc video?? I used to have a Sony laser disc player but I tossed it, along with 2 laser disc movies, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "Second Sight." Might have been worth some money today.
 
Welcome to the world of Firmware, Software, and Codecs. Glad you figured it out.


Btw, there's no need to post duplicate threads on the same topic as this is frown upon. Merged threads and deleted dups.
 
Last edited:
Back