jcthorne

I need some help with the MP3 function on the Shaker500.

I made several cds with albums of mp3s each in thier own folder. One folder deep as directed in the owners manual. Files are encoded at either 128 or 160 kbps or at a VBR near that.

THe files all play fine, its the text display that is a problem. Most of the files only display the first letter of the artist, first letter of the track name and first letter of the album. Some work just fine. I have poured over the files using a good tag editor comparing files that work and files that don't and just cannot find anything that explains the difference. Could it be the encoder itself that is to blame even though I edit the tags manually after encoding so they sort properly in my database etc. Using Tag&Rename as a tag editor if it matters.

Just wondering if anyone else has run into this. Same files display fine on a portable mp3 player and in winamp. They have the problem in my wifes 05GT also so its not just a bad player in my car. Or they all are defective......

shaun_beauchamp

My wife's Shaker 500 started doing that, then it stopped playing MP3 CDs and then it stop playing CDs and then it wouldn't eject the CDs in it!

She had a new unit installed within 1 week of my contact to the dealer!

Now, no issues.

jcthorne

Just for the record in case anyone else searches for a solution.

The problem with our was inherent in the Shaker head unit. It is not compatible with V2 tags in MP3 files. They cannot even be present, v1 tags ONLY. Now all works as it should with the v1 tags. Unfortunatly I have to strip out the v2 tags every time I burn a cd as all my mp3s are stored with them including album art and comments.

Too bad too as v2 tags are not new. just one more example of Ford being out of touch with reality.

drakino

I've had no problems with the MP3 CDs I've burned that use ID3v2 tags. I'll have to double check one to see if it has both ID3v1 and v2, but most of my recent rips have only been with v2 tags, and album art added.

Though, having a Shaker 500 system in an 07 might have something to do with it, newer firmware or something in the stereo. For me though, the CDs are only a temporary thing till I can get my empeg or a carputer installed.

odiaz

I have a 2005 and at least on this model, the shaker does not read anything but ID3V1 tags.

I wrote up an article on how to burn CDs for use on a shaker500. This might help:

http://www.cherod.com/mustang/HowTo/ShakerMP3.htm

jcthorne

Ours is also a 2007. It would read some files with V2 tags but not others. I tried for quite a while to determine the incompatibilty but finally gave up, stripped all the V2 tags and all files read and display perfectly on the Shaker. I have thought about adding a Kenwood Keg or Phatnoise Phatbox hard drive system to the Shaker but with appox 5GB of MP3s on 6 CDRs, I don't think its really necessary for me. I have a Keg in my truck with the factory CD-6 and one in our motorhome with a Kenwood head unit. They work very well and love the voice navigation. Seems they were too complicated for the average consumer and have fallen out of favor. Still available from Phatnoise but who knows for how long and they are overpriced by todays standards.

For me, if the head unit would read DVD-Rs with MP3s I think it would be more than enough storage. Perhaps the new Nav system can.