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Topic: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player (Read 2126 times) previous topic - next topic
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Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Hello.

I seem to be having a problem with my current setup of LAME 3.100 and EAC 1.4 (and MP3Tag to fix any issues) when it comes to track length being displayed correctly on my car's MP3 player (Kia Telluride).  I've tried multiple ways of ripping my MP3's from having LAME create the ID3 tag to EAC creating said tag, but both ways end up having the same problem: incorrect display of track length.

I've used a program called "VBRFix" which corrects the problem but I'd like to resolve it through the encoder/extractor.

My LAME command line is currently: %islow%-V 0%islow%%ishigh%-V 0%ishigh% --vbr-new %source% %dest% (I cannot remember where I got the string from but it has worked to give me good sized VBR files so I've kept it.  I'm happy to change it but want high-quality MP3's.)

I've read through the forums and see folks have had similar issues but I cannot seem to resolve mine after spending many hours trying different methods of tagging.  Of course, this doesn't happen when ripping in iTunes but I'd much rather use EAC.

Thank you for any help.

Re: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Reply #1 –
The player may calculate track length assuming a cbr file, i.e. take the first block and assume the entire file is that bitrate.

The only solution that I can see based solely on changes to EAC is to switch from vbr to cbr.

Re: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Reply #2 –
I thought that problem was fixed long ago, so are you sure you're actually using LAME 3.100? 

If you have other/multiple copies of LAME on your computer, try temporarily re-naming them to something else so EAC can't find/use any older copies.

Re: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Reply #3 –
Hello.

I would recommend to remove the "--vbr-new" part of that commandline if you use LAME 3.100.
What was --vbr-new on older versions is already the  default, and --vbr-new is left for newer experimental modes. (I don't remember if it already has one of such modes).

As for the problem, first follow DVDdoug suggestion.
If still doesn't work, maybe something that could help is to check what changes does VBRFix do to a file that doesn't work. Could you make some samples, or if you know how, try to copy the initial bytes (header bytes) of the file before and after being fixed.

Re: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Reply #4 –
Quote
I thought that problem was fixed long ago, so are you sure you're actually using LAME 3.100?


Yes.  See attached screenshot.

Re: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Reply #5 –
Car mp3 player manufacturers are notorious for delivering old software. (at least for this community's standards)
Imagine this: if the car is launched today and it has a new, state of the art mp3 player (or head unit, as they are called today) the project for that HU probably started 3-4 years ago. If the car is not a flagship then it might reuse an older HU. There are many times when HU that are brand new actually reuse code from 1-3 generations ago. So in the end it's up to the devs: did they integrate the latest decoding libraries or did they use the same ancient ones because they are cheap and most of the users will not notice or care? Oh, add a few extra years if you didn't buy the car in the first days afterit was launched.

PS: I used to work for a HU project.

Re: Incorrect track length showing on car MP3 player

Reply #6 –
The HU in the car is a 10" Android "tablet" that is probably running a version much older than it should be.  Given what you, Loft, have said, I'm guessing the MP3 libraries on the unit are old hence the problem.