Instructions on how to manage music and playlists on USB for Sync3

[asteele-xr6]

OK, I have been able to answer my own question, and it all works great.
I found numerous articles on other forums and have found what eventually worked great for me.


For Sync3 the requirement is to create two folders on the USB

Music
Playlists

Your Music goes under Music, and its perfectly fine to have a sub-directory for the artist, and then sub-directories under the artist for each album name.

Your playlist files need to go into the Playlist directory - but just the small playlists go here, you do not copy your actual media files into this directory.


Using iTunes, I selected an existing playlist and then clicked on [File], [Library], [Export Playlist] and selected an export type of M3U (note not the default export type of txt).


I then had to edit the M3U file with notepad, so as to correct the file location of where each media file lives, to be ..\Music rather than c:\media\music.... which is where my music files are stored on my PC. You can use the "replace with" function in notepad to instantly strip out the unwanted text.

The resulting file looks something like this:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:234,Castellorizon - David Gilmour
..\Music\David Gilmour\On An Island\01 Castellorizon.mp3
#EXTINF:407,On An Island - David Gilmour
..\Music\David Gilmour\On An Island\02 On An Island.mp3
#EXTINF:326,The Blue - David Gilmour
..\Music\David Gilmour\On An Island\03 The Blue.mp3


I have about 35GB of music, which is about 8,000 tracks - my car needed about 5 minutes to "index" what was on the USB, and then it was all working great.


I hope this helps someone

[rondeo]

I think I've got plain SYNC, not sure though.
My music is on CD. How do I use mp3/memory stick to listen to the lot?

BTW your 35 Gb of music reminds me of the (true story) wealthy foreigner who asked the local record shop (in the seventies) for $100 of records (vinyl in those days).

I hope your 35Gb is okay, or it could be torture .

[asteele-xr6]

My 35Gb of music is all great, but I have found that my teenage kids are less into the 80's music as I am. I live in hope that they will one day appreciate Pink Floyd and Genesis and understand that this is proper music played by musicians - not comparable to much of today! haha

If you want to get your CD's onto a USB - then there are many ways to do this, but if it were me - then I would install iTunes onto a PC and use that to import the CD's. You may want to edit the preferences in iTunes first so that the CDs are imported as MP3 files.

Once you have finished importing your CD's, then there is a folder on your PC (under iTunes) which has all of your music files, which you can then copy across to a USB.

Hope that quick summary helps!

[rondeo]

Thanks for tips, good to hear your music is OK. Some of mine is doubtfull. Sounds like a good project for weekend, if nothing else to worry about, which seems to be the case mostly with this branch of the forum. Apart from some with gearbox issues . . . let's hope they get some grunt in the long run like I am.

[Mondaveo]

Originally Posted by rondeo

I think I've got plain SYNC, not sure though.

Not in the MC, SYNC didn't appear in the Mondeo range til the MD (and that was so long coming they were up to version 2 by the time it launched). I think actually Convers+ might be the predecessor to SYNC, as both fulfill the same core purpose (voice controlled HMI) but SYNC has additional functions (Android/iOS connectivity, audible SMS, later satnav) and usually a touchscreen.

Originally Posted by rondeo

How do I use mp3/memory stick to listen to the lot?

I think you'll also need to be in your Zetec - I suspect you won't find a USB socket in the LX, it was only present with the 'premium' Sony head unit?

[Mechan1k]

Thanks for this ... although not really specific to Mondeo .... an using SYNC2 in the Territory .... and have been mucking around with these recently as well as I just bought one of these

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SanDisk-1...oAAOSw6n5XqzSr

I haven't mucked around with playlists yet ... but do have a lot of .m3u files sitting in my folders where my music is. I have my music though all separately foldered though in order (still needs a little cleaning up)

I have less than half the music you do though .... only about 18Gb and 3000 tracks.

Id did take a while to index though .... I may try and use voice commands for easier searching while on the move though as there's a lot to search through.

When "Browsing" though i do have the option of Music or files/folders ... and I know under Music you have list to can search by (Playlists/genres/artist/album/etc). So might see if my Playlists actually show anyway.

[rondeo]

Originally Posted by Mondaveo

Not in the MC, SYNC didn't appear in the Mondeo range til the MD (and that was so long coming they were up to version 2 by the time it launched). I think actually Convers+ might be the predecessor to SYNC, as both fulfill the same core purpose (voice controlled HMI) but SYNC has additional functions (Android/iOS connectivity, audible SMS, later satnav) and usually a touchscreen.


I think you'll also need to be in your Zetec - I suspect you won't find a USB socket in the LX, it was only present with the 'premium' Sony head unit?

Thanks, you are right. Looks like I'm out of sync on this one (sorry).

I tried making a phone call from the LX but had forgotten the number by the time it was half way through it was so slow.

I have found it good for receiving calls though.