Brian_I.

I am having this same problem. I guess it can be confirmed that there is a limitation of how many folders COMAND will display. I spent three hours last night organizing over 1200 MP3's into 121 folders and only the first 81 display in the COMAND. This is really getting frustrating...

enzom

Are you guys playing these MP3 DVD's in the changer, or in the single disk slot? Or in the NAV drive?

jangy

I just use MS XP Pro and treat the files as a file and NOT an audio file. No problems w/ respect to folder size. MBZ handbook is incorrect. DO NOT USE UDF!!! I have wasted MANY DVDs trying this. You do not need the HK system either. The only thing that may matter is the dating on the Command Unit. I am not sure that a software patch changes that. I was under the impression that there was a window (dates) that they produced and that has more to do with what functions. Lastly, ONLY the single in-dash slot reads the DVDs. Well, the Nav does, but it does not play music for you and who wants to give up nav anyway?? Most of luck. Someone should start a nice technical thread for this subject as it is a pretty neat option in our cars!

glojo

Now there is a good controversial question. The rear navigation DVD will not play Mp3's. The multi CD changer 'might' playCd's containing Mp3's depending on year and month of manufacture. All new E-class will have this option if you have the necessary parts fitted in the car.

Now contrary to what you are being told. Older E-class with full navigational COMAND (I can only be specific here on European vehicles) definitely WILL play Mp3's from the front single DVD slot. Why am I so adamant about this? Simply beceause my own vehicle could not play Mp3's until I had the software upgrade. After the second Mercedes-Benz 'upgrade' the problem with multiple folders was addressed.

If you have a new E-class that is capable of playing Mp3's and you are having problems then I would very politely suggest that nine times out of ten it is 'operator error'. We continually read of owners ranting and raving about Mercedes-Benz, then when they calm down, read the manual or ask questions here, the issue will be resolved.

I am extremely pleased that Mercedes-Benz supplied a free upgrade that allowed my COMAND system to play Mp3's. No moans or gripes from me, just a big, big thank you.

Regards to you all,
John

A very nice sunny morning in Torquay

jangy

I can also verify that the CD Changer will play CDs that have MP3s burned onto them. Also, for those that have other issues, you don't have to use MP3 formatting. CDs don't come that way and the stereo will read them. MP3 is just a compression style that allows us to load literally 1000s of songs onto one and enjoy for quite a while!

glojo

Hi Enzom,
Just re-read your message. Do you remember my point about nine out of ten problems are due to 'operator error'?

I will give you a clue why you cannot play Mp3 DVD's in the CD multi-changer.

It is a CD multi-changer That's the clue.

Regards,
John

ATS

Although they now do make a MP3 changer. I have one.. Funny thing is this, if I cannot get a disk to play in the DVD drive of the command I can always get it to play in the changer or vice versa.. (as long as it is a CD).

glojo

If you can get a CD to play Mp3's in the CD changer, then I assume you have a very new E-class? If this is indeed the case your vehicle should not need an upgrade to play Mp3's in the single slot of the COMAND. Have you tried writing your DVD's or CD's in exactly the same format as everyone that can successfully play them. I have communicated with numerous members that have had problems, even going so far as to actually post DVD's with Mp3's wrote on them. Everytime it has been 'operator error' and we have managed to resolve the issue. If you want to be extra sure that you do indeed have a hardware problem, have you considered 'borrowing a disc from someone that lives in the same country as your good self?

Do you have a full COMAND with navigation?

Regards,
John

steph280

I have the latest W211 with mp3 capabilities on the COMAND and changer. They all play mp3 CD's fine. However I have yet to get a DVD filled with mp3 to play in the COMAND. It just says "disc error".

Burned the DVD the same way I burned CD's. I suspect my COMAND may have CD drive instead of the supposedly DVD drive.

ATS

Hello John

I have a 2004 and bought a 2005 MP3 CD Changer and had my dealer install the 2005 Command unit in my 2004.

I have gotten a DVD-RW with MP3's to play in the DVD slot although for some reason, my burned CD's (regular MP3 Data CD's) will only play in the changer. I use Roxio 7 EZ Media Creator and just create a Data disk.

glojo

Spooky or what?
I lay in bed thinking about your problem and wondered if you had purchased the CD Changer.

It is possible (but perhaps not likely) that your dealer has fitted an older COMAND that needs the software upgrade? This 'upgrade' is NOT one of the dozen or so compulsory 'recalls', and has to be requested.

However my money would be on the way you are using the software. I wrote a number of DVD's using Roxio 7. Like yourself I copied the files under the heading 'Data disc'. They worked perfectly on my computer, they worked perfectly on my domestic DVD player. They failed to work on my COMAND.

I then used Nero Express and simply clicked on Mp3 Disc and hey presto. There are a number of computer experts here that go on about all sorts of technical settings for writing Mp3's, but that is all over my head. I just copied the folders, pasted them into the program and clicked 'Burn'.

So.

1. Use Nero (Have you got it?)
2. If that fails check that the COMAND is the very latest model??
3. Is it a Navigational COMaND?

Good luck,
John

ATS

Yes it the latest with the latest software.

I will try Nero (I have it on another machine). Like you I believe it has to do with the format I am writing the CD's in. Although it is great that if one of my players doesn't work, I can throw it in the other.

I am also going to try a MP3 disk in Roxio as I like that program.

glojo

Like you I think Roxio is an excellent progam. I cannot recall if I tried Mp3 Disks with it. (Cannot even recall if it has the option )

Nero was dead easy (when you know how) so I have stuck with that.

Good luck,
John

Jeankz

I have installed the euro command in my E240 2003 last year, i have the same problem you had. I use Nero and born dvd mp3 cd's with 4.7 gb but the command does not display all the music folders. I think the problem is the software of the command which comes with an error from mb.

Sometimes it also begins to play a song, but the song does not sound and the track time starts to go faster and then i have to restart the command to listen to the cd again. had any one had this problem before?

glojo

The easiest option is to blame you, or the way you are using the software. However you also get problems if you have not had all the ‘Upgrades’ carried out on your vehicle? Some folks that have older 211’s think that merely buying the COMAND will be all that is required!!! Wrong, the upgrade that permitted this option to play Mp3’s was flawed; it needed a further update to get the folder system to work.

Do NOT put folders within folders, folks say how they can do it, and fine, best of luck to them. However it goes against what is recommended and I have yet to see any photographic evidence that the COMAND displays any extra information.

My advice is simple.

1. Make sure your COMAND recognises and plays one Mp3 properly. If it cannot play one Mp3 why bother writing 1200?

2. If it can play the Mp3 then make a folder on your hard drive

3. Go into to folder and use it as the ‘root’. Make as many folders as you want, but NO MORE THAN 255

4. Fill these folders with whatever music you like, but NO MORE THAN 255 files in each folder.

5. Put a blank DVD into your writer, go to your ‘root’ folder then copy all your music onto the DVD. I have listed the software I used so can only recommend that. At first I failed to use the write Mp3 DVD(CD) option, this caused problems.

6. If this still does not work then I would suspect either your car has not had the updates or it is indeed an operator error.

Any problems then please feel free to contact me or anyone else that has successfully wrote DVD’s. Failure is NOT an option.

Regards,
John

monstaloc

sorry for the revisit..but this is driving me nuts...just to give you some background, I am technically inclined and I have burned hundreds of dvd's with no errors, except for this.

Got my euro comand from Steve MBENZNL this past weekend and dvd movies play fine. I even created my own dvds full of music videos. It rocks! Because I couldn't get the IPOD integration I decided to burn some mp3 dvd discs. I've read all the posts and did searches under dvd mp3 and all of that. Still get a dvd error.

Here's what I Have:

- 5 folders all under 8 charcaters each.
- Under 255 songs in those folders.
- No subfolders.
- MP3 files are long, but nero corrects them to meet the standards.
- I have multiple periods in some of my files (not sure if the COMAND will be confused by this)
- Burned using Nero 7 ultra as a DVD ISO and DVD UDF. Both get dvd error. There is no option to click force dvd-compatibility in UDF but there is an xbox setting that I used because I read that in some other post.
- Haven't tried mp3 cd yet but will at lunch.

Has anyone on this post finally get it to work? I want to get this working so I can post a newbie guide with screen shots so others can jump on board. Any new feedback would be great! Thanks.

glojo

Hi monstaloc,
It could be that you are to clever and I mean this in the nicest way. I am as thick as two short planks and am definitely NOT computer literate.

Writing Mp3 DVD's for the COMAND that is capable of playing mp3 files is both easy and straight forward. Problems arise when the 'write' settings are adjusted. I use Nero and simply burned the DVD as an 'Mp3 DVD' I do not adjust the size of the Mp3's (largest is 11megs) nor do I alter any Nero setting. I tend to put the full name of artist and title in the name of the file so they are usually in excess of your 8 characters?

Regards,
John

monstaloc

Hi John,

Thanks for the response. I'm at a point now where I'm more interested in why it doesn't work, as opposed to it actually working so my frustration is at 0.

What I mean is only the folders are under 8 characters and the mp3 files themselves are like yours, artist - song name.mp3, most of the time. They definitely are longer than 8 characters. I tried burning an mp3 cd using the default settings of cd - iso with 1 folder and 142 mp3's in it totaling at 680 something MB. I also received a dvd error when inserting this disc. I have read that burning with iTunes and Nero express is better but I really don't see the difference? Maybe it's the write speed?

So let me copy your settings. I have a copy of nero 6 at work and an abundant amount of cds.

Thanks.

Tony

glojo

Hi Tony,
I will have to re-install Nero, but basically I made the necessary number of folders, put in the Mp3's. Then went into Nero Express, clicked on Mp3 Disc then followed the wizard and copied over the folders with the Mp3's.

I never touched, or altered any settings at all. I have tried to post a picture showing what happens. It should show folder four containing 241 files.

monstaloc

Thanks John,

I'm reburning right now with express. I'll let you, and everyone that's watching this post know what happens.

monstaloc

Okay, I've pretty much tried every combo using CD-r / DVD+R /NERO 7/Nero Express/UDF/ISO/MP3 DVD, you name it.

Wasted a handful of dvds but at the price they are at now, I may have blown 2 bucks total? HA.

The only thing I didn't try was burning at a slower rate like 4x. I'm currently burning Sony DVD+R at 16x. Discs are 16x certified.
ANything slower than that isn't worth it to me.

I'm thinking now I don't have the proper software. Which leads me to my next questions, do the EURO COMAND Units need the talked about software update? And if so, will I lose dvd in motion as I have read in other older posts? Thanks.

benzmodz

Interesting thing is that it actually goes up to 999. But it has been "cropped" to a lower bit setting within the code.

Miguk_Saram

monstaloc:

I have the EURO COMAND also.. I've burned several MP3 DVD's using NERO 7 without any extraordinary settings and have only encountered problems when my burn spead is too high, at which point I just bring it down a notch and voilá.

I use Memorex DVD+RW's rated at 4x.

It might be that the COMAND DVD unit is not rated for 16x DVD's. Go get yourself some 4x DVD's and try reburning.

En fin, MP3 DVD's do work on our w211s.

GL.

glojo

Interesting qwuestions. The early European COMAND definitely needs a flash upgrade to play Mp3's. Regarding Video in motion You risk me going into rant mode I have no idea if it will remove this option, but hopefully it WILL?

Modern European COMAND's should play 'straight out of the box'. I wrote half a dozen DVD's before realising my deliberately mistake........ I had to select Mp3 Disc, otherwise it would write the disc.... It would play perfectly on my computer or even the home hi-fi, but it would NOT play in the COMAND. The instant I selected Mp3 Disc in Nero it all worked.

Remember to put the DVD in the front COMAND slot and NOT the dedicated rear navigational DVD player.

If all else fails I will either send you the settings, or you can post me a DVD with the files and I will test it in my vehicle, then if it doesn't work, re-write it.

I have wrote DVD's with more than 255 files, it plays in the COMAND, but it either fails to find all the music, or it only plays bits of the files. Having five or six folders with approximately 250 files just seems easy and convienant.

Good luck,
John

monstaloc

Another interesting note about burn speed is that I have burned all my dvd video disc at 16x and it plays flawlessly.

I just tried 6x, (the lowest choice I had in nero express/ mp3 disc) and no luck.

someone forwarded me this key sequence to try so I will do that this morning. It's such a shame that I've been denied such a great thing like mp3 playback. HAHA.

Miguk Saram, are you Korean?