try writing the cd at 2x, this will reduce the written errors.
also try a different brand, my home system will not play TDK discs but will play Maxell. It depends how the tolerences are set .

W

 

Here is a picture from elsewhere on the site for the install location. I copied the install shamelessly. BTW you still have to go to the trunk.

http://gallery.s2ki.com/imagecatalog/imageview/42969/

To update my original post, the unit is really twitchy, I had to put the cassette in three times to get it to read factory cd's. I'm going to try to return it.

 

Some units will also not play 80 minute CDs properly. You might want to try using 74 minute CD blanks if you're using 80s.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by autox80

 

Muz, I have several music CDs recorded on data CD-Rs. They will work as long as they were converted first with something like the current generation of Windows Media Player. "Music" CD-Rs are more required when you are using a home stereo component CD recorder. I also have one of these and this is a stipulation of that machine.

 

I think Muz was referring to the file format.

Are you guys recording as MP3's or AVI files? Am I to understand that the factory head unit will play MP3 CDs?

 

Let's see here...

74 or 80 minute CD, it really doesn't matter to the player as far as beginning to play. Most (particularly late model players) will play 80 minute CDs without issue, but at worst it will cut out during a song, or refuse to play any song that resides (even partially) on the last 5-6 minutes of the CD.

As xviper stated earlier, many players will not read CD-R/Ws as the dye layer doesn't give a great enough return of light, regardless of the bit (1 or 0). CD-R generally doesn't have that problem as you're burning away a metallized section to determine a 1 bit, but the 0 bits still have a great light return.

CDs marked as "Music" have a TOC (Table of Contents) Index section pre-marked on the CD, which is why they're used on stereo-based CD recorders. Since computer-based CDs were originally designed for data (and only later used for music), they have no such pre-marked index. Therefore, I find it more convenient to use computer CDs (and will never buy a stereo-based recorder). Since you pay a premium for the pre-marked "service", there's no point in using "Music" CDs for use on the computer.

I cannot say for sure these days, but in the older days changers used a slightly weaker laser pickup, hence the reason many could get a recordable CD to play in the head unit but not the changer. As I said though, I don't know if this is still true.

Changing the writing speed is generally not going to help you. A few years back there was a lot of guff about higher speeds causing bit errors in the music and making it sound horrible, but this has pretty much been relegated to the sphere of so-called "computer audiophiles". All one has to do is look at data CDs cut at the same speed...a SINGLE bit error there means the difference between a working and non-working program, but how many of those do you come across? The only time write speed truly has an effect on the data being written (music, or otherwise) is when you have a buffer underrun, but at that point the entire CD is FUBARed.

Muz, I almost tripped over the same thing, but what I believe he meant was he's using CDs designed for generic data (as opposed to "Music", pre-formatted CDs), rather than cutting the files to CD in a data format. I come to that conclusion because the same CDs work on the stock head unit.

And no, our stock heads can only read standard music format, not MP3 or AVI (BTW, who writes a music CD using AVI format?).

 

I saw posted here that the '04 HU was able to play MP3s.

 

I've never heard of pre-formatted CDs. I thought, with the exception of rewritables, that a blank CD was a blank CD, a clean slate... usable for either data* or music (as in the same format as pre-recorded music CD's bought in a music store).

Am I out of the loop

*includes MP3s

 

x, The '04s play MP3s? Really? That's a pretty nice addition on honda's part...it may make people keep the stock unit a bit longer.


Muz, go to your local big stereo shop and poke around the recordable CD/MD section (usually around the cable section, too)...you should find CDs for sale listed as "Music".