checking for mp3 files. (MAC users)
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16 years
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Hi im new to GPS devices and I just ordered my Garmin 750, shouldbe expecting it soon. Anyway, I have a couple questions regarding the transfer of mp3 files from my Itunes (I have a mac) to the Garmin 750
1st question: How do I check if my songs in my itunes are mp3 files? When I get the info for each song the format says MPEG-1, Layer 3. Is that just another name for an MP3? If so, Thank goodness i wouldn't have to convert.
2nd question: Im used to using an IPOD and the organizing of it would be simple. How hard is it to organize it on the Garmin? I have so many albums that I would like to organize them as and not just have the 3,000 songs all in 1 folder cuz then it would take me forever to find the song. I know you have to create playlist, which is fine for me, but how easy is it to transfer to the SD card that im going to be using for my songs. In other words, say i have 3 separate playlist in my iTunes, how would i go in doing so to make 3 playlists in my garmin? Would i be able to just drag the playlist name from my ITUNES onto the SD card and it will appear on my garmin as a Folder (Playlist)? Is there a master folder then sub folders (play list)
Im really excited , cant wait to get it
thanks
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1st question: the format says MPEG-1, Layer 3. Is that just another name for an MP3?
2nd question: How hard is it to organize it on the Garmin? I would like to organize them as and not just have the 3,000 songs all in 1 folder. is it to transfer to the SD card that im going to be using for my songs. In other words, say i have 3 separate playlist in my iTunes, how would i go in doing so to make 3 playlists in my garmin? Would i be able to just drag the playlist name from my ITUNES onto the SD card and it will appear on my garmin as a Folder (Playlist)? Is there a master folder then sub folders (play list)
1.) Yes MPEG-1, Layer3 is MP3. I looked it up on Wikipedia.
2.) You will have a maximum of 1000 songs. You cannot drag songs from within iTunes as I recall -- I believe you have to go to the underlying folders to drag the albums over. Organization, as VIEWED on the GPS, is strictly by ID3 Tags and playlists. You can organize into folders of any kind for your own purposes -- the GPS will find any and all mp3's and include them. You cannot drag playlists over but I'll leave it to others to tell you how to do it on the Mac. A search here will give a bunch of playlist discussions, and a plug-in for iTunes, but I'm not sure any of them were for the Mac.
You are going to be disappointed if you think that any of this is as easy as done within iTunes and transferring to an iPod. That being said, I love the ability to play mp3 books on the GPS -- I just remember it is a GPS . . .
Nuvi 660 -- and not upgrading it or maps until Garmin fixes long-standing bugs/problems, and get maps to where they are much more current, AND corrected on a more timely basis when advised of mistakes.
MP3 to Nuvi is a manual process
Getting MP3's and playlists to the Nuvi is a manual process. The iTunes Preferences menu will tell you the folder locations of where the actual MP3's are stored. You have to drag and drop from there to an MP3 folder on your SD card. You don't actually need a playlist, the Nuvi will sort and play by Genre, Album, Artist or shuffle play without one. You will probably need to use a separate utility to build playlists on the Nuvi if you want playlists. Quite cumbersome when compared to the ease of iTunes. But there is a nice payoff when you do.
It is assumed you will be running the Nuvi audio output into the Line In of your car stereo. This gives the very cool benefits of:
1) The navigation prompts sound MUCH better when played through your car's sound system.
2) When it issues navigation prompts, it pauses the music and then resumes after the prompts. You can have your music volume up and won't have to strain to hear the GPS over the music.
SD card DOS formatted...
As a long-time Mac user (since 1982), perhaps the easiest path to co-existance is to use a DOS-formatted SD card for your MP3s.
You can leave the GPS where it is, and just move the SD card. You can have multiple SD cards with different types of material (one for audiobooks, as an example).
I'm also guessing that the 750, like my 660 and 680, are USB 1.1 devices, and not the much faster USB 2.0 speed.
It's easy to get SD card readers that are USB 2.0 -- if you're moving many hundreds of megabytes of files, it takes far less time using a USB 2.0 connection!
Have fun!
Nuvi 2460, 680, DATUM Tymserve 2100, Trimble Thunderbolt, Ham radio, Macintosh, Linux, Windows