GO720: is more than 4GB of MP3 possible?

[klebs]

I've read on this forum that 32GB cards can be used with 8.351. I have found this to be true, but what I haven't been able to do is get the GO720 to handle more than 4GB of MP3's, no matter what the size of the SD card they're on.

I have two SDHC cards - 8GB and 32GB. I tried the following with first one and then the other and got similar results. I used my linux laptop to create an /mp3 directory and fill it with music until the entire card was full. When, I insert the card in the 720 it begins to catalog the files but when it reaches the 4GB limit it goes into a reboot.

I then tried each card after deleting all but 4GB of music - turns out to be about 960 files. The 720 was very happy to catalog this amount and plays the music back without any problems.

This leads me to assume that 4GB is the ceiling for music, although the remainder of the card can probably still be used for maps, voices, pictures, etc. (although I haven't tried the 3 latter uses yet).

Have others found this to be true, or is there a workaround that lets the 720 read more than 4GB of music?

Klebs,
Central Maryland, USA
TT GO 720, 8.351
Samsung Impression (AT&T)
Dell notebook, Ubuntu 10.04

 

[dhn]

Welcome to TTF!

You have discovered the difference between theory and reality, I'm afraid.

In theory, the unit should handle as many mp3's as you can store on the sdhc card as long as they are in the proper format and within a mp3 folder on either the card or within internal storage.

The reality is that others as well have discovered that after a certain number of mp3's, the application, to use a techy terms, 'barfs'....

You may try splitting your files between a couple of sdhc cards and switch as necessary.

 

[klebs]

Yeah, guess I should have waited to buy the cards until I got smarter about the process. I've seen the 4GB cards for about $9 apiece so I can buy 4 or 5 of them and swap out as needed.

Klebs

 

[klebs]

Thanks for the info, by the way.

 

[dhn]

You are welcome..........

 

[mikealder]

There is also an issue with the quantity of mp3 files you put on the device, above a certain number of individual tracks and the device simply ignores some of them.

The 4GB issue is a new one on me, the 910 I used to use had a 20GB hard drive in it and I am sure I had over 4GB of music stored on it but as its died I cannot check this out!

One final tip, avoid mp3 tracks sampled at 320KBs as the TomTom will play the music back at a slightly slower speed than it should do - I guess sampling at 320KBs for use in a car is akin to feeding a pig with strawberries but its worth mentioning all the same - Mike

 

[vlbaindoor]

There is also an issue with the quantity of mp3 files you put on the device, above a certain number of individual tracks and the device simply ignores some of them.
The 4GB issue is a new one on me, the 910 I used to use had a 20GB hard drive in it and I am sure I had over 4GB of music stored on it but as its died I cannot check this out!
One final tip, avoid mp3 tracks sampled at 320KBs as the TomTom will play the music back at a slightly slower speed than it should do - I guess sampling at 320KBs for use in a car is akin to feeding a pig with strawberries but its worth mentioning all the same - Mike

Hmmm,

All of this is news to me - I have not reached this 4GB limit I guess.

But the point about 320kbs being problematic on Tom Tom is a really annoying one - though I am yet to discover it myself.

The trouble is it is not really convenient to have different versions of the same MP3 files for playing on ones home MP3 players and different ones to play on Tom Tom - this would mean one has to maintain different versions as the music collection grows over time.

 

[mikealder]

But the point about 320kbs being problematic on Tom Tom is a really annoying one - though I am yet to discover it myself

The only time I have noticed this is when playing a track with a stong bass drum beat.

INXS "Devil Inside" was the first time I noticed this issue, playing on the car deck the track is 3min 56sec on the TomTom it was over 4 minutes, small difference I agree, but if you know your music very well you will spot the speed shift - Mike

 

[klebs]

320bit sampling

No problem about 320 bit sampling. All of my stuff is in the 160bit range. I've got a musician's ear (albeit old) and I, like most humans, simply can't discern the difference between 160 and higher bitrates.

 

[vlbaindoor]

Here is an update:

I have a 940 - so things may be a bit different from what the OP has.

But I have over 6GB of MP3s on my SDHC and I don't think the Tom Tom ignores any of them.

But it would be a long time when I find out by playing all of them - so haven't had the chance to attempt.

However I do take the view that as long as I can get some music out of the SatNav for hours and hours when I need it without depending on any FM Radio signal when I am travelling it is fine.

Quality of music is more or less ir-relevent as it makes no difference as such - since having a proper Hi-Fi system in a car when the road noise and engine noise etc are so loud does not make much sense.

All that is required is a reasonable quality at a reasonable price. Not really comparable to the one you would expect from a music system at home.