Just to eliminate any doubt, I put a load of MP3s on a CD and a DVD+R discs. Both played well in at least 2 CD/DVD players to remove any uncentainty. I took those to a local Lexus dealer and tried on a fully loaded, new GS300 (NAV/ML). The system failed to recognize either disc. I then rushed to the nearby Infiniti dealer. Unfortunately, their only M45 had a problem (they said the key battery ran out????), but the CD MP3s played well on a G35. Also, they claimed that someone played successfully a DVD disc with a bunch of MP3s.

As an owner of a 2001 LS430 with its still state-of-the-art technology, I am deeply disappointed with Lexus for such an oversight. Combined with the inability to enter navigation addresses while in motion (by voice or other means) or the inability to dial out on BT. What were they thinking?

 

I was told about a BMW owner who drove his car into a river in NY. He said he was just following his Navigation system instructions. There is a car insurance ad where a young man blames a map for his driving into the drink. Typing an address while stationary can require a steady hand and much eye attention to the screen. Lexus doesn't want to be liable for that. The car doesn't know that the passenger may be entering the address. We do have seat sensors that can tell if someone is occupying the seat however. You can call up Home and 5 other "speed dial" addresses which gives one touch or voice command. The system is a little cumbersome and I would like to have a phone number or address command available in the system. You also can call up a list of available dealers, police stations and hospitals while moving. Since the bluetooth component was added as an afterthought it is still in a formative state but I have heard that Bluetooth II is coming on future models. We still do not have bluetooth on the ES330 for example and you must buy the Navigation system in the cars that it is not standard on inorder to have the bluetooth capability. At least the GS and the new IS will have bluetooth standard Nav or Not. The advantage of the Nav system is that it already has 10 Million telephone numbers embedded in the Gen 4. These are like Yellow Page listings. You can now ask for Thai food as a voice command and Cinema for movie theaters etc. The 2001 system did not have these features and was a slower processing speed for route calculation.
The system is made by Denso. Let's email them with our suggestions and see what happens.

 

Both my wife and I have well over a 1,000 MP3's in iTunes and wanted to create a custom CD for our recent test drive, so we burned a CD-R. We set our preferences in iTunes to burn Audio CD. It worked great. Only downside - can't fit as many songs.

I would prefer to be able to play MP3's or better yet, connect our iPods and control them through the steering wheel controls and touch screen. (BMW and Mercedes other this feature on some cars now, more in the future).

I think we are going to use the cassette player to connect our iPods (SmartDeck, from Griffin Technology, allows you to control your iPod using the built in controls of your cassette player).

Since they are calling the 3rd generation a 2006, I'm a little disappointed it can't play MP3'S or have a connection for an iPod.

WE BOTH STILL LOVE THIS CAR

 

Just speculation, but since there is support for the satellite radio option, there may be a more elegant way to connect an iPod than thru the cassette. Question: where does the satellite radio audio signal enter the system? These things will become more clear once the manuals and other technical support materials become available. Not to mention the intensity that aftermarket iPod adapter support is experiencing.

 

Bluetooth isn't only for phone headset capabilities. The technology does a lot more. You can currently:

• Bluetooth to your car or headset audio system
• Bluetooth to a data network to exchange files
• Bluetooth to a printer to print
• Bluetooth to activesync to synchronize your data (Windows Mobile > Outlook)

Bluetooth has tons of capabilities and I believe the bandwidth is capable of playing music, certainly if it can exchange the audio from a phone call (though probably a low quality transfer currently).

Who knows, one day your bluetooth enabled Sirius Portable Satellite Radio or IPOD will just be dropped on the seat and you'll be able to control it directly from the cars controls.

 

No kidding, we've had the same cigarette lighter port for decades, why not add a data or at least audio port?

 

This is going to upset some people. The new IS "will play MP3 and WMA files" and will include "an auxiliary socket (installed in the console box) to enable a portable audio player to be plugged directly into the system." Here's the IS press release that 1SICKLEX posted in the 2006 IS250/350 Official Thread.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...&postcount=123

 

The full quote is "The standard audio system, featuring 13 speakers and a 6-CD autochanger, will play MP3 and WMA files." which suggests that this pertains only to the base system, not for the Levinson. Maybe the supplier for the base system head unit is different than in the GS.

 

This may be of interest to all GS owners. I just found a program by Ulead called Burn.Now that claims to create DVD-Audio disks from MP3 files. I just downloaded the 30-day free trial to see if it works. If it does, then our problems of the GS not playing MP3 CD/DVD's directly will go away. Here's the link to the program:

http://www.ulead.com/bn/runme.htm

 

Point taken DrexLex. But I'd be really surprised if only the base system can play MP3 and WMA files. I think it would be strange if you paid extra to upgrade to the Levinson and then lost the ability to play MP3 and WMA files but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

Good catch Sam. I do think its a missed opportunity the GS did not have those missing features but I am sure they can be added. THe IS is for a younger buyer who I am sure research ( ) showed was more likely to look for those features, thus its in the IS.

And yeah, only maybe ML doesn't think the sound quality would be up to par, is the reason its not with the ML system

 

I don't think it has to do with Sound Quality or even demographics of the vehicle. Remember technology is a moving target. In 10 years we might have cars driving themselves. Geesh, why didn't they include that in my 06 GS you might say in a few years. Who knows.

The release of an automobile is a grueling project in itself. Tons of items must be completed before the vehicle can be released and many of them are dependent on another. For example, Denon cannot engineer their system controls until they confirm with ML, or it could be vice-versa. Engineers cannot depict engine motor mount locations until the final decision on the engine has been made, etc, etc. I'm sure there are thousands of items along the critical path to complete the engineering, production, testing and final release of a vehicle.

I guess my point is that I'm sure a conversation came up about MP3 during the engineering stage but not all technology questions were answered and it may have held things up. Decisions were made to bag it.

Sometimes you hear people saying how stupid it is that this company forgot to add this feature, etc. No team can think of everything, and even if they could, time is a critical factor and not all items make it from the wishlist.