Hey all,

In regards to an F-900BT:

I couldn't find a topic thread on this issue directly, but I sync my iPod with Winamp and when I try to do a letter search through All Songs or All Artists, like < d > I get < not found >. I have approximately 9000 songs on this 160gb Classic Ipod, and half the alphabet gives me < not found >.

I suspect that the files might not be tagged right, although if I scroll MANUALLY, there are surely many songs that begin with D, so the Avic is reading the file names but it can't read them for the purposes of searching for some reason or what?

First, what ID3 version works properly (or best) with an iPod, the manual seems to only mention tags for SD/CD/USB, is iPod counting as USB? I used iTunes to try and "Convert all ID3" (ID3v2) tags to 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4, and then re-synced the entire iPod with winamp, but no change... Does itunes's "convert all tags" carry over to the file or is it just a database change in itunes itself? Is there a 3rd party solution to convert all tags directly to the files?

Could there be a problem with mismatched ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags in the same file? Does the avic get confused if I have both v1 and v2?

What should I look for as a "bad tag" what does the avic not like to read?

I don't use itunes because it REFUSES to save my ratings! I NEVER listen to my mp3s on my computer and even then, itunes deletes all my iPods ratings, every time, I just had to switch to WinAmp. If there's another program which fixes this issue, I'd be ok with to giving it a shot if nothing else works...

With 9000 songs it's hard enough to find things even with letter search, I need to start making some serious playlists, but sometimes I know JUST what song I want to hear and can't get to it! (Is there any mod/hack to allow letter searching in playlists (i sometimes have those internally alphabetic so it would work for me))

Thank you in advance, this is driving me nuts...

that is strange, itunes only saves to its database and if you are not syncing with itunes I'm not sure the avic will do the letter search - it is designed to read it as ipod and read the itunes files it synced. Do not know for sure but I think it will only work if synced with itunes - if some other member using Winamp or another software please answer. Good question though!

try Sharepod. getsharepod.com

Voice Recog. and index work fine.

Try this for sorting.

Like you I have a large library of tunes.

Didn't like iTunes for the fact that I couldn't save my playlists.

hxxp://www.mediamonkey.com/

There's a free or paid version.

Although I've just installed iTunes to try & get my album covers to display on my AVIC-X710BT.

Found a post somewhere in here mentioning something about the need to use iTunes to transfer music to the iPod to get the AVIC to see to covers.

Playing with it now.

Hope to create my play lists with Media Monkey & then open the play lists with iTunes, then copy to my iPod.

Sounds like a lot of work, sure hope it pays off!

The post also mentioned about resetting to AVIC.

Hello,

I have a Z120BT with this same issue. I used mediamonkey to load the tracks on a brand new 160gb Classic. Album art works just fine, but the letter search doesn't. Is there a solution that anyone knows of? Thanks in advance.

*Edit* I loaded itunes and connected the ipod. Played a couple tunes while it was connected, and ejected it. It now works properly.

Despite the fact that the unit is supposedly "Made for iPod," I don't think Pioneer's genius programmers managed to figure out that iPod/iTunes has a "Sort Artist" field for people who want (ex:) Jimi Hendrix filed under "H" for Hendrix, and not "J" for Jimi. I suppose you can't blame them--that feature was only added in what, iTunes 6.0? <sarcasm>

I was having the same problem as you - 5000 or so songs, but getting "Not Found" for 3/4 of the alphabet keys (including letters like "R" and "S"). As an experiment, I went into iTunes, selected my ENTIRE library (yes, that's EVERY song I own), clicked "Get Info," checked the boxes next to "Sort Artist," "Sort Album," and "Sort Album Artist", and deleted the information in each text box. (In other words, I deleted the Sort Artist, Sort Album, and Sort Album Artist information for *every* song in my library). After that was done, I synced my iPod, then took it and connected it to the unit. Every alphabet key now works, except I have to press "J" to find Jimi Hendrix (instead of "H"), "S" to find Stevie Ray Vaughan (instead of "V"), etc.

The really weird thing is that the "Sort Artist" bug screws up even seemingly unaffected letters. For example, I tried going back and re-inputting some of my "Sort Artist" data, thinking that maybe just one or two artists were the trouble. I got through the "A"s (Alan Jackson, etc.) no problem. After doing the "B"s, however, the "U" alphabet key stopped working. I don't have ANY artists whose first name begins with B, but whose last name begins with "U" -- why should (in effect) switching "Bruce Springsteen" to "Springsteen, Bruce" stop me from finding "U2"?

I've been really disappointed with the bugs, glitches, and seemingly poor quality control of this unit. I also have a Pioneer home theatre receivers, and it's just as buggy and unintuitive. I'm stuck with both of them for the next few years, but when time and $$$ present themselves, I'm dropping Pioneer like a bad habit.