F. A. Q. - Frequently Asked Questions


Product TerraTec m3po
Status 08.01.2002
Version 2.1
Questions and Answers 32

Please ensure that you are using the latest OS version.

Internet TerraTec Electronic GmbH
http://www.terratec.com Herrenpfad 38
ftp://ftp.terratec.de D-41334 Nettetal, Germany

Question Overview

Question 1
Can the device be used in both Germany and the USA?

Question 2:
How do I copy MP3 CDs onto the retrofitted internal IDE hard disc?

Question 3:
How is the playback quality of normal audio CDs?
(Can the player completely replace a high-grade CD player?)

Question 4:
Are there plans to put a portable unit on the market as a competitor to the Discman and Minidisc?

Question 5:
Can the new m3po CDRW so it can read IDF packet format?

Question 6:
Are subdirectories and long file names also supported?

Question 7:
Does it have CD text with normal audio CDs?

Question 8:
Can it play audio CDRWs?

Question 9:
What MP3 decoder is used?

Question 10:
How long does m3po take after being turned on to start playing the first song?

Question 11:
Can I copy MP3s directly from my PC onto the optionally installed hard disc?

Question 12:
How large is the LC display? How many lines of text?

Question 13:
Is a remote control with display planned and possible?

Question 14:
Do I still need an amplifier between the m3po and the speakers?

Question 15:
Can all of the functions be controlled from the remote control?

Question 16:
Can I also control the LINE output's volume?

Question 17:
Is it possible to edit the ID3 tags on the unit?

Question 18:
Is the hard disc format 100&perc PC compatible?

Question 19:
Are versions with digital or network connections, etc. planned? Will there be a version
that can read audio CDs and then change the data to MP3 format?

Question 20:
How can the pitch be controlled? With a wheel, slide control ...?

Question 21:
How are discs with several partitions supported?

Question 22:
Must be the HD formatted in the m3po?

Question 23:
Is there a connection to communicate with the PC?

Question 24:
Can the m3po read multisession CD's?

Question 25:
The date or time indicator cannot be adjusted. False values are displayed or the m3po crashed when I want to adjust.

Question 26:
After initalizing party the m3po crashed.

Question 27:
I can't update the m3po to os version 2.x from os version >1.80.

Question 28:
I can't create the index file with the new firmware (2.x).

Question 29:
I have choosen shuffle mode, but always the same songs are played back.

Question 30:
I have problems with harddisks even/above 80GB.

Question 31:
The partylock is enabled and I have forget my password.

Question 32:
During the playback I have often stuttering or the m3po hangs.


Question 1:

Can the device be used in both Germany and the USA?

Answer 1:

Not without some adjustment. Because the plugs are different, another cable has to be connected. But in principle the answer is yes, the power plug is a switch power plug and can take 110 V and 220 V.

y


Question 2:

How do I copy MP3 CDs onto the retrofitted internal IDE hard disc?

Answer 2:

Quite simple: the central entry medium is the wheel. If you turn the wheel so that a title, directory or even the entire CD is selected, all you need to do is push the wheel in and hold it about 2 seconds. Once you confirm it again, it will be copied onto the disc.

y


Question 3:

How is the playback quality of normal audio CDs? (Can the player completely replace a high-quality CD player?)

Answer 3:

The playback quality of the unit can be compared not to standard devices, but rather super high-end ones.

y


Question 4:

Are there plans to put a portable unit on the market as a competitor to the Discman and Minidisc?

Answer 4:

We cannot say at this time.

y


Question 5:

Can the new m3po player also read CDRWs in the UDF packet format?

Answer 5:

No. Standard CDRWs, that any CD-ROM can read without causing problems for the driver, work of course.

y


Question 6:

Are subdirectories and long file names on MP3 CDs supported?

Answer 6:

Yep.

y


Question 7:

Is CD text supported on normal CDs?

Answer 7:

No.

y


Question 8:

Can it also play audio CDRWs?

Answer 8:

Yes.

y


Question 9:

What type of MP3 decoder is used?

Answer 9:

A decoder by the company Micronas (MAS35070).

y


Question 10:

After it has been started, how long does m3po take to start playing the first song?

Answer 10:

When playing back a CD about 10 seconds.

y


 

Question 11:

If I have the optional hard disc built in, can I directly copy MP3s from my PC to the disc?

Answer 11:

The m3po cannot be connected to the PC, however, the disc can be completely formatted in the PC, written etc. in order to be read and written in the m3po.

y


 

Question 12:

How large is the LC display? How many lines of text does it have?

Answer 12:

The display has 4 lines each with 20 characters. With titles that are too long, however, the characters do scroll ... the scroll function can be turned off again if desired.

y


 

Question 13:

Is a remote control with display planned and possible?

Answer 13:

It's not planned, but it's a good idea.

y


 

Question 14:

Do I still need an amplifier between the m3po and the speakers?

Answer 14:

Yes, the m3po does not have a built-in amplifier - so only active speakers can be directly connected.

y


 

Question 15:

Can all of the functions be controlled using the remote control?

Answer 15:

Yep - you can get to the entire menu and carry out operations, the same is true for all of the functions. Some buttons have only key functions assigned like play, stop etc. ...

y


 

Question 16:

Can I also control the LINE output's volume?

Answer 16:

No, just the headphone output.

y


 

Question 17:

Is it also possible to edit the ID3 tags on the unit?

Answer 17:

No.

y


 

Question 18:

Is the hard disc format 100&perc PC compatible?

Answer 18:

Yes - FAT32.

y


 

Question 19:

Are versions with digital and network connections etc. planned? Will there be a version that can read audio CDs and convert the data into MP3 format?

Answer 19:

Inserting an audio CD and writing it to the hard disc as an MP3 file unfortunately does not work with the m3po.

y


 

Question 20:

How can the pitch be controlled? With a wheel, slide control ...?

Answer 20:

The pitch cannot be shifted, only the speed varied in the sense of time stretching &ndash without having an influence on the pitch. Both over the wheel as well as through the remote control.

y


 

Question 21:

How are discs with several partitions supported?

Answer 21:

If a disc has several partitions, the m3po takes the first one it finds that is valid (FAT16/32).

y


 

Question 22:

Must be the HD formatted in the m3po?

Answer 22:

You can format the HD in the player or in the PC, but it must be an FAT 16/32 fileformat.

y\


 

Question 23:

Is there a connection to communicate with the PC?

Answer 23:

No.

y


 

Question 24:

Can the m3po read multisession CD's?

Answer 24:

Yes.

y


 

Question 25:

The date or time indicator cannot be adjusted. False values are displayed or the m3po crashed when i want to adjust.

Answer 25:

Please remove for a few seconds the battery from the board inside the m3po.

y


 

Question 26:

After initalizing party the m3po crashed.

Answer 26:

Please check the cables from the CD-ROM and the board inside the m3po.

y


 

Question 27:

I can't update the m3po to os version 2.x from os version >1.80.

Answer 27:

Please use first the os version 1.98g2 and then update the new firmware.

y


 

Question 28:

I can't create the index file with the new firmware (2.x).

Answer 28:

Please create the index file directly after switch on the player!

y


Question 29:

I have choosen shuffle mode, but always the same songs are played back.

Answer 29:

To choose a random track the internal clock is used, please make sure it is set correctly.

y


Question 30:

I have problems with harddisks even/above 80GB.

Answer 29:

In this case change the jumpersetting (harddisk) from SLAVE to MASTER.

y


Question 31:

The partylock is enabled and I have forget my password.

Answer 29:

If the password is not available anymore you can only delete it by removing the internal battery for a few minutes.

y


Question 32:

During the playback I have often stuttering or the m3po hangs.

Answer 29:

Please test the playback with the following setting: MENU/MORE/IDE SPEED -> FAST.
If the playback from harddisk also make problems create an INDEX file.

y


 

TerraTec Electronic GmbH

Herrenpfad 38
D-41334 Nettetal, Germany

tel: +49-2157-81790
hotline: +49-2157-817914

http://www..terratec.com