Playlist with art for USB flash drive?

[billlanger]

I might be missing something with my 2 week old Model S, so I wonder if others have the same experience: I have loaded a flash drive with mp3 music files using iTunes. The music is arranged in folders to hopefully accomplish what a playlist does. I know if a song appears in more than one folder there may be some duplication.

The model S is running software version 5.8 as delivered. When browsing the flash drive through the car's media app, I can browse by song, artist, album, genre, or folder.

All browsing options except by folder will present nice alphabetical lists, with an alphabet index and a preview of album art. As the selections play, the song metadata including title, artist, album and art is displayed. Nicely done and as expected.

However, browsing by folder only shows the file name, and no metadata. When played, each song shows no metadata, only file name.

i thought arranging in folders would give me a playlist function. It does, but without metadata. Is there a way to get a playlist function that includes metadata? By the way, the same flash drive with folders does present metadata when browsing and playing by folder on my 2013 Kia.

 

[SCW-Greg]

Album art is not used, instead the system pulls art over the air from one of the service providers. I'm not sure anyone has confirmed which one though. ... Unless 5.8 changed and is now using provided album art???

You'd think playlists, using provided album art, and having the ability to play randomly, would be basic but must-have functions for such tech savvy car.

 

[billlanger]

"Album art is not used, instead the system pulls art over the air from one of the service providers. "

You are right, the art is downloaded, even if it is already there as part of the mp3 metadata. I can tell because I had selected different art than what shows. Seems like a waste of bandwidth

I still don't understand why browse and play by folder can't show the art and metadata, especially when browse/play by song, artist, album, and genre will.

 

[bob_p]

The entertainment and navigation software remain at relatively basic functionality levels - with considerable potential for improvements - when Tesla's software team gets the opportunity to work in those areas. Now that the sleep mode functionality has been deployed - hopefully the next major release will focus on the missing features - because the entertainment and navigation software in the Model S is not as capable as what's available in many of the other production cars.

There is a lot of functionality that can be added through software - in the car, in mobile apps, on the web - and if Tesla isn't going to be able to bring these features to owners quickly enough through their own development staff - they should consider options such as an "open source" or 3rd party developer program - to encourage other groups to bring those features to the Model S owner community.

 

[Argelius]

" the entertainment and navigation software in the Model S is not as capable as what's available in many of the other production cars."

Totally agree. I remain a total Tesla fanboy and don't have a regret in the world in getting the car. Having said that, because it's such a technological powerhouse, along with it comes some very high expectations. The infotainment system has such HUGE potential....definitely hoping future software updates address some of its many shortcomings. My fear, though, is that 99% of the engineering/software focus is going to be focused on everything to do with battery issues (charging, range, etc).

 

[Jason S]

" the entertainment and navigation software in the Model S is not as capable as what's available in many of the other production cars."

Totally agree. *snip* My fear, though, is that 99% of the engineering/software focus is going to be focused on everything to do with battery issues (charging, range, etc).

My HOPE is they keep on the battery issues but put an intern or some dedicated resource on the playlist functionality. The folder 'feature' was added after the initial release as a playlist workaround but I haven't seen any other playback feature releases since then.
Tho I do like the current Nav software. I can't imagine what could be missing from it.

 

[liuping]

The folder 'feature' was added after the initial release as a playlist workaround but I haven't seen any other playback feature releases since then.

The media player is on a very shortlist of things that I am disappointed with in the Model S, but I 'm sure it will get fixed with updates.

Until the media player is actual finished to the level of even a basic economy car, I could live with folders for playlists if they just added two things: A) shuffle option and B) album art and song name (not the filename) were shown. Seriously, that is a couple days work, even for an intern.

Heck, I bet you could easily get dozens of volunteers right here on TMC (myself included) to do the work for free in their spare time.

 

[Gizmotoy]

You are right, the art is downloaded, even if it is already there as part of the mp3 metadata. I can tell because I had selected different art than what shows. Seems like a waste of bandwidth

Not only that, but whatever source they're using doesn't have the most complete database. A good many of the meticulously-tagged and sorted albums in my collection return no cover art from their lookup. I have the correct covers embedded in the files, but it doesn't use those.

The media player is on a very shortlist of things that I am disappointed with in the Model S, but I 'm sure it will get fixed with updates.
Until the media player is actual finished to the level of even a basic economy car, I could live with folders for playlists if they just added two things: A) shuffle option and B) album art and song name (not the filename) were shown. Seriously, that is a couple days work, even for an intern.
Heck, I bet you could easily get dozens of volunteers right here on TMC (myself included) to do the work for free in their spare time.

I agree. I spent what felt like 10 minutes this weekend looking for the shuffle button. There is no shuffle button. It's such a basic feature I kept thinking, "I know it has to be here somewhere, where did they hide it?"

Hell, I'd design a media player from the ground-up in my spare time if they'd let me. Sadly, we won't get access to the systems until late next year at the absolute earliest.

 

[RichardL]

The media player is on a very shortlist of things that I am disappointed with in the Model S, but I 'm sure it will get fixed with updates.

Until the media player is actual finished to the level of even a basic economy car, I could live with folders for playlists if they just added two things: A) shuffle option and B) album art and song name (not the filename) were shown. Seriously, that is a couple days work, even for an intern.

Heck, I bet you could easily get dozens of volunteers right here on TMC (myself included) to do the work for free in their spare time.

Completely agree - during my wait, I was astonished to discover the lack of shuffle - probably the most important function in the media player for me...

 

[jerry33]

Not only that, but whatever source they're using doesn't have the most complete database. A good many of the meticulously-tagged and sorted albums in my collection return no cover art from their lookup. I have the correct covers embedded in the files, but it doesn't use those.

Many of mine use the wrong cover art, just about as many as have no cover art. And more than half don't display the text.

 

[pilotSteve]

" the entertainment and navigation software in the Model S is not as capable as what's available in many of the other production cars."

Totally agree. I remain a total Tesla fanboy and don't have a regret in the world in getting the car. Having said that, because it's such a technological powerhouse, along with it comes some very high expectations. The infotainment system has such HUGE potential....definitely hoping future software updates address some of its many shortcomings. My fear, though, is that 99% of the engineering/software focus is going to be focused on everything to do with battery issues (charging, range, etc).

Furthermore, 5.8 introduce a new bug (was not in 4.5) where playing media from USB in the "album" mode requires *THREE* presses of the Next steering wheel button to advance the the subsequent song! First press just restarts play of the same song; same for second press; 3rd press finally skips to the actual next track.

Come on Tesla, put some engineers on the media player, fix the bugs, handle embedded cover art properly and add shuffle. Gosh its not that hard!