OSCAR MP3-Player EJECT STOP MENU UP SELECT BayCom User Manual Version A6, June 2002 BayCom
Important Note: Ideas, texts, figures and circuits in this manual and design, hard- and software of the OSCAR MP-3 player are copyright protected. Distribution, in whole or parts of it, publication and manufacturing of copies of the OSCAR MP-3 player or the copying or modifying of the manual is prohibted. Licences may be obtained from the copyright holders. All copyrights are held by Alexander Kurpiers, Vladimir Pantelic and Johannes Kneip.
Introduction Conventional Audio CDs may store and play up to 72 Minutes of Music. By compressing music with the MPEG-1, layer 3 (in short: MP3) audio coding standard, a storage volume of up to 12 hours per CD is feasible. OSCAR has been designed as a standalone player for MP3 compressed audio data. These data can either be stored on a CD-ROM, which can be played via the built-in CD-Rom drive or on a hard-disk, which can be optionally mounted into the player’s case.
Delivered items: Please check the box with the delivered items before setting up OSCAR. The box should contain: • • • • • OSCAR unit in metal case Remote control Power cable (not for all foreign coun tries) Audio cable (Stereo-cable with Cynch-connectors) This manual Connectors The following diagram shows the rear side of OSCAR, carrying the following connectors: - Power connector, 240V Line-Out, left and right channel (Cynch connector) Head phone connector (6.
Controls The following drawing shows an overview of the OSCAR controls. They are pretty similar to a conventional CD-player. All operations are performed via 5 switch buttons and a rotary encoder with integrated push-down button.
Getting started in a minute This page is intended for all these fellows, who do not like to read manuals: - Connect OSCAR (see previous pages), switch it on and wait for boot-up Open tray by pressing EJECT and insert MP3 CD-ROM Close tray by pressing EJECT again. OSCAR searches the CDs for directories and mp3-files (ending with .mp3) Press the rotary encoder („SELECT“) to enter a directory or to start playing the first song. Rotating the encoder selects the next song available.
Operating OSCAR Hierarchical File Structure and Playlists As an introduction, we will explain the file and directory structure in comparison with a normal CD. This will help you to understand the way OSCAR works. A conventional audio CD-ROM has a flat directory structure. This means, there are no subdirectories, all audio data files are arranged sequentially in the main directory and are accessed by a track number.
Songname = Listname ? Directory ? CD Audio ? --- CD-Drive --? --- Hard Disk --→ Tracks → Playlists → No Tracks Found This is an MP3-Audio-File that can be played This is a playlist (Suffix .m3u) This is a directory that may contain further files or subdirectories This is a sub directory containing CD audio tracks This is the CD root directory This is the HD root directory This is a list of all tracks This is the list of all playlists (if available) OSCAR could not find any .
Controls and Display Keyboard The keyboard consists of five keys and a rotary encoder with additional pushbutton functionality: • SELECT(rotary encoder ) This knob has two functions: − Turning the SELECT button selects songs or menus and navigates you through the directories. The knob can be programmed with other functions via the menu, e.g. for control of playing speed or cue mode. − Pushing down the SELECT button selects a song and starts playing.
Remote Control OSCAR is delivered with an infrared control.
DISPLAY There are three different display modes: CUEMODE, SELECTMODE und MENUMODE. • CUEMODE This is the mode for the normal playing operation. The display shows the name of the song in the third line and the lowest levels of the directory path in the two upper lines The fourth line of the display shows the actual play mode, the time of the song already played, the remaining time and the actual function of the softkey.
Playmode selects which Songs are played. There are five alternatives: (A) (D) (S) (P) (R) All songs on CD / HD All songs in actual directory Only one song (single) Program, songs are played according to a previously selected playlist Radio-Mode, i.e. all songs with preselection possibility Shufflemode selects the the order in which the songs are played. (N) (S) (R) Normal, i.e. the order in which the songs are in the directory, stops at the end Shuffle, i.e. random selection Repeat, i.e.
Menu Structure • Volume Adjusts volume of the head phone output (6.3 mm jack). Use SELECT to adjust value, push SELECT or MENU to enter new value. The main output has a fixed output level, volume control should be done via the external amplifier. • Playlists on CD Selects a playlist on CD (.M3U files). If there are any playlists on CD, they are listed on selection of this sub menu. Starting of a playlist via SELECT. • HD Operation Menu for formatiing hard disk, creating and deleting files or subdirectories.
• →SETTINGS Sets detail functions and other configuration paramteres: • Set Sleeptimer Sets a timer to listen music while going to bed. OSCAR stops playing after a selectable time of 30, 60 or 90 minutes and sets CD-ROM and hard disk to lowpower mode. • Scrollmode If a titel name is longer than 20 characters (up to 32 are allowed), OSCAR scrolls the title name in the display. Via this setting you can switch the the scrolling mode on or off.
after every song selected and waits for a new start by pushing the "SELECTION" wheel. • Save Settings Saves actual configuration permanently. OSCAR will play with the same settings when switching it on next time. • → PROGRAM Programming / Playlist settings of OSCAR • View program Shows the titles of actual program (playlist). For a detailed description see next chapter “Programming a Playlist”.
Advanced Operation of OSCAR Find and play a song In the normal selectmode, navigate through the file hierarchiy by pushing the SELECT and UP buttons. Turning the SELECT wheel moves between the files and directories on each level. SELECT enters a subdirectory, UP moves one step up in the hierarchy. .MP3 files are displayed for each hierarchy. To play a selected song, push SELECT. If you do not use a playlist, OSCAR plays the songs according to their order on the CD or hard disk.
..\mp3\disk1\nice_song.mp3 (relative path beginning with actual directory) The following is an invalid entry: E:\mp3\disk\mist.mp3 By navigating with SELECT/UP or by selecting the sub menu Auswahl des PLAYLISTS from the OSCAR MENÜ a list of all playlists found on the media can be accessed. You can select a specific playlist via the SELECT wheel and button. This moves OSCAR into the program mode described above.
RS-232 Interface OSCAR provides an RS-232 interface to monitor ist activities and to upload new firmware. The RS-232 can be connected to a PC. The following pins of the 9 pin Sub-D connector on OSCARs rear panel should be connected: OSCAR-Pin 2 3 4 PC-Pin 2 3 5 You can monitor the operation of OSCAR via a terminal program. The correct settings are: Baudrate: 115 kbit/s 8 bit 1 Stopbit no parity We plan to implement some control features via RS-232 in the future.
Adding a hard disk OSCAR provides the option to add a 3.5 inch AT-Bus hard disk as second storage media into OSCAR. Unfortunately, there are several differences between the hard disks of different vendors. We have mainly used IBM hard disks of the DJNA or DTTA series up to 20GB and would like to recommend the use of these hard disks. Caution: The hard disk may not exceed a maximum power consumption of 10 watts. Otherwise damage may occur to the internal power supply.
If a message should appear "No space left on HD" when copying a file after formatting the hard disk for the first time, please repeat the formatting process. Harddisk Operations If an internal harddisk is installed in OSCAR, some additional operations are available. It is possible to change between the CDROM an HD directory structures by pressing the UP key while in the root directory. The hard disk must be formatted before any data can be stored on it. See sub menu Format HD below.
Index File for Shuffle Function To enable the shuffle function via the whole hard dis, an index file containing all titles has to be created. This is done via MENU-MODES-CREATE HD INDEX OSCAR then creates an Index file named OSCAR.NDX on the hard disk, containing all title paths on the hard disk. This index file should always be created when new files are added or especiall, when files are deleted. Via the index file a true shuffle function for the playing can be started.
BayCom Service informations Ordering OSCAR or parts All BayCom articles can be ordered via the address provided below. Please ask for actual pricing informations. Order information: 1500 1510 OSCAR-MP3 Player, assembled, black front, incl. remote control OSCAR-MP3 Player, main and front PCB (do-it-yourself-kit) Technical Hotline, Warranty and Repairs: You have a warranty on the function of the kit according to the actual german warranty regulations.
