PhatNoise PhatBox User manual

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PhatNoise Car Audio System User Manual
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MAN Copyright 2003 PhatNoise Inc.
Table of Contents
GETTING STARTED....................................................................................... 4
FOUR STEPS TO A QUICK START........................................................................................................................5
SYSTEM COMPONENTS......................................................................................................................................6
PhatBox Overview ........................................................................................................... 8
DMS Cartridge Overview.................................................................................................. 9
USB Cradle Overview..................................................................................................... 10
Safety and Handling Precautions.................................................................................... 11
SECTION I: INSTALLATION GUIDE ............................................................. 12
Before mounting the PhatBox ........................................................................................ 12
Mounting Orientation................................................................................................................................12
Mounting Clearance..................................................................................................................................12
Connecting the PhatBox ................................................................................................ 12
SECTION II: SETTING UP AT HOME ............................................................ 15
Installing the PhatNoise Music Manager software ........................................................... 15
SECTION III: CREATING AND MANAGING PLAYLISTS................................ 19
MP3 Files and ID3 Tags ................................................................................................. 19
Launching the Music Manager........................................................................................ 19
Navigating the Program................................................................................................. 20
Converting an Audio CD to computer files...................................................................... 21
Finding Music ................................................................................................................ 23
Creating Playlists........................................................................................................... 25
Accessing the DMS Cartridge......................................................................................... 27
Adding Music to the DMS Cartridge................................................................................ 29
Ejecting the DMS........................................................................................................... 32
Syncing Music ............................................................................................................... 33
SECTION IV: OPERATING THE PHATBOX.................................................... 34
Starting the PhatBox ..................................................................................................... 34
Button Layout Overview................................................................................................ 34
Using SSA..................................................................................................................... 36
Playback Modes............................................................................................................. 36
Active Playback Modes................................................................................................... 37
Playback Example ......................................................................................................... 38
Other Notes .................................................................................................................. 39
Head Unit Display.....................................................................................................................................39
Voice Prompting.......................................................................................................................................40
Random Play ............................................................................................................................................40
The Album Sort Order...............................................................................................................................41
Seeking.....................................................................................................................................................42
Summary of Modes and Functions ................................................................................. 42
Track Mode ..............................................................................................................................................42
Playlist Mode............................................................................................................................................42
Album Browser Mode ...............................................................................................................................43
Artist Browser Mode.................................................................................................................................43
Genre Browser Mode ................................................................................................................................44
Feature Mode............................................................................................................................................44
Track Info Button......................................................................................................................................45
APPENDIX A: UPDATING THE FIRMWARE IN YOUR PHATBOX................... 46
APPENDIX B: TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................. 52
APPENDIX C: IMPORTANT SAFETY AND HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS .......... 56
FCC WARNING .............................................................................................................. 56
Installation Precautions ................................................................................................. 56
Digital Media Storage Cartridge Precautions................................................................... 57

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PhatBox Player and USB Cradle Precautions................................................................... 57
APPENDIX D: USING AUDIBLE CONTENT WITH YOUR PHATNOISE CAR
AUDIO SYSTEM........................................................................................... 58
APPENDIX E: CONTACTING CUSTOMER SUPPORT....................................... 66
Copyright 2003, PhatNoise, Inc. –All Rights Reserved. All trademarks, service marks and tradenames, including without limitation, PHATNOISE,
PHATNOISE CAR AUDIO SYSTEM, PHATNOISE MUSIC MANAGER, PHATBOX, SSA/VOICE, DPGT and DMS are proprietary to PhatNoise, Inc.
Gracenote is CDDB, Inc. d/b/a "Gracenote." CD and music-related data from Gracenote
CDDB® Music Recognition ServiceSM © 2000, 2001, 2002 Gracenote. Gracenote CDDB Client
Software © 2000, 2001, 2002 Gracenote. U.S. Patents Numbers #5,987,525; #6,061, 680;
#6,154,773, and other patents issued or pending.
CDDB is a registered trademark of Gracenote. The logo and logotype, the Gracenote CDDB
CDDB logo and logotype, and the "Powered by Gracenote CDDB" logo are registered
trademarks of Gracenote. Music Recognition Service and MRS are service marks of Gracenote.

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MAN Copyright 2003 PhatNoise Inc.
Getting Started
The PhatNoise Car Audio System is one of the most advanced
automotive digital music jukebox available today. By offering one-
touch access to a virtually unlimited number of MP3s, WMAs and other
music files, it provides music lovers the ultimate in power and
flexibility through its seamless automotive integration.

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Four steps to a quick start
This manual contains step-by-step instructions for the operation of
your PhatNoise Car Audio System, but as a quick overview we will
start with the four major steps:
Step 1) Installing the PhatBox in your car. For more information on
how to install the PhatBox in your car, see section I.
Step 2) Installing the PhatNoise Music Manager software on your PC.
For more information on how to set up your PC, see section
II.
Step 3) Creating playlists of your favorite music. For more
information on creating and managing playlists, see section
III.
Step 4) Playing your music through your car stereo head unit by
switching to the CD changer mode. For more information on
operating your head unit, see section IV in this manual.

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System Components
Please check to make sure your PhatNoise Car Audio System package
is complete. In addition to this manual, you should have received all
of the following parts:
1 PhatBox
1 PhatBox connector cable
1 DMS cartridge
1 USB cradle with attached USB cable
1 USB cradle power adapter
1 PhatNoise Music Manager software CD-ROM
PhatBox
PhatBox connector cable
DMS Cartridge USB Cradle

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USB Cradle power adapter PhatNoise Music Manager
software CD-ROM

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PhatBox Overview
The PhatBox chassis is the “brain” of the PhatNoise Car Audio System.
It is a computer that you install permanently in your vehicle. The
PhatBox software and the music files themselves are contained on the
cartridge that is inserted into the PhatBox.

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DMS Cartridge Overview
The DMS cartridge is what makes the PhatBox flexible. Just like a
computer hard drive, its huge storage capacity can accommodate
thousands of music files.
When inserting the DMS Cartridge into the PhatBox, make sure the
cartridge slides all the way in until the latches click. Press the release
button whenever pulling the drive out of the cradle or the PhatBox.
Do not open the DMS cartridge casing. Doing so will void your
warranty. Only use genuine DMS cartridges with your
PhatNoise Car Audio System —other cartridges with other
drives inside will not work with your system.
!

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USB Cradle Overview
The USB cradle plugs into the USB port in the back of your computer.
Inserting the DMS cartridge into the USB cradle allows your computer
to download and store music files in your DMS cartridge. This cradle is
USB 2.0 compatible for fast transfer speeds. It is highly recommended
that you use your USB cradle with a high-speed USB 2.0 port in order
to achieve the fastest transfer rate. There are many brands of
inexpensive USB 2.0 PCI adapter cards available today.
Please be careful when the DMS cartridge is in the USB cradle. If
you bump or drop the USB cradle and DMS cartridge while in use,
you may damage the unit.
Important! Download and install the PhatNoise Music Manager
software in your computer before you connect the USB cradle to
your computer.
!

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Safety and Handling Precautions
Do not install the PhatBox on the rear deck of a car where it will be subjected
to direct sunlight and high temperatures.
Do not install the PhatBox where it will be subjected to hot air from the
heater or any other high-temperature location.
Do not install the PhatBox where you cannot firmly secure the unit, or in
high-vibration areas.
Do not install the PhatBox in an area of high humidity or where large
amounts of airborne dust/dirt are present.

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Section I: Installation Guide
The PhatBox is connected to the head unit the same way a CD changer
is connected. Be sure to insert the DMS cartridge into the
PhatBox before installation.
Important note: The PhatBox should be professionally installed.
Before mounting the PhatBox
Please consider the following when mounting your PhatBox.
Mounting Orientation
The PhatBox should be mounted in the vertical, horizontal, or upside
down positions. Avoid mounting the PhatBox on an angled surface for
best shock performance.
Mounting Clearance
You must leave the front of the PhatBox unobstructed to allow the
DMS cartridge to be removed from the DMS cartridge slot. The
PhatBox cable needs at least 3 inches of clearance to keep the cables
from straining or bending unnecessarily.
Connecting the PhatBox
A CD changer harness running from the radio to the mounting location
is required for installation; this harness may already be present in the
vehicle. The PhatBox is connected to the CD changer harness using
the supplied PhatBox connector cable.
Be sure to insert the DMS cartridge into the PhatBox before
installation.
1. Turn off the car and the radio.
2. Gain access to the CD Changer harness.
3. Connect the short PhatBox connector cable into the back of the
PhatBox and screw in the thumbscrews. Do not attach the
PhatBox connector cable to the CD changer harness yet.
!

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4. Secure the PhatBox to the mounting location.
5. With the DMS cartridge fully inserted, plug the PhatNoise cable
into CD changer harness.
6. You should see the red and green lights turn on.
7. About 5-10 seconds later, both lights should turn off and stay
off.
8. Turn on your car stereo.
9. Switch to CD changer mode on your head unit.
10. Wait for a welcome track to begin playing. You may have
to wait up to 15 seconds for the PhatBox to boot.
11. The PhatBox now needs to be configured to a specific Audi-
Volkswagen stereo model. Turn on your radio, find your stereo
model in the table below, and follow the corresponding
configuration instructions.
Stereo Model Configuration instructions
Volkswagen Premium IV stereo
Volkswagen Premium IV N.B. stereo
Volkswagen Premium V stereo
Volkswagen Premium V N.B. stereo
1. Press 6 to go to the feature menu.
2. Press ‘>|’ until you get to option 5 in the feature
menu.
3. Press 'scan' at the prompt, "Select Volkswagen
cassette only stereo."
Volkswagen Premium VI stereo 1. Press 6 to go to the feature menu.
2. Press ‘>|’ until you get to option 6 in the feature
menu.
3. Press 'scan' at the prompt, "Select Volkswagen
CD and cassette stereo."

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Audi Concert stereo
Audi Symphony stereo 1. Press 6 to go to the feature menu. 2. Press ’>|’ until you get to option 7 in the feature
menu.
3. Press 'scan' at the prompt, "Select Audi Concert
with cassette or Symphony with single CD
stereo."
Audi Concert II stereo
Audi Symphony II stereo 1. Press ‘CD+’ or ‘CD–‘ until you reach CDC6, the feature menu.
2. Press ‘>|’ or ‘|<’ until you get to option 8 in the
feature menu.
3. Press 'scan' at the prompt, "Select Audi Concert
with single CD or Symphony with in-dash CD
changer stereo."
Even when the stereo is off and the key is out of the ignition, the
PhatBox will remember the configuration. You will only need to
configure the PhatBox again if:
•The firmware is reprogrammed.
•The PhatBox loses power, e.g. PhatNoise cable becomes
unplugged, or car battery loses power.

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Section II: Setting up at Home
Installing the PhatNoise Music Manager software
The PhatNoise Music Manager software is included on the CD found in
your package. You can use the software to create and manage
playlists of MP3s, WMA and WAV files.
You must install the PhatNoise Music Manager software on your
computer before you connect the USB cradle to your computer.
To configure the software, it is very important to follow these steps in
order. Windows 98 Second Edition and above (Windows
Millenium, Windows 2000, Windows XP) is required to use the
PhatNoise Music Manager.
1. Exit all running Windows programs.
2. If the DMS Cartridge is inserted into the USB cradle, remove it
now.
3. Insert the PhatNoise Music Manager software CD into your PC's
CD-ROM drive. Wait a few moments. The PhatNoise Music
Manager software installation program will launch automatically.
4. If the PhatNoise Music Manager software installation program
does not run, follow these steps to run the software manually:
a. Click the “Start” button in the lower left corner of your
screen and select "Run...". The Run dialog box appears.
b. Type the following text in the drop-down list box:
d:\PMM_setup.exe
where "d:" is the letter corresponding to your CD-ROM
drive.
c. Click OK.
5. Follow the instructions to install the PhatNoise Music Manager
software.
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6. When the installation is finished, the setup program will ask you
to reboot the computer.
7. Once rebooted, plug the power connector into the USB cradle.
Make sure the other end of the power cable is plugged into a
wall outlet before connecting the USB cradle to your computer.
8. Connect the USB cradle to a USB port on your PC. (We
recommend that if your computer does not already support USB
2.0, that you purchase a USB 2.0 PCI adapter card to take
advantage of the much faster transfer speed).
9. Insert the DMS cartridge firmly into the USB cradle. Avoid
‘slapping’ the cartridge into place. The green and red indicator
lights should illuminate. The DMS cartridge will then be detected
by the operating system.
10. After an initialization period, an “Autoplay” dialog box will
appear:

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11. Let the Autoplay feature finish.
12. Next, dialog boxes will appear for PHTDTA and PHTSYS:

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13. For each dialog box, select “Take No Action” and check
“Always do the selected Action”, then Click “OK”.
14. Your DMS is ready!
If you have USB 2.0 ports installed on your machine, but the cradle is
plugged into a USB 1.0 port, Windows XP will give the warning below.
To solve this, plug the cradle into a USB 2.0 port.
!

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Section III: Creating and Managing Playlists
This section of the instruction manual serves to introduce the core
features of the PhatNoise Music Manager software. To explore all the
features of the software, press F1 while the Music Manager is running.
MP3 Files and ID3 Tags
The PhatNoise Music Manager software allows you to organize, play,
and create digital music files. These music files come in many
different formats, but the most popular is the MP3 format. While this
manual usually refers to MP3 files, the same actions apply to any
digital music file format.
An MP3 file is a compressed audio file that can be listened to on the
computer. An MP3 file is made of two parts, the audio data and the
ID3 tag. The audio data uses high quality music compression to make
storage and movement of music easy. The ID3 tag enables the
PhatNoise Music Manager to organize music files.
The ID3 tag and music data is analogous to a book jacket and the
pages inside the book. Whereas the pages contain the book’s story,
the book’s jacket contains the author's name, the book title, and a
short summary. An ID3 tag contains information about the Artist, Song
Title, Album Title, and Genre, and the rest of the MP3 file is the audio
content. MP3 files possessing an incorrect ID3 tag will be improperly
filed, much like a book with the wrong book jacket would be misplaced
in a library.
Now it’s time to start using the PhatNoise Music Manager. The
following sections will walk you step by step through the core features
including:
1. Creating MP3 files from an Audio CD
2. Organizing music files and playlists
3. Transferring MP3s and playlists to the DMS cartridge
Launching the Music Manager
1. Launch the PhatNoise Music Manager software. You can do this
one of two ways:
oDouble-click the PhatNoise Music Manager icon on your
desktop.
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oClick “Start”, select “Program Files”, and select the
PhatNoise Music Manager icon.
2. You will see the Music Manager splash screen, then the “Load
Songs” screen will appear.
3. Choose a location on your computer that contains songs you
wish to load into the PhatNoise Music Manager database. This
may be a music folder you already have (i.e. “C:\My Music”).
Navigating the Program
Each icon on the left of the application’s screen represents a different
interface and part of the software.
Library View
CD Encoder View
Update Device View
Web Browser View