Using the RDS Traffic Feature through Technical Information for MP3 Player (US8)
RADIO/AUDIO SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND OPERATIONBattery positive voltage is provided to the radio from RADIO BATT fuse in the fuse block - right I/P. The radio is grounded to G202 and G203. The radio is enabled/disabled by class 2 messages from the body control module (BCM). The BCM contains an audio delay power timer which allows the radio to operate for up to 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off. The radio can only be deactivated by one of the following:
1. Driver door is open.
2. The 10 minute timer has elapsed.
3. Loss of state of health message from the BCM.
The Entertainment System on this vehicle is configured with a base or uplevel system. Both systems contain a radio, antenna, speakers.
The uplevel system provides the customer with enhanced audio system features. Some of those features may include the radio data system (RDS), an audio amplifier and programmable equalizer (EQ). Digital radio reception (U2K) is available with uplevel systems.
The following list shows the radios available for this vehicle:
- Base Radio (U1C) - AM/FM Stereo and CD
- Uplevel Radio (U1P) - AM/FM Stereo, CD, EQ and RDS
- Uplevel Radio (U1Q) - AM/FM Stereo, Cassette, CD, EQ and RDS
- Uplevel Radio (US8) - AM/FM Stereo, CD, MP3, EQ and RDS
Radio Features
Cassette Features
Compact Disc Features
MP3 Features
Each item in the list below represents topics covered in detail below:
- AM/FM Reception
- XM Reception
- Antenna
- Audio Amplifier
- Theft Deterrent
- Remote Playback Device
- Radio Data System (RDS)
- Radio Chime Level Adjustment
- Steering Wheel Controls
- XM Satellite Radio
- XM Advisory Messages
- Tape/CD Player Error Messages
- Technical Information for MP3 Player (US8)
Using the RDS Traffic Feature
Some RDS broadcasters may carry traffic information programming to inform you of current traffic conditions in your listening area and is indicated by the TRAF icon in the radio display. RDS enables the broadcaster to get this information to you even when you are listening to a tape or compact disc. This feature can be enabled or disabled by the listener. Press the TRAF button to find a station that claims to carry traffic information. You may do this even when playing a cassette tape or compact disc. This action will operate in the background without interrupting the current playback. If the radio is not currently tuned to an RDS traffic station, the radio will immediately seek an RDS traffic station. If the radio finds an RDS traffic station, the "TRAF" icon will appear on the radio display as will brackets around the [TRAF] icon. If the radio cannot find an RDS traffic station after searching through the entire FM band, the radio will display "NO TRAFFIC".
Traffic Interrupt Feature
Whenever the TRAF icon is displayed, the current FM station may also broadcast traffic announcements. Traffic announcements are reports of the current traffic conditions in the listening area of the tuned FM broadcasters.
Your radio can interrupt the playback of a cassette or compact disc by use of the traffic interrupt feature. The traffic interrupt feature is enabled when the TRAF icon is displayed.
If the broadcaster sends out a traffic announcement while you are listening to FM or in the playback mode, "TRAFFIC" will be displayed on the radio and the audio from the broadcaster will be heard. At the conclusion of the traffic announcement, the radio will return to the previous playback mode.
During the time the radio displays "TRAFFIC", you can adjust the volume of the traffic announcement. This will be the volume at which all future traffic announcements will be heard until the volume during another traffic announcement.
You can also interrupt a traffic announcement interrupt by pressing the TRAF button.
RDS Program Type Interrupts
When the Program Type feature is on, all program types may be selected as interrupts. Perform the following to select a program type as an interrupt.
1. Turn ON the radio.
2. Select the program type.
3. Press and hold the program type button, labeled PROG TYPE or P-TYPE, for 2 seconds while the program type is displayed.
When an interrupt is set, the display shows the program type followed by an asterisk and the brackets around the [P-TYPE] icon are illuminated.
To turn an interrupt off:
1. Select a program type marked as an interrupt.
2. Press and hold the program type button, labeled PROG TYPE or P-TYPE, for 2 seconds. The program type will be unmarked by turning off the asterisk. If no other program type interrupts are set, the brackets around the [P-TYPE] icon are also turned off.
When a Program Type Interrupt is set, the radio will wait for the current FM RDS station to change its program type to one of those selected as an interrupt. When the station program type changes to a program type interrupt setting then the interrupt is activated. If the radio is in a playback mode, an interrupt will cause the radio to switch to the FM band, display the program type followed by "INT", and adjust the volume to the last active interrupt volume. If the radio is in the FM mode when an interrupt occurs, only the volume will change. The radio resumes the mode that was active prior to the interrupt, when an interrupt ends. An interrupt in progress may be canceled by pressing the program type button or a mode button.
During a national or local emergency, a special program type interrupt message "ALERT!" is displayed. This special announcement will cancel all other RDS features that are in progress, such as a traffic announcement.
Alternate Frequency (AF) Switching
RDS permits broadcaster's to send information to the radio that allows the radio to automatically switch frequency to the best quality station in that broadcaster's network.
Since the radio is displaying the broadcaster call letters or nickname, the listener will not see the frequency during an AF switch unless you have changed the default display to be frequency instead of Program Service name.
To enable or disable AF switching perform the following:
- Press and hold the AM/FM or BAND button for two seconds or more.
- The radio will display "AF ON" or "AF OFF" depending on the current condition of AF and a confirmation beep will be heard.
When AF is enabled and you recall an RDS station stored on preset, the radio determines if the station stored is of acceptable quality. If not, the radio checks all available AF's for your station. If the radio fails to locate your program, "AF SEARCH" will be displayed as the radio scans across the band looking for your program or an affiliated network. If the radio cannot find the original station or an acceptable alternate frequency "NOT FOUND" will be displayed and the radio returns to the original frequency for the preset.
RDS Clock Time
Broadcasters can choose to send clock time information in the RDS data. This information can be used to update the clock time on the radio. RDS clock time is broadcasted once a minute. To set the clock using RDS clock data perform the following:
- Press and hold the HR and MIN buttons together for two or more seconds to update the time.
- The display will show "UPDATED" after receiving the broadcasted time data.
- If the broadcaster is not broadcasting the time data, the radio will display "NO UPDATE" and the time remains unchanged.
Radio Chime Level Adjustment
IMPORTANT: Radio chime level adjustment is only available on radios equipped with RDS.
The radio is the vehicle chime producer. The chime is audible from the driver's side front door speakers.
To adjust the chime level louder.
1. Turn ON the ignition.
2. Turn OFF the radio.
3. Press and hold preset button 6.
The chime volume level will change from the normal level to loud. The radio displays "LOUD".
To change back to the default or normal setting follow the previous steps. The chime volume level will change from the loud level to normal. The radio displays "NORMAL".
Each time the chime volume is changed, the radio sounds three chimes as an example of the new volume selected.
Steering Wheel Controls
Some audio functions are available using the steering wheel controls. The steering wheel controls are actually a resistor network which consists of multiple momentary contact switches and a series of resistors. The switches and resistor network is arranged so that each switch has a different resistance value. When a switch is pressed, a voltage drop occurs in the resistor network which produces a specific voltage value unique to the switch selected. These specific voltage values allow the radio to identify which switch has been pressed. The radio responds just as if the corresponding radio front panel button had been pressed.
The radio supplies voltage to the steering wheel control switch via the radio on signal circuit. The specific voltage signal from the switch is returned to the radio on the remote radio control signal circuit.
XM Satellite Radio
XM is a national satellite radio service that offers up to 100 coast to coast channels including music, news, sports, talk and children's programming. XM provides digital quality audio and text information, including song title and artist name. A service fee is required in order to receive the XM service. For more information, contact XM at www.xmradio.com or call 1-800-852-9696.
Digital Radio Receiver
The radio controls communicate with the digital radio receiver via the class 2 communication circuit. The digital radio receiver sends remote radio audio signals to the radio.
Viewing Messages
Press the DISP or RCL button while in XM mode to view various pieces of information related to the current song or channel. By pressing and releasing the DISP or RCL button, you may view four different categories of information: Artist Name/Feature, Song/Program Title, Channel Category, and other Additional Information that may be broadcast on that channel. Additional Information messages may not always be available. If an Additional Information message is being broadcast on the tuned channel, the INFO icon will appear on the display. Each of the four information types may have multiple pages of text. To reach a category, press and release the DISP or RCL button consecutively until the desired type is displayed. If there are multiple pages of text for the selected information type, the radio will automatically display all the pages for that type at a rate of approximately one page every three seconds before timing out and returning to the default display. You may override this feature by pressing the DISP or RCL button to review all of the pages at your own pace.
Tape/CD Player Error Messages
The radio displays an error when any of the following occurs.
- The radio will display error codes for the tape player and integral CD player.
- The radio will display the following tape player error codes for tight tape, broken tape, and wrapped tape. If these conditions are detected, the radio will switch to the radio mode and eject the tape. The error code will be displayed for 5 seconds, followed by the tuner display, then the default.
- E10 or TIGHT TAPE-Tight tape
- E11 or BROKEN TAPE-Broken tape
- E14 or WRAPPED TAPE-Wrapped tape
- The radio will display the following integral CD player error codes. If one of these problems is detected, the unit will switch to the radio mode and eject the CD. The display will show TOD, if the unit is off, or display the radio frequency for 5 seconds, then the default, if the unit is on.
- E20 or CHECK CD-Optics focus error, maybe due to moisture
- E21 or CHECK CD-Optics loss of tracking control, maybe due to blemishes on disc
- E22 or PLAYER ERR-Load/Unload motor problem
- E23 or PLAYER ERR-Communication problem
Technical Information for MP3 Player (US8)
The US8 radio will play both standard audio CDs and CD-Rs. The CD-Rs may contain standard audio format (-.cda) or compressed audio in the -.mp3 format.
Customers who make their own music CD-Rs should be aware of the following:
- The files can be recorded on a CD-R disc with a maximum capacity of 700 MB.
- The MP3 files must be recorded onto the disc in either a fixed bit rate (32 kbps, 40 kbps, 48 kbps, 56 kbps, 64 kbps, 80 kbps, 96 kbps, 112 kbps, 128 kbps, 160 kbps, 192 kbps, 224 kbps, 256 kbps, and 320 kbps), or in a variable bit rate.
- Discs recorded in either one session or in multiple sessions will play. Playlists, such as those created with popular MP3 software, are also supported.
- ID3 tag information is available during playback, providing the information was recorded with ID3 tags, version 1 or version 2. CD text information is not available with the US8 radio.
- The radio does not play mixed media CDs (those that contain files in both the -.mp3 and the -.cda format).
- The radio will not play CD-Rs that contain formats of compressed audio other than -.mp3 (such as -.wma, -.asf, or -.aac).
- The radio will support a maximum of 50 folders, 50 playlists, 10 sessions, and 255 files. If the information on the disc exceeds these numbers, anything over the maximum allowable will be ignored. Files that are not in the -.mp3 format will not play, but do count toward the maximum number of files.
- The files or playlists can be arranged in folders, up to 11 layers deep (folders within folders, within folders, etc.). Anything more than 11 layers deep will be ignored.
- Long names (on files, folders, playlists) or combination of large number of folders and files or playlists may cause player not to be able to read up to the max numbers of folders, playlists, files, or sessions, due to memory limitations. Customers are encouraged to keep shorter names and minimize folder depth for ease of operation.
If these guidelines are not followed, a customer recorded CD may not play. Note that the radio has no ability to record -.mp3 files or any audio to a CD-R, it has only the ability to read information on a CD-R.