[Mk2] [Generic] Playing back mp3's ripped from CDs using iTunes

[JohnnyC]

I've recently bought an Alpine CDE-178BT.
Sticking mp3's bought from Amazon onto a USB memory stick, all works fine
But if I rip an audio CD using iTunes (Mac version) and put those mp3's on, fails to work with the error 'unsupported'.

Annoyingly, the old stereo I replaced (Alpine iDA-X001) had the opposite problem - played ripped cd's, failed to play Amazon mp3's (unless re-converted)

I've tried the obvious and used different bit-rates, sample-rates, tried variable bit-rate on and off when importing, all to no avail

According to the manual, the 'unsupported' error is "A sampling rate/bit rate not supported by the unit is used", but this is bullsh!t

Any ideas?
Would prefer a solution within iTunes as I use that to play music on my computer so it's all simpler

[rev3gtturbo]

One of my MR2s has an Alpine CDE-9880R which supports USB although I still have not got around to trying it with a USB stick. The manual has a page that identifies which bit rates and sampling rates are supported.
For the "UNSUPPORTED" error it says to use a sample rate/bit rate that is supported. Dunno why they dont just support all the known sample rates/bit rates available when they made the unit.

Recently got another MR2 and considering what to replace its old JVC with.

What speakers are you using with your Alpine head unit?

[JohnnyC]

What speakers are you using with your Alpine head unit?

It's not actually for an MR2, I have a Mini now

As said, bit rates etc weren't the issue.
But I did figure it out - sort of...

When viewing the contents of the USB stick on a PC, there were some hidden files (with same filenames as the MP3s, but with an underscore at the start) - these hidden files had the .mp3 extension, but weren't as they were only 4K in size.

Delete the hidden files and it all worked brilliantly

Couldn't see the hidden files on my Mac, even with 'view hidden files' enabled