Hi all, I plan to play mp3 CDs and was wondering if the interface to navigate the folders/mp3s was much different in the TCH without nav compared to the TCH with nav.

I have a handheld GPS (TomTom ONE) and would like to save the money and get the TCH without nav. The lack of FE charts kind of bums me out but I'm not sure if that's worth the extra $$

Thanks for any info!

The non-NAV LCD display has only one line of text, so you have to change what is displayed to see all the different MP3 track info. Otherwise, I have not found it difficult to navigate thru my MP3 discs.

CAMRHEE Hybrid
Completed Mods: RK-Sport body kit, 18" LexusGS430 wheels 235/50ZR18 tires, TRD/SE springs, Rear Lip Spoiler, Terk XM-Direct, Smoked tail lights, Rear Bumper Applique, Front License Bracket, Lower Grill chrome inserts, K&N, Blaupunkt THB200A sub, moved rear HSD emblem
Future Mods: fog lights, black chrome my wheels

I miss the RDS Radio that comes with the NAV. My new cell phone gives me RDS, so I'm disappointed I didn't get it in my TCH. I also miss the energy screens. Overall, though, I'm not missing it all $3000 worth, which is what I would have spent to get the NAV (with the sunroof and leather I did not want).

*RDS = Radio Data System. It gives info on the type of station and what's currently playing.

B. Goodman

I miss the RDS also. I have it on my Sienna. Also, I'm getting along fine without the energy screens. Working on my 2nd tank and getting 40.4mpg after 300mi!

I do not like the text display on non-nav systems. What size font is that? 36? But you probably wouldn't be able to tell what it says if they made it any smaller because of the crappy LCD resolution. Looks like they saved a little on the display.

What I have seen suggested and I'm just now trying it is to write MP3 playlists onto audio cd's. I believe I could get ~140 songs on one disc...do that with 3-4 cd's and that's a lot of music. Then just put the playback in random mode. I've always run my ipod in this mode and now I can do the same thing without needing to plug in the ipod. Another advantage is that the cd will stop where it was playing while you talk on the phone or run into the store...the ipod (plugged into the AUX jack) will not, although maybe one of those ipod craddles would do that, I haven't looked at those yet.

Thanks for the info guys..

I did notice the LCD was pretty ugly looking when I took a quick test drive. I have an mp3 player too but I thought 6 CDs worth of mp3s would be a lot of music and if I could navigate the cds/folders easy enough it might be ok. In addition to the convenience of not having to mess with another device/aux cable.. I would think that the sound quality might be a little better playing mp3s off of a cd since the music doesn't have to go through the headphone jack/aux cable.

You might have better luck if you record your music in WMA format instead of mp3. The sound results are better, and without the tinny digital clipped notes I hear when listening to mp3s.