iphonesrk

Thanks. Doesn't work for me.

Hi, Glad you got it working. But, I'm not sure you found the holy grail. Your method hasn't fixed my problem, and I'm not really sure why any of the steps you took should have any effect, but I'm glad it worked for you. Mine still wants to re-index every chance it gets, plus I found a problem with Unicode titles/tracks I didn't see with versions pre-2.8. Oh, well.

My experience is similar. I have a 2011 Edge SEL. My sync software is Gen2 V2.8. In particular, I've experienced your observation that it (Sync) does not do Unicode. I've tried to remedy that by changing my SD card's data by editing the titles/folders/etc to remove special characters and that hasn't worked. I'll try changing the source materials (my iTunes library) tags to see if that works instead. The funny thing is, Sync s/w V2.4 worked fine with tracks/titles with special characters (Unicode) but the upgrade broke the capability. You haven't mentioned any problems with your Sync always "Indexing" your library. Do you see this as well? Thanks. Sam

I think the site may have problems or be undergoing maintenance. I too got the same response as you yesterday (5/29/2011) and again today (5/30/2011). I've seen it do this before. I'm just glad to have seen your post to know it's not just me. . . . .

Hi. I have a 2011 Edge SEL, recently updated from Gen2 V2.4 to 2.8. You're far from alone. Join the club. "Indexing" seems to be the SYNCs favorite thing to do. It never gets enough of it. V2.8 seemed to add a new problem for me as well. Getting more and more annoying. Tell your dealer you want it fixed.

My 2011 Edge SEL version was upgraded from Gen2 V2.4 to 2.8 and now it doesn't work properly with tracks/titles/artists with "special characters" in them. For example, Michael Buble uses an accent mark in the "e" in his last name: Michael Bublé Several of my classical selections have such characters, as does the first track in the soundtrack for "Jersey Boys" (French title). Such tracks referenced in playlists cannot be played by using the playlist as the playlist doesn't show the title, according to Sync. But, the Sync can find the track if requested via voice command. So... I figured I'd just edit my SD card's data by changing all the accented "E's" to plain E's, including any accented characters in the file path, file name, and even within the MP3 (properties: artist, contributing artist, etc). When I did that, any playlist with one or more of these tracks now showed up as being completely empty! Zero tracks. Anyone else have problems with 'missing track's because they have special characters?

NO. It has made no difference on my 2011 Edge SEL. My SYNC is now up to Gen 2, V2.8. The "indexing" on my SD card starts everytime I start the vehicle despite having run my library through SyncMyiTunes.

Hi, RMS8. I went through exactly what you've been going through. I'm an "I.T. guy" for an engineering firm. I have a 2011 Ford Edge SEL. I bought in late 2010 and have been complaining ever since about its handling of multimedia thumbdrives, SD disks, and Bluetooth devices (iPhone, e.g.). I've been through about 3 "updates" so far. From a base level (I forget which) to "Gen2" V2.4 and most recently, like you, Gen2 V2.8. My perceptions of the efficacy of V2.8 may be a bit different than yours, but my device demands are different. I've been using a 32GB thumbdrive and more recently a 16GB SD card drive. Both experienced the same problems - with some variation - as what you describe. That is to say, everything would finally be "indexed" and the "buidling media commands" (or whatever it says on the screen) was finally done and the world was good. The music library I was trying to carry with me was pretty modest - about 15GB tops including album art, so no big deal by today's standards. About 2500 songs tops. But then, after that, 2 different things could happen, and it wasn't predictable (at least by me) which it would be. ONE - you could turn off the vehicle, and leave it for anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 weeks (I did both), you get back in, and not only does the Sync pick up in the last playlist where it left off, but it continues to work like it was never powered down. Ever. OR.... TWO - you could turn off the vehicle and leave it for anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 weeks and it would wake up in utter confusion, which is to say it may act like it never saw the thumbdrive or SD card before, or it would recognize it, but begin "Indexing device" OR it would rather show that it was building media commands, etc, etc. In any case, it would be completely unusable. But then to add insult to injury, when the indexing was done, frequently no voice command would work. No how, no way, nothing, zilch, zero, nada! The sync would dutifully repeat back your commands and say it was doing them, but nothing. I used to think that maybe the problem was that the Sync wasn't storing any index files on your device (and I don't think it does, but I'm not sure - I haven't researched it that much), but if it doesn't, given these problems, why doesn't it by now? But even if it doesn't how could that explain why I could sometimes leave my car powered off for 2 weeks and have it all pick back up later without a hitch like it was never turned off? It just made no sense. But, with V2.8, it seems a little different. My problem is I don't have a lot of time to test it. I use a company car most of the time, so I spend little time in my Edge trying to "troubleshoot" MS and Ford's problems, but I have noticed a couple things with V2.8. First is that at first blush it DOES seem re-do the Indexing operation a lot after being started up. But, what I've noticed is that it hasn't yet failed to do something I want to do with the library. I.E., when starting it up after 10 minutes or 10 days - at least so far, but in limited testing - it picks up in the last playlist I left it playing exactly where it was before. And, even though it may say "Indexing" or "building media commands" it doesn't fail to respond to voice commands or browsing of the device. But again, I haven't devoted a lot of time to it lately since I don't have the time. I had other ongoing issues with it as well, including an occasional lack of response to the volume know, like the music is too loud but the system doens't respond for a long time to the volume knob or steering wheel control, etc. But I'm giving V2.8 some slack until I've had more time to have it fail on me. BTW - I have used the syncmytunes software on my music library one time and it found no problems (so it said). I think it's just obfuscation anyway. If that's such an issue, Ford or MS should build the damn corrections into their Sync software and not expect Joe Sixpack to have to worry about what damn "tags" his music files have right or what they don't. If they want to only market to "pointy-heads" they're going to have a pretty anemic market. Just my 2 cents. sam

Have iPhone 4 AT&T. Latest apple s/w update. Do I experience the same problem? Oh, Yeah! OH, YEAH!!! Text in general with iPhone and Sync is DOA.,

I just had an update for my 2011 Ford Edge SEL which is labelled Gen2-V2.8. It was apparently the most recent version for my Sync, but.... who know's for sure? I do know it seemed to make a difference. TO be fair, each update does seem to make it better. Sorry to be so skeptical, but the way they rolled this out and then took their time in addressing the issues just reminds too many of us of our personal computers and the useability issues and bugs we've experienced over the years. Can you say "MS"??? sam

I have a 2011 Ford Edge SEL and I took delivery of it late 2010. The SYNC device has had "issues" for me which seem to be getting attention, slowly but surely. My version of sync software is Gen 2 version 2.8. A couple points: (1) I feel very sorry for Ford dealership service people. They don't seem setup to handle some of these issues. I'm sure customers other than me show up with rather technical issues we're encountering which have to be explained to the service tech who may or may not understand. I found it helps to spell it all out in excrusiating detail on paper and leave it with the dealership. In any case, this is a big burden on service people and they are handling it, in my opinion, pretty well or at least as well as they can. (2) My issues before this most recent update: the device would constantly re-index content of a device (SD card or USB thumbdrive) that was never removed, making the device inaccessible for up to a half hour. The other was the volume control getting into a mode in which it was unresponsive for up to 30 seconds. That is, the volume would get too loud, the owner would adjust the volume control, and the volume would finally respond up to 30 seconds later. Of the issues I had, I have NOT YET evaluated the effect of my most recent update, since the last update was done only 2 days ago. I guess what I'm trying to say is - there ARE issues with the SYNC, but in my opinion Ford seems to be addressing them as fast as possible and providing remediation. Ford's support network needs to get updated experience and skills but despite my occasional frustrations with the SYNC device, I've come to think they are doing a good job in geting caught up to the job. For example: in my case I had an SD card with a mere 2300 songs on it. The dealership service manager said to me that the tech noted the device had "over 2000 songs on it" and that it would take up to an hour to index. I didn't burst his bubble by telling him there are some customers who have tens of thousands of songs on external USB drives which they'll be expecting to attach to the sync and have it work as advertized. I DO think they were caught unaware of the problems this device was going to create for their maintenance network, but I also think they're catching up quickly. I'm counting on it as I otherwise LOVE my 2011 Ford Edge SEL. The SYNC was a clincher in my choosing the 2011 Ford Edge SEL. And I'd choose to buy it again if I had the chance. Sam

All I know is, it seems to clear itself way too often automatically. I have a 2011 Edge SEL with Sync software Gen2 V2.4, and often I turn off the car, come back out later and start it up again and it starts indexing the SD card (or USB thumbdrive) as if it never saw it before, announces it's indexing the device and essentially keeps the device inaccesible for about a half hour until it (once again!) indexes the device and finishes "building media commands" for it. What a pain!! But, to purposely clear the index? Not sure, just turn off the ignition and exit the car a few times seems to do the trick for me! :-(

It is amazing! I have V2.4 sync s/w installed on my 2011 Ford Edge SEL. I started with a USB thumbdrive but experienced issues. So I reasoned that perhaps an SD card (the fastest I could find) would have fewer problems. But, no go. THe problem is this: when the system seems quiescent (stabilized), and playing songs from a playlist, artist, or otherwise the results of a voice command, and I have to leave the car. So I turn the key off and go somewhere out of the car - perhaps a store, or perhaps into my house. Sometimes for just a few minutes, sometimes for overnight. But, regardless of how long, it seems that at random when I start the Edge up again, the Sync won't continue the playing either the USB or SD device where it left off (it sometimes does!), but rather keeps everything silent while it displays in the lower left corner "Indexing...". And, then after sometimes many minutes, it will display that it's "building media commands" or something to that effect. During this time, it will respond to some commands, but not others. (random). And it will also fail to show playlists (via touchscreen), artists, or other details. This is not a good thing because I count on having the damn thing know about my device, and, assuming it hasn't changed, it should start up with the car and support it JUST LIKE IT DID BEFORE BEING TURNED OFF, but instead many times i have to go for many minutes while it re-evaluates the device. Again, and again, and again..... This is a problem..

I couldn't understand why the SYNC wouldn't find some of my songs in voice commands. And then, when "browse"ing they still didn't seem to be there. Finally, I realized this: (NOTE: I use iTunes for my song library and characteristics). - The MP3 file's properties have a Title attribute - SYNC apparently uses this for the title, and if it's blank, it uses the filename which may be somewhat obscure. (For example, I have a number of songs with this MP3 attribute blank but with filenames like: 03 Song_Mp3_Filename.mp3, etc.), and so, trying to use a voice command to play, say, "Song Title" would fail since the SYNC is looking for "03 Song Title", etc. - Other information that iTunes MAY know about is not reflected in the actual MP3 file and so you may have a song come up with the album information showing blank, or unknown or whatever. SO... I guess I have to find a way to fill in this MP3 file information so that my SYNC works with voice commands since everytime I try to say "USB....Play Song.... 03 Song Title" it fails so I must not be saying the "03" part properly. Anyway, FYI. Sam

I've upgraded my 2011 Ford Edge SEL to ver 2.4 SYNC software, and some issues were fixed. But, many others persist, such as: 1.) I use a USB thumbdrive for my music library, and everytime I start the car, the Edge SYNC system acts as if it never saw the drive before. It starts "indexing" it and it's virtually unusable until the system has finished re-indexing it. THis would be fine - ONE TIME - but it does it every single time I start the car. Worse, when it's finished doing that, it delays even further in "building media commands" which goes on endlessly. Once again, if this were a once and done thing, no biggie. But this IS EVERYTIME I START THE CAR AND WANT TO PLAY SOME MUSIC FROM MY USB THUMBDRIVE!!! 2.) Voice commands never seem to work the first time. I will click the button, and say something like "USB" - the system responds "USB". I say "Play, Artist, Rod Stewart". THe system "bongs" as if it recognizes it, and without fail it starts playing songs from my library from the first physical song file - i.e., nothing to do with the command I just entered. And then, I do the very same thing again, and NOW it works. 3.) My system will occasionally startup NOT showing any information for Sirius such as song or artist OR any of the channel numbers/descriptions in the far right side list of channels. Also, the dashboard (right side) graphics pretend that USB device isn't even present. THis system needs a LOT of work, and I'm just not seeing the effort to fix it despite how much we're paying for our vehicles.