USB inputs, Aux inpts and HDs
Gaara
Posts: 2,415
This is my first post in the Car section but I can't seem to find the information I am looking for by searching.
I am trying to get rid of CDs all together, I already don't use them at home and away from home, but now I want to get rid of them in my car to. I can list info about my car but if I can just find out if my plan will work I can do the research on what fits my car on my own.
Ok so I want a solution that eliminates the need for cds. I see the options as:
1. Get a head unit with aux in and use a portable mp3 player as source
2. Get a head unit with USB in and use a harddrive/flashdrive as source
3. Get a head unit with a harddrive built in and transfer all my music over
The 2nd looks to be the easiest and most cost effective, I could get a CDP for around $200 and the harddrive with plenty of space for around $50. I have a few questions though.
1. Is this the best route to take for flexibility, sound quality, and cost?
2. Will car head units play FLAC files?
3. Will a car head uint power a external harddrive via USB? (one that normally can be powered via USB for home use)
4. Is there anything I am missing or any obvious flaws with my plan?
Thanks and sorry for the long post.
Jared
I am trying to get rid of CDs all together, I already don't use them at home and away from home, but now I want to get rid of them in my car to. I can list info about my car but if I can just find out if my plan will work I can do the research on what fits my car on my own.
Ok so I want a solution that eliminates the need for cds. I see the options as:
1. Get a head unit with aux in and use a portable mp3 player as source
2. Get a head unit with USB in and use a harddrive/flashdrive as source
3. Get a head unit with a harddrive built in and transfer all my music over
The 2nd looks to be the easiest and most cost effective, I could get a CDP for around $200 and the harddrive with plenty of space for around $50. I have a few questions though.
1. Is this the best route to take for flexibility, sound quality, and cost?
2. Will car head units play FLAC files?
3. Will a car head uint power a external harddrive via USB? (one that normally can be powered via USB for home use)
4. Is there anything I am missing or any obvious flaws with my plan?
Thanks and sorry for the long post.
Jared
Post edited by Gaara on
Comments
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Here's the deal: I have a Pioneer DEH-P6900UB with a Seagate 120gb usb powered drive. There were several obsticales that I ran into, but I got it to work with common sense. This will probably help you out a great deal:
1.)Always check the manual before you get the deck. I almost bought a sony or an eclipse before I discovered that they only supported about 8 gigs over USB, no mass storage device support over usb. The Pioneer works up to 250 gbs
2.)Also, check the drive formatting that the head unit requires. My pioneer would only accept FAT32, not NTFS. Most drives come formatted at NTFS, and in Windows Xp or Vista, you can't reformat a drive to FAT32. I found a program that will do it, send me a private message if you need it (freeware).
3.)Then there's the power issue. USB 2.0 supplies 500ma, or .5 amps. Thats pretty much exactly what I was getting from the head unit, on the dot. Most portable USB hard drives, while being USB powered, need a tad bit more than 500ma. Usually around 650ma. They come with a Y-USB cable that on the computer end has a power+data cable and a power only end, to supply the extra power to the drive. So the solution in the car? Buy one of those cigarette lighter to usb adapters that they sell for use with cell phones mp3 players, etc. Circuit City carries them for between 12 and 20 bucks.
For my Impreza, I had to install a second cigarette lighter socket in my center console so that I didn't have wires sticking out and to free up the main one for use with my GPS. Lucky for me, I have a beat-to-**** old 91 Honda Civic that I'm about to donate to charity. I just cannibalized it from that one.
