the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
icon

Head Unit with USB to read hard drive?


Post ReplyPost New Topic
< Prev Topic Next Topic >
atomic punk 
Member - Posts: 8
Member spacespace
Joined: April 03, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 6:59 AM / IP Logged  

Is there a head unit that has a USB port built-in - so that you can plug a portable drive into it?  I'd like to plug in a 250gb hard drive of MP3's into a head unit and have the head unit be the MP3 player/controller for that HDD.   Or, perhaps I could plug in a small 512 flash/pen/jump drive into the port and the HU could read/play the MP3's on that drive.

I have yet to see a HU with this capability, and it's too bad.   There really is a market for this, since the only choice out there right now is to build a CarPC, from what I've seen.

05 4Runner, some mods....
ss-installer 
Silver - Posts: 444
Silver spacespace
Joined: February 27, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 7:05 AM / IP Logged  
JVC has a few USB head units
atomic punk 
Member - Posts: 8
Member spacespace
Joined: April 03, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 7:22 AM / IP Logged  
I believe those units require the USB connection to be a "MP3 player" though.  Although I have an MP3 player, I do not want to hook up the player, but, rather, just a hard drive, and have the head unit read/play/control/manipulate the files.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what those models look like to me.
05 4Runner, some mods....
atomic punk 
Member - Posts: 8
Member spacespace
Joined: April 03, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 7:32 AM / IP Logged  
Damn... look like a couple Kenwood models have that feature, but no Nav, no DVD player....
05 4Runner, some mods....
h2oskierfl 
Copper - Posts: 87
Copper spacespace
Joined: April 20, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 7:45 AM / IP Logged  
There is on made by Insignia (Best Buy house brand) that will read directly from a jump drive. I believe the limit is 2Gigs though. Not sure if it would work with an actual hard drive or not.
jkirkku 
Member - Posts: 27
Member spacespace
Joined: November 26, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 12:33 PM / IP Logged  
There's the kenwood music keg. You can get it up to 80 gb and it will work with other stereos with the adapter. I know its not a head unit but its a large storage drive.
sprawl85 
Copper - Posts: 204
Copper spacespace
Joined: March 15, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 2:01 PM / IP Logged  

You can get hard drives off of ebay that you can play it from and it will plug into a minijack that tons of headunits have.  Or aux input RCA's... here is a linky.  Never tried one and pretty much know nothing about them, but you could probably upgrade the hard drive in it to 250gb no problem just by swapping it out.  Sounds like you need a carputer though.

you could take your hard drive in to bestbuy/cc and try it on the usb decks that say only use 2.0gb or smaller flash drives and see what happens.  The sales reps probably wont know any better, just tell them you want to see how good it works and they won't give a doodie

fiberglass reminds me of peanut brittle... but fiberglass tastes better!
atomic punk 
Member - Posts: 8
Member spacespace
Joined: April 03, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: April 10, 2006 at 2:22 PM / IP Logged  

I had the Omnifi player for about a month then ditched it.   The proprietary sofware sucked big time - was very tempermental to use.   Plus it had it's own control/head unit with only 1-3 lines of text display, and that made it really aggravating to scroll through 60gb of music (after I removed/replaced the 20gb hard drive).  The kenwood's I don't imagine would be any different.  (In terms of software use, and the searching/scrolling)

I called tech help at Clarion and talked to someone about their N.I.C.E. unit.  It will only recognize a jump drive through the USB 1.1 port.  It will not recognize an external hard drive, even if I hardwire the HDD to the car's power/ground.  Not sure "why", since he didn't really give me an answer.  I would think that would be true for the ones at BB too.

Thanks for the replies.... I am leaning towards the carputer, but I just want to exhaust all my options - and make sure that nothing exists that will give me 100% of what I want, before diving in.

05 4Runner, some mods....

Sorry, you can NOT post a reply.
This topic is closed.

  Printable version Printable version Post ReplyPost New Topic
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

  •  
Search the12volt.com
Follow the12volt.com Follow the12volt.com on Facebook
Thursday, March 28, 2024 • Copyright © 1999-2024 the12volt.com, All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy & Use of Cookies
Disclaimer: *All information on this site ( the12volt.com ) is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to fitness for a particular use. Any user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and use of this information. Please verify all wire colors and diagrams before applying any information.

Secured by Sectigo
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
Support the12volt.com
Top
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer