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USB Headunits


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yg17 
Member - Posts: 34
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Joined: June 21, 2005
Posted: January 25, 2007 at 1:14 AM / IP Logged  
I'm looking to buy a new headunit, nothing too fancy, just something in the $200-300 range. But I'd like to get something with a USB port on it, but rather than use a thumb drive, buy an external hard drive loaded with my entire music library. I'd prefer a 2.5" hard drive since those can be powered off a USB port and I won't have to worry about hooking into my car's power, but does anyone know if these head units actually put out enough power on the USB bus to power a HD? Thanks.
throwback2332 
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Joined: May 18, 2005
Posted: January 25, 2007 at 1:27 AM / IP Logged  
STOP STOP STOP think outside the box. How far do you drive?? Do you really have a MUSIC LIBARY??
Kenwood and JVC make some nice CHEAP price range head units with usb ports. A hard drive is ROAD KILL. MP3 and USB you will have plenty of music. BEST deal is get a headunit and cd changer that plays mp3's both and has a USB drive.
If it's not custom, then it's not you.
yg17 
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Joined: June 21, 2005
Posted: January 25, 2007 at 1:37 AM / IP Logged  
throwback2332 wrote:
STOP STOP STOP think outside the box. How far do you drive??
Within town, not too terribly far, but I frequently go between home and college which is about 100 miles each way.
I was also thinking about the MP3 changer as well, but the only companies that seem to offer them are JVC and Sony. I was kind of hoping Pioneer would bring one out in 2007 because I love their headunits, but it seems like they aren't.
dfizzle 
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Joined: February 09, 2006
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Posted: January 25, 2007 at 1:56 AM / IP Logged  
One of the problems with USB head units is that there can be serious issues with formatting and locating the files for the HU to read.  The file structure required tends to be annoying and often more trouble than it's worth in temrs of formatting and navigating while playing.  In all reality, your best option in my opinion would be to use the money you'd spend on a hard drive and get an MP3 player and then just use an AUX cable or direct connect cable for whatever deck you get.  Plus, if you're looking for a USB deck you'll probably end up with a HU from a less than reliable company.  JVC, Sony, Dual and the like tend to throw features like that in to draw customers to their otherwise substandard products.  Again though, just my thoughts here.
kgerry 
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Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posted: January 25, 2007 at 1:45 PM / IP Logged  
the new Blaupunkt St. Louis MP46 has USB and SD on it.....most people use the USB for a memory stick tho, not a HD
Kevin Gerry
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Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
a471789 
Member - Posts: 33
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Joined: October 23, 2006
Location: Indiana, United States
Posted: January 25, 2007 at 11:37 PM / IP Logged  

probably my favorite deck on the market with USB that I have seen is the JVC KD-AR870.  You can find it some places as cheap as $150.  It has high-volt pre-outs and you can also customize the screen color.  It's in JVC's arsenal series, so you know it's awesome.  It isn't a TOP-O-DA-LINE deck, but it's sure awesome for the money it retails for around $270.  here's what JVC says on their website:

  • Power Output: 20W X 4 (RMS), 50W X 4 Max.
  • MOS-FET Power Amp
  • 24-bit Resolution Burr-Brown 1-bit DAC
  • PICT (Personalized Image Capture Technology)
  • 3-Band Parametric iEQ
  • Ready for iPod
  • USB Memory Slot for Music File Playback (MP3/WMA) Up to 1GB
  • SAT Radio Ready
  • MP3/WMA, CD/CD-R/CD-RW Compatible with ID3/WMA Tag
  • Gold-Plated Line Output Terminals (2 Pairs)
  • Gold-Plated Subwoofer Output Terminals with Level/Frequency Control
  • Gold-Plated Adjustable Line Input Terminals
  • Tele-Mute with CD Pause
  • Variable-Color 3D Graphics Display
  • Rotary Encoder Multi-Control
  • Flip-Down Faceplace
  • http://mobile.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL027700&pathId=52&page=2

    as you can see, JVC states that it can take up to 1gb, but i've seen people connect 20gb hard drives into it before and it played mp3 and wma files just fine....

    Brent
    MECP Advanced Installer
    "I don't claim to know it all, just more than you."
    jjermzz 
    Member - Posts: 7
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    Joined: February 18, 2007
    Location: United States
    Posted: February 19, 2007 at 2:16 AM / IP Logged  
    There a Kenwood KDC-532u  that has a usb cable in the back. . Its has the 4-6 ft cable. Not the usb in the front thing. It goes for less than $200
    haemphyst 
    Platinum - Posts: 5,054
    Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
    Joined: January 19, 2003
    Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
    Posted: February 19, 2007 at 8:34 AM / IP Logged  
    a471789 wrote:
    It's in JVC's arsenal series, so you know it's awesome.
    Shyah, right. That's like sayin' Dubya is a good president...
    JVC is not a good sounding deck at all in my opinion. 1-bit DACs are not audiophile whatsoever, but they are good enough to reproduce whatever "music" might remain after trashing an audio track with MP3 or WMA compression. (Oh, that, and they're CHEAP. That's why they're used...)
    Why don't you just save yourself the headaches, buy a quality CD-RW/MP3 compatible deck, compress all your files at whatever rate you are wanting to use (I recommend nothing less than 320kbps, if you are going to INSIST on MP3), and burn them onto CD-RW? (between 4 and 5 albums will fit on a CD-RW at 320k, BTW...) FAR easier, and as an RW format, you can erase 'em and re-use 'em, every day for about 5 years. Also, geting your 20G USB hard drive ripped off is disheartening at best (I speak from experience). You can buy a cakebox full of CD-RWs for 15 dollars, and a 20G external drive is gonna start at about 100.
    It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
    nubiannupe 
    Copper - Posts: 55
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    Joined: December 09, 2002
    Location: United States
    Posted: February 19, 2007 at 1:36 PM / IP Logged  
    Clarion makes quite a few USB decks this year. Just to throw out a couple of models that we sell here at our shop:
    DXZ575USB
    DXZ675USB
    DXZ775USB
    VRX375USB
    VRX575USB
    UDB275MP
    And I'm not sure because it won't be out 'til May, but the FB275BT might have one, also. But that one doesn't have any internal moving parts (i.e., no CD player).
    G. Rick (aka; Tha "R")
    **Peter North is my idol***
    MECP-Certified 1st Class Installer
    nubiannupe 
    Copper - Posts: 55
    Copper spacespace
    Joined: December 09, 2002
    Location: United States
    Posted: February 19, 2007 at 1:43 PM / IP Logged  
    Also, Pioneer makes a USB adapter which connects to pretty much all of there 2007 decks - so you can use a portable HDD (we've connected a 20gb portable HDD to it, with recognition of all MP3 files and no issues).

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

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