What are the majority of you guys using to store your music on and playing in the car via the USB unterface? How is it working out for you? Do the folders and playlists show up? Is it as easy to set up playlists as it is with iTunes?

I'm currently using my iPhone 3G S and plug it in every time I get in the car. However I'm thinking I'd like to get something more permanent to leave in there, plus with the iPhone 3.0 software, it's annoying how the phone switches to Bluetooth audio autmatically and stops playing through the USB interface.

 

I use an 8 gig USB flash drive, which fits a surprising variety of music on there without getting boring. I even started putting on NPR and other podcasts recently. I have to say this is one of my favorite features of the car.

With the prices of USB drives these days, it'd be easy to set up multiple flash drives, or just one big 16 or even 32 gig one. Someone mentioned plugging in a portable 2.5" hard drive, but I haven't tried it so I don't know if it would work. If you have a huge library then that would be ideal (if there was enough USB power to power the drive).

In terms of playlists showing up, they actually don't. The software uses the file system as the playlist, and songs are played in the order in which they were put on the drive. However, there is a utility out there called Drivesort which allows you to arrange the songs as you prefer. I've used it and it works great for mixes and concerts where order matters.

 

This alone would make me want to keep using my iPhone as the source. I would not like not having my playlists available or to be able to sort by artist/album.

 

Derwood, I found out how to prevent that switching to bluetooth from happening.

Simply put, the phone switches to the "connection" made last. So if you plug your phone in and THEN the handsfree connects, it will switch to handsfree every time. If you wait for the handsfree to connect and THEN plug your phone in, it will stay on dock connector. That being said, it's still kind of annoying.

As far as your original question: I have a previous generation 8gb ipod nano that I keep in my car full time. I only take it out to sync every now and then when I remember.

 

i used my tmobile g1.. since the songs dont show up on the screen..what i did was create multiple folders renaming them..rap, alternative, dance, etc..works great but the only that sucks is i dont know what track is next

 

me too. when i plug in headphones into that ipod only one side works, however, if i plug it through USB it works great. the play list and artisits and songs are set up like an ipod, using the dial in the middle to scroll through ur play list and stuff. its great, i like it.

 

The only feature missing from the iPod integration is the ABC scrolling for artists that you get on the iPod itself. If I want to listen to Type O Negative or The Verve, it takes *forever* for the scrolly wheel to get to the T's or V's.

If it were to read ABCDEFG quickly like the iPod does, it would be more convenient and safer.

 

good point, that would have been a good idea

 

I have my 30 gig ipod plugged in. I completely love it except for the endless scrolling. My hand gets tired after i get the the Ls and Ms.

 

I wish it could do that too, I hate scrolling all the way through to get to the artists later in the alphabet.

I wish it would at least let you go backwards by turning the dial counterclockwise, so it went AZYX....and so on.

 

i use a sandisk 4gb flash drive. right now i have 9 folders for rap and 1 for house. its funny but ever since i got the car, i haven't ever had a cd in the player! lmao. my cd book has been in the trunk chillen.

 

one wierd thing is that when i add a new song to the folder on the computer, it goes in alphabetical order with the rest. but when i play it in the car, the song is always at the end of the folder. i wonder why..

 

So is the I-pod the only thing that shows titles and song titles?

 

1st gen iPhone for me.

 

I have been using a 120gig External Harddrive and yes I do have that much music. The problem with it is the car only reads FAT32 file system and it only reads 1 folder up from where the Mp3 files are.

Normally on a Ipod you have your artist folder then your album folders then the mp3s. With an external you will only have the album folders and scrolling through 5000 albums is not fun. In order for it to work I have to remove all the album folders and just drop the Mp3 files in the artist folders but there is still the problem of artists with 600+ songs.

As far as the problem with new music always appearing in the bottom of the list that is because of the FAT32 file system. When it writes the files it writes them in order and then your car picks them up in that order. The only way to fix that is to completely erase the entire drive and recopy your music.

I have been messing around trying to get my car to support NTFS file systems and multiple folders so if I figure anything out ill post it.

 

thanks

 

usb source is great. I am using ipod classic, works wonderfully, except for two problems:


1) does not understand non-english letters in ID3 tags,
instead shows spaces
2) loads playlists slowly, very slowly

the same problem actually applies to USB drives.
When I connected the western digital 320 GB USB travel drive, it sat there for about 15 minutes, trying to list everything in the hard drive. And can't display foreign characters too.

 

8GB 4th Gen Ipod Nano...

Gotta turn the Ipod EQ to off or reduced bass or the sub will rattle; even with Treble to 6 and Bass to -6.

 

I have a 5th gen 30gb iPod plugged in. Love the fact it reads playlists without issue. Turned the ProLogic off because it didn't sound that great coming from the iPod. DVD audio - that's a different situation.

 

Both my Ipod and blackberry allow me to see what the songs

also what i love about the blackberry is it also acts as a car charger also

i think any ipod will allow you to browse through different folders and play list expect the ipod shuffle

 

I use a Ipod Classic and have no issues with it...the scrolling does get to me but fyi you can use the down button and hold it down watch the scroll bar zoom down rather than turning the dial 9768 times to get to Wheezer...

I'll be getting the "new classic" soon for the 160gb