Playing MP3s Through USB Flash Drives

[Judge]

Just wondering about using MP3 files on USB flash drives in terms of directories and subdirectories.

I mean, if you place a series of MP3 files in a folder named "Rolling Stones" using a Windows OS, would a non-Windows device like a car stereo with USB inputs process this accordingly in their visable menu?

Or can you only add MP3 files without any subdirectories? I've ripped my entire collection of DVDs and cassette tapes to MP3 format. But I haven't actually put them on a flash drive and played them directly in any other players. So I'm quite curious about this as I understand many current car stereos will play USB flash drives. So much for CD-R discs skipping...

 

[WildCat]

I can just hook my phone or MP3 player up to my car's aux input without worrying about directories or anything of the sort. Plug it in, switch to aux, and control the phone or player or whatever device directly.

Playing via USB, I've never had a 3rd party system installed in my cars, so I can't say whether or not it would work. Wouldn't the user manual be of help there?

 

[Judge]

As far as through USB, I've never had a 3rd party system installed in my cars, so I can't say whether or not it would work. Wouldn't the user manual be of help there?

I wasn't thinking of any third-party system, but rather the media/entertainment system that comes with the car. From what I've read virtually all the major manufacturers have audio systems that will play MP3 files from a USB flash drive usually with ports in the center console. In theory some of them may even automatically index the music. Though by song or artist I have no idea. But I'm after those pesky details.

So what remains my real question, is whether or not the flash drive must simply have a jumble of MP3 files in a single root directory rather than their own individual subdirectory.

It would be great if I could access music based on individual subdirectories, as essentially with less than eight gigabytes I could access my entire music collection. But the real issue is whether or not such hardware systems can necessarily read directories created through a Windows OS.

 

[WildCat]

I wasn't thinking of any third-party system, but rather the media/entertainment system that comes with the car. From what I've read virtually all the major manufacturers have audio systems that will play MP3 files from a USB flash drive.

But what remains my real question, is whether or not the flash drive must simply have a jumble of MP3 files in a single root directory rather than their own individual subdirectory.

It would be great if I could access music based on individual subdirectories, as essentially with less than eight gigabytes I could access my entire music collection. But the real issue is whether or not such hardware systems can necessarily read directories created through a Windows OS.

Really? Hmm...my current car (2013 Civic) has no such thing, so this must be a recent change or I guess I wasn't lucky enough. That aux port though is a major step up compared to my last car - that one only had a CD player, and I'm not burning discs for it only to have them scratch up.

Have you tested it out yet? Created the directories, plugged it in, and seeing if it works? How about others with the same make and model, what do they have to say?

 

[Judge]

Really? Hmm...my current car (2013 Civic) has no such thing, so this must be a recent change or I guess I wasn't lucky enough.

Have you tested it out yet? Created the directories, plugged it in, and seeing if it works? How about others with the same make and model or car, what do they have to say?

LOL. Yeah. One of the more pleasant aspects of considering in looking for a new car. Much nicer than discovering the ills of stop/start technology, CVTs, and keyless ignition hacks. I just haven't had any luck in finding a source that clearly outlines the directory structure of such files, if it even exists. Though it's quite possible that such systems index them even though you could have hundreds of artists and songs in the same directory. Clearly even this Chevy Cruze system in the Youtube video does that to some degree. Which may be all there is.

I just don't know so far...and I don't have any hardware to test such a thing even though I have the files and flash drives. The more I think about it, it wouldn't surprise me if it's that simple. That you simply load all your music files into the flash drive's root directory and that the system indexes them individually rather than by any subdirectories.

I'm just a well-organized geek. Maybe too organized..lol. So the notion of loading hundreds of files into a single directory is fundamentally ghastly to me. Then again, if it indexed in accordance with individual data per each file, it would make my concern of subdirectories irrelevant. Perhaps right down to individual genres. Which in fact just might be the answer to my own question.

At least I've already long since gone to the trouble of properly and intricately listed all the pertinent information where it should be in each file. Artist, title, genre, track number, etc.. Though as much as I can find so far, if I used a single flash drive in the 6 to 8 gigabyte capacity, it may take quite a while to index while connected to a car entertainment system.

I'd just be disappointed if I had to use very limited numbers of songs on each flash drive just to accommodate a system's indexing limitations. Just as I presently sport around a bunch of CD-R disks that are cumbersome. Not mention they all skip at some point while driving. Usually on a turn. No skipping with a flash drive for an audio source. Nice.

 

[Jorg]

Every car stereo is different but in general you can use a usb drive with mp3's and plug it in your car, the most important aspect is the system file your usb flassh drive uses, windows and many companies use NTFS for default and most of the car stereo's (or home stereo system) use exFAT or FAT32, this may sound nonsense is you're not a "computer guy" but it is very simple. When you format your device in windows you can choose the system file between NTFS, eFAT, etc, you just click in exFAT and formate it. Be aware that when you do it you erase every file on your usb flash drive so make a backup of your files before do it.

 

[Judge]

Every car stereo is different but in general you can use a usb drive with mp3's and plug it in your car, the most important aspect is the system file your usb flassh drive uses, windows and many companies use NTFS for default and most of the car stereo's (or home stereo system) use exFAT or FAT32, this may sound nonsense is you're not a "computer guy" but it is very simple. When you format your device in windows you can choose the system file between NTFS, eFAT, etc, you just click in exFAT and formate it. Be aware that when you do it you erase every file on your usb flash drive so make a backup of your files before do it.

Yeah, from reading about problems associated with using flash drives in car entertainment systems, I suspect most of it may well be a matter of using the proper formatting that a particular hardware device may or may not require. Others have cited using only major name-brand USB flash drives to ensure proper functioning/reading.

My only issue remains whether or not such systems acknowledge subdirectories to better navigate a collection of several songs in different genres and artists. But as I previously posted, that may not be an issue because everything is sorted in accordance with individual issues pertinent to each file rather than any subdirectory they may reside in. Which certainly sounds logical...

 

[The Penguin]

I use a lot of rental cars for my camping trips and all of them had no issues reading my memory stick with music into many folders. Most of these cars had different vendors entertainment systems. Each system have their own navigation system to find music. I just let it play music in random. I would avoid though using NTFS as you might run into issues with most car systems.

 

[Judge]

I use a lot of rental cars for my camping trips and all of them had no issues reading my memory stick with music into many folders. Most of these cars had different vendors entertainment systems. Each system have their own navigation system to find music. I just let it play music in random. I would avoid though using NTFS as you might run into issues with most car systems.

Aha! Thanks William. That's much closer to the feedback I was looking for. So you already had music in different folders on the flash drive, but your car's proprietary entertainment system indexes the MP3 files regardless of how you structured all the folders? And that the files and folders were created in a Windows OS to begin with?

But yeah, I can see how all these systems may vary from one another to some degree in both how they index files and how the flash drive may be formatted.

If all proprietary car entertainment systems simply read the data on each file (song title, artist, genre, etc.) to index them accordingly, then I can see how those folders wouldn't likely matter.

 

[The Penguin]

It never had issues indexing files. I only use Windows as an OS so it never had any issues as long I don't use NTFS for that flash drive.

 

[Judge]

It never had issues indexing files. I only use Windows as an OS so it never had any issues as long I don't use NTFS for that flash drive.

You think most flash drives are pre-formatted in FAT32? Not that it matters. I can format them off this computer depending on what the proprietary system may require.

Though as I think I mentioned before, in reading peoples' issues about flash drives not working, I do suspect it has more to do with formatting than brand names. But it would be cool to be able to use a single 8 GB flash drive to hold all my music, have an entertainment system index them all at one time and then just leave the drive in the USB slot all the time so it doesn't have to be re-indexed. After all, I'm thinking it probably would take a while for a car computer to handle all that data.

Of course in my own case I've always avoided downloading supplemental data and graphics to all my MP3 files. Seems like a waste of space, but I know some people love all the visuals. It also annoyed me when my OS would download the wrong album cover graphics, etc.. So I always default to not allowing the Media Player to automatically download much of anything.

 

[The Penguin]

You think most flash drives are pre-formatted in FAT32?

Yes I would think so.

I use a 16 GB drive as FAT32. I break it down each album into it own folder. I have normally 100's of tracks on the drive. It doesn't take the car long to index the files. It seems when I get that rental car, plug in that USB stick and drive out the car, it already ready to play the music for me.

If you MP3s haves good meta data, it will automatically know how to group the music into albums. Also, sometimes MP3's might have image meta data allowing you to see the album cover. I didn't know it was possible to embed image with meta data with an MP3.

 

[Judge]

Yes I would think so.

I use a 16 GB drive as FAT32. I break it down each album into it own folder. I have normally 100's of tracks on the drive. It doesn't take the car long to index the files. It seems when I get that rental car, plug in that USB stick and drive out the car, it already ready to play the music for me.

If you MP3s haves good meta data, it will automatically know how to group the music into albums. Also, sometimes MP3's might have image meta data allowing you to see the album cover. I didn't know it was possible to embed image with meta data with an MP3.

Fantastic, William. You are the one person who ultimately answered what I was truly looking for.

Even better, you gave me a benchmark in gigabyte capacity for the flash drive. I only mention around 8 gigs because in my case my total sound collection is a little more than 6 gigabytes. Nice to know it won't take too long to index as well. But not allowing Windows Media Player to embed graphics does pare down the disk space and likely speeds up the indexing process itself.

One last question- do you routinely supply all the song data on each file? Just wondering. I usually do it through MP3 Maker 10 Deluxe, though I also use Windows Explorer as well. MP3 Maker 10 is an old German program, but it still does the job quite nicely.

 

[The Penguin]

It haves been a long time using software to ripping CD to MP3's. Any method is fine. The meta data is not important, but useful if you want to see the name of the track you are listening too. For me, I'm more concern having my music as the highest bit rate possible. I can't stand 128 kbps MP3s.

 

[Judge]

It haves been a long time using software to ripping CD to MP3's. Any method is fine. The meta data is not important, but useful if you want to see the name of the track you are listening too. For me, I'm more concern having my music as the highest bit rate possible. I can't stand 128 kbps MP3s.

Recently I found the Windows Media Player itself very good for ripping CDs. Though I do all mine at 192kbps myself. 128 being too compressed, and 320 taking up far too much disk space.