Head Unit USB to USB HD

[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

Separating this from the Eclipse thread so people do not get confused. My ipod crapped out so I want to go bigger and better this time. As the web seems to be missing solid information on USB HD hook ups to car stereo receivers, I thought I would offer my trials, errors, and findings. All good information may help you all save frustration.

Happy Reading

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[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

Re: USB Hard Drive for Eclipse MK II

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Quote:

Originally Posted by wu501

the drive might be trying to pull more power than the head unit is providing. I know my Kenwood handles a 40 gb drive with no problems.

Quote>

Greetings, I am struggling to find sufficient information about wiring usb HD to a HU. I own a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X590. It is a 320gb HD and supposively the HU can go up to 8 folders. However I can't get past the second. It won't recognize all the audio.... I pulled some of the subdirectories and placed them on the main directory to see and now I can't even find those.

For example. Rock > Aerosmith > 5 albums. Took the 5 albums labeled Aerosmith - Title into main directory with "Rock". This doesn't even show the "Aerosmith" Folders anymore.

I am routing power from my cigarette lighter with a USB 2.0 plug and the HU gives out 500mA obvisouly, so the Lacie 320gb portable HD is getting sufficient power.

I don't understand why it wont read the folder archive/subfolders and I dont understand why when it recognizes the folders it can't go into it.

Rock>Aerosmith>Album ---but can not access folder with .mp3's

Any suggestions.. It does say something about no more than 15,000 files.. how many in a 40gb HD?

Does this have anything to do the bitrate? Most mp3's have been downloaded via napster days, limewire, or now torrents.

Ref: http://www.kenwood.co.jp/usb/english.html from a previous post as well.

Sorry for all the questions but all this invested it would be nice to get it to work, ya know?

Any HU that will recognize a 320gb drive or is this act of technology not ready yet.

 

[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

As I said I was, I did some testing in an audio store today. Took my laptop and hard drive in and had the owner pull the units from shelfs so I could access USB plugs. Unfortunately their stock of HU have been limited due to the holiday season and meeting consumer demands. Meaning limited on flagship units and middle class units.

I stand corrected with my own unit. It is the 2008 Kenwood BT838u.

So after results show:

KENWOOD:

Kenwood 2008 USB devices can hold a total of 65,025 Files

Configurations are as follows: 255^2 = 65,025. Meaning you would have to archive a maximum of 255 folders with each folder containing a maximum of 255 songs. So... Rock > A > Aerosmith > Pump > 13 Songs Would be 4 folders + the songs towards the 65,025 files. With 255 folders would enable 64,770 songs.

To ipod standards the 120gb = 30K songs. For my 320gb, 298gb after FAT32 format with 240gb for 60K songs. Figure, 4,000 more songs for > 10 gigs, thats 250gb MAX. You are only missing out on 40gb....

This is why people with USB HD LESS then 200GB say everything works perfectly, minus power consumption problems. Kenwood uses their own processor to index HD and this seems to be their limit after consulting a technician. 2009 models will have increased limit he said but not giving any specifics as the CES event in Las Vegas is early Jan (?) and specs will be released then.

ALPINE: Alpine was shit. 80 gigs only, Technician was not helpful either. They are only considering the Ipod functions. Wouldn't reccomend.

JVC: Their two products are significantly larger then Kenwood and Alpine; specifically the JVC KD-SH1000 and KD-PDR80 however I did not get the opportunity to test these head units, I'm only going from what the Technician voiced over phone. Neither unit supports Bluetooth/AD2P unfortunately these units are deprived of expansion options but the SH1000 is a very stellar module.

KD-SH1000: Has both USB/SD functions and the manual is rather confusing when stating playback capability. What I gathered from it anyways:

Can recognize a total of 512 files, of 200 folders, and of 8 hierarchies.

*200 Folders > 500 Files = 102,400 OR For USB Memory (what is the difference in usb memory?) This unit can recognize a total of 2 500 files and 250 folders (999 files per folder). Technician could not clarify this for me. I'm considering this unit can read USB HD of 250 folders @ 999 files per folder...? Giving a total of 249,750 .mp3's

If at 30K is 120gb;

30K = 120gb ; 60K = 240gb ; 90K = 360gb ; 120K = 480gb ; 150K = 600gb ;

180K = 720gb & 210K = 840gb ; 240K = 960gb

960gb of music? I just don't see this possible after companys wont break 65K, these guys go well beyond 200K songs. Obvisouly you wouldn't have these songs organized very well due to the 250 folder limit and having to stack 999 songs in each, Shuffle for Head Units are normally shuffling to a specific folder and in order to randomize a specific folder you would have to either press up or down.

Keep this in mind.

Need a break, will follow up with Clarion, Sony, and Panasonic

 

[bigaudiofanatic 10+ year member]

I would rather use a ipod less of a chance of the hard drive forgetting its partion "if you shut off the car while the hard drive is still running this can happen and you would have to format is "wipe it out" and start over" Like I said would rather use an ipod plain and simple.

 

[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

Ipod is limited to 120gb of music, however their shuffle is far greater then any head unit. That is the advantage of Flash Drive memory over HD. But it is Plug N Play. I do not know how this compares but I can't imagine it is any different then unplugging flash drive from laptop. Both providing power. I unplug my flash drive no problem, and this hard drive I have had for 2-3 weeks now and have no had a problem. So to say "wipe out" may be a problem of the past.

 

[BoxdGM 10+ year member]

modded xbox ftw, i have 100gb in it now. i had a 300gb in it till i took it out. you can go as big as 1TB, plays ANY files. but you need a monitor to select music

 

[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

Alright, the second coming of information for 2008:

PANASONIC:

Panasonic CQ-RX400U is there only USB - CD - BT HU...

USB: 999 files ; 255 Folders

CD: 256 Folders w/ 999 files. Not sure how this could be done..

Very similiar to JVC's unit plus the BT which is nice. Wasn't impressed with the overall look or anything but it does get the job done and I'm not reviewing products since I can't actually get hands on.

SONY:

Sony is very limited unfortunately. No unit has both BT and USB. But their usb capabilities are similar to kenwoods HU models. They do have BT and Ipod adapter for Ipod fans, but thats not what we are trying to do here.

Sony GT620UUSB

Maximum # of 65,535 Files ; USB Maximum # of 128 Folders ; USB Maximum # of 8 Layers . Not sure how many files per folder but you can expect 255 to 999.

CLARION

Note: Tech support was not open during research

Finally Clarion, has left us with multiple options and even different amounts of files depending on what model you purchase.

These units seem very good suprisingly as I've found them to be a japan company only making products in china...hm...

Both Dot displays where no where near impressive...but we are looking for HD hookup right?

Their flagship is DXZ785USB which their specs were held from website.

However their middline products have good playback capability

The DXZ585USB ; DXZ385USB offers 130,560* songs through usb.

Interesting enough Clarions lower end model DB285USB ; offer only 65,025 songs. With indication of file structure limits or folder/file limits.

The manuals do not mention full capability and they are closed as I write this so you'll be on your own to discover Clarions possibilities.

To conclude this Head Unit lab report as it has turned out to be. I would honestly wait for the CES show of 2009 and see what comes out new for the same price a head unit would of cost you at the beginning of this year. $350/$400.

But if it comes down to it, as it is for myself.

The 65K songs on my kenwood will work until I feel its upgradeable. The only one worth considering outside with similiar features is the Panasonic RX400U or the Clarion DXZ785USB which seems like a sharp looking unit with a bucket load of features.

Kenwoods BT838U bluetooth is prolly a 5/10 outside the city & 6/10 in the city. The other end user complains of uncontrolled loud volume and high static. I think for what it is, deff worth the deal with the HU so I'm not complaining.

Good searching...

 

[BlurredVision 10+ year member]

I will quickly tell you that I think all Pioneer USB radios read any size HDs. My boy can use a 250 on his.

 

[norcrawler 10+ year member]

i just wanna get liek a 80 gig portable for my pioneer deh 6000.

thats plenty of tunes for me.

and what are u talking about turning power off before the hardrive. it always does that

 

[BlurredVision 10+ year member]

portable laptop HD work just as good as flashdrives. I think Western Digital is your best bet. They make a nice black shiny one that is anti-shock and has a nice warranty.

 

[edzy 10+ year member]

interesting.

Theres a forum, talk audio uk that does a lot of stuff with harddrives /usb/carputers.

I have a 4 gig thumbdrive and it suits me. I just picked up a 8gig, and am going to try that. As far as a HD goes, organization is the main obstacle as you stated.

There realy needs to be a better audio program to organize files.

I use Kenwoods Phatnoise program now. It is very easy to use, and makes finding songs easy. It can make 99 folders with like ...i forget ...songs in it, but atleast 99. Plus it has voice indexing which is cool. So you dont have to look at the hu to see what folder your on, cause it says it. Or anything else you program it to say. It can also voice out folder, artist, song.

 

[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

portable laptop HD work just as good as flashdrives. I think Western Digital is your best bet. They make a nice black shiny one that is anti-shock and has a nice warranty.

I picked up the LaCie's 320gb w/firewire and eSata All Terrain Rugged HD. The power distributor option was also a key feature since HU only offer 500mA, I needed to disperse power from my car lighter outlet for the 5v and the HU gives it the extra juice. I'm sure the WD is a good go too. I've read that people just use a 120AC adapter to car lighter to operate the Home HDs.

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Panasonic as I did state holds the 255 * 999 just not sure how man files per folder. May you care to share how your son hooked his up BlurredVision?

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edzy this Kenwoods Phatnoise did you isntall it on your flashdrive or is this something that is compatible with your stereo?

Cheers!

 

[BlurredVision 10+ year member]

Not my son, more like my homeboy. But with his radio, he just hooked the HD to it and it powered on. I know home portable HD need an external power source. The 2.5" external drive can be power off a small source. His has the USB hookup. This type: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136059

I'm not sure how to run your, but I'm sure its possible.

 

[norcrawler 10+ year member]

a external wont work becasue it has to be powered from a 12 volt psu. portables will work cause it draws right off the deck

 

[rsbukowski 10+ year member]

Powering it is not the problem. Archiving over 100gb of music has left me with results shorter then unsatisfied. If you talk to your friend, see if he remembers how many files he has per folder and how many folders....then I guess we'd need to know what HU he has if he was completely successful like you say.

Thanks in advance.