[blnewto]

Trying to run an MP3 player using a micro USB to audio plug cable w/ no luck. There is no Aux audio box to select on my touchscreen when I press the Source button. This is an SE w/ the large touchscreen, any help or is this radio going back in time???
TIA

 

[derekdal]

AFAIK, there is no USB audio input on the car. That would require the mp3 player to act as an audio source instead of a storage device, I assume the USB port on mp3 is for managing the content and not for playback. It would also require the car to have USB speaker mode to play an audio source. That is all much more than either its intended for I'm guessing.

I have a USB stick plugged into the dadh port with mp3s on it and it works fine, that is USB storage mode connection.

Maybe the SE with large screen has a headphone input? The SEL doesn't but I'm guessing the large screen is the same system? Does the mp3 player support a USB to audio? Those require drivers when you use them on a phone. Those are included in the phone but mp3 player might not have them.

 

[blnewto]

AFAIK, there is no USB audio input on the car. That would require the mp3 player to act as an audio source instead of a storage device, I assume the USB port on mp3 is for managing the content and not for playback. It would also require the car to have USB speaker mode to play an audio source. That is all much more than either its intended for I'm guessing.

I have a USB stick plugged into the dadh port with mp3s on it and it works fine, that is USB storage mode connection.

Maybe the SE with large screen has a headphone input? The SEL doesn't but I'm guessing the large screen is the same system? Does the mp3 player support a USB to audio? Those require drivers when you use them on a phone. Those are included in the phone but mp3 player might not have them.

Thanks for the reply, I use the same MP3 player in our Jeep, I use a regular USB plug in (not micro USB) w/ a earphone jack going into the MP3 player and it works fine. The Jeep has it's USB inputs available on the stereo as "Aux inputs". I assumed the Taos also had those Micro USB ports available as inputs, but probably just for charging, which would really be upsetting as I thought these would be more modern vehicles w/ more up to date features. Hopefully I'm just missing something and there is a way to use the USBs as inputs, not just for charging outputs.

 

[CRVW]

The USB ports in the cubby work fine if you have a USB storage device plugged in. This can be a flash drive or an SD card in an adapter. The music on the drive shows up under the media.
You should be able to use a cable between the MP3 charging/data port and the USB in the car - I think. I've never tried that.
A cheap USB C flash drive is probably the neatest solution. I have a 64GB which was <$20 if I remember correctly. It's nowhere near full. Just copy everything from your MP3 player (or PC) onto it and it should work.

 

[derekdal]

Thanks for the reply, I use the same MP3 player in our Jeep, I use a regular USB plug in (not micro USB) w/ a earphone jack going into the MP3 player and it works fine. The Jeep has it's USB inputs available on the stereo as "Aux inputs". I assumed the Taos also had those Micro USB ports available as inputs, but probably just for charging, which would really be upsetting as I thought these would be more modern vehicles w/ more up to date features. Hopefully I'm just missing something and there is a way to use the USBs as inputs, not just for charging outputs.

thanks for adding the extra detail, it helps understand what you're looking for.

Sounds like the Jeep had a non-standard usb implementation and included an electrical MUX switch that detected if you attached audio or USB. there should be no expectation that this is how all cars would work because this isn't a USB spec. its what Jeep did and it sounds like it was useful to a degree.

The USB ports (my SEL has USB C ports, not micro) in the VW are for charging, data connection for car mode on the phone and storage. This is the extent of what you get with USB connection or BlueTooth, except for the charging with BT connection. Plug in the phone and it will charge and show your contacts, who is calling/texting, access music on your phone, access phone apps on the car screen like navigation etc.

you can also plug in a tiny USB stick. I got one that is about 1/2" long so it wont get bumped much. 32-64GB is more storage than you'd ever need and we just leave it in the car. then it remembers where you left off when listening. (sometimes it does forget though, another bug). you could also just have the MP3s on your phone and listen to them.

Given all the options for playing mp3s on the entertainment system, it seems like the mp3 player wouldn't be helpful these days. it actually sounds like less functionality because you can't access the music via the safer to use dash screen instead of navigating the music on the mp3 device. that seems like a distraction. the external mp3 player would be very useful for a car that couldn't play mp3 directly and only had an audio input.

 

[Pzookey]

I have used my phone with the USB-C port, An USB C memory stick and used the SD card slot in the dash under the screen. I have found all of them to work well with MP3s

 

[Pzookey]

I see a lot of people talking about having to get a card reader for an SD card. Our Taos has a SD card slot right under the MFD in the center of the dash. It works flawlessly. We have a Taos S which is a base model but do the higher line models not have the SD card slot? I am curious about this.

 

[CRVW]

I see a lot of people talking about having to get a card reader for an SD card. Our Taos has a SD card slot right under the MFD in the center of the dash. It works flawlessly. We have a Taos S which is a base model but do the higher line models not have the SD card slot? I am curious about this.

Yeah, the bigger screen system in the SE does not have one. I looked again after your previous post and checked the manual and saw where it is on the 6.5" screen. The manual shows it in the 6.5" picture but not in the 8".

 

[Pzookey]

Yeah, the bigger screen system in the SE does not have one. I looked again after your previous post and checked the manual and saw where it is on the 6.5" screen. The manual shows it in the 6.5" picture but not in the 8".

I am very happy to have the smaller screen. Who knew the base options would have a bonus.....lol No card reader needed.

 

[derekdal]

I am very happy to have the smaller screen. Who knew the base options would have a bonus.....lol No card reader needed.

but you dont need to get a card reader even with the larger screen, just use a USB stick instead of a USB card reader + card. theres no reason to keep using the SD card at all. I used this very small USB C stick.

Amazon.com: Gigastone 64GB USB Flash Drive USB 3.0 Type C OTG Dual Port Memory Stick for Smartphone Apple MacBook Tablet Ultrabook Notebook Laptop PC Dell HP Lenovo Asus Acer Samsung Google LG : Electronics

Amazon.com: Gigastone 64GB USB Flash Drive USB 3.0 Type C OTG Dual Port Memory Stick for Smartphone Apple MacBook Tablet Ultrabook Notebook Laptop PC Dell HP Lenovo Asus Acer Samsung Google LG : Electronics

smile.amazon.com

 

[Pzookey]

but you dont need to get a card reader even with the larger screen, just use a USB stick instead of a USB card reader + card. theres no reason to keep using the SD card at all. I used this very small USB C stick.

Amazon.com: Gigastone 64GB USB Flash Drive USB 3.0 Type C OTG Dual Port Memory Stick for Smartphone Apple MacBook Tablet Ultrabook Notebook Laptop PC Dell HP Lenovo Asus Acer Samsung Google LG : Electronics

Amazon.com: Gigastone 64GB USB Flash Drive USB 3.0 Type C OTG Dual Port Memory Stick for Smartphone Apple MacBook Tablet Ultrabook Notebook Laptop PC Dell HP Lenovo Asus Acer Samsung Google LG : Electronics

smile.amazon.com

Yes but if you drop your phone in the lower pocket with a USB stick hanging out of the back of it there is a risk of damaging the port when they make contact. No such risk with the dirt cheap SD card. I have 8 hours of music on an SD card and it is only 2% used.

 

[derekdal]

That is why I used a very short USB stick.

That is also why the female port is located on the expensive item, the car in this case. The male end is designed to snap off and not damage the car port. This is core hardware design. The breakage is designed to be on the cheap side of any connection.

 

[Pzookey]

I have seen plenty of female USB connectors fail prior to the male breaking off the way you describe.

 

[S_B]

Even after reading this thread, I still didn't get the answers I was looking for:

Can I play music off a USB stick?

Where is the USB port (not charging) located?

No, I'm not a Taos owner. Being able to use USB sticks to play my music is important enough to be a deal breaker.

 

[Pzookey]

Even after reading this thread, I still didn't get the answers I was looking for:

Can I play music off a USB stick?

Where is the USB port (not charging) located?

No, I'm not a Taos owner. Being able to use USB sticks to play my music is important enough to be a deal breaker.

There are 2 USB-C ports in the storage pocket in front of the shifter. either will charge or connect a stick to the car. There is no USB-A port so if your sticks are the older USB-A you will need an adapter cord.

 

[S_B]

There are 2 USB-C ports in the storage pocket in front of the shifter. either will charge or connect a stick to the car. There is no USB-A port so if your sticks are the older USB-A you will need an adapter cord.

Yes, the older "thicker" end. Isn't a C port for charging only and not connected to the head unit?

 

[Pzookey]

Yes, the older "thicker" end. Isn't a C port for charging only and not connected to the head unit?

There is no USB-A port which would be the thicker port. Just 2 fully functional USB-C ports. The USB-C ports are connected to the control unit.

 

[S_B]

Yeah, may be older tech, but convenient when I have band catalogues on each one for each band. When I go back to the dealership to take it out again, I'll be sure to bring a stick with me and adapter (if I can find one).