Can't Play Music via USB in Car!

**Gladius Nova** · 07-11-2012, 11:21 PM

I have a 2011 Lexus and it connects with my iPod via USB perfectly. I have my music on the ext. SD card on my Evo and when I connect it via USB nothing happens. I have it set to disk drive and still no dice. Anyone have any advice on a fix?
(And yes, I have tried Bluetooth and that works)

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**Saneless** · 07-12-2012, 12:17 AM

Have you ever had any android device work off the USB? I'm not sure that can happen.

**Gladius Nova** · 07-12-2012, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by Saneless

Have you ever had any android device work off the USB? I'm not sure that can happen.

What do you mean? I connect to my PC and transfer files all the time.

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**kronosqq** · 07-12-2012, 12:26 AM

Mine works in disk drive mode but only for some of my music, not sure why, maybe something to do with my car not being able to read a certain level of sub folder for some reason. I've just been using USB for charging and the 3.5 aux input for music.

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**chuckuykendl** · 07-12-2012, 12:36 AM

Having a higher end car and a higher end phone, why not just connect your phone to the car's sound system with Bluetooth? I only assume you have Bluetooth...

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**Gladius Nova** · 07-12-2012, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by chuckuykendl

Having a higher end car and a higher end phone, why not just connect your phone to the car's sound system with Bluetooth? I only assume you have Bluetooth...

Beamed from my EVO 4G LTE to your face via Tapatalk 2.

I do (see original post). I find that Bluetooth isn't as reliable as a USB connection. But I may be stuck using just BT.

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**Auzo** · 07-12-2012, 12:43 AM

Andorid 4.1 now supports Audio through USB! so in 6 months when we get it your problems will be solved

On a more serious note, I believe your Lexus is not treating the device connected to it through USB as a mass storage device. What I mean by this is that it doesn't read the file and process it and then play it. In the case of your iPod, the iPod is doing all the processing and just outputting the processed sound, through the line-out pin of its connector, which your car is then merely piping to the speakers. This is not much different than an aux cable connected to the headphone out jack, albeit a cleaner signal.

Bottom line is that this functionality has not yet been available for android, until 4.1 that is.

edit: that's one of the benefits of having a 30 pin connector, you got so many damn pins that you can use them for all kinds of things. USB is 4 pins (sometimes 5, but the 5th pin is just an ID pin and useless otherwise) so you need to be more clever with your implementation.

**Gladius Nova** · 07-12-2012, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by Auzo

Andorid 4.1 now supports Audio through USB! so in 6 months when we get it your problems will be solved

On a more serious note, I believe your Lexus is not treating the device connected to it through USB as a mass storage device. What I mean by this is that it doesn't read the file and process it and then play it. In the case of your iPod, the iPod is doing all the processing and just outputting the processed sound, through the line-out pin of its connector, which your car is then merely piping to the speakers. This is not much different than an aux cable connected to the headphone out jack, albeit a cleaner signal.

Bottom line is that this functionality has not yet been available for android, until 4.1 that is.

edit: that's one of the benefits of having a 30 pin connector, you got so many damn pins that you can use them for all kinds of things. USB is 4 pins (sometimes 5, but the 5th pin is just an ID pin and useless otherwise) so you need to be more clever with your implementation.

Got it. Thanks for the info.

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**chuckuykendl** · 07-12-2012, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by Gladius Nova

I do (see original post). I find that Bluetooth isn't as reliable as a USB connection. But I may be stuck using just BT.

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Ack, sorry, I should read before I write...

My personal experience with Bluetooth in my Hyundai Tucson has been great (once it connects...different story) such that I haven't even bothered trying to play with the USB connection.

Beamed from my EVO 4G LTE to your face via Tapatalk 2.

**Mophomania** · 07-15-2012, 07:20 PM

I was able to do it on the Motorola photon. The car dock for it had a USB to micro USB and it also has a aux audio out female 3.5 mm Jack as well. When at the house I would use the cable to charge and for audio out from the USB port. I figured this was normal for most higher end androids...goes that was the exception and not the rule. Hopefully Jellybean brings this capability to us all. I liked it much better. One cable, multiple uses.

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**DEman19901** · 07-15-2012, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by chuckuykendl

Having a higher end car and a higher end phone, why not just connect your phone to the car's sound system with Bluetooth? I only assume you have Bluetooth...

Beamed from my EVO 4G LTE to your face via Tapatalk 2.

This is what I do. My USB connection is tied up to an Ipod classic. 600 CD's at my disposal.

**Ledward1245** · 07-15-2012, 08:32 PM

Save your self the trouble and do what I did. I connect my phone using the buletooth for calls. anxd I bought an Ipod which I leave inside the car all the time just for the music. It sound perfect and you don't have to wait 2- 5 minutes until the radio scans for music from the phone if you connect it using the USB. (at least thats what my 2012 car does)

**marksr#AC** · 07-16-2012, 08:24 AM

I believe most Lexus' (Lexii?) have an auxiliary input in the center console- next to the ipod usb input-
My Maxima has 2 stereo RCA-type inputs (the red and white wires) right next to the IPOD/IPHONE input- I use an rca male to 3.5 inch male Y-cable (costs a couple bucks anywhere- online, radioshack etc) and just plug in through the headphone jack. Why even bother with USB, especially since I would be using that for the phone charger?

**Gladius Nova** · 07-16-2012, 10:22 AM

I guess I will just continue to use my iPod via USB (which works flawlessly and sounds great) and connect phone (music) via Bluetooth when needed. I did some sound adjustments on the EQ associated with Poweramp and it sounds pretty decent in the car considering it is Bluetooth. It takes a couple of tries and a minute to "connect", but hopefully there will be a fix for that in a future OTA update.

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**Brandito** · 07-16-2012, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Gladius Nova

I guess I will just continue to use my iPod via USB (which works flawlessly and sounds great) and connect phone (music) via Bluetooth when needed. I did some sound adjustments on the EQ associated with Poweramp and it sounds pretty decent in the car considering it is Bluetooth. It takes a couple of tries and a minute to "connect", but hopefully there will be a fix for that in a future OTA update.

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My ltevo connects near instantly with my sony head unit. Seems like a radio issue.

**DEman19901** · 07-16-2012, 07:22 PM

From my experience, Pandora or Play Music through Bluetooth,has better audio quality than satellite radio.

**cloak.n.dagger** · 07-16-2012, 09:46 PM

After the update my phone is no longer seen by my bluetooth audio system as a media device, it only connects as a headset now! It was working perfectly before the update. Since bluetooth audio streaming is broken and 90% of the music I listen to in the car comes from my phone I used the USB connection for the first time today. After connecting it I selected disk drive mode and it worked perfectly after that. I actually prefer the USB connection better because the headset now displays the song information along with the Album art! With the bluetooth connection All that was displayed was a play/pause button on the screen and all control of the music came from handling my phone! Now everything is controlled via the headset and the music still pauses when a call comes in! Perfect!

Sorry to hear that this feature isn't working for everyone. It does seem like behavior varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Like I said, the update broke bluetooth streaming for me, but it seems to be working now for others.