Connecting Nexus 4 with my car unit via USB

[robontheweb]

Hi All,

I am trying to find a solution for connecting my Nexus with my car unit via the USB so that i can listen to my phone music through the car speakers. My car unit (Pioneer AVIC-F3210BT) only has a USB connection at the dashboard. There is an AUX connection in the unit itself, but the AUX is not connected to the dashboard (unreachable).

I do not want to connect the Nexus to the car unit as a 'Mass Storage Device', since i prefer to play files from my NAS/soundcloud/spotify as well. There are a few options i would like to try out, but i don't know if they are possible at all. Perhaps you guys can help me out with this.

• 
  Option 1: Attach a bluetooth connector to my car USB. Then stream the music from my phone via bluetooth to the bluetooth connector (I know there are bluetooth connector's for aux, but i don't know if these are available/compatible with USB as well). Does anyone know?

• 
  Option 2: Attach an AUX (female) to USB (male) connector to my car USB. Then connect my phone to the connector via AUX or attach a bluetooth connector to the connector Will this work?

• 
  Option 3: Attach the AUX from the car unit to the dashboard. Since i drive a lease car, this is a last-resort option. I am afraid this is the only plausible solution however..

Thank you all in advance.

Regards,
Rob

 

[wunderbar]

Most car stereo USB connections either rely on Mass storage, or do the iPod thing. USB doesn't have a native audio out spec so that doesn't "just work."

Your only options are through the aux jack on the head unit.

 

[junglejunkie]

I'm not sure that the Bluetooth adapter/dongle will work. I think that it requires drivers and a PC. I personally have not tried it so, I hesitate to say no for sure. They do make USB to 3.5mm headphone jack cords...again never tried them personally, but that may be an option.

Worst case is you could always use a FM modulator.

Edit: Did I completely miss the fact that the car stereo has an aux input? If so go with that.

 

[bhkjunk]

I would give this product a shot
Amazon.com: Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPod, Apple iPhone, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones, US Version: MP3 Players & Accessories
One end of the bluetooth receiver goes to the AUX and the other goes to the cigarette lighter for power.

 

[Tall Mike 2145]

As stated above, head units only support FAT32 mass storage and iPod mode (wtf ever that actually is) so your only option at this time is analog audio through either an AUX 1/8" port, or an equivalent wireless means.

Personally, as someone who prefers OGG and FLAC, I'm used to this lack of compatibility. I also have a dedicated 8GB flash drive with a bunch of MP3s on it.

Frankly, unless there is enough of a demand by us, head unit manufacturers are unlikely to ever change this, so... We'd better be prepared to start talking with our wallets.

 

[wunderbar]

well, the reality is that more and more headsets are moving to integrated bluetooth. Most head units in most new cars come with it, and pretty much any 3rd party head unit on the market now at least has the option for built in bluetooth, if it isn't built in. I'm looking at replacing the head unit in my 2002 civic just for bluetooth. If I find a sale I can probably get one with bluetooth for less than $100, + installation, which will be better than my current solution of more cables in my car than I have for my phone at home or at work.