I took home my MINI yesterday. So last night I started playing with the audio. It appears that the Sansa 4GB works with the USB port.

The first time I plugged it in, the MINI didn't seem to pick it up. Then I tried it again and low and behold, it started working. I was able to move through the songs via the multi function steering wheel. VERY NICE

BTW, this Sansa is about 2 years old, just for your information.

 

I use an 8 GB flash drive in mine, but I'm very unimpressed with the lack of randomization. My primary music source is a Delphi Xpress RC XM radio. I've been an XM fan for 6 years, and I still love it.

 

I'm reading the flash drives are pretty good. No cables and they must be recognized instantly.

It seems that there is some sequence of steps for the Sansa to be recognized right off the bad. I had to fiddle with it to get it to work again.

 

So the stereo dosnt have an option to play the songs on the flash memory in a random order? How about the mp3 cd player??

 

I think the random function just puts them into a randomized playlist. Sometimes when I turn the car on it ends up starting again a number of songs back on the same randomized list, and I hear the same randomized group of songs again.

I have an 8GB rugged Corsair drive working great in mine. It was a pain to get anything to plug into the port because of its placement under the console controls, so I just got a retractable USB extension cord that makes it easier to connect and remove.

 

Are you talking about the Survivor series? Amazingly durable flash drives... I washed mine, dropped it, ran over it with my car (don't ask...), and it still functions perfectly!

They are a super pain to fit in some computers though... they are so bulky!

 

8 G works well too

 

It randomizes the songs, just not very well. You can randomize by directory, artist, genre, or album. I have all songs in the root directory of the USB stick, about 1,000 songs I think. It seems to get stuck on Eminem and the Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack quite a bit.

 

Hi,

Just took delivery of my clubman on Wednesday and I could not be happier. Each day the grin gets wider and wider! But, there is one big, glaring problem, I cannot get the USB drive to function properly.

I bought the Kingston 8gb DataTraveler (based on the recommendations in this forum) and it just refuses to play all of the songs through. It will play the first song in its entirety, then just play the first half minute or so of subsequent songs. I have tried reformatting the drive, putting the mp3 files in folders, taking the mp3 files out of folders and now I am ready to pull my hair out. Forget random, it just plays the first 10 seconds of every song. The flash drive plays through songs perfectly on my PC. Anyone have any ideas as I can't even begin to figure out whether the problem is with the drive or with the Mini interface? Thanks...

 

Try sandisk

 

Hence the retractable USB cable extension. Comes in handy because of the bulk and because the USB port is in a painful place to reach. I could never seem to get the hang of plugging it in one handed. I'm hoping the drive handles the summer heat. So far so good.

I had one Sandisk drive just refuse to work. It was one of the drives that came with the built-in U3 software for running programs and stuff.

Might be an issue with the way they've been encoded too. I had one MP3 that played fine on my computer, but when the MINI's stereo got a little bit into the song, it would crackle and stop. It would completely lock up the stereo controls and screen. I was driving down the highway wondering "Great, I've crashed the fancy stereo, how do I reboot?" Fortunately, it reset itself a minute or two later as if nothing had happened.

 

One big thing that could be the problem is the bit rate make sure that they are CONSTANT bit rate and less than 256. Other wise they will not work correctly.

This is specified by the ULF module that controls the USB port. Unfortunately MINI does not tell anyone this info. I found it through a lot of research.

 

you seem to have exactly the setup I am thinking off...

I am about to order my mini but I am debating whether I to get the bluetooth/usb option. What's the difference between using the USB or just the AUX port?

I listen mostly to XM and sometimes to MP3s. I am definitely planning on getting the navi... if just for looks.

Any thoughts?

 

The USB port allows you to plug in a USB stick and have the car's radio read/play the data. If you have an ipod or any other MP3 player, you can simply use the AUX port without USB, you just won't get the names of the songs displayed on your radio.

It took me a few months to get around to installing the XM radio even though I've been paying for the service all this time. But now that it's in, my ears are SO much happier. That's all I listen to now.

Bluetooth is for hands-free cell phone operation. I like it because it's cool, though some people might try to get you to believe that it's safer as well.

I ordered the convenience package with mine and this was all part of it on the 08 models. I know that's changed with 09 though, and I don't know if I'd pay the extra cash for it this year.

 

Thanks for the detailed info! The only thing I would really use is the USB connection to attach a stick with MP3s... have to think if doing that vs. burning an MP3 CD is worth $500...

I will never use the bluetooth... I barely use my phone, plus I would not want anyone else hearing my conversation either.

How did you hook up the XM? I currently have cables all around...

 

Schatzy,

Thanks for the info. Are you talking about a constant bit rate for each .mp3 file, meaning that the bit rate has to be the same for every file on the flash drive? What a hassle to have to go and check each individual .mp3 file.

I have tried, and failed once again, reformatting the drive on a non-vista machine. I have a replacement drive coming in the mail. I shall not load it on a Vista machine, try the reformatting utility recommended in this thread and then keep my fingers crossed. I really want this to work as I don't want to be bothered connecting and disconnected my ipod every time I get in and out of the car!

 

I used the antenna extension cable described in this thread https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=122686 to connect to the factory Sirius antenna.
I've got the first Kuda mount you see on this page: http://www.kudausa.com/kuda_mount_an...07-34-529.html

And, I've ordered (but haven't received and installed yet) the items described in this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=111280

All the wires will be tucked into various crevices and run behind various panels.

 

Well, after a week of fighting with it, and finally replacing it with an 8 gb PNY flash drive (on sale at Staples this week for $32), I have to report that no kind of reformatting will get the Kingston drive to work in the Mini. I am also very happy to report that the PNY drive worked flawlessly the first time I plugged it in (and every other time I have played it) and it required no reformatting. It is so nice to have that drive plugged in and to be able to just leave it there (unlike the ipod which has to get unplugged each time you leave the car). The other great thing about the PNY drive is that it is black and virtually invisible when plugged in. I am now a very happy camper!

 

Not every file has to be the same bit rate, just that each file has to be a constant bit rate not a variable bit rate.

Also files greater than 256 bit rate will probably cause you problems as the system is only able to accurately handle 256 and below. I have some files that are at 320 bit rate and they do play but some others will not and actually make system fail then i need to remove the usb drive and plug in another one for the system to recognize and then plug the first on back in