I have this USB/iPod adapter included in Convenience package. While I am waiting for my MCS to arrive, I was just curious if the USB adapter can play songs from an external hard disk which is powered through the USB port.

I know that it can play songs from USB flash drives (thumb drives). But it would be great if it can play from a hard disk as I can permanently leave the hard-disk in there with songs to last me the whole year

Has anyone tried to connect a hard drive through this adapter. I read in some posts in BMW forums that they could do this and I guess it would be same for MINIs.

 

I have the USB/BT setup but have not tried this yet. I don't know if the USB port would have enough power to run a laptop hard drive.

I would say you hit ebay for a cheap 30GB ipod - I have a 30GB iPod and it works like a charm and I just leave it in the car 24/7. The option to have playlists is nice too.

 

I have a 30GB ipod myself (actually, bought from ebay).

The external hard drives are so cheap nowadays with a lot of capacity I thought maybe a good idea to dump all music and audiobooks in there connect it and leave it.

Don't know how good the ipod battery will be with no proper charge/discharge cycle (when connected through the USB).

I agree with the playlist, sadly I am lazy enough to not create them in the ipod. Does the playlist show up in the radio (I don't have the nav system)?

 

Look in the Navigation & Audio forum. IIRC, someone tried this and wasn't too successful. They had better luck with the USB Flash drives.

 

Thanks Robin, I did not realize that the other forum existed. I thought everyone hangs around here generally.

Now how do I move this post to the other forum

 

Don't worry about moving it, this has been discussed quote a bit in a few threads over in the forum Robin mentioned. You'll probably find your answer there, if not take your pick of existing threads to post in.