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Music storage

Discussion in 'Car Audio Head Units' started by Klinkster, Sep 25, 2010.

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  1. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    I have a few questions on how best to setup my music storage for my new Pioneer FH-P8000BT.

    [​IMG]

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    I want to use the usb port for my music library and I do not own (nor plan to) an Ipod.

    This is my wife's radio and I would like to put our entire music library, with room for more, in the vehicle. I know I can buy multiple jump drives, but they aren't cheap and may be prone to loss in a car.

    I was thinking about an external HDD strictly for music. I know that it must be formatted to FAT 16 or FAT 32 in order to be read by the HU. As for price, that would also be cheaper than buying a few large capacity thumb drives. A few questions though:

    1) I know Windows has a size limitation of 32GB on FAT 32.

    Is there another program(free) that can make it larger using the same file system?

    I think Linux might be able to, but I've never used Linux, nor have a spare PC to play with it on.

    2) USB power: The Pioneer HU has a 500mA USB port. I downloaded a user manual for the WD laptop passport HDD and nowhere did it list power requirements. It only states WD sell a "Power Booster" USB cable for PCs that can't dish enough juice. Has anyone tried one of these drives on a Pioneer deck? Did you need the "booster" cable?

    This isn't a "Passport" but looks like its USB driven and the price is nice!

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136606


    I did find this on Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882021123&cm_re=rcp-_-82-021-123-_-Product


    I could probably get a regular external drive with a separate power supply if I bought that inverter.

    3) A third option would be getting a USB card reader. While they have the same drawbacks as a jump drive, the prices are the same as a jumpdrive, but at least she could transfer the flash card to her MP3 player and syncing would be easier as well (I think).



    Any feedback would be appreciated as I'm not sure which direction I want to go and don't want to spend $$ on a HDD option if it doesn't work(although I could always use extra PC storage) ;)
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2010
    Klinkster, Sep 25, 2010
    #1
  2. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    I have hooked a Western Digital hard drive to a Pioneer Radio before and it worked with no problem. The only problem I've heard about (but not seen) is that with large hard drives, it takes the Pioneer a couple of minutes to access everything.

    I used an 80 Gb Hard Drive and it accessed it pretty fast. Also, I didn't use a lot of layers. In other words, I didn't put folders in folders. For example, all my Rush songs were in one folder named "Rush". I did not have folders for Rock and then stuff more folders in it. The less layers the better

    You can download the formatting utility on Western Digitals web site
    http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=204&sid=34&lang=en
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2010
    Ranger SVO, Sep 25, 2010
    #2
  3. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    Ok,,,,,,,,Im gunna follow this thread for a bit.......me and the lil lady have been talkin bout this.....never done this....
     
    TheViking, Sep 25, 2010
    #3
  4. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    I'm definitely gonna try this.

    For the price of a decent 16GB thumbdrive, I could get 120GB HDD.

    Only drawback I see is that HDD is a physical drive that is a lil slower(access time) and it will eventually die, but for $30 I think that is a reasonable gamble.

    Also if I get a year outta it, it will be fine.....I'm sure Solid State HDDs will be significantly cheaper in a years time ;)


    @ Ranger: Did you have to use the "booster" cable or just plug your drive into the standard USB cable that came with the HU?
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2010
    Klinkster, Sep 25, 2010
    #4
  5. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    I'll tell you what, I'll hook up my 80 Gb Passport to my Pioneer tomorrow and let you know how it goes. I'll put about 50 folders on it and give it a test run.
     
    Ranger SVO, Sep 25, 2010
    #5
  6. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    I just ordered the drive so I should have it by Tuesday or Wednesday. :D
     
    Klinkster, Sep 25, 2010
    #6
  7. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    I just loaded my WD Hard drive

    [​IMG]

    I'm currently running all 1862 songs through MP3 Gain, so that all the songs play at the same volume level. It'll be about an hour before its finished.

    To minimize problems lets not have too many layers. For example, my AC/DC folder contains all my AC/DC music. There are NO folders in the AC/DC folder. Just songs. I am not seperating music by albums in the main AC/DC folder.

    Same thing with the RUSH folder. There is music from 6 different albums, but it is not divided up by albums.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2010
    Ranger SVO, Sep 26, 2010
    #7
  8. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    OK, quick update. Its not working on the Pioneer. I think its a power problem. When I hook it up to the hard drive, it says USB on the display then the radio shuts off. So I plugged in my iPod and it worked

    I then hooked the hard drive to my Alpine, it works. Then I hooked an 8 Gb Jump Drive to the Pioneer and it worked. Definately a power problem.

    I hooked up this HD to a Pioneer DEH P6000UB in my sons car and it worked, so I figure it should work with any Pioneer.
     
    Ranger SVO, Sep 26, 2010
    #8
  9. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    OK how do we solve a power problem. The USB wire has 4 wires in it
    Pin 1 Red +5 volts
    Pin 2 White Data
    Pin 3 Green Data
    Pin 4 Black ground

    We need to find a 12 volt DC to 5 Volt DC converter capable of .5 to 1 amp. (preferably regulated supply)
     
    Ranger SVO, Sep 26, 2010
    #9
  10. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    Last edited: Sep 26, 2010
    Klinkster, Sep 26, 2010
    #10
  11. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    Turns out that I already have one of those "Booster" cables already.

    I accidentally bought a 2.5in IDE external HDD enclosure about a year ago and the enclosure included one of those Y booster cables. The second type A plugs into another usb port for extra juice, so that combined with the HU's 500 mA, I would hope would be enough to power the thing.

    Now I need the extra USB port. I'm thinking of trying one of these:

    http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=1082602&p_id=6766&seq=1&format=2#description

    and hard wiring it to a 10 amp circuit.

    Adapter Specs are:
    Input Voltage 12-24 vdc
    output voltage 5dc +-5%
    Max output current 1000MA (1A)

    For about $3 shipped, I think I might try it, but is there a possibility of frying something?

    I don't want to blowup my new HU!
     
    Klinkster, Sep 27, 2010
    #11
  12. ericj

    ericj Full Member

    You could probably just build a small circuit with a 7805 voltage regulator, a heatsink since you need around 1A output, a few small capacitors, & a protection diode.

    You could wire that directly into your battery with an inline fuse and either wire up 2 female usb ports to plug the drive into, or wire it to 2 male usb wires that you can hook up directly to your drive.

    EDIT: Your idea would be fine, too, as far as I can tell. If you're going to hard wire the extra USB port, wire it directly to the battery or make sure to bypass the fuse box (but fuse your wire appropriately). With it's output, it should be plenty to power the drive. I doubt you'd need the HU's port. Computer usb ports typically have a 5V 500mA output.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2010
    ericj, Sep 27, 2010
    #12
  13. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    Your idea sounds good except I haven't built a circuit since High School Electronics class twenty five years ago, and I barely passed, LOL ! ;)

    As for dedicating the whole power issue to the converter, there is only one port on the HDD, so power and data will use the same cable. If i use the booster cable, the extra cable would go to the converter. My HU only has one USB port, so no matter what, I'd need the HU's power.
     
    Klinkster, Sep 27, 2010
    #13
  14. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member


    GREAT idea.....

    I actually have what you are talking about...I built one several years ago for aportable high current charger for my R/C aircraft......I will look and see if I can find it...its a VERY simple circuit and regulates voltage VERY well....It would do anywhere from 0 volts up to peak car voltage and maintain it within 2 or 3 %.....more than acceptable for a hard drive...
     
    TheViking, Sep 27, 2010
    #14
  15. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    I got my HDD today.

    Now I have to find someone with Windows XP to reformat it to FAT 32.

    I have Win 7 64 bit and it crashes the install when I try to install WD's format program :(
     
    Klinkster, Sep 29, 2010
    #15
  16. Ranger SVO

    Ranger SVO Full Member

    It should already be formatted FAT32
     
    Ranger SVO, Sep 29, 2010
    #16
  17. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    I hooked it up my my PC outta the box and its listed as NTFS under properties
     
    Klinkster, Sep 29, 2010
    #17
  18. TE5LA

    TE5LA Guest

    First, where do you find external USB 120GB hard drives for under $25? Even a 32GB flash drive is under $50 and at 128 compression rates, you can hold about 8000 songs on it. How many songs do you need in a car? 8000 average songs is equivalent to about 22 days of non-stop music.
     
    TE5LA, Oct 9, 2010
    #18
  19. Klinkster

    Klinkster Full Member

    Lol, it was the Newegg's daily deal a few weeks ago.

    I needed something that would hold my entire music library and the price was right considering that 16gb flash drives were the same price as a HDD. I'm sure I'll never fill it up(unless I get a video deck in the future), but it never hurts to have extra storage (especially if I use it later for my home files)
     
    Klinkster, Oct 9, 2010
    #19
  20. TE5LA

    TE5LA Guest

    Good luck with it. Remember too that hard drives don't like to get bounced. That disc is spinning at 5400 RPM (or more) and the head that reads it floats no farther from its surface than a smoke particle. One good bump and the head bounces into the platter. Goodbye, hard drive!
     
    TE5LA, Oct 9, 2010
    #20
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