Motors Finally, a decent MP3 solution

I've had CD multi-changers that play MP3.. crap capacity. I've considered all manner of hardrive add-on solutions that dont interface with the head unit and dont give ID3 info.... also rubbish. I've not even considered i-pod plug ins as I hate aftermarket, wires hanging out of dash solutions. I was excited about Kenwood's Music Keg, until they decided to stop selling it in the EU. I then found out about phat noise, but then realised they dont make a unit that interfaces with decent third party head units...

(sigh).... it was looking grim.

Then Kenwood released a range of head units a few months back that seemed like the perfect solution: A USB 2.0 socket, and the ability to read from any mass media storage device.

So... I thought I'd give it a go.

I got the Kenwood KDC-W534UG and a Freecom 60Gb 2.5inch hard drive. Total cost £187 for a fantastic 60Gb MP3 solution. There are a range of Kenwood units with the USB option, but the higher models mainly just have extra pre-outs and amp controls, which is not a feature I need, as I only need one set of pre-outs, and control the amps externally.

The larger the drive, the longer it takes to initialise it when you first switch the source over to USB, which is annoying, but even with 60Gb, we're only talking about teh time it takes to put the seat belt on, light a cigarette, and put my glasses on. I hope later models are faster, but apart from this one gripe, it's fantastic. Easy navigation, and sounds fantastic as well.




Hard drive located in Glove box.

 

couple of questions,

how do you power the disk drive?
does it read ID3 tags off the hard disk?

other than that, it looks suweet, and a really nice head unit too

 

Good find.

 

im guessing the hard drive is self powered like most external hard drives (powered by the usb power)

 

This exactly the kind of thing i want for my car , cheaper than an ipod without wires sticking out everywhere too... Great info

 

That looks perfect, been looking for a mp3 solution for my wheels recently.

 

here

The drive is powered by the USB port, as others have surmised. It has a 500mA power limit, which is above most 2.5inch drives, and my 60Gb drive is certainly causing it no problems. It's both USB 1.1 and 2.0 compatible as you would expect.

The only other mildly annoying thing is a folder limit of 500. You've got to be careful with the amount of folders you use. Just don;t put pointless folders within folders, and you'll be OK.

USB specs are here

It does read the ID3 tags off the drive, yes, and then scrolls the info across the screen when playing. In fact, it doesn't read file names at all... just ID3. No ID3, it just gives track No. and Time, just as if you were playing a CD.

Navigation is by pressing a button that toggles through Folder 1, folder 2, and file sel. Folder 1 lets you toggles through root folders. You can parent out to the root of the drive, and then scroll through the main folders in root, for e.g., on my drive I have "60s", "70s", "Alt and indie", "Trance" etc... my genres basically... then you press the main menu knob to enter that folder. If you want to navigate within that folder, then you select "Folder 2" and then it scrolls through files and folders within that. Strange at first, but easy when you get used to it.

They give a list of compatible devices on the above link, but I suspect that's only a list of stuff they've tested it with.

I use this and it's absolutely fine.

If you just keep the hard drive in the glove box like I do, you can easily take it into the house to keep your car and home PC music in sync. As it's just a mass media device, no software is needed.. just drag and drop your files.

That is important... the device has to be read by your PC as a Mass Storage Device. Anything that requires drivers, or anything that shows up as a specific branded device may not work. If in doubt, just stick to what's on Kenwood's list (sadly limited in the HDD list), or just go with the Freecom that I use. It's quick for a 2.5inch drive anyway. Basically, if you can plug and play in Win XP and it appears as a disk drive in control panel, you should be OK

The head unit has a 1 metre flying lead out of the back, so it's very easy to hide the hard drive. Add to that the drive itself has a 1 metre lead, and you have many options for drive location.

Sony and JVC also have similar units, BUT... they've gone via the dumb ass USB socket on the FRONT method... when will they learn. So if you dont want wires sticking out of your dash, the kenwood is the best option IMO.

There are two models of the 534 that I have: The 534UG (main controls light up green) and the 534UA (lights up red).. that's the only difference. If you have a Ford, you go with the G, if you have a BMW you go with the A. Higher models let you switch colours. The 534 is the base model, but the whole USB range look physically identical (apart from the double DIN models), and have the same audio circuits. The additions to the higher models are just feature based, and mainly revolve around amp control, and more pre outs, and sub pre outs etc. They also have internal cross-over controls and all the bells and whistles. The highest model has a colour screen also.

The full USB range is here. Would you look at the prices they're charging for bundling a HDD though??? Go elsewhere for your HDD. That's where I got the head unit from though. Gone up in price by £9 since I bought mine, so shop around, or get two dealers to price match one another.

 

Yeah, we just got a cheap new radio for our mobilhome, It has a usb socket on the front and I just plug in my tiny thumbstick (512mb) with some tunes and voila! I reckon it works with a portable HD aswell.

Great solution!

L

 

This is great just about to order mine.

By the way cheapest one ive found here is £149.99 http://www.lowcostcaraudio.co.uk/sh..._productJJ2042ZZcategoryJJ/CD-TUNERS/KENWOOD/

Regards
GiGo

 

When will these companies produce a player that does FLAC and OGG?? It's not like the dash units arent big enough to fit in a decent sized processor.

 

Bindi , i doubt 99% of people using MP3 headunits know what those two formats are, hence there is no reason for them to spend money on RnD to get it working.

 

Er what?
So 99% of those people all have Ipods? I don't think so.

We're not all stupid you know.

 

He has a point tho Shadow.. most people you stop in teh street will have no idea what FLAC or OGG is, so why add loads to R&D budgets adding a feature no one will even want?

It would be nice, but a decent LAME encoded VBR (128 min, 320max, very high quality, new VBR method)MP3 is actually decent quality, and I've yet to meet anyone who can tell them from the original CD.

 

I know what you mean

Saves me having to reencode my ENTIRE music collection from ape or flac into mp3 though :/

 

Do they do a version with a better display? I've gotten too used to the multiline displays to go back to a single scroller ...

 

does it do anything other than mp3? whast the sound quality like from 128k mp3`s?

 

I guess so!
Speak to Mister_tad, or _Dom.
I bet they can notice. Or make themselves.

 

I suspect the latter tbh.

 

Well my player has no problem with FLAC or OGG...
Link to project "FTPC"



Hello again Bindi. It's been a while.

 

That looks interesting. I'll follow the progress of that, and steal your ideas shamelessly no doubt.