Hard-drive based "cd multichanger"

Something along the lines of this perhaps?

If Kenwood make them, I presume someone else does too, but cheaper :-)

Mike P

You could just get a cheapish Sony headunit with a USB port on it and use a USB memory stick, or if that's not big enough a small portable hard drive too. Sony used to make the SONY MEX-1HD which was a standard looking radio/cd head unit with a built in 10GB drive. So, someone out there definitely makes what you are looking for

Try asking on uk.rec.audio.car , you might get more ideas there.

hth

Mike P

I'd say the problem might be that the head unit couldn't cope with that number of 'tracks' as it were. So it might play it but be unable to select what you actually want to listen to. A bit like MP3 CDs in some CD players.

I have a box of tricks that makes my Mazda's factory stereo think my iPod is a CD changer. The stereo uses the first 6 playlists in the iPod as the 6 CDs it would normally support, which you can change between using the stereo controls. Other than that you can use the iPod's own controls to select tracks/albums/artists.

The stereo's screen shows timing information and track numbers, but I don't think any of it relates to the track numbers or timings of the tracks on the iPod.

Some headunit manufacturers do iPod specific interfaces which display track names etc. There are also manufacturers of iPod boxes o'tricks like Dension.

If the OP doesn't want to buy into iPod, I found somebody making Hard Drive CD Changer devices for JVC or Kenwood stereos I think when I was working out what I wanted. Only the later models supported them.

As someone else pointed out, some the Headunits that take USB Pen drives will also merrily read a portable hard drive but as you say, finding music in a cavernous disk is going to be pretty slow.

I have a set top box that plays divx and MP3 off a USB slot. It would not detect my USB HDD, so check it out before you buy. It may just be an NTFS/FAT32 problem though (it is NTFS formatted). Also the problem of siting it, and removing it to prevent scrote attention. HDDs don't like shock and vibration, so are probably not ideal for in the car.

Also, bear in mind that if you go for a 4+ gig USB stick instead, you end up smacking it when changing gears or have it dangling on a USB extension cable. (I have gone through 2 USB/SD head units - got my money back when they developed faults - not related to smacking USB drive though). If I buy another one, it will have a recessed SD card slot as that was useful.

Bob

How about something like this:

Halfrods did a Ripspeed branded head unit which does this as well. Dunno about the sound quality but I plugged my iPod into one in my local Halfords recently and it controlled off the touchscreen no problem. Funny to have Slapshot's 'Teach Me To Kill' blasting out in Halfords ;)