I bought a sansa clip for using it also in my car. Therefor my radio has an USB- slot, but when I plug my clip into the slot, my radio switches between fm and usb-playback all the time. I´ve read here, that it is recommended to switch the USB- mode to msc and after that to copy the music into the directory. So I switched the USB- mode, formatted the clip and copied the music with the same result…no music-playback and switching all the time. Hope, that anybody could help my with my problem. The radio is a “Blue Sound BT” from Votex (supplier for Volkswagen)…
Where is it stated the radio in the car (or anything else) will play via the usb connection from the clip. You need an auxilliary input on the radio. Most newer radios have these and this is by far the best method.
Failing that, if the radio has a cassette slot, use a cassette adapter, failing that you can get an fm transmitter that will send from the clip to an unused station on the radio. In all cases output of the clip is from the mini phono plug. I haven’t had much luck with that last choice, it depends on where you are and what choices the transmitter gives in selecting the supposedly unused frequency. Where I live virtually wherever I tune there is a station and it’s tough to get noise free operation.
Hmm…the radio also has an AUX, but why other players work with my USB- slot on the radio and the clip doesn´t? I prefer the USB- connection and I wonder, why only the clip rejects to play. Even a normal USB- data stick with some music or a SD- card doesn´t make any problems with my radio. I tried both USB- modes of the clip and also the automatic- mode without success.
Did you try putting some music in the root of the player with the player in MSC mode? The car stereo still doesn’t see those files with the player connected in MSC? I guess your only option is to use the headphone output on the player. I assume that the files aren’t protected, since you were able to transfer them to the player in MSC mode.
Sorry, I think I jumped in a little too quickly on my previous response. I still stay with what I said except I would like to revise my initial comment. It does look as if that usb port will play a music file on a usb stick. It should also play files in the root of the clip. However, you would have to play around and see what control and info would be displayed.
My Sony after market radio playing mp3 files on a cd is able to display the tag data but I can’t say for sure without checking if it plays in tagged track order.
I would still use the audio (auxilliary) input. That works fine with my clip. I don’t have the usb connection, but I do have an auto power cord which I’ve never used. If you use the auxilliary input, you might want to hook up the usb cable to see if it supplies power without messing anything up. Of couse, if as the previous reponder mentioned, if the files are protected all bets are off.
At first a big THX to all for your assistance!! I tried to copy some music to the root directory and forced the clip to start in MSC- mode like I´ve read it here on the board. But unfortunately my radio still refuses to play any title. By the way no of the titles is protected…it´s really a mess, because exept that little USB- issue the clip is the perfect player for me. I tried several other players and no one has pleased me like this little thing. The AUX- in is not really an alternative for me, because I prefer to skip the titles at my radio and not at the player.
Anyone else an idea, why my stupid radio plays from every mass- storage- device and doesn´t like my clip??
Someone would have to be using the same setup as yourself to be of any help. If flash drives work, they are very inexpensive these days and don’t require battery power.
I have a stereo or docking station that has a similar tick. It can play media from a flash drive but only as deep as one folder or the root of the drive.
@d_headshot wrote:
I have a stereo or docking station that has a similar tick. It can play media from a flash drive but only as deep as one folder or the root of the drive.
Yep, that’s why JK98 recommended putting songs into the root folder.
@dave61430 wrote:
Someone would have to be using the same setup as yourself to be of any help. If flash drives work, they are very inexpensive these days and don’t require battery power.
Yep, you´re right with that and that will be my way. Altough it will be exhausting to sync the SD- Card(s) with my clip.
@promisedplanet wrote:
The only thing I can think of is that maybe your USB port doesn’t supply enough power to the Clip. Do you know how many milliamps it provides?
Sorry, I don´t know that. But my clip is charging while plugged in, so I think the power should be enough. Perhaps I could try a hub with power supply…
@d_headshot wrote:
I have a stereo or docking station that has a similar tick. It can play media from a flash drive but only as deep as one folder or the root of the drive.
Hmm…but my tricky radio plays from any folder on the SD-Card or USB- Stick and refuses to play from the root of my clip. I even can switch between the folders on the radio to navigate.
The best way will be to assure one of my friends to buy a clip…then I know if it is generally incompatible or mine has a bug. Thanks for all responses!
For synching any type of files I use winmerge, this is freeware and particularly helpful for backup purposes but is generally all around useful with lots of options.
Hey guys, it´s me again…I´ve had the ability to test my clip into two other cars with MP3- plugs in serial production (Kia C´eed and Renault Laguna, both from 2009) and had the same result. My clip isn´t able to play music into any car and I think it has a damage. All three radios switches from MP3- mode to radio all the time and that can´t be normal…what´s your opinion?
It sounds like the idea is that this stereo can use USB to read and play MP3 files from any mass storage device, which in theory the Clip is when it’s in MSC mode. Like normally you might use a USB thumb drive. Strange that it doesn’t work. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the presence of non-audio files, and/or folders, on the Clip is confusing the stereo?
Hmm…I don´t think so, because on my Corsair Flash Voyager it is completely irrelevant, if there´re any folders or e.g. excel- files on it. I´ve often read over people, who uses the clip on an USB- radio without any problems and because of that I think my one could be broken. Before my clip I had an Trekstor iBeat sweez with almost the same folder- structure and nearly the same features and it played without any issues. I love my little clip, but that issue is a really big problem for me, because I´m terribly lazy and don´t like to copy my music twice
Message Edited by tawolgany666 on 08-27-2009 11:19 AM
But I’d think that if your Clip was broken somehow, you wouldn’t be able to copy files back and forth between it and a PC in MSC mode. Try connecting your Clip to your PC in MSC mode, and then try playing a music file directly on it (don’t copy it to your PC first).
My only other straw-grabbing guess is that the stereo requires a transfer speed that the Clip can’t meet, though I have no idea how the Clip’s USB transfer speed compares to that of a thumb drive, etc.
