[c.cash]

I seem to recall having to wait a while for it show up in the list. Maybe you have a lot of files on the USB drive.? Try again when you're going for a 20 minute drive. Just an idea.

[vigalent]

Originally Posted by c.cash

I seem to recall having to wait a while for it show up in the list. Maybe you have a lot of files on the USB drive.? Try again when you're going for a 20 minute drive. Just an idea.

Cheers...Will give it a go.

Initially (when it worked) it had only 1 album. Copied about 5Gb from PC to USB stick (in artist / album folders), and no luck....

Thought maybe its the folder structure, so moved all the files to the root of the USB....No luck again.

Tried just copying 1 album (again to root of USB), and still no luck......

All of the above was with the car ignition on (but car not running)... I will try doing it during a drive (after the cars been running a while) and see if it makes any difference.

The strange thing is, the message comes up so quick, it like it hasn't even tried to read it (although it could just be it is this fast).

BTW...the USB drive works fine in the console....so I know its not the USB.

Any help would appreciated, this is really starting to bug me now.

[Frogman]

I've imported folder structures from USB onto the HD, no problem there.

I usually insert the USB drive before I turn anything on, and then waiting 30-60 seconds after turning the ignition on before I try to import.

Sometime the car will just not recognize the stick, so I unplug and re-plug it (while the ignition is on), wait, and it's usually seen after that.

[vigalent]

I don't think it's an issue with car 'seeing' the drive, it does that part fine.

It's just when I try to do the actual import, it comes up with the message 'no corresponding data available on USB device' what ever the hell that means.

[vabopi]

Originally Posted by c.cash

I'm trying to work all this out myself, so I'm updating as I go.

There is a solution to the "trapped in a folder" problem when using a USB flash drive in the armrest: Playlists.

In iTunes you can export playlists by right-clicking on them, and from the file type drop-down, choose m3u format, and just save them to the root level of the USB drive. I think Windows Media Player has the same ability.

As expected, you can play all the songs in a playlist continuously, regardless of folder structure. The list also shows up in the HUD. (When you first insert the drive, it may a take a while for the playlist(s) to show up on-screen because the music folders populate first.)

So:

Armrest USB = Playlists and Album Art; playlist in the HUD; but without a playlist it'll just repeat the contents of whatever folder you're in.

Glove Box Import = Plays songs contiguously from folder to folder; you see a list of all songs in the HUD; but Playlists and Album Art are not available.

I tried to export a playlist as explained above, but with no result. What am I missing?

I put the .m3u file on the root directory of the usb drive of the central armrest, and also tried .3u8 and .xml versions but nothing works.

I have the Professional Multimedia and no usb socket inside the glove compartment. How can I get the playlists to work? Any ideias? I am puzzled about organizing a lot of mp3 files on a usb stick

[mynamesnotbob]

See my thread for a full guide on using a USB drive, with full tagging, playlists and everything else you can get on an iPod apart from the apps of course. I use a standard HDD, with no problems. No need for an SSD in my experience, much cheaper and works really well. It may not last 10 years, but neither would an iPod. I've used hard drives in cars for year, and this one has been in for the last 10k miles/3months within skipping a beat and that's on plenty of awful potholed backroads.

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=962767

At the end I mention about the weird entries on the playlist, just clear the recycle bin on the drive before ejecting.

[mynamesnotbob]

Originally Posted by vabopi

I tried to export a playlist as explained above, but with no result. What am I missing?

I put the .m3u file on the root directory of the usb drive of the central armrest, and also tried .3u8 and .xml versions but nothing works.

I have the Professional Multimedia and no usb socket inside the glove compartment. How can I get the playlists to work? Any ideias? I am puzzled about organizing a lot of mp3 files on a usb stick

You may have the file locations not matching the actual locations. The iTunes export has the slashes in the other direction from what the car expects, certainly if you are exporting from a Mac.

See this thread http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=962767

Section Setting Up Playlists

Originally Posted by Frogman

I've imported folder structures from USB onto the HD, no problem there.

I usually insert the USB drive before I turn anything on, and then waiting 30-60 seconds after turning the ignition on before I try to import.

Sometime the car will just not recognize the stick, so I unplug and re-plug it (while the ignition is on), wait, and it's usually seen after that.

You are importing mp3s not the apple format aren't you? Just checking.

[vabopi]

@mynamesnotbob

Thank you for your complete explanation. I am now going to put it in practice!