I'm going to be upgrading the factory system in my EX-L in the near future. Along with a JL CleanSweep, amps and speakers, one thing I would really like to do is to be able to somehow utilize the AUX option to play MP3/WMA files that are on a SD card and have the song names show up on the screen, like they do with a CD. Without getting an IPOD, is there some device that I could install inside my center console that would hook up to the AUX jack and provide a slot for the SD card? I would also hope for good output quality. Any help would be appreciated.

If your planning on keeping your OEM head-unit, you just need to get a portable mp3-player that uses SD-cards and attach it to the head-unit using an auxiliary-input converter. Check-out Buy.com, Amazon.com, TigerDirect.com, and Geeks.com for rather cheap, simple mp3-players w/ SD-capability.

There are quite a few different available after-market options for aux' input converters (ie. Blitzsafe, P.I.E. Honda, USA Spec', etc'). Use the search function to find threads of people's actual experience, I do recall some people using a particular aux' input converter (USA Spec' or Honda).

Yes, keeping factory HU.

But a portable MP3 device would not provide menu output for the screen, correct? Is that what the "input converter" provides that you mention? I'm also concerned that a portable MP3 device will not have nearly the sound quality that a purpose built "device" would. After all, the sound quality that gets output from AUX would only be as good as the sound quality from the AUX device, correct?

But a portable MP3 device would not provide menu output for the screen, correct? Is that what the "input converter" provides that you mention? I'm also concerned that a portable MP3 device will not have nearly the sound quality that a purpose built "device" would. After all, the sound quality that gets output from AUX would only be as good as the sound quality from the AUX device, correct?There 4 primary ways to listen to mp3-music in your Accord via the OEM head-unit are:

(i) burn a rw-cd/cd-r w/ mp3-formatted music

(ii) use any mp3-enabled device through the auxiliary jack in the center-armrest (no ability to use head-unit to toggle songs/folders, nor see text or song/folder info')

(iii) use any mp3-enabled device connected to the OEM head-unit via aux' input converter (ability to use the head-unit controls to toggle songs/folders & see song/folder info')

(iv) use a 12-volt FM-modulator (ie. cigarette-lighter or optional OEM cassette-player)

Whether you plan to use a portable mp3-player w/ SD-capability, a Mini Mac car'puter, your lap-top notebook, or an iPod... they all will sound the same using your OEM head-unit. The mp3-device/source will simply then act as a storage-device & an amplifier, as the head-unit will play the music.

It just becomes a matter of preference/convenience as to what you choose.

Long-story short, I'm not aware of any cost-effective in-dash/integrated mp3-units which are SD-expandable and tuner-free, as well as being able to be used w/ an OEM head-unit. A portable mp3-player which costs $15-$25 and a handful of 1GB/2GB/4GB SD cards can accomplish that; add an aux' input converter to enable your OEM head-unit to control the songs/folders and see scrolling text.

(i) burn a rw-cd/cd-r w/ mp3-formatted music


I'm doing this now, but it's very inconvenient and has limited storage capacity.


(iii) use any mp3-enabled device connected to the OEM head-unit via aux' input converter (use the head-unit controls to toggle songs/folders & see song/folder info')


This would be ideal

...they all will sound the same using your OEM head-unit. The mp3-device/source will simply then act as a storage-device & an amplifier, as the head-unit will play the music.


I'm not so sure about this. Since the AUX input is audio, not data, wouldn't the quality of the source audio simply be transferred through to the AUX in which the HU would simply amplify that? I could understand if we were talking about data, but we're talking about audio. The volume on the device would also impact the final output form the HU. Or am I totally off here??

The most important key to high-quality mp3-playback is actually what quality your mp3 music has been converted to. Fro instance 192kbps obviously will sound better than 128kbps, 256kbps better than 192kbps, etc'.

I *think* the mp3-player actually acts like a data-storage device when combined w/ the OEM head-unit. The media is actually compressed audio (ie. digital information) therefore being 'data'.

I'm not a hardcore audiophile nor A/V expert, per'se. So, I'll let others chime in. But, to my knowledge, the level of sophistication of the mp3-device being used isn't critical when using an aux' input converter w/ the OEM head-unit. Your speakers would matter fore-most, much like headphones matter the most when it comes to portable mp3-players.

ya, I'm pretty sure the "signal" coming out of the headphone jack of the MP3 device which would then connect to the AUX jack of the car, is "audio", not "data". If it were data, the headphones wouldn't produce any noise. So that would mean that the audio has already been processed, and as a consequence, would only be as good as when it came out of the device. Sure, the HU would amplify it, but it would amplify the what came out of the device taking along with it distortion, low bass level, etc.

That's why I was really hoping to find some sort of device which did not necessarily have it's own audio processor, and simply transferred the data to the HU for it's own processing. But it sounds like this is not an available option.

That's why I was really hoping to find some sort of device which did not necessarily have it's own audio processor, and simply transferred the data to the HU for it's own processing. But it sounds like this is not an available option.That's ultimately what I wanted for another one of my cars, about a few years ago. The only product that existed at the time was this...

Rockford Fosgate Omnifi DMP1:

http://www.omnifimedia.com/home/

http://www.omnifimedia.com/products/omnifi_details.asp?productId=12541&productNum=87055

ya, I'm pretty sure the "signal" coming out of the headphone jack of the MP3 device which would then connect to the AUX jack of the car, is "audio", not "data". If it were data, the headphones wouldn't produce any noise. So that would mean that the audio has already been processed, and as a consequence, would only be as good as when it came out of the device. Sure, the HU would amplify it, but it would amplify the what came out of the device taking along with it distortion, low bass level, etc.

That's why I was really hoping to find some sort of device which did not necessarily have it's own audio processor, and simply transferred the data to the HU for it's own processing. But it sounds like this is not an available option.


You're right in your assumption. For instance - if you took an ipod, just grabbed a male-to-male 3.5mm cord and attached one end to the back of the headunits "aux" input, and one to the headphone of the ipod, it would just be 128kb audio (thats all the ipod can output through the headphone jack).

So what you want is a device that doesn't compress its music out of the headphone jack. The only MP3 players that do this, i think, are those that ONLY use a headphone output. For instance a Zune/iPod connects via USB cable, and only outputs a certain bitrate through the headphone jack.

Heres a quick search result: Link (http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160249981475&indexURL=)

The other problem you need to think about.... Your going to have to charge these devices through yet another wire.

You're right in your assumption. For instance - if you took an ipod, just grabbed a male-to-male 3.5mm cord and attached one end to the back of the headunits "aux" input, and one to the headphone of the ipod, it would just be 128kb audio (thats all the ipod can output through the headphone jack).

So what you want is a device that doesn't compress its music out of the headphone jack. The only MP3 players that do this, i think, are those that ONLY use a headphone output. For instance a Zune/iPod connects via USB cable, and only outputs a certain bitrate through the headphone jack.

Heres a quick search result: Link (http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160249981475&indexURL=)

The other problem you need to think about.... Your going to have to charge these devices through yet another wire.

But even a device that doesn't compress the output, like my little Creative Zen Muvo, it's still only going to sound as good as the internal amp of the device. The HU will just make it louder. The recharging is another reason why I was trying to find a purpose built device that would just be hard wired into the car.

...So that would mean that the audio has already been processed, and as a consequence, would only be as good as when it came out of the device. Sure, the HU would amplify it, but it would amplify the what came out of the device taking along with it distortion, low bass level, etc...

that is true, but as long as you have a decent mp3 player and connection, you wont notice it. you'll just have to fool with the level settings (on the HU) a little to get it how you want it. the only other way i could see you getting what you want would be to get an after market HU with a memory card expansion, but decent ones are pricey. like you said though, you want to stick with factory.

It's surprising that even factory HU are not yet coming with memory card expansion slots. I really believe solid state is the way of the future. CD's just seem so outdated and clunky.

All the FMC Honda cars (and the MMC Acura RL) are coming with USB input, so you can use a thumb drive or iPod with the factory HU. Unfortunately, the 2008 Accord didn't make the cut. :(

2009 Fit:
http://www.hondanews.com/thumbnails/2008/3/19/16958_preview.jpg?1205946377

What is "FMC"?

What is "FMC"?

FMC: Full model change = next generation model, e.g., 2009 TSX, 2009 Fit, 2008 Accord
MMC: Mid model change = refresh of current model, e.g., 2009 Civic, 2009 Ridgeline, 2006 Accord

It's surprising that even factory HU are not yet coming with memory card expansion slots. I really believe solid state is the way of the future. CD's just seem so outdated and clunky.

Whew...it's official...I've been alive just long enough to see another audio format begin its exit.

Vinyl to Tape (Reel to Reel, then 8 Track, then Cassette) to CD to...well, any memory format/card you can think of. Amazing to think what will make digital memory seem outdated.

BTW, I agree: CDs are way too fragile & numerous to make much sense in a car these days.

Thanks for the correction(s), guys! I'll stick to working on the insides of human-bodies instead of cars, lol! :D

Basically - if all you have is an Aux-In for the car you're pretty limited with what you can do short of spending a lot of money (which would be better directed towards a more proper headunit in the first place).

Whew...it's official...I've been alive just long enough to see another audio format begin its exit.

Vinyl to Tape (Reel to Reel, then 8 Track, then Cassette) to CD to...well, any memory format/card you can think of. Amazing to think what will make digital memory seem outdated.

BTW, I agree: CDs are way too fragile & numerous to make much sense in a car these days.

it is funny to think of it that way. who knows, maybe cars will eventually have internet in them and then you could have online storge of music (which would make it limitless).

also, i too agree about cd's. they really get me pissed off when i put them in my cd case and then when i go to get it again there are little scrapes that are just big enough to make my favorite song skip. :furious: