Connext and USB

[miketke]

I take delivery of my 2015 AR240 this Friday and I can't find any info on what I can do with the USB port. Is it only iPhone? Can you put music on a USB stick?

Also, for those that use the USB, how do you keep the iPod safe? On my 2010 212x I had a little slot across from the closet where the iPod would be plugged and kept relatively safe. I saw nothing on the dash like that where the USB slot is on the new one.

Thanks everyone

 

[Craig]

We use an iPhone but I'm not sure if it will read just a USB drive. Maybe some of the others can chime in on that. I stow the phone in a RAM suction cup mount in the area adjacent to the throttles. This area is shaded more often so the phone doesn't overheat as often.

 

[miketke]

Thanks for the advice, we've used an old iPod on the 2010 and could control it via the head unit. I didn't want to have it bouncing around on the dash or out in the open to get splashed on the new boat, but I also don't want to spend a money to mount a 8-10yr old iPod either. I really hope just a plain USB stick with music works (like the SD card in my truck) since I have a ton of those laying around and wouldn't have to mess with cables or mounts.

 

[subysti]

the USB port on the dash just is an extension of the USB plug on the head unit behind the dash. I just unplugged it behind the dash and plug my ipod in back there and velcro'd it to the top of the stereo. Its protected under there and out of site. I'm thinking of getting a USB splitter and try to use the dash port just for phone charging. There is also a Bluetooth connection that I also use for my ipod if someone needs the port to charge a phone.

 

[miketke]

Thanks, if I have to use iPod I will probably do the same.
Do you happen to know head unit model number so I can see what will/won't work with USB port?

 

[miketke]

Looks like I found it by some forum search, thanks.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/clarion-cmd6-head-unit-6-speakers-on-internal-amp.4942/#post-84180

 

[Craig]

Let us know if a USB drive works, would be interested to know.

 

[miketke]

called Polk support today and USB with mp3 should work, but no playlist support they said. Going to try it on Friday and see what happens. Also, I asked what version of Bluetooth is supported (2.1,3,4) but tech support didn't know. I saw a few Bluetooth mp3 players on amazon, but the ones I thought I would like only support Bluetooth 3 and above.

PS, I hate ipods,iPhones, etc so I am trying to find anything not to be tied to iCrap.

 

[MikeyL]

Let us know if a USB drive works, would be interested to know.

AB-So-Toot-Lee !

Music yourself aweigh, Son !
And enjoy !
It's a fully-functional, "normal" USB port.
Best Wishes, Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

 

[Craig]

AB-So-Toot-Lee !

Music yourself aweigh, Son !
And enjoy !
It's a fully-functional, "normal" USB port.
Best Wishes, Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

You use a USB thumb drive to provide music then? If so, what file system and format works?

 

[MikeyL]

I just load it up with my favorite mp3's.

My home system contains 5 2-TB SATA drives full of music, mostly modern country.

It ain't all sophisticated, it just sounds good.

I ain't all that teck-no-logically smart - Chewin' gum and duck tape fixes most of my ills.

 

[miketke]

I loaded up a USB today with music and a playlist and it actually played the songs in the playlist order and not the file system order. I only loaded one playlist, and I didn't see a way to pick playlists. I'm just happy it plays in playlist order so I can make a USB stick for each playlist(I get tons of free ones from tech conferences).

 

[MrMoose]

I loaded up a USB today with music and a playlist and it actually played the songs in the playlist order and not the file system order. I only loaded one playlist, and I didn't see a way to pick playlists. I'm just happy it plays in playlist order so I can make a USB stick for each playlist(I get tons of free ones from tech conferences).

Thanks for raising this @miketke ... I finally remembered to try a usb jump drive in my 2015 AR240 today. It worked as you said. I like the idea of having a bunch of playlist-specific jump drives on the boat for when I'm out of cell range (usually use Pandora on my phone), because the FM antenna reception is pretty weak. This will be great for the Bimini trip, because there's no use bringing a phone on the boat and potentially damaging it when there's no cell signal when I can use a cheap jump drive for music.

 

[Just1more]

We use the quad lock system for our phones and have mounts around the boat. We have I phones and iPods but the mounts are awesome. I have one near the steering wheel and will add mounts on the port side for my wife and daughters phones.

 

[ggreen]

I spent a while yesterday trying to figure out why the USB stick I have only displayed and played some music. It looks like this Brand new Connex does not play MP4 audio files. I tried converting them on PC with some others players without success. Have a lot of music on back up drives to keep a thumb drive on board for no signal for the iPhone or FM. Work in progress....anyone experienced this?

 

[Mainah]

The usb connects to the polk head unit. Connext is just a human interface device for the head unit. I would read into the Polk headunit documentation.