Anyone know what the official designation for the Audio PC Card is?
Looking to buy one but I want to be sure I get the right card.
Thanks.

 

What you're looking for is called a PCMCIA flash adapter.

What type of flash media do you use? If you use compact flash only, get this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1093467451044

If you use all sorts of flash cards (CF, SD, SM, MMC, xD, or Memory Stick Pro), get this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1087340385426

I use CF only and I have the PCMCIA card from the first link. It all works great. Best Buy had a sale last weekend for $60 for a 1GB CF card. I grabbed two.

 

If you are into Ebay you can usually find a brand new flash memoery card of any kind SD, XD, CF fairly cheap. Also, http://www.tigerdirect.com
has card cheap all the time.

 

OK, I've never felt so old in my life.

I have a flash memory card I use for my camera. I tried putting that in the slot and it took me ten minutes to get it back out. Obviously, the PCMCIA flash adapter that everyone is talking about is for the vehicle (to put the CF card in) and not for transfering music to the card from the PC, or do you need it in both places? How do you get the music on there? Is there a book for dummies on this yet?!?

Any of you youngsters wanna give me a step by step? Pretend you're telling your mother and maybe I'll finally get it.

 

You need three things for this to work: a flash card, a PCMCIA adapter, and a flash reader.

Here's an example of a CF only reader - http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1051826315916

Here's an example of a multiple format reader - http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1089890487405

1) Put the flash card in the reader.
2) Connect the reader to your PC's USB port. A new drive letter should show up in Windows Explorer. It's usually called "Removeable Drive" or something similar.
3) Copy your MP3 files to the new drive.
4) Disconnect the reader from your PC.
5) Remove the flash card from the reader.
6) Put the flash card in the PCMCIA adapter.
7) Put the PCMCIA adapter in your HCH's Nav slot.

That's it

 

Thanks so much. Now can all this work with iTunes? I want to download my Podcasts to the flash card and play it in the car (instead of having to hook up my iPod each time).

 

You could also by the way, hook up your mp3 (not sure about iPod, verified on other brands) player to the line in jack above the cigarette lighter, and rock and roll that way. Also, if you have that same connection, you could do something as silly as hook up your laptop (which I've done) through the headphone or line out port and play music through it that way. And, if you don't want to go through the hassle, I have the easiest solution short of the flash cards. Buy a set of maybe 5 CD-RW's. Now burn the mp3 files you want STRAIGHT to the CD, in mp3 format. Not only will the system read them and play them, but they will even display the ID tags of the songs (assuming you filled them out). I split them into music categories. And if you ever get bored and want to re-burn more songs, or you've compiled more songs, you can just erase, and re-burn, and voila. I've been doing this for about 4 years now, since my first stereo that could play mp3's AND CD-RW's back in 2002. But I digress. Its really an open field with the NAV system, which is why I love it SO MUCH !!!!

 

AZMerf, I have no experience with iTunes. Is there a way in iTunes to copy MP3 files to devices other than an iPod like a removeable disk drive?

 

I shall look it up for you azmerf,

Though I have never used itunes or "podcasts". But if it is what I think it is, then yes. Sit tight.

 

Sledge, I don't know. That's what I am asking. I am off to Best Buy for an adapter and reader. I'll let you know tonight.