I'm After Something A Little Odd!

[MauriceMynah]

Hi all, As the title states, I want something and I'm not at all sure if it exists.

I want an MP3 player but one that relies solely on an external power source. (12v).

The thinking behind this is that it will sit in the car, and when ever the radio is turned on, the player will carry on from where it left off.

Any ideas?

[oldgregg]

If you fit an aftermarket stereo with MP3 playback (via a USB stick) then if you leave it set to that source they'll usually resume where you left off.

Car stereos with MP3/USB have been around for quite a long time now so you should be able to pick a decent one up for peanuts I think?

I bought a 'mechless' (no CD mechanism) JVC one back in 2017 for Thunder and that was about £65 new. I doubt that would cost a lot used on the 'bay....

You'd then just need the ISO harness for the car (often available on car groups / forums) and a fascia adapter if necessary.

[MauriceMynah]

My radio has an "aux" socket in the cubby between the front seats. There is also a 12v fag lighter socket there. I can't replace the radio as it also displays other car things (parking sensors and such.)

This aux input has no controlling function so I need an MP3 player that has an output to jack plug and an input power source and no internal power source. There are no USB ports. 

[oldgregg]

Okay, gotcha.

I actually looked for the same thing a few years back - My wife's old Toyota Yaris had a line-in on the back of the stereo and I wanted something to shuffle from MP3 when she started it up.

I don't know of any off the shelf devices which work in that way, but obviously that's not to say there aren't any.

Having found nothing, what I looked at doing (with my developer head on) was to use a Raspberry PI and a special 12V PSU for it. It'd start up with the ignition and then run a script to randomly play an MP3 from whatever USB stick was plugged in to it.

I think I did find such a specific PSU (essentially a UPS) which had a small battery and when power went off it could communicate with the Pi to tell it to shut down cleanly to avoid trashing the SD card.

I think the PSU was about £50 so I didn't bother and just got a Bluetooth adapter with aux out (tons on ebay) so she could just stream from her phone. It obviously requires a smartphone and isn't as neat a solution, but it was cheaper and required no effort on my part.

Another option which I didn't think of at the time is to use an old iPod and install the custom software 'Rockbox' on it. That may be able to do what you need from an auto-start perspective but it is also a fair amount of faff..

[oldgregg]

Thinking on the Bluetooth front, I believe the Android Auto app can be configured to automatically play a playlist when it connects to a particular Bluetooth device (like el cheapo one linked to above) that will of course come on with the ignition.

It doesn't need to be a high-end device to install the app on, and it isn't just for use with cars that have screen casting.

Android Auto wasn't about when SWMBO got her Yaris...

[Ray]

This should do the trick (and several other tricks) Not sure of the sound quality over FM but there are loads of other makes so you can check out the best reviews

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FirstE-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Adapter-Handsfree-HK203update/dp/B07BF52BY7/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=fm+mp3+transmitter&qid=1616084892&sprefix=fm+mp3&sr=8-3

[MauriceMynah]

4 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

I want an MP3 player but one that relies solely on an external power source. (12v)

Thanks for the suggestions but please let me remind you of what I actually want, an mp3 player that turns itself off when the ignition is turned off. If it is powered from a usb socket that's fine as I can plug a usb socket into the 12v socket.

[Ray]

I may be wrong but doesn't the 12v "cigar" socket turn off with the ignition?

[oldgregg]

It depends on the vehicle, some don’t.

[MauriceMynah]

Yes, Mine does, That's why I want an MP3 player that relies solely on that as the power source. That way, it will turn off when the ignition is turned off.

[Ray]

The one I linked to MM takes its power from the cigar/power socket, that's why I thought it might do the trick.

Not really something I know much about though so hopefully some other ideas will come in 👍

[WherryNice]

If I have correctly understood your requirements, I think this one might do the job MM, it has Aux out as well as FM transmitter/Bluetooth etc and as far as I can tell it is powered soley off the cig lighter. I have no personal experience of it though so I apologise if it's rubbish.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-FM-Transmitter-Wireless-Bluetooth-Handsfree-Kit-MP3-Player-USB-Charger-AUX-/184297880640?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Edit to add that I googled 'in car mp3' which brought up a big selection so there may be others that do the same thing.

Edited March 18, 2021 by WherryNice

[oldgregg]

As I mentioned before, an old iPod with RockBox installed may well do what you need...

If the battery is any good it’ll keep playing to itself until the battery dies, if not then it’ll go off with the ignition.

I’m tempted to dig my old one out to try it..

[thunder]

.try this

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005001375284952.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.723669bewDawCp&browser_id=30ed17ab5a584158bf0de43376742b9c&aff_trace_key=&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=p5nagffmzdmcavr917846d778b8d3842b1a1ecb499&gclid=&_imgsrc_=ae01.alicdn.com%2Fkf%2FH3c3bfceb3bf8487fad65576ddc1d76c9m.jpg_640x640Q90.jpg