Using iPod As a Mass Storage Device? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

LoganSnake · 06-11-2008, 08:10 PM

Okay, so I got myself a new deck for the car that has direct controls for iPod. Problem is that since my iPod with 4th gen, it doesn't support on-the-unit controls for it (my sister's 2nd Gen Nano works beautifully).

I tried plugging in my USB stick and it works fine. So I got to thinking. What if I just copy/paste files onto the iPod without using iTunes and have the deck recognize it as a storage device instead of an iPod. Problem is that it doesn't. It sees it as an iPod no matter what and won't play the files via USB.

Is there anything I can do to make it appear as a simple USB hard drive? Firmware stripping? I'm open to suggestions.

ubertuber · 06-11-2008, 08:37 PM

Restart the iPod by holding the center button and the menu button for ~10 seconds.

When it restarts, immediately (like while you see the apple logo), hold the center button and the play button until you see black and white text telling you the iPod is in disk mode.

If that doesn't do it, I'm not sure what would, but I can try to find out. Also make sure you've done all available software updates to the iPod just in case...

Let me know if this doesn't do it.

LoganSnake · 06-11-2008, 08:51 PM

I just tried. The method does put the iPod into disk mode, but I still get the same error code as before from the deck.

I updated the firmware just this morning to the latest version. It's up to date.

ubertuber · 06-11-2008, 10:06 PM

Try erasing the music from the iPod. Then enable disk mode on the iPod and drag the files into it (so they are just files and not part of the iPod's system). Then see if the deck sees it. That's not ideal since you would have to have 2 copies of each song on the iPod -- one for the car and one for the iPod.

What kind of car deck is this anyway?

Lasereth · 06-12-2008, 04:04 AM

You could put another OS on it like RockBox. It makes the ipod show up as a removable disk in XP so it would probably work great. Google Rockbox for more info.

Redlemon · 06-12-2008, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubertuber

What kind of car deck is this anyway?

I'm wondering the same thing; I've never seen a system that would require "5th gen or above"; 4th gen is the usual floor cutoff.

LoganSnake · 06-12-2008, 05:48 AM

It's this unit: http://www.clarion.com/us/en/product...385079405.html

And here's the iPod compatibility chart (mine is the 4th gen, non color): http://www.teamclarion.com/sharedweb...Pod%20Book.pdf

And I found this tidbit on their site:

Quote:

Clarion USB radios recognize most USB devices that do not require any form of special driver software. Many of the new sony walkman MP3 players are not compatible due to the need for special software to communicate with these devices. Conventional USB memory sticks from companies like Lexar and Sandisk work great.

uber, I did that and it still wouldn't work.

ubertuber · 06-12-2008, 06:11 AM

That's odd -- an iPod is disk mode with files loaded purely as data doesn't require any special drivers. It's just an external HD at that point.

I'll look into a couple of things and see if I can find anything out.

ratbastid · 06-12-2008, 06:14 AM

Rockbox is probably the best answer, and provides a crapton of amazing new features to your iPod. See http://www.rockbox.org

LoganSnake · 06-12-2008, 07:10 AM

I'll try out Rockbox tonight.

ratbastid · 06-12-2008, 07:41 AM

Sorry, but something in my post above doesn't read right...

Is "crapton" one word or two? Or hyphenated? Crap-ton?

LoganSnake · 06-12-2008, 07:57 AM

I'm pretty sure it's one word, much like shitload. You don't hyphenate that.

LoganSnake · 06-12-2008, 03:08 PM

Okay, I just tried connecting it with Rockbox installed. Same issue, except now it changes from the error code to "no device connected".

I like this firmware a lot better than the stock Apple one.

Hrm.

06-11-2008, 08:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	Using iPod As a Mass Storage Device? Okay, so I got myself a new deck for the car that has direct controls for iPod. Problem is that since my iPod with 4th gen, it doesn't support on-the-unit controls for it (my sister's 2nd Gen Nano works beautifully). I tried plugging in my USB stick and it works fine. So I got to thinking. What if I just copy/paste files onto the iPod without using iTunes and have the deck recognize it as a storage device instead of an iPod. Problem is that it doesn't. It sees it as an iPod no matter what and won't play the files via USB. Is there anything I can do to make it appear as a simple USB hard drive? Firmware stripping? I'm open to suggestions. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-11-2008, 08:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
ubertuber spudly Location: Ellay	Restart the iPod by holding the center button and the menu button for ~10 seconds. When it restarts, immediately (like while you see the apple logo), hold the center button and the play button until you see black and white text telling you the iPod is in disk mode. If that doesn't do it, I'm not sure what would, but I can try to find out. Also make sure you've done all available software updates to the iPod just in case... Let me know if this doesn't do it. __________________ Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam

06-11-2008, 08:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	I just tried. The method does put the iPod into disk mode, but I still get the same error code as before from the deck. I updated the firmware just this morning to the latest version. It's up to date. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-11-2008, 10:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
ubertuber spudly Location: Ellay	Try erasing the music from the iPod. Then enable disk mode on the iPod and drag the files into it (so they are just files and not part of the iPod's system). Then see if the deck sees it. That's not ideal since you would have to have 2 copies of each song on the iPod -- one for the car and one for the iPod. What kind of car deck is this anyway? __________________ Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam

06-12-2008, 06:11 AM	#8 (permalink)
ubertuber spudly Location: Ellay	That's odd -- an iPod is disk mode with files loaded purely as data doesn't require any special drivers. It's just an external HD at that point. I'll look into a couple of things and see if I can find anything out. __________________ Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam

06-12-2008, 04:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	You could put another OS on it like RockBox. It makes the ipod show up as a removable disk in XP so it would probably work great. Google Rockbox for more info.

06-12-2008, 06:14 AM	#9 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Rockbox is probably the best answer, and provides a crapton of amazing new features to your iPod. See http://www.rockbox.org

06-12-2008, 07:10 AM	#10 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	I'll try out Rockbox tonight. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-12-2008, 07:41 AM	#11 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Sorry, but something in my post above doesn't read right... Is "crapton" one word or two? Or hyphenated? Crap-ton?

06-12-2008, 07:57 AM	#12 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	I'm pretty sure it's one word, much like shitload. You don't hyphenate that. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

06-12-2008, 03:08 PM	#13 (permalink)
LoganSnake We work alone Location: Cake Town	Okay, I just tried connecting it with Rockbox installed. Same issue, except now it changes from the error code to "no device connected". I like this firmware a lot better than the stock Apple one. Hrm. __________________ Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques