Sorry if it's been brought up before, but I'm considering a new head unit with either a card reader built in or a USB port for using a USB thumb driver or a microSD card.

To those who have head units with USB or card readers, what's the largest size SD/microSD card you can use? I'm sure it depends on each particular model, but in general what's the largest capacity?

I don't want to have to search through 30 minutes of menus to find an album or song, so I'm probably going to stay in the 4gb range and use high bit rate mp3's.

While talking bit rates, what's a good CBR to encode mp3's at for car audio? I normally use 192k for my cheap mp3 player, but if it will make any difference I may bump up to the 300k range.

Are there any problems with using a USB extension cable plugged into the head unit's USB port & running the USB cable to a more convenient location... like the console storage compartment or glove box?

I don't have an iPod, so interfacing features really don't matter that much to me.

Thanks

 

If you get even an older ipod it'll probably make your life easier. I've never plugged a memory card into my deck, but with the ipod I can search by anymeans you can search with an ipod, play lists, artist, album, song etc.

 

With my headunit, as long as you put albums within there own folder you can still change folders and it makes searching pretty easy.

 

My Kenwood KDC-X794 will read USB flash drives. It works with a 8gb, I don't know the max size though.

 

My pioneer 510 ub reads usbs.