[beedee]

As the title states, it doesn't read the phone when plugged into the USB port. The USB cable is the oem Samsung one, and when I hit the "Media" button, nothing, but my phone shows that it is connected to a device.

My iPhone 4 never had a problem. Is the issue having to do with the file format of the music on Android? This is my first Android phone, and I'm loving it, but am bummed I can't listen to my music via USB in my car. Is anyone else having this issue?

Car is a 2013 Rio5 LX with OEM stereo.

 

[yiannos18]

As the title states, it doesn't read the phone when plugged into the USB port. The USB cable is the oem Samsung one, and when I hit the "Media" button, nothing, but my phone shows that it is connected to a device.

My iPhone 4 never had a problem. Is the issue having to do with the file format of the music on Android? This is my first Android phone, and I'm loving it, but am bummed I can't listen to my music via USB in my car. Is anyone else having this issue?

Car is a 2013 Rio5 LX with OEM stereo.

It seems android and the kia system don't play nicely. Both my galaxy nexus and GS3 ddidn't/don't connect, so if need be, bluetooth streaming is the way to go. It's a bit of a bummer though.

 

[DavesSpectra]

You are having a very common problem caused by lack of driver updates. On a computer it can download new drivers as needed for new devices. A car radio can't. Sometimes the dealer can upload via USB new ones. Your Apple probably has a compatable driver with an.older model and that's why it works.
I'm composing this on a new Galaxy S3 sitting on my front porch. With new technology comes new problems.
Check with a KIA dealer for possible updates.
Dave

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App

 

[marleyfan61]

It seems android and the kia system don't play nicely. Both my galaxy nexus and GS3 ddidn't/don't connect, so if need be, bluetooth streaming is the way to go. It's a bit of a bummer though.

Maybe it's Samsung and Kia that don't play nicely. My HTC Amaze works fine.

 

[beedee]

Interesting. I ended up copying music over to a USB thumb drive and only about half of the songs show up when i scroll through the menu on the head unit, oh wells.

 

[NinjaKadet86]

I have a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 and I plugged it into the USB port, and I got the error message on the display. I use the USB just to charge my phone knowing it's more compatible with an Apple ipod or iphone (the groove on the compartment is just big enough for an iphone. You can still listen to your music if you plug your phone via AUX port via 3.5mm male to male jack.

 

[roadbug]

Interesting. I ended up copying music over to a USB thumb drive and only about half of the songs show up when i scroll through the menu on the head unit, oh wells.

What format are the music files? The KIa head units can only read .wma and .mp3 file formats; if the file is encoded with DRM they will not play either.

 

[beedee]

What format are the music files? The KIa head units can only read .wma and .mp3 file formats; if the file is encoded with DRM they will not play either.

yup, it is only reading the .mp3 and .wma files through the USB. i haven't tried an aux cable yet. it won't read my .m4a files.

 

[yiannos18]

Maybe it's Samsung and Kia that don't play nicely. My HTC Amaze works fine.

They have no reason not to play nicely, Samsung is South Korean!

and all my files are mp3, it just struggles reading the file structure I think..

 

[roadbug]

yup, it is only reading the .mp3 and .wma files through the USB. i haven't tried an aux cable yet. it won't read my .m4a files.

Attaching a player, any player, through the USB port makes the device an external drive. The head unit reads the device and plays the files that it can, in this case .mp3 and .wma files. Anything else and it is not recgonized by the head unit. When you stream through bluetooth or a hard wired connection through the aux port the head unit is basically a big set of headphones. The phone (iPhone or Android) or ipod is actually doing the playing of the file and passing the audio to the head unit. Of course most ipods/phones and Android phones can play many more file types than the Kia head unit. This is my take all everything I have read in the manual and from threads on here with people having problems playing music; I could be wrong but it seems to fit the conditions.

 

[marleyfan61]

Attaching a player, any player, through the USB port makes the device an external drive. The head unit reads the device and plays the files that it can, in this case .mp3 and .wma files. Anything else and it is not recgonized by the head unit. When you stream through bluetooth or a hard wired connection through the aux port the head unit is basically a big set of headphones. The phone (iPhone or Android) or ipod is actually doing the playing of the file and passing the audio to the head unit. Of course most ipods/phones and Android phones can play many more file types than the Kia head unit. This is my take all everything I have read in the manual and from threads on here with people having problems playing music; I could be wrong but it seems to fit the conditions.

You are absolutely correct. The easiest fix is to convert all your files to mp3. This is not the best solution if you are used to flac or other lossless formats. However to be honest in a car environment you will be hard pressed to hear any difference between a flac and a high bitrate mp3 file. In fact some of my mp3 files sound better than some of my flac files in the car.

 

[irishpancake]

Can I just say there is a lot of misinformation here re Samsung latest Android range, including S3, S4, Notes.....

They do not by default support USB Mass Storage, and the SD card cannot ordinarily be mounted as to be accessible to other devices, like your car audio system, unlike previous Samsungs, and most other Androids and iPhones.

This is a sad fact, and is down to Samsung's decision to only support the MTP protocol on these phones....

There are numerous articles and threads regarding this on the web, as below..

no usb mass storage support only mtp

But there is at least one fix, which needs a "rooted" phone, an App from Google Play, Samsung USB Drivers, and an external SD Card, because this does not read the internal Storage!!!!

Here is the App I use, link below:

Samsung USB Mass Storage Enabler

See this article for full instructions and links for drivers, etc.

Enable the usb mass storage for samsung galaxy

It works, with my Samsung S3, in my new 2013 Rio.....[I changed my car, from Ceed to Rio, retired from work!!!]

I can use my phone, via the USB port, using any suitable USB cord, and play my full collection of MP3, on my external SD in the phone.

Before I installed and setup the App, all I was getting was Read Errors....

 

[YesFrancois!]

Yep! Just USB flash drive it. It's the same thing without having to plug up every time you get in the car. My Droid would read files for at least a minute or more then play. Very tiresome!

 

[NinjaKadet86]

Can I just say there is a lot of misinformation here re Samsung latest Android range, including S3, S4, Notes.....

They do not by default support USB Mass Storage, and the SD card cannot ordinarily be mounted as to be accessible to other devices, like your car audio system, unlike previous Samsungs, and most other Androids and iPhones.

This is a sad fact, and is down to Samsung's decision to only support the MTP protocol on these phones....

There are numerous articles and threads regarding this on the web, as below..

no usb mass storage support only mtp

But there is at least one fix, which needs a "rooted" phone, an App from Google Play, Samsung USB Drivers, and an external SD Card, because this does not read the internal Storage!!!!

Here is the App I use, link below:

Samsung USB Mass Storage Enabler

See this article for full instructions and links for drivers, etc.

Enable the usb mass storage for samsung galaxy

It works, with my Samsung S3, in my new 2013 Rio.....[I changed my car, from Ceed to Rio, retired from work!!!]

I can use my phone, via the USB port, using any suitable USB cord, and play my full collection of MP3, on my external SD in the phone.

Before I installed and setup the App, all I was getting was Read Errors....

This method confirmed! I used it and it worked flawlessly! This is the first time I get to use my display with folder controls! I'm so Happy! I'm happy that the display can also display Japanese characters! w00tcak3s! Thanks, irishpancake!

 

[irishpancake]

Yep! Just USB flash drive it. It's the same thing without having to plug up every time you get in the car. My Droid would read files for at least a minute or more then play. Very tiresome!

Are you talking about using Androids like the S3 and S4....Samsung's newer models...??



That was what my post was about.

 

[irishpancake]

This method confirmed! I used it and it worked flawlessly! This is the first time I get to use my display with folder controls! I'm so Happy! I'm happy that the display can also display Japanese characters! w00tcak3s! Thanks, irishpancake!

That's brill....good to know it works for others....

there are other ways, but I found that the best.....

But you will need to know a thing or two about Android, or be prepared to learn.

 

[marleyfan61]

Are you talking about using Androids like the S3 and S4....Samsung's newer models...??



That was what my post was about.

I believe he means just put your music files on to a USB flash drive and play them from the USB port. That's what I do.

 

[YesFrancois!]

Yes, exactly! No more fooling around with the phone to play music.

 

[irishpancake]

Yes, exactly! No more fooling around with the phone to play music.

I get it OK, but these are supposed to be smart phones, they play music, and you can store as much as your SD card will take, up to 64GB on the S3/S4/Note........

and the thread is about unable to play music through a galaxy S4...at least that is what the title says...

If you have a Galaxy S3/S4/Note, etc, the latest ones, the option to treat your phone like a flash drive [USB Mass Storage Device] was removed by Samsung.

My post on it shows how this can be reversed/reinstated, at least for an S3/S4/Note with an External SD card......a solution for the problem raised initially!!

it would be quite hard to utilise your solution, the flash drive one, when you want to listen to your music on the device when you reach your destination...

same music on the same device, your smartphone, which was designed for this purpose...unless you mirror the contents of your flash drive on your phone??

BTW, I too would have a flash drive with all my favourite music, and do use it also, but it is a different thing....