neotrope

Hi, folks, just a quick update on getting 512GB (460GB formatted; 430GB safe use) working with my 2023 RX500h. I am able to sort by artist, album, song, play tracks with album art, in up to 24/96 FLAC format with zero issues (car DAC only goes to 24/96).

Basically using this Sandisk thumb drive, 512GB, about $35:
SanDisk 512GB Ultra Fit USB 3.2 Flash Drive - SDCZ430-512G-G46, Black
(NOT an affiliate link: https://a.co/d/hsAnI8o )

Because Windows will not format beyond 32GB in *required* FAT32 format, I used the free EASEUS Partition Master software (disclosure: former PR client). I trust this company vs many of the no-name whacko stuff on the web. This software allows you to format the USB stick to FAT32 so car can read it.

Then you simply drag over your music library ... one folder per artist, one folder per album in side that; there should be no outer folder like music -- e.g.,
[Alison Moyet]
- album folder
-- song
-- song
-- song
-- album art

I named my stick usbaudio; when I start car, I stop my phone playing via carplay, press audio button, select the usbaudio, and let it spin for 5 minutes to index stuff. Note it may take awhile, so you may want to do this while driving around, vs sitting in your garage. I started doing it last night at 8pm; got tired of waiting; today when started the car, it loaded up the browse in about 30 seconds.

So, this is how you can have massive collection of your own music in high-res on your car system, while carplay still works for maps, phone calls, etc. --- when your music is playing from USB automatically on start, your iphone would still show carplay on screen to confirm connection, just not playing music from phone per usual.

This info is partially based on other folks last year who had done this with 256GB stick, or 1TB stick. I went with the 512GB as thumb sized vis tiny popsicle sticking out.

Urlik

Thanks for this. My 32GB USB key just died and I'll replace it with something with more storage.

Doing some research you can use the command line to do it in windows:

Type cmd in Cortana Search > Right click on Command Prompt > Run as Administrator > Copy and paste below line and replace G with your flash drive disk letter (Make sure you never put C in place of G)

format /FS:FAT32 G:

edit: It didn't work for me on a 128GB USB key