Can my car radio play MP3?

[paraglajder]

Hi there.

I just bought a Mercedes CLK 270.
This is my car radio:

Does it only support Audio CD's?

Meaning, am I stuck with those, or is there a way or a trick I can make this baby read MP3 or perhaps put DVD discs in it with audio tracks or similar?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Ted]

If it has the cd changer then it certainly supports mp3. Not sure on the head unit itself.
Why not burn a disk and try it?

 

[paraglajder]

If it has the cd changer then it certainly supports mp3. Not sure on the head unit itself.
Why not burn a disk and try it?

Thank you for getting back to me.
There wasn't a CD Changer in the car.

I just tried a a JukeBox CD using Nero, and it didn't work, it just get stuck on Track1.
The Audio CD's do work.
It doesn't read DVD's whatsoever, it displays a "wrong CD" error.

I guess my next and final step would be to try to burn the MP3's as a data CD. I doubt that it will work, but I guess I will give it a shot...

 

[daveenty]

I guess my next and final step would be to try to burn the MP3's as a data CD. I doubt that it will work, but I guess I will give it a shot...

That should indeed do it, and I seem to remember it's how I used to do mine.

 

[paraglajder]

That should indeed do it, and I seem to remember it's how I used to do mine.

Nope

Unfortunately it didn't work.. So far I tried with a data CD and a JukeBox CD using Nero...

Perhaps there is a particular setting I need make do when burning the CD or similar?

 

[GLK]

This is Audio 20, it doesn't support MP3. Only Audio CDs (recorded are fine).

Are you sure there is no CDC in the car? There could be a small one in the glove box or a larger one in the boot?

If not, then your only option, short of replacing the HU, would be an AUX input, and with a powered 3.5mm ---> USB adapter you can then play MP3 files from a flash drive (most likely limited to 4GB).

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Not sure how you've created your data cd but the simplest method is with windows media player, you can select the burn option of Audio disc or Data disc

Data being that it just burns mp3's in file size as opposed to audio length, if it doesn't play a data cd that way then unfortunately it doesn't read MP3 data format, just audio

Do you have an aux input?

 

[GLK]

Alternatively, and providing there's a MOST connector present on the Audio 20, you can add a CD changer? They come up on eBay often enough, when people replace the Audio20 + CDC combination with a COMAND unit.

 

[paraglajder]

Not sure how you've created your data cd but the simplest method is with windows media player, you can select the burn option of Audio disc or Data disc

Data being that it just burns mp3's in file size as opposed to audio length, if it doesn't play a data cd that way then unfortunately it doesn't read MP3 data format, just audio

Do you have an aux input?

Yes.. There is an AUX input and a cable. It is placed in the glovebox, which means that I will need to keep the glovebox open all the time, so that it stays connected with my phone ?

This is Audio 20, it doesn't support MP3. Only Audio CDs (recorded are fine).

Are you sure there is no CDC in the car? There could be a small one in the glove box or a larger one in the boot?

If not, then your only option, short of replacing the HU, would be an AUX input, and with a powered 3.5mm ---> USB adapter you can then play MP3 files from a flash drive (most likely limited to 4GB).

Well, there isn't one in the glovebox, and I didn't see anything in the boot, but I will check again...

 

[GLK]

Yes.. There is an AUX input and a cable. It is placed in the glovebox, which means that I will need to keep the glovebox open all the time, so that it stays connected with my phone ?

You can add an AUX-->USB adapter (it must be powered) as I mentioned above, or you can plug in a bluetooth adapter with reasonable battery life to play tracks from your phone.

In both cases you might need an amplifier - the AUX input on older Audio units is notoriously low volume.

Well, there isn't one in the glovebox, and I didn't see anything in the boot, but I will check again...

I'm not an expert, but I seem to remember that, the boot changer was replaced by the glove box one around the time your car was manufactured, so it might be there (bottom caddy door on the left - well at least that's where it was in my old W168).

 

[paraglajder]

You can add an AUX-->USB adapter (it must be powered) as I mentioned above, or you can plug in a bluetooth adapter with reasonable battery life to play tracks from your phone.

In both cases you might need an amplifier - the AUX input on older Audio units is notoriously low volume.



I'm not an expert, but I seem to remember that, the boot changer was replaced by the glove box one around the time your car was manufactured, so it might be there (bottom caddy door on the left - well at least that's where it was in my old W168).

Wait, is this it??

White Male Plug Jack 3.5mm To USB 2.0 Female AUX Audio Adapter Converter Cable | eBay

If not can you PLEASE send me a link of such a thing? So basically I plug the USB stick in the adapter and it plays the MP3s ???

p.s. I googled a bit more and found this:

Some cars' aux should be connected directly with MP3, not USB flash disk.
So this item can't be used on this kind of car!

Before Buying You Should:

Pls. make sure that your car's aux support decoding, & reading USB flash disk.

 

[GLK]

Wait, is this it??

White Male Plug Jack 3.5mm To USB 2.0 Female AUX Audio Adapter Converter Cable | eBay

If not can you PLEASE send me a link of such a thing? So basically I plug the USB stick in the adapter and it plays the MP3s ???

Yes, that's the one, BUT - it must be powered - note the four sections on 3.5mm jack, as opposed to three your AUX has. So simply plugging in your flash drive with MP3 collection won't work, I'm afraid. There are several ways to deal with that, and since you already have AUX input in your glove box, I'd be inclined to power it from behind the socket - much neater. You would need a 12v-->5v adapter and might need a new socket (I don't know how the OE one is configured - i.e. if there's unused fourth contact, it'll be ideal).

I looked into that for myself (my Audio20 is almost identical to yours, but had no AUX input installed), and put it aside for a time being - too much hassle, and I do have an mp3 CDC anyway. I did buy a 4-contact 3.5mm socket(s), can drop one in the post for you (for some bizarre reason it was cheaper to buy 10, than one, so I had given away a few on here).

 

[paraglajder]

Yes, that's the one, BUT - it must be powered - note the four sections on 3.5mm jack, as opposed to three your AUX has. So simply plugging in your flash drive with MP3 collection won't work, I'm afraid. There are several ways to deal with that, and since you already have AUX input in your glove box, I'd be inclined to power it from behind the socket - much neater. You would need a 12v-->5v adapter and might need a new socket (I don't know how the OE one is configured - i.e. if there's unused fourth contact, it'll be ideal).

I looked into that for myself (my Audio20 is almost identical to yours, but had no AUX input installed), and put it aside for a time being - too much hassle, and I do have an mp3 CDC anyway. I did buy a 4-contact 3.5mm socket(s), can drop one in the post for you (for some bizarre reason it was cheaper to buy 10, than one, so I had given away a few on here).

Hey!

Sorry about the late reply, things have been crazy with work and everything. You said:

You would need a 12v-->5v adapter and might need a new socket (I don't know how the OE one is configured - i.e. if there's unused fourth contact, it'll be ideal).

I am not sure if I understand... I believe I understand I need to replace the AUX socket with that one. But what else do I need to do, where do I put that 12v-->5v adapter?

Sorry for the too many questions, but this is a learning process for me... And I VERY much appreciate if you can send me one of those! I am in Macedonia, but my brother is in London, so I guess we can just send him that socket?

Thank you!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Get one of these bad boys along with Griffin two-port USB socket from eBay, and it will even give you hands free mobile too, all for a tenner:

Anker SoundSync Drive Bluetooth car handsfree receiver, for cars with AUX input (3.5mm) compatible with iPhone, Samsung, LG, HTC and all other Bluetooth devices.: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

 

[paraglajder]

Get one of these bad boys along with Griffin two-port USB socket from eBay, and it will even give you hands free mobile too, all for a tenner:

Anker SoundSync Drive Bluetooth car handsfree receiver, for cars with AUX input (3.5mm) compatible with iPhone, Samsung, LG, HTC and all other Bluetooth devices.: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Thank you, from the reviews this does sound like the best Bluetooth adapter on Amazon, but I would have to keep it plugged in the car cigarette lighter.. Don't they have one of these which is rechargeable or something? I can see that Anker is a good brand...

I saw some rechargeable ones, but there were some quite critical reviews about them...

 

[Ted]

I have one of these in my clk
http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m-in-phase-bt-mate_p-27552.htm

This lasts up to 2hrs on battery, and all wiring is pretty much hidden.
Has worked well for me - look around, you can get them cheaper.

 

[Ted]

View attachment 56684

There. That wire you see is nothing to do with it - it is a phone charge wire.
When I need to charge it, I open the ashtray door and have a short wire to charge it.
It also acts as an amp as the input level on the 3.5mm jack is low.

 

[paraglajder]

View attachment 56684

There. That wire you see is nothing to do with it - it is a phone charge wire.
When I need to charge it, I open the ashtray door and have a short wire to charge it.
It also acts as an amp as the input level on the 3.5mm jack is low.

Thank you, but I don't see the AUX cable connected to it?

 

[Ted]

Look carefully to the right you can just see it - it is pushed into the gap between the heater control panel and trim. (I'll get a closeup later). Runs straight into the ashtray, and from there up into the glovebox - all hidden. When I want to charge it, there is just a short cable from the fag lighter.

 

[GLK]

You said:

You would need a 12v-->5v adapter and might need a new socket (I don't know how the OE one is configured - i.e. if there's unused fourth contact, it'll be ideal).

I am not sure if I understand... I believe I understand I need to replace the AUX socket with that one. But what else do I need to do, where do I put that 12v-->5v adapter?

You don't really need to replace it, it's just one of the options.

To convert from 3.5mm AUX jack to USB you must have a 5V power to it.

The simplest way to get that is from one of those USB car charges, but I do no like to see ANY wires in my car, so everything is hard-wired and hidden.

This is a very reliable [and cheap] power adapter: 12v-->5v - I used two in my old car and have one in the current one.

Once you have powered 3.5mm jack female socket, you can then plug the lead you've already found, and providing the Audio 20 can decode MP3 (any with CDC as an option can do that), you should be able to play your MP3 tracks from a flash drive.

Sorry for the too many questions, but this is a learning process for me... And I VERY much appreciate if you can send me one of those! I am in Macedonia, but my brother is in London, so I guess we can just send him that socket?

No problem PM or email me the name and address and I pop one in the post for you.