Navigating USB folders - Sony unit

[Another Richard]

2014 Focus Titanium with Sony head unit.

Old school here, to me a car radio is a radio in a car. I'm a bit of a novice with newer technology. I'm probably missing something obvious, but any help would be welcome. I've just bought the above car and put a USB stick with all my music on it in the USB socket. It works. I can get to play individual tracks by using the cursor arrows and OK button to go artist>album>track, but I can't find a way to reverse this, so I can go track>album>artist and scroll down to the next one. I can do this easily on my separate MP3 player, which has a 'back' arrow button. Hitting the UP cursor takes me to the previous track, and hitting the left one takes me back to the USB menu and I am back where I am started. I'm looking for a 'back' button, but have tried everything and can't find one. I know this is probably a simple issue and caused by ignorance, but if anyone could suggest anything it would help my blood pressure.

One a positive note, I managed to pair the unit with my Android phone first try. Go me.

Cheers!

[apt]

I use the steering wheel controls to navigate up, down, forward and back through the USB stick without issue.

[apt]

The D-pad arrows on the Sony fascia also work for me and there are no settings within my Audio Menu that can change this behaviour.

[Another Richard]

On 2/20/2020 at 1:04 AM, apt said:

I use the steering wheel controls to navigate up, down, forward and back through the USB stick without issue.

 

I have been using the controls on the head unit, not the wheel.  Thanks, I will try this. (Only had the car a few days ...)

On 2/20/2020 at 6:54 AM, apt said:

The D-pad arrows on the Sony fascia also work for me and there are no settings within my Audio Menu that can change this behaviour.

I've found a way to do it, which is back a few steps, down a few steps and find 'Browse USB', which takes me back to the 'artist' level. It's a fiddly way to do it, and I am sure there is a better way. I just need to keep looking. Hitting the left arrow while a track is playing takes me not to the album and then artist, but to a menu of SYNC applications, phone, BT, defaults and so on, and if I keep hitting random arrows I get to 'Browse USB'. It's far from satisfactory, but I accept the problem is probably my ignorance. The handbook is no help at all :) Thanks for the info - will keep trying.

[apt]

Ah, mine is 2012 so pre-SYNC.

Have you tried using voice control for the media player? The ex had a 2013 Fiesta Titanium with SYNC that she picked up a week before I got this Focus and she could ask it to play [insert artist name here] and voila..... I however was slightly disappointed when I tried to do the same only to find out I had the older BT/VC system which wasn't as advanced.

I'm sure there as users on here with the same configuration as you who will be able to help.

[Another Richard]

That would explain any difference. I tried what you suggested. The left hand steering wheel control only controls the little information panel in the dash, not the audio system. The right hand control does control the audio ... but only in a limited way. Up and down change the volume, left and right change tracks *within* the selected album, and that's it. Hopefully someone with a SYNC system will be able to advise me. Many thanks for your input, anyway.