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Mk3 ST2 stereo - no aux in, help please


Elsie
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Sure that this is a chestnut, but I can't find a definitive answer on a search, sorry. Spent all last night Googling, with no positive answers.

Car has 2 USB ports but no aux jack in (not even in glove box). 2018 model. MP3 player has jack out (analogue). Supposedly you can't just get a simple converter/adapter like the dealer said you could. Grrr....

No bluetooth on MP3 player. Don't have a smartphone.

So how do I listen to my own music??? 

Not even sure that the CD player plays MP3 format CDs (dealer hasn't a clue but some reports on the net say not).

How blinking ridiculous!!! 

Can I have an aux socket installed, or is there another work around, or is it buy a new stereo as Halfords advise (well, they would...). Or are there MP3 players which will plug into USB sockets, or..?? Oh goody, more money 😞

Cheers.

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Why would you use an outdated MP3 player with an analog audio output if the Ford audio system in the car has (digital) USB connections?

Just put al the MP3 files you like on a USB drive and connect it to the Ford audio system in the car. A 32GB or 64GB USB drive will be more than sufficient to store thousands of MP3 files. All MP3 files on the USB drive can be played directly by the Ford audio system.


If you really want an analog AUX input It is also possible to retrofit the AUX input but this requires the media hub to be replaced. Analog AUX inputs are basically a thing from the past. Since more modern technologies like USB and bluetooth became pretty much standard these days there are very few modern cars that still have an AUX input.

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Um, thanks. I think....

Why do I want one? Because it's what I'm used to, how I've always done it ever since I've had all my music ripped to mp3 format or purchased by download as such, and stored on an mp3 player (clue in name?), and all that I understand!!!

So you're saying that if I copy my mp3 file backups to a USB stick and plug it into the car's USB port it's that easy??? Wow. OK, great.

Do I still get a shuffle function or selection of specific tracks, artists, albums, etc? (Used to doing this in the player itself, not controlled by car's system)?

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Hello Elsie, welcome to the Ford Owners Club.

yes as said by JW1982 just save all your music files on to a USB stick and put it in the car.

1 hour ago, Elsie said:

Do I still get a shuffle function or selection of specific tracks, artists, albums, etc? (Used to doing this in the player itself, not controlled by car's system)?

All of the above is available, you might need to play about with how you store your files on the USB, like putting stuff in folders but other than that all will be fine.

What year is your car ? profile says 2009, but you said 2018

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Thanks. 

It's a 2018. My Fiesta is 2009, not yet officially 'upgraded', just paid for and trying to plan ahead.

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8 hours ago, Elsie said:

 

It's a 2018. ...

In which case, the previous advice I gave is useless LOL

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11 hours ago, Elsie said:

Um, thanks. I think....

Why do I want one? Because it's what I'm used to, how I've always done it ever since I've had all my music ripped to mp3 format or purchased by download as such, and stored on an mp3 player (clue in name?), and all that I understand!!!

So you're saying that if I copy my mp3 file backups to a USB stick and plug it into the car's USB port it's that easy??? Wow. OK, great.

Do I still get a shuffle function or selection of specific tracks, artists, albums, etc? (Used to doing this in the player itself, not controlled by car's system)?

Any audio system that was used on a 2018 Focus has full support for playback of MP3 files with a bitrate of up to 320 kbps. MP3 files on a connected USB drive or bluetooth device can be fully controlled by the audio system and the MP3 info will be displayed on the audio system display. On the the bluetooth Voicecontrol (2008 -2012) and SYNC (2012 -->) connectivity systems it is even possible to use Voicecontrol to select and play music from an USB drive.

Since modern connectivity technologies like USB and bluetooth became standard the older more outdated technologies like an AUX input or even a CD player became redundant. Since most people never use the older more outdated technologies it is no longer present on newly developed systems. The Fiesta MK8 and Focus MK4 for example do no longer have a CD player. People who want a CD player on these vehicles (which is extremely rare) need to buy the optional external CD player that is installed inside the glove box. To be honest since I bought my Focus MK3 in 2014 I have never ever used the CD player or the AUX input. 

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13 minutes ago, JW1982 said:

...To be honest since I bought my Focus MK3 in 2014 I have never ever used the CD player or the AUX input. 

On my 2005 Focus, I purely use the AUX input to connect my DAB converter, which as 'modern' cars have DAB built in, would be redundant. I still play the odd CD though when I buy one for 20p on the way home from a charity shop LOL

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Thanks JW and others. Fingers crossed I'll get a USB stick to work or be able to get stuff onto a cheap smartphone and use bluetooth.

I think that it's me who's outdated!!! They don't exactly teach you these things though, just assume that you have and understand them. Not all of us do. Cassette tapes were a luxury when I started driving...

 

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8 minutes ago, Elsie said:

Cassette tapes were a luxury when I started driving...

 

In my brand new 1982 XR2, I updated the standard Ford cassette player to a Sharp one which at the end of the tape, then automatically played the other side, cutting edge tech then LOL

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Funny you mention such upgrades, I did the same with my 1983 Orion - Fitted the Sharp radio cassette with FM band for the same reason as Stephen. I took it back out when I sold the car and think I still have it in the Loft - Just encase cassettes ever make a come back 🤣

My 25 year old daughter has just asked what a cassette player is !!

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29 minutes ago, unofix said:

- Just encase cassettes ever make a come back 🤣

They might be - apparently UK sales doubled during 2020. Mind you, that was still only 157,000 compared to something like 83 million in 1989! I've still got quite a few from the 70's and 80's - can't play them in the car but I've still got a cassette player/recorder in my home set up which gets the occasional use.😀

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I remember doing the same in my first car, a little black Metro. In those days you often had to buy & fit your own 'car radio' (with extra special features like double sided cassette players) as a pretty standard thing.

Aah, the good old days 😉 It was a shock when cars got CD players. Then they played those lovely mp3 files, 100s on 1 disc.

And now they don't. That's progress for you, apparently.

I still have a few old sentimental tapes stashed away, and a twin cassette player unit (somewhere in a cupboard).

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1 hour ago, Elsie said:

I still have a few old sentimental tapes stashed away, and a twin cassette player unit (somewhere in a cupboard).

I converted all my old tapes (and records!) to MP3 files.

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9 hours ago, YOG said:

I converted all my old tapes (and records!) to MP3 files.

My late dad owned a 'record' shop. On clearing his house some years ago now, we disposed of in excess of 6000 tapes, that would have taken a bit of time to convert to MP3 LOL 🤣

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Update, for anyone interested.

Got the car today, plays at least some of the MP3 files added to a USB stick (not checked all), and plays my MP3 tracks on a CD.

Happy days 🙂

Now just got to find the shuffle button...

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Hello Elsie "Happy New Car Day" 😀

and happy listen to MP3 tracks on a USB day  !!

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