Here is what I came up with. Sansa 4GB MP3 player $49.99 at Best Buy. These allow you to add a mini SD card so I picked up a 4GB for $14.99(on sale). Then I bought the male/male 3ft. audio cable $12.99. So now I have everything I need, 8GB music (about 1300 songs) on a rechargeable MP3 player and the cable for $77.97 before tax. I guess that is an acceptable solution providing the sound quality is good going from the headphone jack to the Aux input on the head unit. Now I have to download tunes... should be ready by tomorrow to test it out.

 

Because a CD player has a mechanism that reads the data on the disc and converts it from a digital format into an analog format. A USB thumb drive is just like the CD-ROM disc. Just stored data on media, nothing more. Can you hear music on a CD without inserting it into a player? No. A USB drive has to be connected to a USB port in order to read the media and convert it to amplified sound waves.

 

Sounds like you got it figured out. Enjoy!

 

Post up your findings Larry. It sounds good so far.

 

I have an Ipod touch 64 gig and I went with the ipod interface kit from Harley that let's you control the ipod from the handlebars, I also shelled out the money so that the ipod is stored in the saddlebag and also charges while you are riding.

Admittedly I hate apple products but the reasons for going with an actual Ipod versus an MP3 player are akin to similar reasons for a Harley versus your run of the mill motorcycle. Virtually every accesory sold in stores is made for Ipod and it's propietary connection. Want an Mp3 player that you canunplug from your motorcycle and plug into your shower, a huge set of speaker, d.j. equipment, an alarm clock etc get an actaul Ipod.

Why do I have the Ipod touch? Because when I am traveling it also stores movies, video games, can run programs like excel and word. I can surf the internet with it, and I can make calls around the world from it. I routinely call home on it using skype and I'm currently in Iraq.

Motorcycles are about mobility and for me the ipod touch replaces a clunky laptop.( Something I woould have to take on every roadtrip)

If your not a tech nerd like me and you just want a great deal on Mp3 players then go to www.woot.com They only sell one thing a day but it's ridiculously cheap and They Sell mp3 players at least once every 14 days I'd say.

I have bought at least 5 Sansa Mp3 players with at least 8 gigs of memory off of there for under 30 dollars. They are solid mp3 players but the problem is lose the charger cable and you will pay 30 dollars for a new one not to mention driving from store to store finding someone who carries it versus being able to walk in Dollar General , Radio Shack, Wal-Mart and get a replacement for your Ipod for 5 bucks.

 

Another alternative to an mp3 player is using the Harmon Kardon Cd player. Unlike most cd players ( especially older ones) The standard Harmon Kardon one reads MP3 format. Translation? If you burn sound files to the cd as Mp3s rather than musical tracks they will remain Ultra compressed and rather than getting maybe 20 songs on a disc you can burn around 8-10 hours of music on one disc and the Harley CD player will read it.

 

I have already done the CD/MP3 route and that just is not going to cut it. I need at least 1200 songs on a random basis. The ipods are prone to breakdown because they are hard-drive based (newest version is flash memory but too much $$$) and will not stand up to the vibration over time. I looked into using my phone as the MP3 player but it lacks the random feature so I shipcanned that idea. I know some guys are doing that but they have nicer phones I guess. For less than $90 I will go with the Sansa option verses the $300 HD cable plus $150 or more for the ipod.

 

I have used that setup. Here's pics of how I did it. Velcroed on the CD door and used a 1/8" jack (3.5 mm?) retractable cord.

 

Treyparrish, can you explain how you can burn sound files instead of mp3's. I burn mp3's to cd's all the time, but have never heard of what you are talking about. I use cd's on my ultra and would like to find out how you do that. Thanks

 

iPod shuffle. Works for me.