USB Media Ports on new RX450HL

[Richolf]

Hi, I am lucky enough to be taking delivery of a new car in next week or so.  Can someone advise how many USB Media ports there are.  I specifically asked the dealer if it was possible to play USB media while Android auto was working and got the message back that he watched a colleague play his own music alongside Android Auto and a video to prove it.  I am now doubting if the music was on a USB stick but on his as the online manual looks like there is only one media port and also says that USB media is disabled with Android Auto.

For those wondering we often listen to audio books in the car so having a completely separate media stream is important

Can someone clarify for me

Thank you

[PDM]

Hi David,

You cannot play music from usb disks whilst AA/ACP is active.  It is one or the other.

There are two usb ports in the centre console, which are for both power and data (usb music, AA, ACP etc).

There are two in the centre stack under the climate control buttons which are for charging only.

There are two in the back (well, middle row in the RXL) in the centre arm rest I believe. (In the non L model they are below the rear climate vents).  These are again just for charging.

Paul

[Richolf]

Thanks Paul, suspect I will need to ask the salesman to show me how he managed it, then it may be an awkward conversation.  Having specifically asked this question its annoying to then find out the answer wasn't correct.   I admit it is a first world problem.

 

[b4u2]

@Richolf

I'm jealous of you 😀

[Herbie]

3 hours ago, Richolf said:

For those wondering we often listen to audio books in the car so having a completely separate media stream is important

Still not quite sure why?

Android Auto will play audio books and radio stations, as well as music stored on your phone.

[PDM]

2 hours ago, Richolf said:

Thanks Paul, suspect I will need to ask the salesman to show me how he managed it, then it may be an awkward conversation.  Having specifically asked this question its annoying to then find out the answer wasn't correct.   I admit it is a first world problem.

 

I suspect this is a legacy hardware thing - the original MM17 systems (and earlier) only ever needed to read from one usb port at once (as you could only be listening to music, or watching videos, from one port at once).  The AA capable MM19 system which your car will have has inherited this limitation, that I guess was not foreseen prior to android auto/car play coming to the picture.

It will be interesting to see what the salesman says!  (Of course, id love to be wrong and see he has a solution, but...)

And yes, its a first world problem, but then again you have just spent a lot of money... 

Cheers,

Paul

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, PDM said:

The AA capable MM19 system which your car will have has inherited this limitation, that I guess was not foreseen prior to android auto/car play coming to the picture.

But it doesn't need to use more than one USB port.

Audio books and music can be stored on the phone and played with the appropriate app. Radio stations and streaming services like Spotify or amazon Music will need to come through the phone anyway (although this will require the use of mobile data, of course), so having the phone plugged into one USB port can provide all that, whilst still providing Waze or Google Maps or whatever for navigation.

[PDM]

15 minutes ago, Herbie said:

But it doesn't need to use more than one USB port.

Audio books and music can be stored on the phone and played with the appropriate app. Radio stations and streaming services like Spotify or Amazon Music will need to come through the phone anyway (although this will require the use of mobile data, of course), so having the phone plugged into one USB port can provide all that, whilst still providing Waze or Google Maps or whatever for navigation.

Indeed. If you do everything on your phone through android auto then you only need the android auto connection to be active.

[Richolf]

2 hours ago, Herbie said:

Still not quite sure why?

Android Auto will play audio books and radio stations, as well as music stored on your phone.

The main concern is continuing the book from where we left off.  With a USB left in the car it would hopefully remember where it was last played and simply continue.  If it’s on the phone then I may have listened to music or something else since I was in the car and have to find the place again which on a 24disc audiobook takes time.

I must admit though I am not familiar with listening to music on AA other than Spotify