Multimedia screen option for USB & Apps are greyed out

CGJ · October 16, 2023

I can't get my USB flash drive to work for playing music or video files. I realised that the option to "Select Source" is greyed out. Does anyone have a similar issue or does it work for you.

Hillie · October 17, 2023

Colin

Check the formating on the Flash Drive, Max size 32GByte, Fat16 or FAT32. Maximum size of any single file is 2GB which may be a problem for any high quality video files or films. Most new flash drives today will be formated as exFAT or NTFS by default.

CGJ · October 17, 2023

Thanks Hillie, that's really useful info. I do recall reading that when I first had the car but didn't subsequently think too much about it.

Disappointed that Lexus have thought it ok to deliver a 2024 model car with such a puny and ancient specification for the USB drive!🤷😬

My question really is though, is your USB option greyed out or not? Irrespective of the drive size if it can't see the drive it won't be able to read it I guess?

CGJ · October 17, 2023

.....I forgot to add, and no CD drive or Hard drive fitted either. So what if you don't want to listen to the radio or you haven't got paid subscriptions to either Deezer or Spotify streaming on your phone?

Hillie · October 17, 2023

Colin

With a non FAT32 the USB drive was greyed out
With a FAT32 Drive I could select the drive in the Sources menu.

However this discussion spiked my curiosity and for the larger audience I know from experience that by using 3rd party drive tools you can format a large flash drive >32GB using FAT32 (Not exFAT or NTFS). I took a 64GB flash drive which my 450H+ media system could not read (Greyed out), and reformated this as FAT32 using the tool 'Rufus'.

I copied a series of MP4 Video files of different sizes to the drive. The media system was able to play them all and it is worth noting one of the video files 'Passengers 2016' was clearly over the Lexus stated max file size of 2GB. The quality of the audio and video playback is excellent.

And before you ask, yes I am a closet Sci-Fi addict and not quite a fully fledged 'Treky' yet. And (sorry for the plug) but if you have a wicked sense of humour, search YT for full movie version of Ronal the Barbarian, the first half of the movie will make you laugh (No kids allowed). It is a license free / free to view movie.

Hillie · October 17, 2023

23 minutes ago, CGJ said:

.....I forgot to add, and no CD drive or Hard drive fitted either. So what if you don't want to listen to the radio or you haven't got paid subscriptions to either Deezer or Spotify streaming on your phone?

Colin,

I have a NX450H+ F-Sport MY2024, no external CD, I am not running Android Auto, No streaming service such as Spotify, No wifi connection. Phone is connected via Bluetooth but no media is streaming from the phone. Just using the stock Media system with USB Flash drive plugged into the media port on the front console above the charger.

CGJ · October 17, 2023

Hi Hillie,

That is incredibly useful information, thank you so much!

I called in today to Lexus about some other things and they said just plug a flash drive in and it should work🤷🙄.

I was going to buy a 32gb drive but in view of your post I'll go for a 64gb and follow your instructions.

Many thanks indeed.

Hillie · October 17, 2023

On 10/17/2023 at 10:55 AM, CGJ said:

Disappointed that Lexus have thought it ok to deliver a 2024 model car with such a puny and ancient specification for the USB drive!🤷😬

I am convinced that portions of the Phase 2 NX media system manual is a cut and paste from the last generation media manual with new images and pointers. Has no one at Lexus has really checked to see if the manual reflects the true operating specifications and capabilities of the new media system? This happens a lot in industry where the marketing / tech pubs teams dont check in with the hardware designers and software teams to cross check on what is documented.

CGJ · October 18, 2023

Hi again Hillie,

Just letting you know whilst I have ordered a 64gb drive from amazon, I thought in the meantime I'd download Rufus, latest version 4.2, which now has an option to format in Large fat32. I decided to reformat my large 512gb drive and can confirm it works, so your comment about Lexus "cutting & pasting" from previous manuals would seem to be correct as their supplied data is now incorrect. I have movies in .MP4 and audio in .WMA formats running and as you say, the screen quality is excellent.

I'll also try the film you recommended Ronal the Barbarian!

Thanks very much once again.

Colin

Chance521 · October 20, 2023

On 10/17/2023 at 12:14 PM, Hillie said:

And before you ask, yes I am a closet Sci-Fi addict and not quite a fully fledged 'Treky' yet.

Thanks for sharing Hillie. Are you able to select a video to play? It just randomly plays any video on mine and I have nowhere to select which video to play

CGJ · October 20, 2023

I have several films and my large collection of recorded music cd's all in nice folders which seemed to have been done automatically as I didn't do it. I guess it must be the way Rufus organises itself?

Anyway, whatever it just works brilliantly now thanks to Hillie.😊👍

Hillie · October 22, 2023

On 10/20/2023 at 7:58 PM, Chance521 said:

Thanks for sharing Hillie. Are you able to select a video to play? It just randomly plays any video on mine and I have nowhere to select which video to play

Chance

The NX media menus for the flash drive are IMO 'Clunky' Here are some screen shots from my display but I admit I cannot always find a away to navigate back to the File directory on the flash drive. Lexus in its wisdom seems to decide when IT wants tio display the flash drive contents or is taking a very long time to index the drive.

Initially I was able to select the file I want to play, but could nopt always navigate back to the menu. I was able to rotate through the videos by using the Advance / Rewind Arrows either side of the pause button.