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USB port and traffic report questions

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Oddfodder, Mar 19, 2018.

  1. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2018
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    Location:
    Freiburg, Germany
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Hello,

    I just bought a used 2011 Prius Executive with about 48k miles. I love it. I am not new to Prius as my dad has a gen 1 which I've borrowed many times - I also owned a gen 2 recently for about a month (long story why so short) which I also liked a lot.

    Anyway here are my questions:

    My USB port will charge my phone using a usb cable but will not recognize MP3s from a USB stick. It seems to recognize that he stick was inserted because after doing so and pressing the HDD/AUX button on the audio console "no music tracks found" is displayed. I have read the other threads on this topic; here is what I have tried so far, with the result always being the same:
    • reformatted the USB stick(s) to Fat32
    • tried adding the MP3 in a folder with artist name and also directly on the stick, not in a folder
    • have tried different sticks varying in age from 1 year to about 5 years old, of varying sizes, ranging from 2 to 16 Gig. 1 of these sticks is USB 3.0, the others I assume are USB 2.0 as I got them at trade fairs going back to 2013
    • have tried formatting the sticks both on my mac and on a windows10 OS
    • Have tried MP3s with the following bitrates: 128, 160, 192, 320
    FWIW, my manual says that the sticks should be formatted as FAT32 and that the system only accepts MP3 or wav files.

    This is frustrating as hell.

    My other question concerns the GPS. While driving, local traffic reports interrupt the music I'm hearing (sadly from CD and not the stick!). I've tried turning off "traffic incident warning" (which actually I prefer to have on) but this didn't stop the traffic reports. I've searched all over the settings but can't find a way to turn these off, though I can't imagine that there's no way to do so. I should mention that I'm in Germany (ex-pat American) - I have the language in the car set to English - and that there's no XM here, we use DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting).

    Any help at all is much appreciated!

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2018
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    Location:
    Freiburg, Germany
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    ... just a little update: I wrote above that "...but will not recognize MP3s from a USB stick.". I'm not sure that this is true - after pressing the HDD/AUX button on the audio console "no music tracks found" is displayed whether or not a stick is in the USB port.
     
  3. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I have a Gen3 (2013), so I don’t know if anything is the same. It sounds like you’re doing it right. Is there a max USB size your year can handle? I know some people had issues with some USB drives working and others not.

    Also, my stereo has a USB mode for anything plugged into the USB port. You may be in the wrong mode, but I don’t know without looking at a manual for your particular sound system.
     
  4. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    Pulling up a manual for the 2011 Prius, it appears MP3s only play off a CD. The USB port MIGHT play MP3s from a MP3 player (e.g., iPod) but not a flash drive.

    This is assuming the sound system you have matches what’s in the manual.

    Since your button says HDD, that is what I suspect is your issue. The system will link with an external player but not a memory stick. It probably doesn’t have an internal MP3 player outside of playing off a CD.
     
  5. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Freiburg, Germany
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thanks for the feedback - I tried to respond last week but I had trouble accessing PriusChat.

    Anyway, I do have some updates:

    Turns out that if I press the mode button on the steering wheel, the usb stick is recognized (I couldn't find this anywhere in the manual). It's kind of weird because the car has a CD changer built-in and it sees the folders on the usb stick as additional CDs. The problem with this is that it only sees the first 6 folders on the stick, I assume because it is a 6-CD changer. The interface is pretty crappy as well, it only lists the folder on the stick as numbers (1-6), once I click on a number it will load that folder and then I can play the music, see what songs are in that folder, etc. I'm surprised the interface isn't more sophisticated. So at least i can get (some) music from a stick, even if it's not so easy to use.

    What I decided to do was use my smartphone and access the music via bluetooth, which works much better and offers a lot more control and storage space. I assume the HDD/Aux is strictly for the mini/1/8" jack, which I haven't tried yet. Does anyone know - is there any advantage to using the phone this way - wired - as opposed to sending the music via bluetooth?

    Regarding my other GPS related question - it turns out there is a "TA" (Traffic Assist) button that when pushed, automatically routes in local traffic updates through the stereo.
     
  6. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    Sorry...no help. I didn’t buy a prior model of Prius because the tech was so-so.

    BT tends to be as good as wired if you’re running a newer version of BT (I don’t know what version your Prius is using, but I’m satisfied with my 2013 Prius). You’d have to have exceptional sound reproduction to notice the difference.

    BT should let you control playback from the steering wheel. Line to the AUX jack requires you to manipulate the phone while driving. Less safe.
     
  7. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thanks, good point about safety, I can adjust the volume from the steering wheel, not sure about advancing to the next track and don't think I can scroll through folders, but volume control itself is important.
     
  8. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    FYI, the steering control on volume affects only the sound system...not the BT device.
     
  9. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thanks, good point. I don't seem to have any control over the BT device from my steering wheel. I can affect the sound system's volume (as you said) and that seems to be all. Would be the same with a wired device, so I guess the safety issue RE: BT vs. wired is moot.
     
  10. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    And that may be model specific. On my 2013, IIRC, plugging my iPhone into the USB port lets me change tracks from the steering wheel as well as when connected via BT.
     
  11. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

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    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    This makes sense.

    BTW, I'd like to ask - although I guess this belongs in another thread - how the hell do you get 54.9 mpg on your gen 2? Or is it a 3 - I'm confused because above it says Prius Two, 2013. I'm still new to all this (1st tank) so must be doing something wrong, I'm getting about 49, but the usage hasn't budged in a half tank. I've read up on the whole pulse & glide thing and have the tires pumped up to 42 & 43.5 psi (rear, front). But maybe I can still smooth out my approach and get a little more out of it.
     
  12. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    1. I’m always in ECO mode.

    2. MPG is terrain specific. I live near mountains, so to work I get 45-50 mpg but going home I get 65-75 mpg. When weather is temperate, the heat/air hardly has to work. Average MPH in commuting is 35-45.

    3. I installed a SmartPedal on the Prius although I’ve yet to beat a best MPG rating that was set before I installed it.
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  13. Oddfodder

    Oddfodder New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Freiburg, Germany
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Interesting, hadn't heard of the smart pedal.

    As I said I'm on my first tank and have been in normal driving mode. Will try the next tank on ECO. My area is relatively flat, but it has been cold - cool since I got it. That said I haven't used the heat much, except for the seat heater which I assume doesn't affect gas mileage the way the normal heater would. (or am I wrong about that?) It's starting to warm up here so soon that will be off as well.

    Thanks for all the info. Maybe I just need to get better at driving this kind of car. I don't feel like I'm very smooth yet.
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  14. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    If you are interested in learning more about Smart Pedal, @Pedal Logic is a member here and the developer ;).

    I have it on our 2010 and I get 35-40 more miles out of a tank:).

    Works for me too(y).