[King of Canada]

I know this can be done, but can it be done ghetto style? I have no idea how, but if you do, chime in.

I'd love to add USB input to the stock stereo.

This is pretty cheap, but I doubt it fits the factory stereo:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130CDUB100/Pioneer-CD-UB100-USB-Adapter.html?search=usb+input

 

[Orange_Lunchbox]

hmmm...not sure, but i have to ask..."why?" For recharge purposes? Most if not all audio devices and laptops have audio out ports (or at the very least headphone outs), so why not just use the Aux jack?

I'm not saying it's a bad idea just curious as the your motivation? For the cost of parts you MAY be better off just upgrading the head unit. The stock one isn't bad, but lacks in other areas anyway. With a new unit you could address those short comings AND get yourself a USB port.

 

[King of Canada]

The purpose is to plug a usb flash drive full of music in, so not to charge, but as an input.

 

[Island E]

Here ya go.
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56009

 

[Serj22]

In order for that to work, with just the plain USB flash playing out songs, the stock radio would have to have some kind of hard/software built in ready to read such things, and if it had it, they would attach a USB port to it... which they didn't so I don't know how that would work. They have FM transmitter ones, but FM transmitters have always been the most ghetto and horrible-est sounding way to do it.

 

[Snuffleupagus]

The purpose is to plug a usb flash drive full of music in, so not to charge, but as an input.

Here are two items I've come across that you may want to look at.

http://www.gromaudio.com/usb.html

http://www.dension.com/products.php?pageID=31

The HU sees the first one as a CD changer.

As for the second one, they don't make it easy to find out how much it is or where you can get it.

 

[King of Canada]

Here ya go.
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56009

So I can just plug and play, and run an aux cord from the transmitter to the aux in?

 

[Snuffleupagus]

Personally, I do not like the transmitter systems. It doesn't help that there is a big sheet of metal called your roof between where the transmitter is up front and your little antenna on the other side of said roof all the way at the back.

They will never have CD quality. They are highly susceptible to interference from radio traffic in the atmosphere. One minute you're listening to your tunes, next, you're listening to static or another station.

It's just not for me. I prefer to have something wired directly to my HU.

People still buy those things though, so people do like them. I just have a strong preference to listening to my music at the quality I had saved them as static free with no static or radio interference. ;-)

 

[Island E]

So I can just plug and play, and run an aux cord from the transmitter to the aux in?

Do some research. Some of them have an aux out port on them that would be perfect to plug into the aux in port right next to the 12V socket.

 

[2009 ELE]

Get an '09 with Navi and you are already set up!

 

[colin.sama]

Wait... You, be quiet... I remember, I've thought about this. It's rattling around like a marble in a glass jar. USB, stereo, no CD's... Ya, oh, I got a BlackBerry, plug it in and listen through the auxxxxxxxxxxx. There are voices, oh, advertisements, talking through the computer. Hang on I have to buy something...

This is the link, it took me 35 weeks to find this, it doesn't come cheap, very expensive in fact. I'll give you a deal though. See that human over there, they were going to give me their very rare ubiquitous art piece for this link. I think I'll just leave it here for free, yes free, no strings or suspicious net-shaped cables attached:

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43231

 

[Yoda E SC]

125 bucks

http://www.gromaudio.com/store/usb_adapters/grom-usb2-hon1.html

I have bought several things from this guy for customers that other manufacturers just didnt make at the time. There is no way other than an intercate device like this that reads and comprehends the vehicle's com networks to pipe audio into the radio AND be able to sift through folders/files, etc. The aux jack is easy to tie into, but you cant control anything external without one of these type pieces.

 

[King of Canada]

Thanks, but I'm looking for a cheap ghetto mod. For $125, I can buy a brand new deck with USB-in which is likely what I'll end up doing anyway.

 

[Yoda E SC]

I hear you. There is just no way for the deck and the usb device to "communicate" without one of these. Better off just getting a deck. But then you will need the wiring harness and dash kit too so keep that in mind as far as your total cost.

 

[bonk]

Did you ever find a cheap solution for this?

 

[BryanK]

Cheep

Did you ever find a cheap solution for this?

Well, it's a few years later and I am doing the same searches.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/6122629306.html

A little cheeper at $77 but the connector is for old ipod/iphones. Would have to find a new USB something but it has built in bluetooth

 

[BryanK]

Even cheeper!

Did you ever find a cheap solution for this?

and then i found this one
https://www.amazon.com/APPS2Car-Blu...68262&sr=8-2&keywords=honda+element+bluetooth

$50 and it has standard USB out to run. You might then also want one of these to run to the dash or the cubby under the shifter.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Dash-...ash=item4d5c634ed3:g:qfQAAOSwPh5ZNrli&vxp=mtr