Cheap Music Storage Solution
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 1
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic
Cheap Music Storage Solution
I have a 2011 E350, and do not have a USB in the center arm rest. The glove compartment has a Multi Media Interface, but for some reason I only had a cable that connected to an iPhone. I specifically did not want to use Bluetooth.
Although I use lots of Apple products, I wanted something cheap to make this work.
Here is what I did:
1) Purchase a "Car AMI 3.5mm AUX Micro USB Charge Adapter Cable Connector."
Cost: $9.99
2) Purchase a cheap MP3 player. I got the AGPTEK 16GB MP3 Player with FM Radio/Voice Recorder. Although it comes with 16GB, it has a micro SD slot that you can use to increase your storage if you want.
Cost: $34.99
Total cost: $45.
There are cheaper ones, but I liked that this MP3 player supported more music formats.
When you copy the music onto the MP3 player you will need to create a folder for each album (otherwise all of the songs will be "loose") because MB does not seem to be able to read the metadata to sort them automatically (the player can, but not MB).
And that's basically it. You can just set it and forget it.
Although I use lots of Apple products, I wanted something cheap to make this work.
Here is what I did:
1) Purchase a "Car AMI 3.5mm AUX Micro USB Charge Adapter Cable Connector."
Cost: $9.99
2) Purchase a cheap MP3 player. I got the AGPTEK 16GB MP3 Player with FM Radio/Voice Recorder. Although it comes with 16GB, it has a micro SD slot that you can use to increase your storage if you want.
Cost: $34.99
Total cost: $45.
There are cheaper ones, but I liked that this MP3 player supported more music formats.
When you copy the music onto the MP3 player you will need to create a folder for each album (otherwise all of the songs will be "loose") because MB does not seem to be able to read the metadata to sort them automatically (the player can, but not MB).
And that's basically it. You can just set it and forget it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 68
From: Charlotte, NC
2014 E350 4M Diamond Silver
Don't you have memory card reader slot?
I would go with the music player, as you can use it outside the car, if in case. But, if you're okay with connecting to the phone, that is just enough, I believe..!
I would go with the music player, as you can use it outside the car, if in case. But, if you're okay with connecting to the phone, that is just enough, I believe..!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,249
Likes: 257
From: Richmond, CA
2001 E320 Wagon, 2006 LBZ Silverado, 2007 E63 (sold), 2001 E55 (sold)
What about running something like Spotify or Google Music off your phone through the aux input? That's what I do and it works great.
Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 223
Likes: 66
1973 280SEL 4.5; 2021 E450S4 Wagon
Thanks Yalej for posting this!
While I have a 2015 S212 in which I use a USB drive, I just bought this AGPTEK for my 1973 280SEL 4.5 which has the original Becker Europa Stereo II. The Becker has an external cable to which I can connect this device. While I too have Apple products, I like the simplicity of this player for the road. I'm going to be curios if FM reception is better with device over the Becker dial tuner.
Cheers!
While I have a 2015 S212 in which I use a USB drive, I just bought this AGPTEK for my 1973 280SEL 4.5 which has the original Becker Europa Stereo II. The Becker has an external cable to which I can connect this device. While I too have Apple products, I like the simplicity of this player for the road. I'm going to be curios if FM reception is better with device over the Becker dial tuner.
Cheers!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 1
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic
I think I am bit unusual in my music consumption in that I don't have a spotify subscription or anything similar because I basically only listen to music in the car. I realize that makes me an outllier. 
I did consider the SD card, and I even bought a PCMCIA-style adapter so that I could insert the SD card directly, but my recollection is that I didn't like how the file names looked when I copied them to the SD card, and I didn't want to spend the time to write a script to make them look like I wanted them to.
I guess the advantage of an MP3 player is that it's "smart" and recognizes metadata, etc.
Also accessing music from a wired player vs. on my phone via Bluetooth is not quite the same functionally, and I prefer the wired player. I realize everyone is different, but I figured I'd present a simple and inexpensive option to folks they may not have considered.
I did consider the SD card, and I even bought a PCMCIA-style adapter so that I could insert the SD card directly, but my recollection is that I didn't like how the file names looked when I copied them to the SD card, and I didn't want to spend the time to write a script to make them look like I wanted them to.
I guess the advantage of an MP3 player is that it's "smart" and recognizes metadata, etc.
Also accessing music from a wired player vs. on my phone via Bluetooth is not quite the same functionally, and I prefer the wired player. I realize everyone is different, but I figured I'd present a simple and inexpensive option to folks they may not have considered.
