Does this exist?

So I'm wondering if there is a product on the market that has a usb input and rca output, that can read mp3 and other music files off of a thumb drive. Basically I'd like to be able to plug my thumb drive into my receiver and play the music that's on it. Right now I've got an 1/8" to rca cable to play my mp3 player through the stereo, so I can transfer files to my mp3 player and play them, or I could hook my bluray player to my receiver and play the usb drive through that, but I'd like to be able to just plug a flash drive into the stereo and go.

What you are describing is an MP3 player. Put your music on it instead of the thumb drive.

Here is one: http://www.amazon.com/RCA-TH1814-Player-Flipout-Display/dp/B004SP14ZI

You can get them with an RCA mini jack for under $20 and make your own little RCA mini to RCA input harness with just a trip to Radio Shack and a soldering iron.

Yeah I don't think you're gonna be able to get anything simpler than your current setup. You can buy 3.5mm to RCA stereo cables off the shelf.

I've already got the 3.5mm to RCA that I use with my current MP3 player. I have actually thought about getting a cheapie USB MP3 player, just so I could take files from any computer and play them on my stereo, but figured I'd check to see if my imaginary solution existed. I guess not.

You can find a bunch of products that will stream your mp3s from your computer to your stereo via wired/wireless connections. Then you don't have to use a drive at all, and they will have RCAs already. I have an old Turtle Beach Audiotron, but there are a ton of newer ones that probably work better.

In reply to 16vCorey:

I asked for the same thing a year or so ago - and got basically the same answers... "Get a MP3 player.." Except I would rather just load music on to thumb drives and have different drives for different moods.

In your case - wanting to plug it into a home receiver - you could use a car head unit with a built-in USB MP3 player and a 12v tranformer. Most have rca pre-amp outputs.

Ian F wrote: In reply to 16vCorey: I asked for the same thing a year or so ago - and got basically the same answers... "Get a MP3 player.." Except I would rather just load music on to MicroSD cards and have different cards for different moods.

FIFY

There are tons of devices that will take a MicroSD card too. They're cheaper than thumb drives and you can get USB MicroSD readers too. With a reader, it will behave like a thumb drive where you're using a thumb drive for this function already.

Edit! There are lots of aftermarket car stereos with USB inputs too. They're pretty cheap now if you don't mind an "off brand" unit.

akamcfly wrote:

Ian F wrote: In reply to 16vCorey: I asked for the same thing a year or so ago - and got basically the same answers... "Get a MP3 player.." Except I would rather just load music on to MicroSD cards and have different cards for different moods.

FIFY There are tons of devices that will take a MicroSD card too. They're cheaper than thumb drives and you can get USB MicroSD readers too. With a reader, it will behave like a thumb drive where you're using a thumb drive for this function already.

This is probably the best solution.

These are hard to find, I think they've kind of gone out of fashion, but could be perfect for this purpose:

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-SDSDPH-004G-A11-15MB-Ultra-Plus/dp/B000UZJ0O2/

Apple TV will stream audio I believe. It works with iTunes (good/bad). $100 for the box and it's tiny. HDMI or Optical out. The whole 'usb' or 'card' thing is basically atiquated already. When I want to listen to music that I don't own, I use WinAmp on my driod and listen to a Shoutcast station. This is one of about a million programs that will provide the same solution to your problem.

Just my opinion, though.

There are also some newer, higher end receivers that have a usb port directly on them.

scardeal wrote: There are also some newer, higher end receivers that have a usb port directly on them.

Actually, it's pretty much become standard on EVERY new head unit to have a USB port on the front to plug in your thumb drive. I bought the "Wal-Mart Christmas Special" last year and got a Pioneer head unit with four speakers for $70, and the head unit has a 3.5mm RCA in right next to a USB port.

EDIT: Sorry, I thought we were talking car audio stuff. I know little to nothing of home A/V equipment.

psteav wrote: Actually, it's pretty much become standard on EVERY new head unit to have a USB port on the front to plug in your thumb drive. I bought the "Wal-Mart Christmas Special" last year and got a Pioneer head unit with four speakers for $70, and the head unit has a 3.5mm RCA in right next to a USB port.

The OP is talking about a home receiver, not a car one.

Likewise, if upgrading to a better home audio receiver, many are WiFi compatible and will interface with one's home computer for this purpose. But I get the impression the OP was hoping to find a less expensive option.

16vCorey wrote: So I'm wondering if there is a product on the market that has a usb input and rca output, that can read mp3 and other music files off of a thumb drive. Basically I'd like to be able to plug my thumb drive into my receiver and play the music that's on it.

Yep. I bought one at Microcenter for $12.

It works oka.... It works. It's clunky, but it works.

scardeal wrote: There are also some newer, higher end receivers that have a usb port directly on them.

My $65 Phillips DVD player has one. Plays and rips MP3.

Knurled wrote:

scardeal wrote: There are also some newer, higher end receivers that have a usb port directly on them.

My $65 Phillips DVD player has one. Plays *and* rips MP3.

Yeah, that's probably going to be my cheapest option. My bluray player has a usb input that plays MP3s, so if I can find an RCA cable around the house that's long enough to reach the stereo I'm set. I actually forgot about that option until I started typing out the original post.