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I'm trying to add an SSD so I can listen to audio books, but I'm having trouble

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EVer Hopeful

EVer Hopeful

Active Member
Jul 7, 2021
1,943
1,571
Texas
#1
I promise I looked for an answer, I even RTFMd, but I'm still having trouble setting something up so I can listen to audio books in the car

I bought an SSD - a Samsung T7 and formatted it in the car

Then I noticed it was exFAT, so I downloaded the free version of EaseUS Partition Manager and switched it to FAT32

Then I put the TeslaCam folder on the SSD

Then I made another folder and copied over a bunch of mp3 files (in another folder if that makes any difference)

But when I go to the Media Player
1654881882203.png
in the car It doesn't find the SSD regardless of which of the 5 USB-C ports I plug it in - I did try plugging it into my desktop and I was able to play the files there, so the SSD is ok

What am I missing?

Am I supposed to see "USB" in the Media Player or something similar? ... because I don't
 
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#4
Not sure where you get your books but I’ve used Audible for years. I sync books to my watch and listen to them when I run, walk or drive - works great and you’re good wherever you go. Just a thought, don’t need to restrict them to your car.
 
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#7
Well I've made some progress - thanks maybe to the link to that other thread

I made a F: drive and a G: drive on the SSD, added the TeslaCam folder on F: and put some mp3s on G: - some directly and some in subfolders

Then I got in the car and plugged the SSD into one of the front ports in the center console and the USB icon appeared in the Media Player!

But when I went to look, I saw only

$RECYCLE.BIN
System Volume Information
TeslaCam

So I figured this must be the F: drive, so I copied more (but different) mp3s onto that, went back to the car ... and there they were!

So far so good, but the next step was to try the SSD in the glove box where it may or may not have been usable as a dashcam (I didn't drive anywhere to check), but in any event, the USB icon was no longer visible in the Media Player

Then I figured - well I can always use the SSD in the center console and get another one for the camera, so I put it back in the center console and tried to shift into R but I got the message "Charge cable connected to vehicle - Disconnect charge cable to drive"

This can't really be this difficult ... can it?
 
#8
EVer Hopeful said:
Well I've made some progress - thanks maybe to the link to that other thread

I made a F: drive and a G: drive on the SSD, added the TeslaCam folder on F: and put some mp3s on G: - some directly and some in subfolders

Then I got in the car and plugged the SSD into one of the front ports in the center console and the USB icon appeared in the Media Player!

But when I went to look, I saw only

$RECYCLE.BIN
System Volume Information
TeslaCam

So I figured this must be the F: drive, so I copied more (but different) mp3s onto that, went back to the car ... and there they were!

So far so good, but the next step was to try the SSD in the glove box where it may or may not have been usable as a dashcam (I didn't drive anywhere to check), but in any event, the USB icon was no longer visible in the Media Player

Then I figured - well I can always use the SSD in the center console and get another one for the camera, so I put it back in the center console and tried to shift into R but I got the message "Charge cable connected to vehicle - Disconnect charge cable to drive"

This can't really be this difficult ... can it?
Click to expand...
Hi,
I have posted the way to partition SSD and naming requirements in another thread that you are following. It's been working flawlessly since.
 
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#9
EVer Hopeful said:
Well I've made some progress - thanks maybe to the link to that other thread

I made a F: drive and a G: drive on the SSD, added the TeslaCam folder on F: and put some mp3s on G: - some directly and some in subfolders

Then I got in the car and plugged the SSD into one of the front ports in the center console and the USB icon appeared in the Media Player!

But when I went to look, I saw only

$RECYCLE.BIN
System Volume Information
TeslaCam

So I figured this must be the F: drive, so I copied more (but different) mp3s onto that, went back to the car ... and there they were!

So far so good, but the next step was to try the SSD in the glove box where it may or may not have been usable as a dashcam (I didn't drive anywhere to check), but in any event, the USB icon was no longer visible in the Media Player

Then I figured - well I can always use the SSD in the center console and get another one for the camera, so I put it back in the center console and tried to shift into R but I got the message "Charge cable connected to vehicle - Disconnect charge cable to drive"

This can't really be this difficult ... can it?
Click to expand...
You're using the wrong port. The glovebox port is the one to use.
 
#12
That I haven't tried. I have the original USB stick that came with the car and that works for dashcam and sentry

Wait a sec, let me give it a try

Ok in the glovebox it'll record Dashcam footage - though I forgot to try Sentry - Doh!

However in the center console it will record Sentry but apparently not Dashcam
 
#14
EVer Hopeful said:
I promise I looked for an answer, I even RTFMd, but I'm still having trouble setting something up so I can listen to audio books in the car

I bought an SSD - a Samsung T7 and formatted it in the car

Then I noticed it was exFAT, so I downloaded the free version of EaseUS Partition Manager and switched it to FAT32

Then I put the TeslaCam folder on the SSD

Then I made another folder and copied over a bunch of mp3 files (in another folder if that makes any difference)

But when I go to the Media Player View attachment 815030 in the car It doesn't find the SSD regardless of which of the 5 USB-C ports I plug it in - I did try plugging it into my desktop and I was able to play the files there, so the SSD is ok

What am I missing?

Am I supposed to see "USB" in the Media Player or something similar? ... because I don't
Click to expand...
I'm using a 500 GB SSD drive in my 2022 MY. Starting sometime in 2021 the only USB port on the MY that works for USB drives in the one in the glove box and the console ports are only for powering/charging USB devices. Also, the USB drive needs to have at least 2 partitions that are formatted as exFAT not FAT32. For mp3 audio files you need to create a partition on the drive called TESLAMUSIC, and you can create subfolders within that partition. Format another partition called TESLADRIVE.and that's where you Tesla dashcam and sentry videos will be stored.
 
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#16
I don't know if this is your issue or not, but I've had good success in getting a Samsung T5 SSD to work in my 3 and Y for recording Sentry videos, but I couldn't get a T7 SSD to work in the Y (haven't tried it in the 3). As soon as I take out the T7 and plug in the T5, it works fine. There's something about the T7....
 
#17
RandyS said:
I don't know if this is your issue or not, but I've had good success in getting a Samsung T5 SSD to work in my 3 and Y for recording Sentry videos, but I couldn't get a T7 SSD to work in the Y (haven't tried it in the 3). As soon as I take out the T7 and plug in the T5, it works fine. There's something about the T7....
Click to expand...
I've been using a T7 without issue in my Model Y for about a year now
 
#18
EVer Hopeful said:
Then I noticed it was exFAT, so I downloaded the free version of EaseUS Partition Manager and switched it to FAT32
Click to expand...
exFAT is vastly superior to fat32. I only use exFAT for my 2021 Model Y. exFAT is not a great file system but it is much better than fat32 which is utter garbage. For the past 12 years or so I developed Linux operating systems that run from usb sticks. I begrudgingly support fat32 because some people need it but I strongly discourage its use because it's the leading cause of people losing their data.
EVer Hopeful said:
Then I put the TeslaCam folder on the SSD

Then I made another folder and copied over a bunch of mp3 files (in another folder if that makes any difference)
Click to expand...
IMO it's a mistake to try to put audio and TeslaCam on the same device. I keep TeslaCam in my glove box and use center console ports for my audio. If this is not an option for you then maybe you can get Tesla to make the repair under warranty.

Also, usb audio got really screwed up a month or so ago. It seems to be much better (work reliably) with version 2022.16.1.1. Now the "switch to usb" voice command is working again. Previously it was very flaky and I would sometimes have to unplug and replug the usb stick for it to be recognized. Tesla and/or Elon acknowledged there was a problem with mouting the usb devices. There is a thread about usb audio that covers this. I was looking for that thread to let people there know it's working better for me now with 2022.16.1.1.
 
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#19
Just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to everyone for their contributions

The eventual solution was to get the eAudioBooks from the library and play them through the Overdrive/Libby application on the phone with the Media Center set to Phone

The books even get automatically loaded to the phone, so what's not to like?
 
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#20
BitJam said:
exFAT is vastly superior to fat32. I only use exFAT for my 2021 Model Y. exFAT is not a great file system but it is much better than fat32 which is utter garbage. For the past 12 years or so I developed Linux operating systems that run from usb sticks. I begrudgingly support fat32 because some people need it but I strongly discourage its use because it's the leading cause of people losing their data.

IMO it's a mistake to try to put audio and TeslaCam on the same device. I keep TeslaCam in my glove box and use center console ports for my audio. If this is not an option for you then maybe you can get Tesla to make the repair under warranty.

Also, usb audio got really screwed up a month or so ago. It seems to be much better (work reliably) with version 2022.16.1.1. Now the "switch to usb" voice command is working again. Previously it was very flaky and I would sometimes have to unplug and replug the usb stick for it to be recognized. Tesla and/or Elon acknowledged there was a problem with mouting the usb devices. There is a thread about usb audio that covers this. I was looking for that thread to let people there know it's working better for me now with 2022.16.1.1.
Click to expand...
I doubt that tesla will "repair" the center console USB ports for newer MYs since tesla now only claims these are charging ports with the glovebox USB being the only data port.
 
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