External hard drive

[Bunuel]

I seek your help.

I've put my entire music collection on an external hard drive.

Is it possible to connect an external hard drive to Radio Swing in Skoda using Media Device Interface (MDI)?

[mannyo]

As long as you have MDI, and the appropriate USB lead for the MDI then you can indeed plug the drive in, however unless you have a self powered ( gets power from USB port) type drive then you will struggle to get 240V to power the drive inside your car.

If you dont have MDI then make sure that the swing supports the MDI before buying the MDI/lead.

[Bunuel]

I have ordered an Octavia with MDI.

I would like if possible connect the hard drive power but it requires that there is power in the USB.

[eccleshill]

I have ordered an Octavia with MDI.

I would like if possible connect the hard drive power but it requires that there is power in the USB.

I have an Octavia with MDI.

You have a data socket inside the passenger glovebox that also provides power for a USB device or to charge your ipod. You will need to fork out another £25 for a lead. I bought a used USB lead from Ebay for a little under £10 and run an 85Gb HDD on this.

If you use an HDD it must be formatted as FAT32. Windows will only format large drives (over 32Gb) as NT - the MDI does not recognise these so you will need to hunt around for a FAT32 formatting utility if you use windows and have a disk over 32Gb.

If I was to choose again then I definitely wouldn't bother with MDI. If your music collection exists only on an ipod then fair enough but if you are transferring from CD then you pay £155 for the MDI plus £10-25 for the lead and then £40 for the HDD!?! The same £200+ will buy a fair number of 32Gb SD cards for the slot in the Bolero and they work just as well as the HDD and don't fill your glovebox with cables that get pulled out every time SWMBO wants a sweetie!

[STSKODA]

As long as you have MDI, and the appropriate USB lead for the MDI then you can indeed plug the drive in, however unless you have a self powered ( gets power from USB port) type drive then you will struggle to get 240V to power the drive inside your car.

If you dont have MDI then make sure that the swing supports the MDI before buying the MDI/lead.

USB isn't powered at 240V !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

its powered at 5V

however some drive may require an operating current of 1000mA, in which case you may need a powered usb port

[Raglits]

I didn't think the swing supported MDI...

Edit: Sorry, i was thinking of the Stream...

Edited 20 December, 2010 by Raglits