Playlist format via USB Port

I prefer to use a small USB drive in the USB port instead of running from my phone. I have a ton of MP3s....and a ton of Playlist in .m3u format. The 2023 Tundra doesn't recognize .m3u playlist....which is ridiculous!
Does anyone know the playlist file format (instead of .m3u) the Toyota Infortainment System is looking for/supports?

 

Step out of 2002 and get a blue tooth player that charges via USB and wing it in the console. Easier than changing your music file format

 

I get all that. I want the option of building a digital juke box with multiple playlist and leaving in the USB with having to bluetooth the phone. I'm thinking the Infotainment unit is Linux based....so I'm now exploring .pls and .xspf playlist formats. I'll see of the system "can see" these formats.

 

? So every time you search for song your fumbling through some small Bluetooth mp3 player?

No thanks, I'm like op, rather have it on USB being able to select the songs/folders through the head unit and steering wheel controls.

 

I'd say using a bluetooth player plugged into USB is 2002...I'm was way beyond that even back in 2002. I want to use the Infotainment Touch Screen. The problem is it caters to mass consumers... Airplay and Android Auto....which is fine for a lot of things. I'll use that for the features it does well when I need it. I want my massive library of music with scripted playlist at my fingertips via the touchscreen. Its that simple....but clearly isn't. The only thing hold me back is a supported playlist format. If I figure it out is by far the best way to go. Would be much easier to show than explain.

 

I mirror what Fxclm5 said... using the screen and steering controls to get to it quick and easy. Not cloud or connectivity issues....simple massive jukebox on the screen waiting to be played. It currently sees all my 1800+ mp3s in catagorized alphabetical folders. Can play by Artist, Genre, etc.....the only thing missing is my playlist files in .m3u format are not listed...therefore, not supported for some strange reason. .m3u is the #1 playlist format....how does a 2023 Infotainment system not know that!!!????

 

I already looked at the Multimedia Manual....nothing useful in it regarding supported playlist formats. My next step is to try and get in touch with Toyota Tech Support.....another thing I hate is everything directs you to a local dealer.....and I guarantee they'll have no idea since its all sales and maintenance...no tech.

 

When I messed with it, it only seemed to understand artists/folders/song names, if I recall, it's been a while since I played with it. Not sure how it got those, maybe from the song headers? BUT! the thing I did notice, is that when you're driving along, and using apple carplay/android auto - it doesn't know how to mute the music on the usb for directions - they don't work together, nor know about each other. So, I copied my music to my phone, and the .m3u playlists I've used for years there as well. I use samsung music app to play them on the phone via android auto. I can pick/choose playlists/next/prev from the onscreen pop up from the app via AA, or the buttons on the steering wheel.
I'll be curious what more you find out from Toyota tech.

 

That is correct...Artist/Folders/Songs. It gets this in what is called the file's meta data. If you use MP3Tag to edit .mp3 files...you can add sub data like year...album...cover art...genre....etc. Interestingly enough, the new system does see all that....its just the playlist files it can't see! This is clearly how beer was created a thousand years ago!!!!!!

 

I dont search for songs, I just hit play and enjoy

 

Same, I put together my playlists, based on the different types of music I want in that playlist - then I select playlist, and hit play with random mode set on.

 

Guess you guys never load new songs, never have other ppl in the car with you requesting stuff?

Lol, if you live life in random, just use xm or fm radio, wtf point of a massive random list if the streaming services are randomizing it for you, you do realize you can pick a specific fm or xm station that plays the style/genre it even specific artist your interested in. Seriously y'all living in 2002

 

May have found a work around. Since the Tundra interface didn’t seem to support .m3u (playlist) files, I’m trying another route. I use free Media Monkey software to catalog all my music. So I’m taking my playlists, selecting all the files, then changing the Genre in properties to the name of the playlist, using a period in front so they’ll default to the top of the list. The tundra interface does have a genre option so I’m thinking this will work. In theory, when I open the genre option in the truck, the playlist will be there because of the genre metadata. Only down side is you cant have the same song in more than one playlist (genre).

 

Can confirm this works, sort of. The "playlist" does show up in genres but its not perfect. Once you open it up it still has everything categorized by album title. So, if you want the playlist to play in a specific order this won't work for you. But, I like putting a playlist together and shuffling the songs randomly. To do this, you can just start playing one song, then tap the shuffle button twice (see photo). If you want to skip songs, you have to use the artist (not album)skip button on the touch screen. If you use the steering wheel skip, it will only shuffle/skip to another song in the same album you're already in.

Not perfect, but good enough for me. The only alternative I can come up with is buying a new head unit that recognizes .m3u files. This isn't that simple either; I've looked around and haven't been able to find any that can confirm they recognize that file type. I guess it's a pretty niche problem. Sucks, because I just switched over from a '15 GMC Sierra that it worked perfectly in.

 

I have PowerAmp on my phone and I can scroll thru playlists, artist, songs, and albums on my infotainment screen using Android Auto.
This is a 3rd Gen thread, looks like a 2nd Gen pic above.

 

Didn't realize this was 3rd Gen 2022+. What is PowerAmp? You can you scroll through playlists on a USB thumb drive connected to the truck from your phone?

 

PowerAmp is an Android Music player that works with Android Auto.
It won't work on Gen 2 other than using the app on your phone thru Bluetooth. I assume you already have some sort of player on your phone you could use if you wanted that.