PCM Max USB Storage Capacity?

evanevery

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My TurboS should be arriving in a couple of days. I'm going a bit stir crazy getting ready for its arrival. I am curious if anyone has tried a 256GB or 512GB USB storage device (Thumb Drive) as a music storage device in the console?

I found the following tech data in the "Good to Know" app, but it only specifies a max "SD Card" size of 128GB. Since the PCM doesn't seem to have a dedicated SDCard slot, I'm not sure why this would be any different, than the max USB device size. BUT, It should be noted that it also identifies a SIM card size which is inaccessible to the end user - so maybe they are just using an SDCard internally for storage? Anyone, try a Thumb Drive larger than 128MB?


Porsche Taycan PCM Max USB Storage Capacity? PCM Tech Data



I just finished completely re-ripping my CD collection to Hi-Res audio (FLAC). With the Burmeister in my car, I want to feed it something of much higher audio quality than the lossy MP3's I had previously ripped (60GB). Most Smart Phones (inc the iPhone) are simply incapable of delivering Hi-Res Audio without an external DAC (and there is no facility in the car to hook up the analog audio output of an external DAC). Bluetooth is similarly cursed as it also incorporates lossy compression for audio transmission.

Anyway, I'm expecting the best way to get the most out of the Burmeister is to feed Hi-Res audio files (FLAC) directly to its internal DAC from a USB port. The 500+ albums in my ripped CD collection take up about 160GB of storage and I'ld rather not have to trim that back to 128GB if its not necessary.
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Maybe I'm reading in differently than you are, but it says "External USB drive" max 10.000 files and no size limit so I think you're good.
 
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evanevery

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Maybe I'm reading in differently than you are, but it says "External USB drive" max 10.000 files and no size limit so I think you're good.
I saw that. It could be an either/or limit... (Currently, my collection is around 7500 tracks/files)

IOW:

- First it has to be able to read the device (filesystem size)
- Then it has to be able to index the contents for display on the console (number of tracks)
 

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I haven’t even seen the slot for that???
They are inside the front arm rest compartment. Two USB-C plugs, I already bought USB-C to USB-A adapters. $10 on Amazon. BTW
 


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evanevery

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They are inside the front arm rest compartment. Two USB-C plugs, I already bought USB-C to USB-A adapters. $10 on Amazon. BTW
Why buy a $10 adapter when you can get a tiny little 256GB Thumb Drive with BOTH a USB-A and a USB-C connector for less than $40: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYJL21Z (They also have a 128GB version for $22 if the 256GB turns out to be too big).

Plug it in to the car via USB-C and then remove it and plug it into your computer via USB-A when you want to manage the contents.
 

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Why buy a $10 adapter when you can get a tiny little 256GB Thumb Drive with BOTH a USB-A and a USB-C connector for less than $40: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYJL21Z (They also have a 128GB version for $22 if the 256GB turns out to be too big).

Plug it in to the car via USB-C and then remove it and plug it into your computer via USB-A when you want to manage the contents.
I agree that buying the small flash drive makes sense. I buy the adapters so that I can use any phone cables or charger cables etc. Also note that the plugs in the rear seat are also USB C so the adapters may be useful for rear passengers as well.

Here is info on it btw.
https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/threads/usb-c-only-adapters-or-cable.1508/post-22275
 

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I think the good to know info on the pcm is generic, I wouldn’t count on that data
 


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I think the good to know info on the pcm is generic, I wouldn’t count on that data
10-4... Just trying to get a jump on things as I wait for my delivery (this week)...

I also have some NVME enclosures that will let me hook up a 2TB (2000 GB) SSD as a USB storage device just for testing (I don't need that much space). I'll be sure to check all of this out (128, 256, 2000GB) as soon as I take delivery. I'll surely report back on this thread about what I find. I was just wondering if anyone had actually tried anything larger than 128 GB...

I'll bet that the 10000 file limit is a real one though as the PCM would have to allocate internal memory to store/index the track names...
 
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evanevery

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I haven’t even seen the slot for that???
You mean the SDCard, right? (As listed in the specs). I don't think there is a dedicated slot for that (unless its for "factory storage").

Similarly, they list the specs for a SIM Card we cannot access either...

That is why I'm wondering if the SDCard capacity has anything to do with max USB storage capacity.
 

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Yeah SDCard is invisible in my car. I just searched everywhere. No idea if you can plug a jump drive into a converter and plug into usb c socket. Not something I want anyway. Looks like the OP needs it though.
 
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evanevery

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Yeah SDCard is invisible in my car. I just searched everywhere. No idea if you can plug a jump drive into a converter and plug into usb c socket. Not something I want anyway. Looks like the OP needs it though.
I ***AM*** the OP... ;)

...and, no, I don't need it. Its just the only place storage limits are mentioned in the tech document.

Plus, you can always use an SDCard to USB adapter like one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07416LQVM
 

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I ***AM*** the OP... ;)

...and, no, I don't need it. Its just the only place storage limits are mentioned in the tech document.

Plus, you can always use an SDCard to USB adapter like one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07416LQVM
That’s IF the USB C is capable of playing the files on the PCM. I can through Apple Music etc, but unsure you can directly via a stick.
 
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That’s IF the USB C is capable of playing the files on the PCM. I can through Apple Music etc, but unsure you can directly via a stick.
There is no doubt about this. You can play them directly off the stick. That is the reason they specifically identify supported filesystems, file formats, and max number of files. Most modern cars have been doing this for years. The "USB-C" doesn't "PLAY" them, it merely serves as a storage device so the PCM Audio System can read them and play them.

With Apple Music you will lose quality either through the limitations of iTunes (Apple Music) or the internal DAC on the iPhone itself. (Plus, you can never get your music back OUT of iTunes...)

https://www.whathifi.com/us/advice/how-to-play-hi-res-music-your-iphone-0

...and if you play via Bluetooth (any player/phone), then you will lose audio quality due to the audio compression algorithms built into Bluetooth.

AFAIK: The only way to get HiRes music into the PCM is via lossless audio files (i.e. FLAC) directly from a USB storage device.
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