How to use Audio unit's Hard Disk Drive Media Storage?

[Rangerinator]

Hi all, my elderly dad has the 2021 Lariat with the top audio unit (501A equipment group) that has the "Hard Disk Drive Media Storage" and I'd like to put some music on it for him. Does anyone have a resource on how this internal storage works, since I don't have regular access to his truck and I want to research how to do it first? I've done a lot of googling but I can't find anything. I don't even see a reference to the Hard Disk Drive Media Storage in the online manuals. For the record I am NOT asking about how to use an external USB drive. Thanks!

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[Big Blue]

Hi all, my elderly dad has the 2021 Lariat with the top audio unit (501A equipment group) that has the "Hard Disk Drive Media Storage" and I'd like to put some music on it for him. Does anyone have a resource on how this internal storage works, since I don't have regular access to his truck and I want to research how to do it first? I've done a lot of googling but I can't find anything. I don't even see a reference to the Hard Disk Drive Media Storage in the online manuals. For the record I am NOT asking about how to use an external USB drive. Thanks!

This is the first I have heard of any Hard Disk media storage in any ranger.

 

[Rinn69]

 

[PltFX4]

Hi all, my elderly dad has the 2021 Lariat with the top audio unit (501A equipment group) that has the "Hard Disk Drive Media Storage" and I'd like to put some music on it for him. Does anyone have a resource on how this internal storage works, since I don't have regular access to his truck and I want to research how to do it first? I've done a lot of googling but I can't find anything. I don't even see a reference to the Hard Disk Drive Media Storage in the online manuals. For the record I am NOT asking about how to use an external USB drive. Thanks!

What document are you quoting from??? I've searched the 741 page service manual and find no reference to any part of that phrase in red above.

The B&O sound system does have "HD Radio" but as you may well know, that's Hi-Def Radio.

UPDATE: It appears that the Ford Explorer has a "Hard Disk Drive Media Storage" option in it's 501A equivalent option, but not the Ranger.

COMPARING THE 2022 FORD EXPLORER TIMBERLINE VS 2024 FORD RANGER RAPTOR

 

[mtbikernate]

wonder if this comes from an idiot sales guy?

I've been having to convince my dad that his Ranger does not have certain things he was apparently told it has. He thought he had ACC. He does not (best I can figure his aggro driving was activating the AEB system). Last week he said the sales guy told him he had a dual turbo. Nope.

 

[Grumpaw]

How bout an 8 way tailgate with a built in BBQ Grill , coffee maker and shoe horn...

 

[jflogerzi]

I believe you can play music from a flash drive. should do exactly what you want

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

How bout an 8 way tailgate with a built in BBQ Grill , coffee maker and shoe horn...

That stuff only comes with early production 2019s. ?

 

[Motorpsychology]

wonder if this comes from an idiot sales guy?

I've been having to convince my dad that his Ranger does not have certain things he was apparently told it has. He thought he had ACC. He does not (best I can figure his aggro driving was activating the AEB system). Last week he said the sales guy told him he had a dual turbo. Nope.

The sales guy was loosely correct. It is a twin scroll design; two impellers in the same turbocharger. one supplies boost from idle to low rpm and the bigger one supplies the most boost. This keeps the cylinders boosted at all times for minimal lag in power, like a supercharger, but is more compact and is not mechanically driven.
So "Twin Scroll" probably precipitated to "Twin Turbo" in sales guy's mind.

 

[Racket]

How bout an 8 way tailgate with a built in BBQ Grill , coffee maker and shoe horn...

You know, I was talking to my neighbor while he had the tailgate down on his F-150 and it had a pull out step and grab bar built in. I remarked how handy that was with the high Ford bed and he said yeah he rarely used it. He did have stock bed lights though.

 

[DonovanJM]

wonder if this comes from an idiot sales guy?

I've been having to convince my dad that his Ranger does not have certain things he was apparently told it has. He thought he had ACC. He does not (best I can figure his aggro driving was activating the AEB system). Last week he said the sales guy told him he had a dual turbo. Nope.

If he has the 501A package he should have ACC.

 

[jmelair]

The B&O sound system does have "HD Radio" but as you may well know, that's Hi-Def Radio.

Fun fact! The "HD" in HD Radio does not stand for hi- definition, it stands for "hybrid digital", which is roughly how they can get 3 or so different signals from one frequency

Learned that from my Radio Shack days working with an engineer who specialized in that stuff

 

[Sojourner]

FWIW, my 2012 F-150 FX4 had the HDD storage. You'd put a CD in to the CD player and there would be an option to rip it to the 200MB (I think) HDD. Came in very handy.

But with the ability to use the USB port with, for example, a SanDisk Ultra Fit mini flash drive with MP3 files on them (the 2012 could do this too, but reliably worked only with drives of 64GB or lower; my Ranger easily handles 256GB) I can't think of any reason a newer vehicle would have an HDD.

 

[Jason B]

wonder if this comes from an idiot sales guy?

I've been having to convince my dad that his Ranger does not have certain things he was apparently told it has. He thought he had ACC. He does not (best I can figure his aggro driving was activating the AEB system). Last week he said the sales guy told him he had a dual turbo. Nope.

Depends on what package he has.
Not all Rangers have auto cruise control, but all Rangers have Pre-collision detection with auto emergency braking.

 

[Tom_C]

That stuff only comes with early production 2019s. ?

Yeah, bummer is was part of the stuff deleted to save money

FWIW, my 2012 F-150 FX4 had the HDD storage. You'd put a CD in to the CD player and there would be an option to rip it to the 200MB (I think) HDD. Came in very handy.

But with the ability to use the USB port with, for example, a SanDisk Ultra Fit mini flash drive with MP3 files on them (the 2012 could do this too, but reliably worked only with drives of 64GB or lower; my Ranger easily handles 256GB) I can't think of any reason a newer vehicle would have an HDD.

FWIW, I have used a thumb drive for music, and it would occasionally get corrupted and I'd have to reformat. Finally, the last time, it got bricked and I can't reformat. Now I've gone back to use my old ipod touch to play music.

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