USB

Hey Robo71-

Is the USB port located next to the aux ipod jack under the center console (factory installed), or is it in the glove box (dealer installed)? If it is dealer installed, it might not be properly connected...

Mini says that the aux input is easier to use, but the USB audio interface (SA 6ND, SA 6NE) supports the common compression formats MP3 (mp3), AAC (aac, m4a, m4b), WAV/PCM (wav) and WMA (wma, asf) as well as playlists in the M3U format.

The operation interface leaves a lot to be desired. I put a bunch of MP3 files on a USB memory stick I carry around, and plugged that into an 08 Mini at the dealership with the convenience package.

Lo and behold, a list of titles came up on the two-line display in the speedo!

(After a certain amount of button-pushing and gnashing of teeth. These people aren't going to win any awards for user interface design, at least the good awards.)

Turning up the OTHER knob (the unmarked one, you know, the volume knob) got music to play.

Mashing buttons on the Multi-Function-Steering-Wheel allowed me to change volume and go forward and back a track within the folder it had chosen to navigate.

Choosing ANOTHER folder to navigate was an exciting exploration, involving another round of seemingly random button pushing and knob twisting. SOMEHOW I got the thing to select another folder, and playing more music.

It looks like if you've got the USB connector, you can load up MP3 files on a cheap memory stick and play 'em. Good use of cheap memory sticks!
Hope this is helpful, good luck, and don't forget to rate my help!!! Your rating is my reward for doing this!

Thanks,
-WildBill