2021 Ram won't play iPod

[tkennedy41]

I own a 2021 Ram and found that my iPod doesn't work like my 2011 Ram. I can use it as a bluetooth device and it plays but I can only select the next song or go back. I've look through various forums and it looks as if the new Rams will only do Carplay. I've had the truck for over almost two years and about two weeks ago I noticed the "Browse" button on the info center was lit. I selected it and suddenly my Ram was reading the iPod. All the songs, playlist and search functions were there. I was happy as hell. I went to the store, turned off the truck and the next time I drove it, no "Browse." A few days later, the 1st outing with the truck, the "Browse" was back. Next time I turned off the truck same thing, no browse and couldn't get it back. For the past two weeks, intermittently, the "Browse" comes on but when I kill the truck, it's gone. It pretty much only works once a day.

Anyone have any ideas. I don't want to buy an Apple phone just to have my music.

 

[Darksteel165]

What device is it?
Do they still make ipods?

 

[tkennedy41]

It's an iPod Touch version 6, and yes pretty old but has an awful lot of music and playlist that I don't want to have to duplicate.

 

[Darksteel165]

I remember when I sold my ipod touch g1 to Gamestop lol. I forgot those were a thing.

Honestly I am outright shocked you got an option to browse via BT connection.

Carplay only works for iPhones, it's actually an app\program on it.

I checked and although iOS12 does support Carplay, it only supports it on iphones.
iOS - CarPlay (very bottom)
Looks like iphones 5-14, kinda ironic as iphone 5 is out of support completely I though a few years ago.

My Android phone I can only go forward or back, I can't browse. I'm not sure if it's different for iphones (I don't use Android auto).

If you connect a storage device via USB you also can't browse, just play songs and turn shuffle on.

It sounds like you might have an Android phone?

You can sync itunes to the device, you can't use any songs you bought in iTunes that are copywrite protected though.
It has been YEARS since I used the software but this website lists a few

How to sync your iTunes music library on Android | NextPit

If you use iTunes and want to sync your music with Android? With simple onboard tools or a few apps, you can sync your music easily! Here's how.

www.nextpit.com

I like the way #2 looks on the list.

 

[tkennedy41]

The iPod is hooked up via the USB so it will charge. I leave the iPod in the truck, so when I get it it, the iPod is connected as a paired audio source. I have a Samsung phone so if I want to use it, I select "setup" and select "paired audio source." So, my iPod is connected as a "paired audio source" and the phone as a "paired phone." So here I am sitting in my truck, truck on Acc, the iPod is playing and lo and behold, the damn "Browse" button is working. It's the damndest thing! It basically only seems to work when time passes and the truck stays off for a while. It's driving me nuts!

By the way, my iPod is over 15 years old, but works and I have over a 1000 songs on it.

 

[WarMedic]

Renewing this thread.
I have a 2022 Ram Rebel, 12", HK sound, all the unconnect whistles and bells. Would like to opt for a better sub. S-XM is crap. Usb thumb devices are decent depending on the files and it makes a difference whether it's a mini-c or standard usb. I have the same files on two different thumbs and get much better quality from the c drive but your still left with little versatility of high mid and low. The HK may boast of being the top choice but it surely isn't close to the audiophile systems from back in the day when sound could be separated and tailored through crossover hertz level settings, separate sub, midbass, midrange, and high channels, phase and slope and finer tuned with dual 16 band eq's, sub level adjust the list goes on. Oh, and CDs played highest quality and still do IMHO. Well all of you still hanging onto your IPOD Classics.... don't throw them out just yet. Sent mine off for a larger battery and higher capacity drive to hold large lossless files and loaded the Rockbox OS. Plugged it into USB1 and it reads fine, takes a minute to load though. After quite a while of setting adjustments, its plug n play n blows everything else away. Rockbox has been around awhile and I've yet to see an OS with the tailor ability it has. So, the IPOD classics still thrive.

 

[Darksteel165]

Usb thumb devices are decent depending on the files and it makes a difference whether it's a mini-c or standard usb. I have the same files on two different thumbs and get much better quality from the c drive but your still left with little versatility of high mid and low.

Are you a bot or are you telling me you believe any of that crap?
There isn't even such thing as "mini-c". Also what you are describing is literally not how audio files work. They are digital files and regardless what it is saved on HDD, SSD, flash storage it can't change how any of it sounds. Are you telling me you found a flash drive from 1996 and fit a single song on it? Because that's the only way you could try to get it to sound differnet because it needs to be so compressed to fit and having 1.5Mbps transfer speed, which still gives you CD quality transfer speed which means even a USB 1 high-speed with 12Mbps would be overkill to play music off of it so a low end USB device from 1996 it would seem.

If you want a big storage media device buy an old Android phone that has an SD card slot and get Poweramp and run an aux cable, or if you are the 99% just use bluetooth and keep the phone plugged into usb in your center console stashed away if you really want.

 

[2022LonghornRam]

The iPod is hooked up via the USB so it will charge. I leave the iPod in the truck, so when I get it it, the iPod is connected as a paired audio source. I have a Samsung phone so if I want to use it, I select "setup" and select "paired audio source." So, my iPod is connected as a "paired audio source" and the phone as a "paired phone." So here I am sitting in my truck, truck on Acc, the iPod is playing and lo and behold, the damn "Browse" button is working. It's the damndest thing! It basically only seems to work when time passes and the truck stays off for a while. It's driving me nuts!

By the way, my iPod is over 15 years old, but works and I have over a 1000 songs on it.

I have tried to follow your process and get my ipod to connect and am having no luck. How do get the ipod to connect as a paired audio source? My screen simply says device is not supported.

 

[FLiPMaRC]

I have tried to follow your process and get my ipod to connect and am having no luck. How do get the ipod to connect as a paired audio source? My screen simply says device is not supported.

I believe you can use your iPod as a external HDD, the same way you would use a USB thumb drive. But I'm not sure since I haven't used an iPod since my 1st gen iPod.