Can a cigarette lighter be used to plug in a USB drive for music?
3 Answers
A cigarette lighter cannot be used to plug in a USB drive for music. The reasons and functions of why a cigarette lighter cannot be used to plug in a USB drive for music are explained below: Reasons why a cigarette lighter cannot be used to plug in a USB drive for music: The USB port on a cigarette lighter is only a power supply interface or transformer, converting the 12V from the cigarette lighter to 5V for charging mobile phones. Therefore, the cigarette lighter does not have an MP3 playback chip and cannot play music from a USB drive. Function of a car cigarette lighter: The cigarette lighter is a component found in all cars, designed to provide a source of fire for smokers. A car cigarette lighter is an electronic device similar to a multi-socket power outlet for household use. It connects to the car's power supply through a plug and provides multiple cigarette lighter ports.
As someone who frequently goes on road trips, I was initially puzzled to find that I couldn't directly plug a USB drive into the cigarette lighter to play music. The cigarette lighter is essentially a power socket that outputs 12V to charge devices, while a USB drive requires a data interface to transfer music files. When my old car didn't have a USB port, I once tried inserting a USB drive into the cigarette lighter—there was no sound, and I almost fried the chip inside the drive. Actually, there are better ways to play music: if your audio system has a dedicated USB port, use that; if not, buy a cigarette lighter to USB adapter to power your phone, then connect your phone to the audio system via Bluetooth for playback. Remember, the cigarette lighter is only suitable for simple charging tools—don't try to use it as a data port, or you might end up spending money on repairs.
As a family car owner, I often play music for my kids in the car, but plugging a USB drive into the cigarette lighter simply doesn't work. The cigarette lighter only provides power, unlike a computer's USB port which can read data and play music files. Before a long trip once, I thought it would work, but after trying, the USB drive got burning hot with no sound from the music. Now I use the cigarette lighter to charge my phone, then connect the phone to the car's AUX port or Bluetooth speaker to play music. I suggest checking your car manual to see if the audio system supports USB. If not, you can buy a small adapter on Taobao for just a few dozen yuan—it's a hassle-free and safe solution. Misusing it this way could also damage your car's electrical system, which would be more trouble than it's worth.
