Can't seem to find a product that I think would be out there for marine use.

Looking for a head unit, or simply an MP3 player to plug into amp/stereo direct that has a MP3 unit on the boat wired in and a remote that allows someone to see a screen and organized playlist WITHOUT using a cell phone app. I'd rather have a $40 remote while I'm standing in the water or on the way to the beach and I don't want a remote with buttons where you can't find your playlist folders.

So, is a cell phone app the only way to do right now, or is there something out there I'm missing? I want something that, if I drop it in the water, step on it, etc. I can replace it and not lose anything that was on it because it was "just a remote".

I'd also be fine with something that plays USB in the boat and a remote I can see organized files.

For example, if you want to play a certain song at a certain given time, it's nice to be able to find it. All I see now are remotes you have to click one at a time through until you find it (2 hours later...LOL!)

If this had the ability to find playlists, etc., it would be perfect: But I'm struggling to find something that you control floating 20' behind your boat with a brewski and can actually select the playlist or song you want.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...m_campaign=pla

If not, anyone found anything that's close?

I've been out of car stereo now for a about 5 years but what you're requesting was really only found in double din and in dash flip out monitor systems. A single din radio never particularly had a good interface for searching through usb storage or an mp3 player.

I have however found inexpensive mp3 bluetooth players. If you get a bluetooth compatible headunit it will just play whatever you're playing on the bluetooth player and you can select and browse your songs easier on that.

Kenwood makes a stereo that is close to what you want. Its a single din, but the actual face is 1.5 din. You can add up to 3 Kenwood wired remotes to it and control the radio from multiple parts of the boat. The front screen folds down and you can plug an ipod into the radio itself. Also has option for USB and AUX. I have this in my boat and love it.

Fusion!! Fusion!! Fusion!!!. I am able to browse my ipod playlist from the transom of my boat (installed remote). The face flips down and ipod docks in the head unit. Has full ipod controls, plus Sirus/XM capable. Fairly inexpensve considering the function and quality. Sound is right up there with other high-end head units. I use all pre-amp so I can't speak for the on board amp..

Second for the fusion, I had the kenwood and like the Fusion MUCH better. It's still not exactly what you're looking for though if you want to be able to control it while floating away from the boat. About the only thing I can think of that would be close is WetSounds makes a Blue Tooth device that connects to aux in so you could pair your phone with that and hold onto phone in a waterproof case in the water to control playlists.

Good luck.

What model Fusion are you all taling about?

+1 for Fusion. Really happy with my IP700i that I just installed. Wired remote easily shows playlists of iPod, which is docked inside head unit. They also have a Bluetooth dongle that you can connect and them stream music right from your phone or whatever to the head unit. I know you said you didn't want an app, but they have that too...many options and from what I can see they all work very well! Check them onto for sure...

get a fusion also you can add a wireless access point to it. get the app for your iphone and a lifelock case the floats. you will be good to go.
they also just released blue tooth the system also.
Model is ms700i or if you want a dvd/cd player also get the av700 with a separate ipod dock that can now hold a IPHONE 5 too.

IP700i for me, right now I'm waiting for the interface cable then I should be able to control it from my Garmin as well.

My fusion is an older model but love it. I want to say it has the number 600 in the model number. Not exactly sure of the exact model. But mine has multi zone output which is really nice when rafting up to other boats. I use the other outputs to connect my head unit to the other boat stereos. I set the volume on the seperate zone, so even if I turn my radio up or down, the other boats will still have full control over their volumebecause each zone has it's own volume control.. Mine has the internal ipod dock with multiple wired remotes.