help - car stereo suggestions

jobless

i'm buying a new car soon and was just looking for suggestions for decnt car stereo.
I was thinking about buying an i pod and i trip so i could play mp3s etc on the stereo.....
Are there any better options than this?.....is there any stereos out there that you can actually store music on itself?

any suggestions welcome

Dades

I'm in the market myself...

There's a Sony unit that holds 1GB of music which you load using a USB cable.

Also there are some that can read music off flash memory cards (SD, or XD). These look like a great idea, only they seem to be hard to find and pricey.

Am off to have a look this weekend...

Gregor Samsa

I don't think many car stereos let you store music on them themselves - but you can get stereos with USB ports that allow you to plug in a USB memory stick (or some USB MP3 players - but not an iPod: it stores its music in hidden directories). Some examples:

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/229055/art/jvc/kd-g722-usb-cd-mp3-car-ra.html#

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/518925/art/sony/cdx-gt610-usb-cd-mp3-car.html

Then there are ones with AUX ports, that you can connect any MP3 player (or any device with a headphone socket to). The Sony model above has rear AUX input, but the one below has a front AUX input, which obviously makes it much easier to connect up.

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/410885/art/sony/cdx-gt210-cd-mp3-car-radi.html

A lot of modern car stereos will also play MP3 CDs.

Then there's the various iPod connection kits, made specifically to connect and control an Apple iPod. Some just hold, connect and charge the iPod, some have dash mounted screens and controls, and some integrate in with your stereo's display and steering wheel controls.

Personally, I use an iTrip radio transmitter with my iPod - tuning my radio in to FM 88.1, and it does the job very well - all you need is a working radio, so I can easily switch between my car and my girlfriends (which only has a radio cassette player), and it works with rental cars on holiday too.

copacetic

there is a link in bargains to the sony unit with 1GB of built in storage. think it was 169 in argos?

i have an itrip and ipod and the sound quality is poor imo.

JHMEG

I was selling this. Great unit, but hard to come by:
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=16425&cat=500

Rowley Birkin QC

Theres a bluetooth handsfree one in aldi at the moment €129, plays MP3 data cds and has mp3 player connectivity. Bought one there myself bout 2 months ago, mint job. Mic is built into head unit so no stupid leads trailing around the place

blastman

DVD players that play MP3s from DVD are a good option too, they've become reasonably cheap at this stage.

maidhc

bigkev49 wrote:

Theres a bluetooth handsfree one in aldi at the moment €129, plays MP3 data cds and has mp3 player connectivity. Bought one there myself bout 2 months ago, mint job. Mic is built into head unit so no stupid leads trailing around the place

Got something similar from lidl and took it back. Completely unusable with tiny buttons and lousy radio reception. The 12yr old OEM radio is back in!

I just use CDs in my own car. I used to use an MP3 player years ago, but I find it it is easier and safer to burn a few songs onto a CD. There is 80 mins of music there, which is more than most peoples commute.

I also like OEM radios. They tend to be more usuable, and have things like remote controls/dashboard displays which mean more to me that the ability to play a few songs.

jobless

phutyle wrote:

I don't think many car stereos let you store music on them themselves - but you can get stereos with USB ports that allow you to plug in a USB memory stick (or some USB MP3 players - but not an iPod: it stores its music in hidden directories). Some examples:

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/229055/art/jvc/kd-g722-usb-cd-mp3-car-ra.html#

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/518925/art/sony/cdx-gt610-usb-cd-mp3-car.html

Then there are ones with AUX ports, that you can connect any MP3 player (or any device with a headphone socket to). The Sony model above has rear AUX input, but the one below has a front AUX input, which obviously makes it much easier to connect up.

http://www.pixmania.com/ie/uk/410885/art/sony/cdx-gt210-cd-mp3-car-radi.html

A lot of modern car stereos will also play MP3 CDs.

Then there's the various iPod connection kits, made specifically to connect and control an Apple iPod. Some just hold, connect and charge the iPod, some have dash mounted screens and controls, and some integrate in with your stereo's display and steering wheel controls.

Personally, I use an iTrip radio transmitter with my iPod - tuning my radio in to FM 88.1, and it does the job very well - all you need is a working radio, so I can easily switch between my car and my girlfriends (which only has a radio cassette player), and it works with rental cars on holiday too.

cheers will have a look

jobless

daveym wrote:

there is a link in bargains to the sony unit with 1GB of built in storage. think it was 169 in argos?

i have an itrip and ipod and the sound quality is poor imo.

my mate said the sound wasnt too bad.... but it wouldnt be stereo quality for sure

copacetic

jobless wrote:

my mate said the sound wasnt too bad.... but it wouldnt be stereo quality for sure

yep, it's just about listenable, but not really a long term solution for me at least.

_Kaiser_

I had Pioneer units in the past (also bought from Pixmania as it happens) that supported mp3 cds and they were great.

(the mp3 support is actually the one thing I miss from the factory-fit one in my Passat now).

JohnCleary

How about this:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=17914&cat=500

Can't go wrong for €80

JHMEG

JohnCleary wrote:

How about this:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=17914&cat=500

Can't go wrong for €80

If you care about sound quality, you can go wrong for €80.

DJ Hafez

Very good sony one in halfords for 119.99 down from 179.99.. Can't remember the model but they are excellent things

eamon234

Most new ones have an audio input socket standard 3.5mm you can plug your ipod (or any mp3 player) straight into it - go for one that has this - sound quality on itrips are sh1te that way if you ever change from an ipod to something else you don't need to go changing your stereo.

jamieh

Hey,

I got an Alpine Cdi 9850-Ri installed last week.

Very impressed, has an ipod link which runs into your glovebox and connects to the port on the bottom of the ipod. You then control the ipod from the headunit.

It also has an inbuilt Mosfett amp which really improve the sound dramatically!!

Cost was €380 (plus an extra 100 bucks for the interface to connect to the steering wheel!)

Rowley Birkin QC

maidhc wrote:

Got something similar from lidl and took it back. Completely unusable with tiny buttons and lousy radio reception. The 12yr old OEM radio is back in!

Yeah a mate got the lidl one too and its a pile o $hite but the one I have is from ALDI, its the mutts nuts.
Automatically cuts off radio when call coming through and returns to previous volume after the call is ended. Comes with a remote too.

C.D.

jamieh wrote:

Hey,

I got an Alpine Cdi 9850-Ri installed last week.

Very impressed, has an ipod link which runs into your glovebox and connects to the port on the bottom of the ipod. You then control the ipod from the headunit.

It also has an inbuilt Mosfett amp which really improve the sound dramatically!!

Cost was €380 (plus an extra 100 bucks for the interface to connect to the steering wheel!)

I'm actually looking for a steering wheel remote adaptor for this stereo. Where abouts did you get it fitted? Also what brand is your car (just so I know if its ISO or not!) Have to say I'm well pleased with it at the moment. Thanks!

jamieh

Hey,

I got it installed in a local car audio shop in Dungarvan, Co.Waterford.

If you want I can ask him where would you go about getting one.

I have an Opel Astra Sporthatch...the new model.

Dades

With a unit that plays MP3 CDs, does it just play from a huge list of files on the CD, or can you burn the files on in a directory structure that you can then navigate through with the controls?

Might have a look at that Sony unit in Halfords tomorrow.

C.D.

Nah there is a folder structure just like on a PC.

Thanks for that, I'm in a Nissan so its really an ISO adaptor I need! Oh well, can't seem to track one down. Thanks anyway!

jobless

eamon234 wrote:

Most new ones have an audio input socket standard 3.5mm you can plug your ipod (or any mp3 player) straight into it - go for one that has this - sound quality on itrips are sh1te that way if you ever change from an ipod to something else you don't need to go changing your stereo.

is the audio inout socket normally on the front of the stereo or back?