In car cd players - going, going, gone?

Henry Ford III

Could in-car CDs players soon become extinct? Yes, if Ford has its way.

Its chief designer of interiors, Michael Arbaugh, has reportedly claimed that the technology is outmoded and takes up too much centre console space that could be put to better use. He said losing the extra weight of the CD player could also ultimately mean getting more miles to the gallon.

Would you be glad to see the back of your CD player, or are you still proudly sporting an Eighties tape deck? Tell us what you think about your own car’s stereo system, and what you’d ideally like to see fitted to your console.

p.s. My current daily chariot has a not particularly expensive factory i.c.e. system which still includes bluetooth, voice control, usb and ipod connectivity, remote satelite controls, a good radio with DAB, and a 100% unused cd player. It's very good, and I'd happily lose the cd player tbh.

Henry Ford III

LIGHTNING wrote: »

The problem with that kinda stuff is that Ford will implement some fancy mp3 system that will have a ipod dock. So if you don't have an apple product your stuffed, all you get is some poxy jack input.

The current system has simple ports for external device (any mp3 player) and USB flash drive, which are standard fittings and are in the glovebox in my case.

Neat, simple, and univerally compatable I think.

phill106

LIGHTNING wrote: »

The problem with that kinda stuff is that Ford will implement some fancy mp3 system that will have a ipod dock. So if you don't have an apple product your stuffed, all you get is some poxy jack input.

Exactly if it was some kind of universal format would be great. I'd be happy with a usb and aux input.

Henry Ford III

phill106 wrote: »

Exactly if it was some kind of universal format would be great. I'd be happy with a usb and aux input.

Guess what's on offer now?

phill106

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Guess what's on offer now?

Model T ford with usb and aux? :P

langdang

USB stick accounts for 95% of the music listening I do in-car now.
Hate Aux in as an input

Kat1170

Henry Ford III wrote: »

He said losing the extra weight of the CD player could also ultimately mean getting more miles to the gallon.

Think this might be pushing it a bit far :rolleyes:

Henry Ford III

phill106 wrote: »

Model T ford with usb and aux? :P

Could be yours at a price.

Henry Ford III

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Not really that handy to be reaching into your glove-box to change a track if the interface doesn't support all products. Most of the current system are great if they are designed for a certain product (Apple) but apart from them it sucks.

If I remember correctly doesn't the Audi MMI system mimic the Ipod interface when its connected to a apple device but when you use a "normal" mp3 player its next to useless?

I can select tracks on the USB using the satellite remote controls, or even by voice control.

I don't connect an MP3 player though - there's no need.

JoeA3

I haven't used the car CD player in years. Actually I don't think I've bought more than 2 or 3 CD's in the last 10 years! My car has the iPod connection, bluetooth audio and also a built in HDD. I find the bluetooth audio the handiest of the lot though.

Fiona

I am old school have 6 cd changer in the boot

Victor Meldrew

Wife's Audi has a SD card reader and the track names and folder structure are all displayed perfectly. I rarely drive her car as it's a bit of a chick car, but i could swear that the quality from the SD card mp3 is a bit compressed and cr@p.

Previously I have found mp3 a bit rubbish when compared to CD.

DubCul

My radio takes SD and USB, never use CD.

I play SD on random choice as I prefer to listen to a mix of music, brilliant sound from it.

redlead

I can't believe how slow car manufacturers are at bringing in MP3s. I have a 2007 Passat with a CD player and no way of connecting MP3s. I mean in 2007, no one was using CDs. It's very annoying. It's not asking too much to have a slot for a usb key or an aux port.

Where To

I've a gramophone in the boot

Jimdagym

I only use cd's in the car

blastman

Hard drive in the car and an N class wireless connection so you can copy stuff quickly while the car is parked outside the house is the way to go, but I like my CD player (actually a DVD player). I can also load a blank DVD disc with MP3s and play them in the car, too.

I don't have any Apple products, so they can stick their iPod connectors.

iamthemanwork

Repairing car stereos and sound systems is my full time job. I need a few more years and then they can get rid of them.

antodeco

Victor Meldrew wrote: »

Wife's Audi has a SD card reader and the track names and folder structure are all displayed perfectly. I rarely drive her car as it's a bit of a chick car, but i could swear that the quality from the SD card mp3 is a bit compressed and cr@p.

Previously I have found mp3 a bit rubbish when compared to CD.

Could be because of poor sampling rate or crap SD card!

langdang

blastman wrote: »

Hard drive in the car and an N class wireless connection so you can copy stuff quickly while the car is parked outside the house is the way to go,

Solid state hard drive would be the job alright, sync with your hard drive or your music collection "in the cloud"

pcardin

redlead wrote: »

I can't believe how slow car manufacturers are at bringing in MP3s. I have a 2007 Passat with a CD player and no way of connecting MP3s. I mean in 2007, no one was using CDs. It's very annoying. It's not asking too much to have a slot for a usb key or an aux port.

Don't forget it's Volkswagen. Big money for nothing. :rolleyes:

MetzgerMeister

I have a 6-CD in dash changer in my car. I love CDs because when I get sick of a CD, I make up a new one every so often specifically for the car. When all 6 CD slots are taken up, I take them all out, dump them and start again

There is an option that wasn't ticked on my car for a HDD where you can put in a CD, copy the whole thing to the HDD and it's there until you delete it. I wouldn't mind having that but it costs big money even now and my car is 2007.

langdang

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Your opening a can of worms when you start adding wireless functions to car. Nissan recently were in the news when a piece of Malware was discovered that was able to infect the leaf (I think it was the leaf).

Plenty cars out there with wireless functions, practically all modern cars?


But I get what you're saying - there was another reported case of an integrated [I presume] tomtom [with GSM/3G I'm guessing] being used to remote access a Subaru. Poor engineering to allow "luxury" features access to the canbus or control modules without proper security.

mandrake04

My car takes CDs and rips them to internal memory (holds about 15 CDs worth) also has a USB port for iPod/iPhone but I use a 32GB USB stick with music arranged in folders which I can browse through the touch screen and steering wheel also bluetooth streaming from the iPhone without even taking it out of my pocket.

theteal

If device manufacturers would equip mp3 players/ipods with bluetooth (A2DP to be more specific), as nearly all phones have these days, then the cd player grave can gladly be filled in. I'm sure they use some media sharing/copyright excuse as to why this is not implemented.

My old head unit had cd/bluetooth/gps etc and all my music came from the radio or whichever phone i had at the time. The cd player was never used - in fact it turned out it was faulty when i was selling the car, little to my knowledge.

redlead

pcardin wrote: »

Don't forget it's Volkswagen. Big money for nothing. :rolleyes:

I would disagree with you there. It's an excellent car and was well worth the money. The lack of MP3 functionality as well as a slightly boomy engine at 130+ are my only complaints (the latter simply being a result of the car being slightly underpowered but I blame Irelands road tax system more for that).

SoapMcTavish

We have no stereo in car - we sing as a choir type unit as I drive.
We have no TV in house - we paint pictures of Coronation Street.
We have no computer - I snail-mailed this reply to Boards last friday.

mitchaul

SoapMc Tavish has found the retro way forward, although painting Coronation Street!! surely it has to be Breaking Bad!!

Jimdagym

SoapMcTavish wrote: »

We have no stereo in car - we sing as a choir type unit as I drive.
We have no TV in house - we paint pictures of Coronation Street.
We have no computer - I snail-mailed this reply to Boards last friday.

I really dont understand this post

seamus

As mentioned above, A2DP bluetooth is the way to go as it allows full control of the device from the steering wheel controls as well as voice control of the device, and visual display - caller ID, current song, etc. Which means no need to ever take it out of your pocket.

A USB slot would also be useful as it would allow for practically any device to be recharged.

I'm not really sure about the centre console space as SatNav is practically standard which takes up twice the room. Visually anyway. I suppose when you factor in the whole size of a head unit, a unit with GPS, Bluetooth and USB would only need to be 30mm thick.

sentient_6

Fiona wrote: »

I am old school have 6 cd changer in the boot

I've a tape deck in my 06!

Jimdagym

sentient_6 wrote: »

I've a tape deck in my 06!

Tapedeck and cd player in the dash!

TestTransmission

Ripped out the cd changer from the boot and got one of these headunits, CD's ,meh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3-PQV2fazw

Eric Cartman

I dont use the drive in my stereo for CD's , but for dvd's its still dead handy. I would love a DVD changer instead of it being in the dash though.

Voodoomelon

My CD changer, nav computer and headunit must weigh 7kg combined, mad how big these devices were a decade ago.

For all the technology out there now, I find it utterly inexcusable how far behind car manufacturers are in terms of in car media.
The biggest thing that annoys me is we're still using shítty FM for radio transmission in 2012. Laughable.

redlead

Voodoomelon wrote: »

.
The biggest thing that annoys me is we're still using shítty FM for radio transmission in 2012. Laughable.

That's not the fault of the car manufacturers in fairness. I remember back in about 2008 you could get all national as well as several Dublin stations on DAB which was apparently only a trial. RTE are the only ones who kept it up for some reason. It surely can't be that expensive, especially considering that they were all broadcasting on DAB anyway. Most people never even heard of DAB though so there is never going to be any pressure put on the stations to change.

Voodoomelon

Indeed, that was a general comment about transmission method, not the car manufacturers fault. DAB has been a massive flop, notably in the UK where a lot was invested in it and yet frig all new cars ship with DAB tuners.

Mr Simpson

TestTransmission wrote: »

Ripped out the cd changer from the boot and got one of these headunits, CD's ,meh

Seriously want!!!! Do you mind if I ask how much?

Jarren

Not bad price wise

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DSX-S100-Media-Station-Docking/dp/B0039BWIYI

bazz26

I've a factory fitted DVD player in my yoke for the sat nav disc but it doesn't have video playback, it can however browse folders for audio files on a disc but I also have both a USB and AUX port inside the front arm rest. I use a flash drive for all my music files and leave the Sat Nav DVD in the tray.

TestTransmission

mmcn90 wrote: »

Seriously want!!!! Do you mind if I ask how much?

Jarren wrote: »

Not bad price wise

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DSX-S100-Media-Station-Docking/dp/B0039BWIYI

Few quid cheaper than it was last year, deffo worth it.Halfords wanted 300 odd euro last year for it

Jarren

This year Halfords are only looking for 220 blips

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_808753_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

Voodoomelon

Can you get mini-headunits anywhere? Like half DIN size?

redlead

http://www.autodvdgps.com/vw-navigation-passat-navi-dvd-c-77_82.html

Does anyone have any experience of buying something like the above from the states. They look the business and come as a custom factory fit for whatever car you drive. They are seriously cheaper there too. You can chose western europe as your GPS region but I wonder is the DVD player multi region etc? I'd be very tempted.

Eric Cartman

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Can you get mini-headunits anywhere? Like half DIN size?

Veba do a half din dvd player.
Ive seen half din manual flip touch screens on ebay too. You coukd build a whole system with hideaway units and half one of the screens on the dash. Kenwood do their KOS-V1000 hideaway system

Jarren

redlead wrote: »

http://www.autodvdgps.com/vw-navigation-passat-navi-dvd-c-77_82.html

Does anyone have any experience of buying something like the above from the states. They look the business and come as a custom factory fit for whatever car you drive. They are seriously cheaper there too. You can chose western europe as your GPS region but I wonder is the DVD player multi region etc? I'd be very tempted.

You are aware that this is a Chinese website, right?

redlead

Jarren wrote: »

You are aware that this is a Chinese website, right?

No I wasn't. I just presumed it was American as prices were coming up in Dollars for me.

The same question applies though. Have you used it before?

Jarren

Nope, sorry

Personally I would prefer to buy from European based retailers just in case if something goes wrong with an item.

+ import duty http://www.dutycalculator.com/new-import-duty-and-tax-calculation/

Not worth a hassle IMHO.

Voodoomelon

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Veba do a half din dvd player.
Ive seen half din manual flip touch screens on ebay too. You coukd build a whole system with hideaway units and half one of the screens on the dash. Kenwood do their KOS-V1000 hideaway system

That's a cool system, but when I meant half DIN the other way round, like 10cm across, 6cm high kinda job.

TestTransmission

Jarren wrote: »

This year Halfords are only looking for 220 blips

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_808753_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

Only.. :pac:

How they sell them at the price is amazing.

C4Kid

Since I only have this:





I got one of these for €2 and it's a hell of a lot better then my FM transmitter ::D I kind of skipped the CD stage!