I haven't seen a pot for volume since I played with adding an input to my challenge car's stereo (an 80's Honda). Real volume pot cassette player. Really solid unit, but it's been rebuilt professionally since new (in 2003). Everything now seems to be rotary encoders. Any knob is far better than just buttons, though.
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Feb. 14, 2011 7:36 p.m. Derick Freese Dork
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Feb. 14, 2011 7:53 p.m. internetautomart SuperDork
I want 2 knobs on my stereo! 1 for volume and 1 for tuning! as long as my radio receives FM signals I'm good. I have considered upgrading to HD radio, but haven't yet. I've still got radios lying around without cars.
I've got kids, I'd like to be able to find a new din or 1.5 din cd/cassette radio for the wife to use in the van. The one we have now (not installed) was hacked in by a chain store to the old van and I can't stand the thought of hacking up a dash for it. -
Feb. 14, 2011 8:07 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
I have an older Alpine in the Trooper with a rotary volume knob. Volume knobs are the shizznit. You can reach over and grab them without taking your attention off the road. Those damn touch screens require that the driver see EXACTLY where their finger is going.
It also has a infrared remote which I thought at first would be useless but actually is pretty cool. Just point it in the general direction of the HU, hit the big easy to feel buttons and you can fiddle with everything and never take your eyes off the road. Kudos to Alpine for an intelligent design!
The ex's Honda has a JVC with one of those little flat remotes, you can't do anything without looking at it.
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Feb. 14, 2011 8:46 p.m. Javelin SuperDork
I had the remote for the Alpine in my P71 as well, it was actually really useful. And yes, volume knobs are a must for when a good song comes on and you are driving and just want to crank it!
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Feb. 15, 2011 7:14 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork
My parents, 79 & 80 y/o, just bought a Corolla after the sunroof on their A6 leaked and filled the interior, drowning the computer. My Dad was giving me a tour, nice little appliance, he opens the center console and produces a cassette tape: "Now where the hell does this go?"
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Feb. 15, 2011 7:48 a.m. mistanfo SuperDork
Many of this year's JVC models will also stream Pandora through your phone. Need 3G signal though (same with the Alpine). Yes, I work at Crutchfield, and might touch your unit before it ships if you buy here.
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Feb. 15, 2011 8:01 a.m. Gearheadotaku Dork
My truck doesn't have a sound system of any sort. I just pass the miles talking to myself. Turns out I'm kinda boring...
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Feb. 15, 2011 9:52 a.m. HiTempguy Dork
and 1 for tuning!
This has shocked and awed me recently. There are actually some models of car decks that will NOT allow you to change the frequency manually. They only scan. What. The. CRAP?
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Feb. 15, 2011 8:12 p.m. Nitroracer SuperDork
I bought a fairly original 71' Malibu for a cheap project a few years back and it not only had the orginal 2-post AM radio but an FM converter hanging under the dash. My Dad got a kick out of that.
I found an original uncut dash for my 68' Fairlane, still trying to find a factory FM radio that will work and fit.
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Feb. 15, 2011 8:19 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork
oh wow.. have not seen one of those in a while
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Feb. 15, 2011 8:20 p.m. internetautomart SuperDork
HiTempguy wrote:
and 1 for tuning!
This has shocked and awed me recently. There are actually some models of car decks that will NOT allow you to change the frequency manually. They only scan. What. The. CRAP?
in order to do that you typically have to hold down the up or down button to switch to manual for that tuning session.
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Feb. 15, 2011 8:22 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
I remember the 'hang on' FM converters. I had one in my Falcon.
If you don't mind a diferent face style (LED), there's a place called Custom Autosound http://www.casmfg.com/ which makes updated radios that fit the original 'two knob' openings.
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Feb. 15, 2011 8:29 p.m. Hocrest Reader
In reply to Nitroracer:
You could find an old AM radio to fill the space and look cool. Then get a modern HU with a remote and mount it under the seat or further up under the dash.
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Feb. 15, 2011 9:18 p.m. HiTempguy Dork
internetautomart wrote:
in order to do that you typically have to hold down the up or down button to switch to manual for that tuning session.
Typically, but I am dead serious when I say they would not allow me to do it!
Also, isn't that kind of bass-ackwards? Why would you want to PRESS AND HOLD a button when you are trying to fine tune the channel? You'd think (as it was in the early 90's) scan would be activated by pressing and holding!
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Feb. 15, 2011 9:38 p.m. friedgreencorrado SuperDork
Tom Suddard wrote:
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Tom, you mean a real old-fashioned Citizens' Band radio? I thought all you young folks had moved on to FRS.
And as far as CD players go, all three of mine have a jack to connect the iPod. Weird thing, even though I've never used it, just today I was thinking about picking up a cable because most of my Punk collection (both bought & ripped from CD) is on the iPod. I was bored with every single one of the 8 CDs I have stashed in the car..would tweaking the controls to find what I want to hear in that colossal pile of mp3s be any less distracting than trying to change a CD by hand while on the move?
Yep, a good old fashioned CB. Eagle-eyed readers/ site lookers will have noticed the 2 foot firestik mounted through the E30's roof rack. Kids at school always see all the fancy electronics in the car and then say "WTB" when they see the CB mic, but I'd say it's almost more useful than a radar detector for highway driving.
Tom, I really hadn't thought about it..but I'll bet in the age of laser speed guns, you're right. It's more important to know where the cruisers are, since laser doesn't bounce around for a mile like radar can do.
Tom Suddard wrote: As far as the stereo thing goes, I haven't used my CD player in months. My next HU won't even have one built in.
I didn't realize until I read this thread that there were head units that would take a USB stick. I thought the iPod connections was the "new" thing. Live & learn..
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Feb. 15, 2011 9:43 p.m. friedgreencorrado SuperDork
HiTempguy wrote:
and 1 for tuning!
This has shocked and awed me recently. There are actually some models of car decks that will NOT allow you to change the frequency manually. They only scan. What. The. CRAP?
The JVC in my black Corrado is kinda backwards, IMO. If I tap it, it scans..but if I hold it down, it lets me go manual. I only discovered this when camped out at Road Atlanta at last year's Mitty, and was bored enough at 1am to try to find a radio station in the first place. It sure isn't something I'd like to do at 75mph on the highway. I think I'll keep the JVC though..at least it still has a knob for the volume.
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Feb. 15, 2011 9:47 p.m. Nitroracer SuperDork
Hocrest wrote:
In reply to Nitroracer:
You could find an old AM radio to fill the space and look cool. Then get a modern HU with a remote and mount it under the seat or further up under the dash.
I have the original dash in the car now and it has been hacked by the previous owner so I recycled some old stereo equipment into the car. My spare uncut dash will get a period correct unit some day and then I'll hide the modern sound equipment elsewhere in the car. By the time I get around to it AM may even be dead too.
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Feb. 16, 2011 4:16 a.m. Tom Suddard SonDork
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Tom, I really hadn't thought about it..but I'll bet in the age of laser speed guns, you're right. It's more important to know where the cruisers are, since laser doesn't bounce around for a mile like radar can do.
Well, a LIDAR jammer helps a lot, too...
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Feb. 16, 2011 4:39 a.m. grafmiata Dork
Tom Suddard wrote:
Do your parents know you're still awake???friedgreencorrado wrote:
Tom, I really hadn't thought about it..but I'll bet in the age of laser speed guns, you're right. It's more important to know where the cruisers are, since laser doesn't bounce around for a mile like radar can do.
Well, a LIDAR jammer helps a lot, too...
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Feb. 16, 2011 11:25 p.m. friedgreencorrado SuperDork
Tom Suddard wrote:
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Tom, I really hadn't thought about it..but I'll bet in the age of laser speed guns, you're right. It's more important to know where the cruisers are, since laser doesn't bounce around for a mile like radar can do.
Well, a LIDAR jammer helps a lot, too...
Holy cow, how did I miss that basic concept? Radar jammers are restricted, because radio frequencies are regulated. Laser jammers should still be legal, since light is unregulated! DOH! (insert Homer's forehead slap here)
Thanks for the clue, Tom.
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Feb. 17, 2011 1:00 a.m. GlennS Dork
DoctorBlade wrote:
Via Instapundit, this fellow at car connection seems to think the CD player is now history. I think Ford is being delusional in presuming that we're going to want to dump the CD player for something more expensive and complex. If I want complex, I can always research the Carputer.
i stopped dicking around with cds years ago when i got my Ipod..... the ipod is now history and is collecting dust because my android phone has 40gb of storage built in via one of those little sd card thingies so i can keep a pretty solid play list on my phone.
I really dont need the radio either as i can just stream whatever radio channel i want from anywhere on the planet over my 3g internet connection. In New York and missing your favorite channel from back home. Stream it. Dont like radio? Maybe a podcast. Autoline and Adam Carollas Car Cast are both fun. Bad 3g reception in your area? Move to a part of the country that doesn't suck <---- zing!
The phone is also my nav system and pocket laptop. Go ahead and pull that ugly nav system out of your dash and throw away your Tom Tom.
Really all i want in my car at this point is a touch screen my phone plugs into to make it easier to manage the phone while driving.
Don't waist your time with a mere carputer. Its already outdated.
Phoneputer is the current technology and the way of the future
