MP3 question

Does anyone make a standard CD/mp3 player or radio that can use a USB device as storage.. load it up, plug it in and tune on.... make sense?

Why do we need to keep collections of valuable CD's in the car, when we can have a USB device on the key ring with plenty of albums?

BTW: Yes, I've seen those FM boadcast units... most are a tangle of wires, use the cig, and go through the limiting FM band.

get a ipod.

Closest thing that I can think of is a carPC.

there is a car deck that can download music off your wifi network, not sure of the name. As well, Clarion makes a mp3 deck that has a built in harddrive that can store a few hours of music. Then again, instead of risking your cd's, you risk your deck being stolen.

Originally Posted by phillbert

there is a car deck that can download music off your wifi network, not sure of the name. As well, Clarion makes a mp3 deck that has a built in harddrive that can store a few hours of music. Then again, instead of risking your cd's, you risk your deck being stolen.

Ya. I've had my car broken in... 3 times, over a G worth gone... half of that was perscription eye glasses ($450+) guess the frames are what they wanted. And $300 for the door lock replacement...

The Ipod idea is about the same as what I have...a PDA, but then there's the task of hooking it up... a USB device seems like a natural.

Not the same, but alpine has a device add on for their head units that will let you control your Ipod like it is a CD changer hooked up to their head unit.

i think kenwood has a ipod controller built into many of their decks already.

JVC has a few decks with input jacks on the front.

So you can easily plug in an Mp3 device or an ipod or whatever.

Not sure on the model numbers, I have an SH-909 from a few years back and it has it, though I've never used it.

Originally Posted by Buffdaddy

JVC has a few decks with input jacks on the front.

So you can easily plug in an Mp3 device or an ipod or whatever.

Not sure on the model numbers, I have an SH-909 from a few years back and it has it, though I've never used it.

The additon of a jack is good, every unit should have had that ages ago when portable CD units were the rage. But now with USB key devices so ubiquitous and the ease of use, it's almost a crime that the industry is holding back...

I remember 10 years ago, everyone was talking about PC's on the go... dash mounted PC's for the automobile, it's not like there's small market.

This is pretty close..the unit has a removable HD that you hook up to your comp.

http://www.i4u.com/article2647.html

"Estone Digital Inc offers a interesting MP3 Car Stereo that can directly rip Audio CDs onto its Hard-drive, hence this MP3 Car Radio does need a PC.

The Estone Ripper can store 5,000 songs and also record directly from FM/AM radio. The Hard-drive is removable and has a USB connector to hook it up to a PC and transfer music files."

Company website: http://www.estone-tech.com/

VW has the phatbox. i think it's a 20 or 40 GB cassette type thing.

http://www.phatnoise.com/vw/

Sony and Panasonic (Memory stick and SD cards) decks already have this feature.

A memory key is still to bulky for the type of use you have in mind.