Recentish audioshite @ 1.8 DIN?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The Scorpio (which amazingly was found to still be in one piece upon my return) has a big headunit that looks like 2 DIN but conveniently is 1.8. Since I don't really have any audio CDs (I ripped them all to mp3s ages ago) and Classic FM is about the only UK radio station to which I can listen for more than 2 consecutive minutes, I thought it'd be nice to get it swapped for something more modern. Can I find something similarly-sized that can read SD cards or at least USB sticks in a scrapyard or off the e-bay shelf, or do I have to buy a single-sized headunit and the plastic faec-ia adaptor? It doesn't look that good anyway, so I'm not that bothered either way, but fewer parts = fewer rattles and less to go wrong.

[Pete-M]

Why not just burn some of the MP3s to audio cds and play them in the car?

 

Doesn't anyone do an ipod lead or whatever for the -rather decent- standard stereo. Perhaps replace the cd changer feed with an ipod lead?

 

I liked the stereo in my Ultima, I fitted my faithful Nakamichi to it for a few days and then put the proper Ford one back in as the Ford unit matched the dash properly, worked with the remote control and the CD changer wasn't being wasted.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Why not just burn some of the MP3s to audio cds and play them in the car?

 

I would do that as a last resort, but I've got a ridiculous amount of music and, unlike most people, I like listening to a medley of genres as opposed to looking for something to suit my particular 'mood' or the time of day. My ideal solution is to fill a 4 or 8GB SD card up with tracks, then stick the player to 'random'.

 

Doesn't anyone do an ipod lead or whatever for the -rather decent- standard stereo. Perhaps replace the cd changer feed with an ipod lead?

 

That may be a solution, but I don't have an mp3 player anymore. My phone is capable of doing it with a 3.5mm aux in setup, but it seems to struggle to manage a playlist with more than a couple of hundred tracks, and the battery life is pretty poor anyway...

 

However, it seems like I could buy this...it is a little bit pricey, but should do nicely...

 

http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.php?p ... =19&page=1

[HBR]

I've had similar thoughts, I want DAB & FM radio along with ipod control/compatibility. I dont want to play CDs or tapes etc, all my music is on my ipod & like Luxo I often stick it on random, it's nothing like full but has something like 5 days or more worth of music.

There are such head units around but they all seem to have CD players which means it's much more expensive than it needs to be & though not out of reach at £170 for the cheapest end it's more than I can justify really for the benifit I'll get.

I've got a Pure Highway DAB which works not too bad but needs a better aerial (as would a DAB head unit) & the radio has an Aux in so I can get it all to work but it'd be far simpler & tidier if it was all meant to work as one.

 

There will be standard fit radios in modern cars at the breakers that can take SD cards or memory sticks I think but I could see a breaker asking as much or more than you could buy something from aftermarket for. And then you have the hassles of finding one, getting it to you/picking it up, making it work in your car, it's secondhand etc

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I am not sure about DAB, but I've seen headunits that just do SD/USB/aux-in without playing CDs- the problem here is that it's not standard-sized.

[HBR]

Yes I've seen them too, no CD but with ipod control but no DAB. I think there has to be a market for what I want with DAB beocming more popular & music being stored/played on ipods & other digital formats rather than CDs & they'll be around in the next year or two so I'll wait & make do with what I have till then.

 

I can see you having to buy or make an adaptor of some kind to fit a standard single DIN head unit, 1.8 DIN seems odd, is it just the height that's different & the width the same? It's never going to look quite as factory fitted as the original though if that bothers you (I dont care that much about such things!)

[Timewaster]

I found in car DAB to be nothing less than bloody useless.

Sony head unit, proper external aerial. Result? usually sounds like a 70's transistor radio in a bucket of water.

Inside the M25 it was really good, but the further into the countryside, the worse it gets.

[Pete-M]

The Camry I'll be selling shortly has a DAB radio - it's absolutely bloody useless. I really don't see what the fuss is about.

 

How often are you in the car long enough to listen to 8GB of music? 6cds is surely enough to last a good few days. CDs cost pennies, it takes a couple of minutes to burn a decent compilation and the Scorpio already has a CD changer. Even if you end up burning a new compilation every few days it's still cheaper, easier, and a lot less hassle than fitting an SD card jobbie.

[HBR]

Well I can only speak as I find, but the one I have with a stick on screen aerial works ok in open areas, not so good among a lot of hills. I intend to upgrade to a proper roof mount aerial but just not got round to it. But this is up in Cumbria, mabye we get a better signal because they're experimenting like they did with digital TV up here? It's nothing to do with sound quality though, as yet I dont think it's any better than FM, far more about the choice of stations.

[RoadworkUK]

My Pure Highway is the nads, I have to say. I can't be bothered with mp3, I've never downloaded one, I'm far too old school. Also, cos I spent any spare cash I had at uni on hi-fi rather than fags 'n booze, I have a rather decent listening setup at home so ultimate fidelity on the road isn't essential to me.

 

But, decent radio is essential, and in this corner of East Anglia there are only three commercial stations (Dream, Kiss and, even worse, Heart) to augment the BBC output. My Pure Highway, with the sticky aerial in the screen and bloody wires everywhere, massively increases the amount of choice I have. BBC6 FtW. One of those to go with your Model 7000 Ford stereo (which is pretty damn good, by the way) would be all I'd need.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

right, if everyone is saying the 7000 is THAT good, I will stick a couple of CDs in to see whether it really is, and then decide between keeping it stock or trying that xcarlink thingy out.