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Aiwa car CD-MP3 player

conraduno writes "Looks like Aiwa is releasing a car stereo MP3 player which loads tracks from a CD. Called the CDC-MP3, it plays CD's, CD-R's, and CD-RW's. Now all I need is a burner. " Here's a few more details from mp3.com.

26 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Re:CD format? by Wah · · Score: 2

    I haven't looked at these sites too closely, but how many of them will play any music from any CD that happens to have mp3

    Dude, the guy linked them. It's a frickin' click away. He wasn't paid for that post (although he should get kickbacks.:)
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  2. Format by HerrNewton · · Score: 2

    AIWA's site is short on specs---anyone fathom a guess as to what format the CDs need to be in? Guessing it'll do ISO9660, but UDF would be cool. HFS+ very unlikely so, please everyone, damn me for burning 40+ CDRs of MP3s in HFS+ format. Damn me.

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    Am I the only one who thinks Microsoft is a misnomer? Perhaps Macrosoft would be a better fit?
  3. Re:check this out... by drix · · Score: 2

    This product is total vapor AFAICT. They announced it in October of last year. It has been shipping "next week" since January. Personally, I'm pissed because they proudly display about 5 sites that are more than happy to take your money on preorder, yet they seem to feel no obligation to actually ship a fscking product. I'm also pissed because I get to go out now and buy an overpriced solid state MP3 player with a tenth the capacity, a greater price, and a slower means to transfer music... grr.

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    I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
  4. Re:Portable MP3 Disc Player Exists by drix · · Score: 2

    I'd really like to hear more about this. I've been waiting for that goddamn MamboX since last year. $117 seems cheap. Is it poorly made? Durable? Can you post a lot more info on this? I think a lot of people are interested...

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    I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
  5. Re:DVD? by ryanr · · Score: 2

    www.dirtcheapdrives.com has a creatve DVD RAM that claims to do 5.2 GB for $279. (Sorry, you'll have to click through their site... they do their links via Javascript, and I'm not in the mood to reverse-engineer their site.)

    I've never used one... I'm going by the specs on paper.

    I agree they're not nearly as ubiquitous. But, I believe most of not all DVD players will read all the CD formats.

  6. MP3 Car players by BlueCalx- · · Score: 2

    Bah. Just get a car MP3 player for less money. Linux-based ones cost less than $400 in hardware, counting an old monitor. Just slap a 486 or low-end Pentium together.

    MP3Car.com has some great examples and resources. One of my friends has built a mp3 car for $0 in expenses. It runs DOS 6.22 and I've seen it - it's damn leet ;)

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  7. Re:check this out... by Daffy+Duck · · Score: 2
    Yeah, in January the pre-order sites were saying it would ship in February. In February they said it'd ship in March. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

    It's encouraging that there are people trusting enough to give their cash now in exchange for a vague promise of future delivery of a product that no one's ever actually used or even seen yet.

  8. Re:I want one that worksin place of a CD changer! by Booker · · Score: 2

    I was going to write to kenwood and see if I could get the specs for the control... that would definately be sweet...

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  9. Think yourself lucky... by NeoMage · · Score: 4
    "Now all I need is a burner. "

    All I need is a car!! *G*

  10. check this out... by DrEldarion · · Score: 3

    This is basically the same thing, only instead of in-dash, it's like a portable cd-player. Definitely cool.

    oh, yeah, and it's only $200 too.

    -- Dr. Eldarion --
    It's not what it is, it's something else.

    1. Re:check this out... by DrEldarion · · Score: 2

      If I'm not mistaken, one of the sites that you can preorder from (the only one I looked at..) says that it's due out in May 2000... so it should be any day now.

      -- Dr. Eldarion --
      It's not what it is, it's something else.

  11. is there a handheld one too? by nlaporte · · Score: 2

    I don't have a car, so an in-car one wouldn't be real useful. Now, if they could make one the size of a discman that you could carry in your pocket, now that would be cool (I remember an Ask Slashdot about minidiscs w/ mp3s, but not cd-rws). Any reports?

  12. kenwood has one too by Jae · · Score: 2

    according to the latest crutchfield catalog, kenwood has released one as well.

    Kenwood Z919

    although, it's about $350 more then the aiwa(299.95) and 649.95 for the kenwood (probably cheaper at places other then crutchfield)

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  13. phat by small_dick · · Score: 2

    i never pay more than $200 or so for a car stereo, so as soon as a mp3 player hits that sweet spot i'm off to frys.

    the CAJUN thing is cool, but it's too big for my vehicle.

    mp3's are great, on some classical music i can really hear the difference (soft strings) otherwise i have reduced my entire collection of about 150 cd's onto about 12 cd's (not done yet).

    i have put a hold on all new cd purchases until i see how the whole 'tallica/riaa/mp3 shit turns out.

    mostly, i borrow all the cd's i can from my friends and reduce them to mp3 format, then give them a huge cd of mp3's.

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    Treatment, not tyranny. End the drug war and free our American POWs.
    See my user info for links.
  14. But ... does it _need_ a cd changer? by Troed · · Score: 2
    Look at the pictures .. the two topmost cd receivers have no slot for loading the CDs - and this includes the mp3 playing one.

    Does that mean you need the 6 or 10 cd changer too to be able to use it?

    (And where do you order this via the web? Shipping to Sweden also of course :)

  15. We need trunk mounted models by wowbagger · · Score: 2
    The problem I have with all the MP3 players for cars is that they all need to be installed in the cab, rather than the trunk. Anyone with a new model car knows that rasafrasin' car manufacturers are making cars so that it is neigh impossible to install any aftermarket gear in the dash. I have a trunk-mounted CD changer with a control head in the car, and I had to buy the Standard amateur radio since it has all the controls in the mike rather than a control head in the car (I drive a Mercury Grand Marque).


    What I want is for Ford|Chrystler|GM|etc to make a OEM trunk mounted MP3 player. If Ford offered an OEM MP3 player for the Crown Vic|Grand Mark|Continental, I'd be on the phone to my dealer within seconds....

  16. Where can you order this?? by SexyJesus · · Score: 2

    I came across the CDC-mp3 a few days ago, but could not find a retailer selling it (and believe me, I looked long and hard)?

    Does anyone know a retailer that has it, or when it might be distributed widely?

  17. I want one that worksin place of a CD changer! by Stephen+VanDahm · · Score: 3

    That thing is pretty cool, but I think that aftermarket CD players are ugly, and that one definitely won't match the interior of my car. I want a large-capacity MP3 player that sits in my trunk and is controlled by the CD changer controls built into my factory stereo. That's what I'd pay money for.

    Take care,

    Steve


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    Stephen C. VanDahm

  18. DVD? by ryanr · · Score: 2

    Why not straight to DVD? This application doesn't need a fast DVD player. I'm guessing the DVD mechanism wouldn't be much more than CD.

    Or at least make it an option, I suppose. There are lots more CD burners than DVD writers out there.. but for this, I could be pursuaded.

  19. CD format? by jesser · · Score: 2
    I haven't looked at these sites too closely, but how many of them will play any music from any CD that happens to have mp3 files scattered around it (instead of requiring a special file or distribution of music files)? How many play normal audio CDs in addition to mp3 CDs?

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  20. Portable MP3 Disc Player Exists by Breakdown · · Score: 3

    I'm surprised that this hasn't been posted to /. yet but an actual CD/Mp3 player already exists: http://www.easybuy2000.com/store/products/mp3/mp3_ discman.html . In stock and everything. I've had mine for about a week now. The total cost was $117 US. Sure, there are some shortcomings to it (e.g. Directory skipping, ID3 tag reading) but the thing is just over 100 bucks. It's definitely worth the dollars I paid for it.

  21. Mmmmmm...maybe by Skip666Kent · · Score: 2

    And have it melt-down in the summer? Nah. The CD-mp3 player is the best and cheapest way to go by far. If you're talking on-board navigation and all that, then your 486 'slap together' idea is more-or-less valid but still more of a pain than it's worth. A wave of these players is just over the horizon. Very soon you'll be able to buy a cheapo discman-mp3 at KMart for $49.

    The on-board computer idea is truly 'leet' beyond all comprehension, 'specially with speech-activation and/or a nice 'gameboy' type hand-held interface. Actually, I think a ppilot makes an excellent interface. It's already got IR built in.

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  22. They're just not there yet. by Seth+Golub · · Score: 2

    But why would you want to carry around a few dozen CDs? If you want it stuck to your car, get an empeg. If you want a portable, the Nomad Jukebox is probably the best thing out there. Too bad it doesn't support Linux.

    With the general lack of Linux USB support, it's still looking like I'll have to build my own player if I want something decent.

  23. Do any *actual* MP3CD systems *exist*? by gardenhose · · Score: 2

    Does anyone here have *in their possesion* (not on order, or their friend etc etc) an MP3 capable portable CD player?

    I've read more press releases than I care to talk about concerning a product like this, but I have as of yet not seen one for sale. This MamboX thing looks nice, but alas is not shipping.

    If you actually have one, where did you get it? How much did it cost?

  24. Here's what will rocket MP3 to ubiquity by Bilestoad · · Score: 3
    Here's what I want. Here's what the world wants.

    Built-in CD player, slot loading, not a changer.
    (plays audio CDs & MP-3 encoded CDs:
    Added bonus if the CD can act as a CD-ROM reader and provide data for a map display if I have one. But it's strictly a bonus.)

    Built-in hard disk storage. Plain old cheap and huge 3.5" would be nice, but 2.5" is more realistic. It should be easily swappable by the end user.

    FM tuner. This is one feature I would give up without complaining too much, but it's so cheap to add, why not? One day there might be a decent radio station without too much advertising in the bay area.

    Line outputs for connection to an existing head unit.

    4-speaker + sub outputs for simple replacement of an existing unit without a separate amp.

    slot-in secure design, grab it by the handle and take it with you when you leave the car. The cradle (permanently installed) must be DIN standard size. Plastic shell to protect the unit when carried.

    Headphone socket on the front - so when I have it on my desk at work I can listen to my tunes without the music being interrupted when Windows crashes again.

    Spare desktop cradle providing PC connnectivity. Better still, 100baseT connection on the unit itself!

    Expanding the above idea, include a web-based interface to the unit for management of on-hard-disk MP3s. Throw in a telnet client for good measure, and FTP too. Napster client? Maybe. I bet they would contribute to development too.

    Tasteful faceplate. I don't want the inside of my car to look like a disco for pimps. Discrete Tux logo OK.

    Make steering wheel control possible through a rear connector interface.

    PIN protection. User has the option to set a requirement for re-entry of the PIN every 30 days or so. Screw those thieves.

    Remote Control What the hell for? Not much use to me, but I suppose if you drive a behemoth it would be good. Do you really want to give the back-seat passengers control over the tunes?

    Price point? $200.
    OK, this last point is a joke. I would expect to pay around $1000 for this unit. But I would.

    As usual, I want everything. Empeg Car is almost perfect, but a couple of features are missing.

    I don't like wondering where one of my CDs is when I take it out of the case and put it in the car. I lost Swordfishtrombones for a few months once and it really pissed me off. Point me to a device like I've described above, and I'll buy it right now.

    Better still, give me venture capital and I'll build you a prototype inside of three months.