#230601 - 13/08/2004 13:18
No Empeg Media Players
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addict
Registered: 11/01/2001
Posts: 579
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got a wild hair up my butt and desides to see what else is out there in the market of Car Mp3 Hard drive players.
so I pose this question to you all.
If there were NO Empeg players in the world but you wanted to play Mp3s with a car mounted device what would you use (please include links if you can)
I have already ruled out karma, Ipod and a ton of other "portable" mp3 players. looking for something that could even dream of holding a candle to the empeg.
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#230602 - 13/08/2004 13:27
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: belezeebub]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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The only two devices designed for in-car use as far as I'm aware are the Dension one and the PhatBox. The PhatBox uses the factory stereo's head unit's CD changer controlling abilites to drive it, so is not able to display track information in most, if not all, cases. The Dension is a replacement head unit, and can display such information. Neither one's software seems to even come close to the empeg's, but the Dension seems to come much closer, if due only to the fact that it has a real user interface. That being said, there is something to be said for being able to just plug in the PhatBox and go, without having to rip apart your dash. All said, I'd go with the Dension, I think, but I'm glad I don't have to make that decision.
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Bitt Faulk
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#230603 - 13/08/2004 23:53
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: belezeebub]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 12/01/2002
Posts: 2009
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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I would still be using my custom built embedded PC running RH6.2. Almost identical to Hugo's original in design - I even used the same xaudio software he used.
It lived in the trunk, had a 2x40 LCD in a custom mount in the dash and ran through my Alpine headunit. The embedded PC board (586 P75+ I think) didn't have sound, so I cobbled up a PC104 to ISA interface and used an SB16.
However my homebrew 12-5V PSU could only just keep up with the current requirements of the PC board (something like 30W) and my 12-12V DC converter (so I could use a 3.5" HD) had some issues too.
Software was pretty good (all custom apart from the xaudio MP3 decoder), but I couldn't search like the empeg. I was able to easily select artists and albums though.
Still it worked great for about 3 years before I could afford an empeg in the firesale. Even the original 6.4G Quantum fireball lives on today in my firewall/mail/web server machine. It was later upgraded to a 30G Samsung in the car which later died after my player was decomissioned. The 3.5" drives did have some shock mounting though.
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Christian
#40104192 120Gb (no longer in my E36 M3, won't fit the E46 M3)
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#230604 - 14/08/2004 20:16
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: belezeebub]
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addict
Registered: 24/07/2002
Posts: 618
Loc: South London
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2004 alpine head unit, with the official alpine ipod interface, integrates the ipod directly into the HU. Something like the 9835R head unit.
Access to all the songs, playlists etc from the headunit, show's the ID3 tags too - and obviously supports AAC.
Adrian
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#230605 - 14/08/2004 21:10
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: sn00p]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3995
Loc: Manchester UK
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But that would require me to buy an Alpine head unit and a ponsy brick (sorry an ipod).
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Andy M
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#230606 - 15/08/2004 04:39
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: andym]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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There are worse head units out there than Alpines, but it also means having to have your iPod sitting outside the dash in some half-assed cradle.
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Bitt Faulk
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#230607 - 15/08/2004 07:44
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: wfaulk]
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addict
Registered: 24/07/2002
Posts: 618
Loc: South London
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Quote:
There are worse head units out there than Alpines, but it also means having to have your iPod sitting outside the dash in some half-assed cradle.
Or in the boot of the car, glovebox, under the seat, etc. The way alpine have done it, you can put it anywhere.
Plus any friends with an ipod can instantly have access to their music in the car, when you leave the car you can listen to your music on foot, you don't have to carry the empeg around either!
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#230608 - 15/08/2004 14:24
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: sn00p]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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The point is that you have to plug it in (I don't think there's anything as nice as an actual cradle -- I think you have to actually plug a cable into the iPod) and it's either going to sit proud of the dash or in an inconvenient location. (Note that al of the places you mentioned are "outside the dash" -- I was just trying to be succinct.)
The only thing that you gain from this type of setup is not having to copy your music to multiple devices and you still have to deal with the iPod's relative lack of features.
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Bitt Faulk
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#230609 - 15/08/2004 15:57
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: sn00p]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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I agree, putting the device anywhere is nice. Glove-box, armrest, etc. And having "one collection" to manage is nice. The only drawbacks are lack of a good UI for in-car use and small capacity (40gb compared to 160gb for an empeg).
Concerns over theft would be gone if you can take the thing with you, and doing so would be easier than a DIN sized unit like the empeg.
That being said, "UI" might be a short, two letter acronym, but I'd rather have an empeg as large as my truck with only 10gb so long as I got to keep its interface!
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Brad B.
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#230610 - 15/08/2004 16:02
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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If it could be connected via bluetooth or some such, I'd agree that that'd be nice, but you have to f'ing plug it in. And it isn't, AFAIK, a simple slide-it-into-the-slot type plugin, either. It's a two-handed grab-the-cable-and-orient-both-devices-properly-and-connect-the-fiddly-little-connector plugin.
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Bitt Faulk
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#230611 - 15/08/2004 16:12
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
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Assuming you're doing this while letting the car warm up doesn't seem like it's much of an issue. Even inserting the empeg requires two hands unless you want to nick your dash.
That said, losing the empeg's display and menus is the deal breaker (for me).
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Brad B.
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#230612 - 15/08/2004 16:13
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
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addict
Registered: 24/07/2002
Posts: 618
Loc: South London
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Quote:
I agree, putting the device anywhere is nice. Glove-box, armrest, etc. And having "one collection" to manage is nice. The only drawbacks are lack of a good UI for in-car use and small capacity (40gb compared to 160gb for an empeg).
Concerns over theft would be gone if you can take the thing with you, and doing so would be easier than a DIN sized unit like the empeg.
That being said, "UI" might be a short, two letter acronym, but I'd rather have an empeg as large as my truck with only 10gb so long as I got to keep its interface!
I can't really quote on the UI as the interface isn't available yet, but once the ipod is plugged in you don't have to touch it, it integrates into the HU and gives you access to your albums, tracks & playlists - as I have my music on the empeg ordered by Artist then album it's certainly not going to be any worse, infact I'd hazard a guess that for *my* use it'd be better (next/previous album etc - which is missing from the empeg), but I accept that for some of the users on here it'd be a backwards step.
I know a few people with ipods, so the ability to instantly have access to their music in the car would be very cool, it'd also be nice to have access to a CD player again for those journeys home from the shops!
Adrian
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#230613 - 15/08/2004 17:34
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: belezeebub]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3995
Loc: Manchester UK
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I'm surprise no-one has mentioned this considering it's only a couple of threads down. That is probably what I'd go for. I have no use for an ipod (and besides, I'd rather have a Karma anyway), I have a cheapo flash player and that suits me fine.
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Cheers,
Andy M
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#230614 - 15/08/2004 21:27
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Quote:
Even inserting the empeg requires two hands unless you want to nick your dash.
I apparently have better aim than you do.
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Bitt Faulk
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#230615 - 16/08/2004 06:24
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: wfaulk]
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addict
Registered: 24/07/2002
Posts: 618
Loc: South London
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Quote:
Quote:
Even inserting the empeg requires two hands unless you want to nick your dash.
I apparently have better aim than you do.
This is one of my problems too, I runined the dash in my old car by miss aiming, sharp metal edges and soft plastic mix far too well!
The other point about the alpine solution is that you don't have to remove the ipod everytime you leave the car, only the faceplate to the stereo, so there's actually "less" to plug back in than with the empeg.
Adrian
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#230616 - 19/08/2004 17:16
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: andym]
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old hand
Registered: 23/07/2003
Posts: 869
Loc: Colorado
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Quote:
I'm surprise no-one has mentioned this considering it's only a couple of threads down.
Waiting to hear back from Alpine as to whether or not the HDA-5460 supports Japanese, and if you can upgrade the drive to something bigger than 16GB. If it does, there's gonna be an Mk2a for sale.
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Dave
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#230617 - 19/08/2004 20:36
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: webroach]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 12/01/2002
Posts: 2009
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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Quote:
Quote:
I'm surprise no-one has mentioned this considering it's only a couple of threads down.
...if you can upgrade the drive to something bigger than 16GB. If it does, there's gonna be an Mk2a for sale.
Thing is that it uses special hard drives designed for automotive use. Laptop drives are tougher than normal 3.5" for laptop use, but these drives are another level tougher again over laptop drives. Currently they only come in 16GB as far as I am aware, otherwise I'm sure Alpine would offer larger models.
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Christian
#40104192 120Gb (no longer in my E36 M3, won't fit the E46 M3)
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#230618 - 20/08/2004 00:30
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: Shonky]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 3608
Loc: Minnetonka, MN
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Right but that doesn't mean the end use couldn't stick a bigger one in there. I am guessing the alpine unit is not as upgrade friendly as the empeg.
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Matt
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#230619 - 20/08/2004 00:33
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: msaeger]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 12/01/2002
Posts: 2009
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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But they might be different in size, different connector etc. I'm not sure about connector but I would be fairly certain the automotive drive would at least be physically bigger.
And then as you mention there are a number of other issues like formatting the drive etc.
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Christian
#40104192 120Gb (no longer in my E36 M3, won't fit the E46 M3)
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#230620 - 20/08/2004 09:52
Re: No Empeg Media Players
[Re: msaeger]
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old hand
Registered: 23/07/2003
Posts: 869
Loc: Colorado
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Quote:
Right but that doesn't mean the end use couldn't stick a bigger one in there. I am guessing the alpine unit is not as upgrade friendly as the empeg.
Agreed. But I'm starting to feel like 16GB of space and the ability to see the tags on more than half my music would be a decent tradeoff.
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Dave
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