We've seen a much increased flow of new users over the past couple of weeks, which is great. Some people have come around to introduce themselves and others have been officially introduced by long-time members. :) Hehe.

I notice there are a lot of people online as anonymous. Hey guys, fill out the small membership page, it only takes a minute, even if you don't plan to post a great deal. The BBS is much nicer when you can save preferences - much moreso than most other message boards around (trust me, and take a look for yourselves). You'll also be helping to show a more accurate membership count on the board.

So go ahead, take the plunge and break out of your anonymity.

And welcome to everyone that has come online recently. The board is an invaluable source of current and archived information (you can lose yourself reading for ages:). Also, don't forget to check the FAQ at riocar.org. Lastly, the members here are just about the friendliest bunch of people around, so don't be afraid to post about anything.

Bruno

Even when I was lurking this BBS I signed up to keep better track of what I'd read and what I hadn't. It's worth it just for that reason alone.

Hey, I figured that to catch up with all these insane people who have 1000s of posts here, I would need credit for every single post I made.

This is, without a doubt, the most helpful and friendly group of users I have ever run across in a BBS. Lurking is ok, but the amount of help and the speed with which it arrives here is amazing.

As a new (and very happy) member, I encourage everyone to register.

Hello all, I am awaiting a 20GB unit to be shipped. I will be here alot to learn as much as I can from all of you. I can't wait to hook this up in my 2001 Maxima.

Glad to be a member.

Eddie

Hello all, I am awaiting a 20GB unit to be shipped. I will be here alot to learn as much as I can from all of you.

Welcome! Hope your player arrives in good shape. Make sure to skim the FAQ section of www.riocar.org while you wait for the player.

Yes thanks for the FAQ. It has been an assett

Thanks, I've done my best with it.

Hey, y'all. I'm feeling blue. Lucky you, to read my story of today's experience. (For those who remember, I drove my pimpmobile to the California owners meet oh-so-many months ago.)

Before holiday break, I finally had a chance to order a tuner. Please, wait for it -- yes, you, with your hand up, just settle back and let me finish the story. Why didn't I order one sooner? The litany of excuses is long, mainly consisting of "It should be ready in July" but wasn't, SonicBlue website being out of stock, my credit card being temporarily suspended, and a heavy late-year workload at the office.

So when I saw at 5:00am (Pacific time) on December 22 that SonicBlue would "not be shipping products from Saturday, December 22nd since our warehouse will be closing 5 P.M. PST Friday, December 21st and will begin shipping again January 3rd" I grudgingly abandoned my web access at work for the long break. (I've none at home)

Returning today, I discovered the *amazing* price drop, and hummed a merry little tune as I went about placing my order. Oh, those accursed three words, "Out of Stock." I had yet to see that shopping cart ever graced by any other phrase. "Hmmm," I thought to myself. "Self," I said, "that price drop is probably a bad sign. A very bad sign. I guess I'd better brave the BBS and see what's up."

You see, I don't come here very often. My fingers twitch every time I have to wait for that tiresome "Connecting..." message to be replaced with the b'board page I asked for. Yet even subscribing to the email digest is a wasted gesture; I really haven't the stamina to keep up with 200 posts a day, nor is there any useful system for panning the gold nuggets of useful bug reports, software enhancements, event announcements, and tips out of the onslaught of banter, irrelevant (to me) tech support, and gripe sessions. I really wish there was something between "General" and "Announcements" ... but I digress.

Wait, that's no digression, that IS my point. I'm writing this unhappy missive to share -- no, to vent -- my frustration at my failure to reap the gloriously promised benefits of being an Empeg family member. SonicBlue sports a black eye for providing a shopping experience comparable to an abandoned deli with a sign out front reading "Back at 1pm" at all hours. My second drive bay gathers dust beside its long-full 18GB brother, for Empeg offers nothing larger than a 20 (surely there are larger laptop drives nowadays), not to mention the not-mentioning by SonicBlue anywhere that such an upgrade is even possible. Or will such a thing even be possible for much longer?

I take comfort knowing that y'all are such a healthy, active community, and that if I ever find the Herculean motivation to absorb deeply the salty tidal wave of hobbydom, I'll likely find all I seek here. The funny thing is, I *am* a programmer by trade, I just haven't the inclination to touch-type the Linux kernel byte by byte into my home PC (I'm sure there's a circle of hell for that) just to hack on the Mark II. At least, not yet.

Meanwhile, add my voice to the small-but-earnest chorus of Tuner wanters. I'll just be weeping in the corner until the verdict is in.

- Sean

P.S. I'm curiously monikered for an Anonymous User, no? It was this element that prompted me to reply in this thread:

In reply to:

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The board is an invaluable source of current and archived information (you can lose yourself reading for ages:)

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If I get the empeg that I ordered (which doesn't look too likely) I will quit lurking.

Hey, welcome back, dragster girl. Hope you get your player. When did you order it?

There are reports starting to filter in from people who thought there was no hope left, but who got the player anyway. Perhaps yours will arrive soon?

I ordered it on the 26th. It finally came down to a price I could afford. I have wanted one for so long but just never had enough money. Maybe I will know today if it will ship or linger in shipment pending forever. I still visit the board, I just haven't bothered to login in quiet a while. If it comes you will see a lot more of me for sure.

I've been lurking ever since the Empeg was fisrt announced. I even had a couple of order numbers but never bought one as I could never justify the cost.
I was planning to wait for the Blaupunkt DAB/MP3 player which is out 1Q 2002 as I also wanted a DAB tuner for the car, even though the MP3 software on the Blaupunkt is an unknown quantity.

But when I saw the US price on the 23rd Dec I placed an order at the International Store even before I saw the UK price.
The good news is is that it was delivered today although I was out so I will get it tommorrow instead. Should be a good day tomorrow as I am also having a Cable Modem installed.

As soon as I have an amplifier and new speakers in my car which is 1998 Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo I will install it.

All I need now is a tuner so that I can listen to football (soccer for our US friends) matches in the car and I will be really happy.

Ray
20GB Mk2a + Dell Audio Receiver UK.