Traxdata mStation

Whilst browsing through the June 2001 edition of PC Advisor I came across something that brought a smile to my face on page 47. Its a car mp3 player. This is what they say.

"With the Traxdata mStation you can own the hippest in-car digital jukebox around. This device stores up to 3,000 music tracks and operates from a unit no larger than a CD autochanger. It can store songs from your favourite 200 CDs and play authorised downloads from the web. The mStation kit contains everything users will need to install the station in their car or on to a home PC, and will initially be available through Dixons. Car stereos will never be the same again."

There was no price with this and the unit looks pretty dull. The only threat I can see is that you can go into a shop and see it there. Anyway - take a look at www.traxdata.com if you're interested.


Steve.

(18GB Mk II - Blue then Green made my display more serene.)

...it's a neo35, with (ISTR) a 10GB disk.

As the neo35 doesn't actually fit into most people's dashboards, they bundle it with the remote display unit (you have to unplug the ribbon cable from the top of the main unit every time you want to take the main unit inside)

Hugo

This was also reviewed in 'Personal Computer World'.

Obviously doing the rounds.

The review was ok - 3/5 - pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

Did you all look at their page closely?
If you want to upgrade the firmware you can't even do that in the house it has to be done in the car!

I just saw one sitting in my local currys (electric shop for the rest of the planet who might not know) And it is huge It looks almost twice the length of the empeg. They are offering free installation of the unit into your car . They had only just bought the thing out so the staff had no idea what so ever about it.

I will go back later with the empeg and taunt them.

I think that this be good for empeg sorry Rio as it will increase the awareness that this type of unit exists alos seeing one makes me so glad i didn't buy one.

I saw it on TV in an episode of Wannahaves. They went all crazy about it, but the product really sucks, to my opinion. The mStation doesn't compare to the empeg, the empeg is far superiour. The mStation isn't a standalone player, it can only be used with an existing head unit.

I don't have much good to say about the mStation, so I might just stop here.

Has anyone mentioned the fact it uses 3.5 hard drives that don't like speed bumps

People, get serious!

Of course the empeg is better than the Mstation, but it also costs MORE than tripple the price! For that price one would expect a better product, no?

Consider the Mstation the 'poor mans car mp3 player', although it has features that the empeg doesn't have.

First of all : you can HIDE it. You can build it into your trunk and nobody will ever know it's installed in your car. Believe me, this is a good thing.
I DO NOT like the way the empeg has to be completely removed 'to be safe'. A removable front piece would have been nice. I also don't like the way the empeg doesn't support cd's and other stuff anymore (yes, by now it does support radio, I know), so I would like the keep my existing head unit (which was a $1000 head unit, so you can see where I'm coming from). I know you can install BOTH a head unit and the empeg, but this requires two din-sized spaces in the dash and this is not an option for me (practical problem, I know)

Yes, the Mstation uses 3.5 inch Hd's, but nobody's forcing you to use them. You can just as well put in 2.5 inch drives, no problem. (although there rarely has been a problem with 3.5 inch drives and "speed bumps" - these days, 3.5 inch drives are also very solid)

I do agree that the flashing method is somewhat weird, but it does work so who cares?

Now, don't think I'm the big Mstation advocate, it can see it's downsides too. But you must admit it might be a solution to people for whom the empeg just isn't practical. (like me, I would be afraid every time I'd have to leave my car behind in the city and actaully taking the empeg with me under my arm each time has such a late-eighties feel to it :), not to mention impractical)
Believe me, I'm the first person who would like to see Rio develop this 'autochanger emulator' (located on this page :http://geek.empeg.com/products/car_variants.html) further and sell it, but as long as this doesn't happen, the Mstation will serve me just fine.

Let's all live together in harmony! :)

You can build it into your trunk and nobody will ever know it's installed in your car. Believe me, this is a good thing.

I agree with you there. Stealth is an important factor in keeping your stereo installation secure.

I DO NOT like the way the empeg has to be completely removed 'to be safe'. A removable front piece would have been nice.

Removable front pieces are not safe. I had a removable-face CD player stolen.

___________
Tony Fabris

I don't like the fact you have to remove the empeg for it to be 100% secure but i love the fact it can removed and used almost anywhere

You can build it into your trunk and nobody will ever know it's installed in your car. Believe me, this is a good thing.
I agree with you there. Stealth is an important factor in keeping your stereo installation secure.


It sure is. I've got a setup worth about $4500+ in the trunk of my car, but all you can see of it are two speakers in the shelf underneath the rear window (what car doesn't have that nowadays?)
I can see the advantages of a self containing unit, the most important indeed being able to take it with you anywhere you want. But inside the house I've got a PC for that and for outside the house there's always those mp3 walkmans (archos 6000, neo jukebox, etc...). They can be fitted with a 30gig hd nowadays, and that should be enough...until the 40gig 2.5" hd's arrive.

I DO NOT like the way the empeg has to be completely removed 'to be safe'. A removable front piece would have been nice.
Removable front pieces are not safe. I had a removable-face CD player stolen.


I'm sorry to hear that. Even when the face plate was detached? Oh well, I guess nothing is safe, but you must admit it does create a barrier for the thief, and therefor he probably will walk past your car.

I know, for me the most ideal solution would be an empeg combined with my current HU but, as I've said before, this is not possible due to practical issues.
So then for me the next best thing is a trunk-mounted setup, connected to my HU. I would not want to get rid of my current HU because it's really a very good one with loads of ways to perfect the sound included (like an EQ and much, much more)

I've said it before and I'll say it again : if empeg would release that autochanger emulator, I would probably be all over it, mostly also because it would be an empeg product and as such provide a certain guarantee about the quality.
My second choice would be the Phatbox by Phatnoise, because it uses 2.5" hd's and should connect to my own HU. (but like things are standing now, this thing won't be released for another year). So my third option is an Mstation. Not the best player around, but for my needs the best option (come to think of it, there aren't many other options left anymore - this car mp3 market certainly isn't booming)

First of all : you can HIDE it. You can build it into your trunk and nobody will ever know it's installed in your car. Believe me, this is a good thing.
I DO NOT like the way the empeg has to be completely removed 'to be safe'. A removable front piece would have been nice

I, personally, have had an 800$ removable face plate CD player stolen from me. This has happened to a couple of my friends as well. In my opinion they offer little to no deterrant to a thief who can just pickup another face plate for 80-100$.

The fact that it is completely removable is a VERY big positive feature for me. I bought a tuffy center consol specifically for that purpose, because it is pick proof and pry proof. I'm not losing another $800+ head unit due to theft.

Just my 2 cents.. ;)

(O|||||O)

It's not you CAN hide the mStation it's you MUST hide it, since it will not fit in the dash.

I think of the empeg as a little computer... It actually is! So I don't like to leave it in the car even if it had an removable face plate. I really like to have it with me all the time to listen to it and 'hack' into it, that's fun. Roughly said, you can draw the line here: the empeg is an all-in solution with very 'hackable' features. The mStation is a MP3 storage container for your car or at home.

Edwin de Vaan
mk2 rev.7 Trillian # 080000263 6Gb blue/red