The most exciting news to come out of Chrysler's unveiling of the 2007 Sebring sedan, besides the heating and cooling cupholders, was word that a 20GB hard drive would be available that could store both music and pictures.
TechnoRide got to look at the technology more closely in New York City and has a detailed explanation of what Chrysler's in-car entertainment center can do. Its features include an AM/FM radio, CD/DVD player, embedded Sirius satellite radio with real-time traffic info, the aforementioned MyGiG 20GB HD, a USB jack, line-in jack, two audio outputs, Bluetooth hands-free calling and a 6.5-inch touchscreen with voice control. While Chrysler hasn't revealed what it will cost, the fact it's being offered in a $25,000 sedan rather than an $80,000 luxury car is remarkable enough.
The 20GB HD itself hold all of the navigation software, which precludes the need for a dedicated DVD drive like most nav systems use. It also stores about a 1GB of system software (think operating system) and what's called a Gracenote lookup engine. Since you'll be able to rip CDs into the car's hard drive right on the spot, the Gracenote software is what will generate the artist, title and track information from a database of over 4 million CDs. Aside from ripping CDs directly, there's also a USB on the lower left side of the head unit that allows music and pictures to be transferred from a USB flash drive. There's room for around 1,600 songs to be uploaded depending on their file size.
TechnoRide notes that the MyGiG 20GB HD will also initially be offered in the Dodge Nitro and Jeep Wrangler, before being spread across the model lineup of each brand.
Is this the future of in-car entertainment from the factory? It's a major step forward and we're delighted we don't have to wait years for the technology to trickle down from six-figure luxury sedans before the rest of can use it.
[Source: TechnoRide]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
risingsun @ Jul 16th 2006 7:19PM
Wow, OEMs have finally taken the hints from the aftermarket. Now price it right and make the audio quality better than the standard OEM source unit and they have a winner. I'm still waiting for the day that a stock stereo has some RCA preouts.. this should be required if the stereo is integrated with the climate controls, ala Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy/Outback.
Tom W @ Jul 16th 2006 8:42PM
Definitely a step in the right direction.
Unfortunately, 20GB (minus the things mentioned) will not hold my entire 50GB music collection. It would be cool if it had a rear-mounted USB port that could be used to attach an additional portable hard drive.
Paul @ Jul 16th 2006 9:01PM
Nice idea, but half-baked. Why? Simple: there's this little device you might have heard of called an "iPod".
Why do I have to reload my music - from either a CD or a USB flash drive - into my car's hard drive? I already have my collection in two places: my computer and my iPod. Now, add a third and there's no way they'll stay in sync.
I also am surprised (a bit) that an article about in-car entertainment would not even mention the iPod. It's not like it's this new-fangled thing, guys.
JWhite @ Jul 16th 2006 9:09PM
#3, I guess you didn't see the aux mini jack input under the USB port. That's for your beloved iPod to use the factory audio system.
verdegrrl @ Jul 16th 2006 9:32PM
Well, I guess they need to distract customers from the appearance of the car;-)
While it doesn't offer a hard drive (I wonder about longivity under extreme conditions in a car), Audi (and VW too I think) offer SD slots for those wishing to forego plugging in a portable music player. Up to 500 songs for the price a card (if you don't have spares for your camera already).
Sounds like the carputer thing caught on in the Chrysler design center one day.
GoToYourRoom @ Jul 16th 2006 10:17PM
Maybe you could load maps from the internet into it and not need an expensive built-in nav system. Just a thought.
automatica @ Jul 16th 2006 10:27PM
Every new DCX vehicle installed with MyGig will include a default AskDrZ.com desktop application to ask why DCX vehicles blow so bad.
NMT @ Jul 16th 2006 10:35PM
To the guy who made the comment about this being a "half-baked idea": you're a moron.
I absolutely HATE trying to control an iPod while trying to drive at the same time. I don't want cords all over, and I don't want to either have to use a car charger, or deal with the battery being drained after only a few hours of use, which means I have to lug the iPod in, charge it, take it back out to the car, plug it back in, and try to avoid having an accident while searching using the damn scroll wheel.
The only thing I have to say about putting hard drives for music in cars is: what the hell took so long?
The only thing it's missing now is the ability to see the cars hard drive on your local wireless network when you are at home and some syncronization software so you can keep everything straight. After they throw that it, they'll really be in business.
donald douglas @ Jul 16th 2006 10:48PM
to me this is a good idea ! when i buy a c-d first thing i do is burn 2 copys of it, one for the car and one for the truck, and keep the original in the house so it wont get lost or stolen, but if i could just take the c-d to the hard drive in the car it would save me all that and id have all my music in one easy to find place in the vehicles..
Ian @ Jul 16th 2006 10:52PM
Ripping CDs in your car == STUPID.
But at least they have a USB option. Which is more than you can say for the HD equipped units from Sony and Eclipse.
EMPEG forever! 120GB, no in-car ripping stupidity.
esoterica @ Jul 16th 2006 11:37PM
NMT, you haven't driven a Volvo or BMW with an iPod connection kit then have you? Because if you had, you would know that they charge the iPod, allow you to control it with the steering wheel/head unit controls, and tuck the iPod nicely in the center console (Volvo) or glovebox (BMW) with no cords strewn across the car (just one cable with a dock connector). And they connect the line level outputs of the iPod directly to the car stereo for superior sound quality.
Sean @ Jul 17th 2006 12:39AM
QUOTE:
"Is this the future of in-car entertainment from the factory? It's a major step forward and we're delighted we don't have to wait years for the technology to trickle down from six-figure luxury sedans before the rest of can use it."
This has been available in the aftermarket for years. There's no waiting; pick it up today. Eclipse has had almost this exact radio (minus USB) for at least two years now...
Neal M @ Jul 17th 2006 12:56AM
I was pretty excited when I saw this thing...until I noticed one thing. A complete lack of iPod integration. I second the fact that ripping CDs into your car is completely stupid. If I already have an iPod, why can't I use it with the car? Plugging it into the stereo and then having to look down and control it on the iPod itself is NOT GOOD ENOUGH and is a SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD.
I have a problem with this unit for one reason that no one has yet to point out. The main reason why manufacturers don't include iPod integration is that they don't want to "pick a side" in the battle of Apple versus everyone else (btw, if you didn't know, Apple already won). What I would like to point out, however, is the fact that this device has the ability to connect via USB, and it has a harddrive. Therefore, what DCX should've done was enable consumers to download drivers and put them into the harddrive, then making the device able to read the iPod AND ALSO other brands (like Creative Zen Micro, or WTF it is called) so long as they just download it from DCX's website. Why haven't they done this? Well, it's because they don't have American teenagers working for them, and instead have 55 year old German men thinking about how to bring digital convergence to the mainstream...haha well maybe it's not THAT bad, but this device is exactly what is wrong with almost every other American car out there: they are all ONE OFFs. They were ALMOST there, but then decided to make something that could've been 'really special' into something that is 'kind of cool' / 'mildly entertaining and not really that useful'.
James @ Jun 28th 2007 2:08PM
Ipod is the Only solution. Period. The integration devices are hard to manufacture and cosltly to research. Make one that has the 70 percent market share. Don't want the ipod, then use the usb stick and take your Zune out and put it under the front wheel and run over it. I waited 2 years for someone to make an ipod integration kit for the REC nav system in all of the other DC cars. Mopar finally produced one. Steering wheel controls, title and artist, everything. I had hoped they would learn an integrate that into this new unit. Maybe they will develop a kit in a couple of years. NO after market company will ever make kits again for the new cars because of one thing, The new cars are all going to computer buss control and only the automaker has access to all of the techinical data about the routing and traffic on those busses. All of the aftermarket players have been hacking the cd changer port for there solutions. The 2004 DC vehicles started to phase out CD changer ports and all were gone by 2006. That is why The REC nav unit took so long and no aftermarket company ever made one, only DC produced it. And who in their right mind would want a third party device hacked into your cars computer buss, one mistake and who knows, the air bag goes off, or the windows go down, or the windshield wipers quit working. Talk about product liability lawsuits, wow.
theone @ Jul 17th 2006 2:56AM
NEWS FLASH: The ipod is not the only mp3 player on the market!
There are mp3 players -- such as the iriver u10 and toshiba gigabeat -- that do the entire portable music/video player thing much better than the ipod and are much less gayer.
I understand that ipod dominates that mp3 player market, but it will be only a matter of time before buyers realize that they are better, cheaper, and more stylish mp3 players than the ipod.
GrowUp @ Jul 17th 2006 7:38AM
"...thing much better than the ipod and are much less gayer."
Shouldn't their be a filter on Autoblog to stop such moronic posts from getting through? Seriously, grow up guy. An mp3 player has nothing to do with one's sexuality.
What a dolt.
jsmiles @ Jul 17th 2006 7:54AM
this is a great idea for chrysler, and the dodge avenger. According to www.edmunds.com chrysler has the best base sound systems around. This is really cool because if you forget for ipod, alot of your songs will be right there, in your car.
Koba @ Jul 17th 2006 7:59AM
What junk! This is truly a disappointment considering how far technology has come. I can buy a 100+ gig HD for less than 100 bux, and I can get cards for all manner of wireless interface for less than 100 as well. If you're going to go tech, GO TECH!
Here's an idea, offer a super nerd tech package the size of the standard OEM head unit to sell across the brand. Price it at a few grand with a 200 gig HD, wireless interface (bluetooth, 802.11-so I can upload from my home PC hassle free) as well as offer wireless broadband for a fee. Tie in something as awesome as GoogleEarth as Sat Nav, and all manner of local searches and see how well that sells! Just go with a super pricey tech package, and a regular CD player for the geezers/tightwads/normal folk.
Joe @ Jul 17th 2006 8:12AM
sure load it up now have bluetooth connectivity to my laptop and I'll be really excited...
Galley @ Jul 17th 2006 8:14AM
Please God, let it allow me to hook up a portable HDD and transfer tunes to its puny 20GB drive. As always, no AAC support = no sale.