Good riddance: The demise of the in-dash CD player is nigh
A few short years ago, getting a CD player or better yet, a multidisc changer in your car was an upgrade. Now, the little silver disc has taken up residence with cassettes as cast-off technology. Even with the cheap digital to analog converters that are in car stereos, CDs have a sound advantage over lossy data codecs like MPEG, but only us geeks seem to care that hi-hats sound like someone whisking an egg. Besides, portability and flexibility easily trumps esoteric sound quality. Truth be told, even though the original CDs sound better, my mp3 player is so much more convenient that I'll be adding an auxiliary input to my factory stereo – no small feat on some cars.
Ward's Automotive Interior show, currently underway at the Cobo center, is allowing automakers to show their wares to the masses over the next few days, with the realization that future vehicles are bound to dispatch that awkward center control unit for something more intuitive and user-programmable. Several automakers have already realized that people have all sorts of portable devices, and as such, new car interiors bristle with input jacks and 12-volt power sockets.
[Source: Detroit News]
Aftermarket solutions for iPod connectivity, hard drive storage and device integration are abound, and automakers are also jumping on the bandwagon. Ford is rolling out Sync, its joint effort with Microsoft that will doubtless do many more wondrous things in the future as the system matures. Chrysler vehicles can be equipped with the Harman MyGig system that uses a 20GB hard drive as media storage, and other automakers are hard at work with their OEMs, integrating digital media systems. With car-wide data systems like CAN, entertainment gear can be less centralized, that 20GB hard drive doesn't have to go in the dash, it can be tucked away safely with just a small panel of rotary encoders in the dash, talking to the various pieces of the audio system. It really is a brave new world, and as the CD player frees up room in dashboards, we hope to see controls and style come first, and big honkin' LCD screens held at bay. Otherwise, it'd be trading one big real-estate consumer for another that's worse, as multifunction displays become more cluttered and confusing.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Mark 11:06AM (6/08/2007)
I personally prefer my MP3 CD player in my Focus to an MP3 player. It holds about 200 songs per CD and 1,200 songs in a 6 disk changer. MP3 players are fairly expensive and break down a lot (hard drives were never designed to be portable). Most of my friends with MP3 players have to replace them ever 2 years. Even the working ones have about an hour of battery life left in them. Still for people who do use MP3 players, the CD player is pretty much deadweight in the car.
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Jugs 11:14AM (6/08/2007)
I have to agree with this comment.
I have an MP3 capable CD-player and find this is the best route for me. CD-Rs are very inexpensive these days, and when I'm done listening to the music on it, I usually just leave them somewhere to either be thrown away, or picked up by someone else willing to try new music.
Also, with MP3 cds, you don't have to worry about your player breaking all the time *cough*iPod*cough*. If you scratch a CD? Who cares. Burn another one for $0.10.
Dan Roth 11:11AM (6/08/2007)
only an hour of battery life? I can run my Sony NW-HD5 for two days! I can also replace the battery easily, unlike iPods. It also sounds better. And I can upgrade the harddrive easily. Did I mention I love it? :)
It's pretty rare in the US, though. Everyone has an iPod, but I hate iTunes with a passion, and iPods don't sound that great to me.
What can I say, I'm picky.
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MKULTRABLIZZARD 12:17PM (6/08/2007)
took me about 20min to replace my iPod battery. can be done, but with patience.
Christopher Watts 11:15AM (6/08/2007)
2,179 CD's FOR SALE. First Come, first serve!!!
Car NOT included! Please inquire within.
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mike 11:24AM (6/08/2007)
My friend bought a 2006 golf tdi and it only came with a casette player.. VW is a joke
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bgdc 12:42PM (6/08/2007)
VW also offers Ipod integration and all GTIs come with an aux input. Maybe your friend should just buy a better model in the lineup?
Aetius 11:25AM (6/08/2007)
"Besides, portability and flexibility easily trumps esoteric sound quality."
I listen to a lot of House music mixed by DJs and to me sound quality is simply #1. I download the mix, burn onto the disc and I pop it into my 6CD changes. Simple enough and I get the best sound quality. iPod sound quality is a joke. My Samsung USB-stick MP3 player has far superior sound quality (and features).
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Rob 12:40PM (6/08/2007)
If you really cared about sound quality you wouldn't be listening to downloaded music, putz.
CaptainOface 5:10PM (6/08/2007)
Apple® today launched iTunes® Plus—DRM-free music tracks featuring high quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings—for just $1.29 per song. - --Just thought you might like to know.
AnnDee4444 1:41PM (6/09/2007)
"If you really cared about sound quality you wouldn't be listening to downloaded music, putz."
Ever herd of lossless audio files?
Think before opening your mouth...
Mike 11:27AM (6/08/2007)
CD's can kiss my a$$ because they get so messed up with use and built in HD's are dumb cause they are usually controlled by proprietary software.
Just gimme an in-dash head unit I can plug a PC formatted USB memory stick into. Make it sort the music on the stick alphabetically and by album while displaying ID4 info on the display.
What else would you need? Nuthin. JUST MAKE IT YOU STUPID MANUFACTURERS!!!
P.S. I am pretty sure the European Audi A3 has this same feature, only car I have heard of with it though.
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Devin Lussier 11:44AM (6/08/2007)
Amen to that. I have a little USB/FW-powered 100GB portable LaCie hard drive that only cost me a little over $100 and if I could just plug it into a USB port in the glovebox and forget about it I would be a very happy camper. As it is now, unless I use the 6CD MP3 changer, if I want to change songs in my Prius I have to open the center console armrest to get to where the iPod is because apparently that was the only convenient place to put a plug for it. I have a friend with an X3 and his Aux-In plug is in the back seat area, my dad's Element has an Aux-In plug underneath the passenger side airbag.
tpp 1:52PM (6/08/2007)
Damn right! USB flash drives, all the way. I just bought a 12GB one for $50 the other day. I just want to fill one with music and plug it in my car.
CaptainOface 11:51AM (6/08/2007)
Ok is this going to be an Ipod bash blog? The Ipod is clearly the best on the market...don’t believe me believe the 75% market share. If you don’t want the HDrive route, (mine has never had a problem) simply purchase a nano that has no HD. The battery should not be an issue as it runs of the cars power. My Ipod is connected through the old cd changer jack (ice link) so I can use my steering wheel controls to change tracks. The Ipod itself is located in the glove box so I don’t even have to have it out. In the glove box it charges and stays out of the way. Nothing is connected to the power outlet and I don’t have the crappy FM modulator sticking out. Sound is as good as if wearing headphones. Check out the ice link from Denson it’s awesome. I think other companies make stuff like this as well. BMW and Mini have Ipod links standard that even give track info in the head unit.
But for the record...the Ipod may not be the most cutting edge MP3 player but it is definitely the best consumer choice unit available. I rarely buy from Itunes (maybe more now with copy protection gone) but Itunes is awesome for storing and organizing music and album art and searching and sampling new music. I have tried the others and frankly they blow.
Back to the original post…I hate CDs. They take up way too much room and are very inconvenient in the car. Cant wait for the future demise of the car CD player to be replaced by integrated Ipod links to display album art and track info on the head unit just like the Ipod screen.
And who says Hard Drives aren’t meant to be portable? Ever used a laptop?
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Wildo 1:52PM (6/08/2007)
market share != Best on the market... Take Microsoft Windows for example.. Go back to engadget fanboy.
CaptainOface 2:20PM (6/08/2007)
Ok Wildo you clearly did not read my entire posting. "Best" is subjective but as far as media players go the Ipod is definetly is the best choice for the consumer. The rivals may have better tech (debatable) but the Ipod is the definative MP3 player. Itunes is the best (hands down) for downloads now that copy protection is gone. The rivals are more difficult to use, have more stringent copy protection, are not Itunes capable, etc. Ill take fanboy flame all day. You can keep your zune, samsung, sony, products, Ill keep my sweet Ipods. As for windows....depends on the application...in some regards it is the best. For my uses Ill take OSx.
Brendan 11:54AM (6/08/2007)
I think the new G35 has a compact flash card slot.
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Steve B. 12:47PM (6/08/2007)
I have a 500mb Coby CD player that doubles as a jump drive (it's the same size), runs on one AAA battery, and has an integrated voice recorder. In my car, I just load CD's with MP3's (800 mb) and pop them in the CD-MP3 player.
If I smash it, I'm out $40. Beat that Ipod.
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bgdc 12:54PM (6/08/2007)
Steve, how have you beaten anything? You still have the clutter of CDs in your car.