car audio

Post by **SOAPboy** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:44 pm

+JuggerNaut+ wrote:
SOAPboy wrote:
Dave wrote:My dad knows basic colors and he has people install his windshield wiper blades... A mechanical aptitude will serve you better than knowing red from black.
Guess thats true. Sadly tho, almost any car is a 30 min deal. Match the right colors, bolt 2-4 bolts/screws, Done.

:-|
sure, if you have the kit and aren't using external amps.

He didnt say he was hooking/buying 100 subs, amps, and component speakers =P

bitWISE wrote:
SOAPboy wrote:
Dave wrote:My dad knows basic colors and he has people install his windshield wiper blades... A mechanical aptitude will serve you better than knowing red from black.
Guess thats true. Sadly tho, almost any car is a 30 min deal. Match the right colors, bolt 2-4 bolts/screws, Done.

:-|
You also have to create the mounting bracket using one of those this-kit-works-for-300-cars kits. And GM cars (potentially more) use a smaller antenna plug than aftermarket stereos accept so you need an adapter. And some cars use external power amplifiers which makes the install even more of a pain in the ass.

I know what your saying, I think its easy too. But there is no way I would tell your average techno-noob to install their own. Shit my roommate can barely setup one of those home theater in-a-box.

SHUSH YOU!!!

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:00 pm

yeah, i'm not into having 5000 watts of nonsense weighing down my car.
And i've put in 3 head units before, generally the hardest part is getting into the dash without breaking the shitty american car trim materials.

kenwood is in the mail... hopefully its as good as I want it to be.
never really been big on crotchfield... but jeez; can't beat the free dash-kit, harness, antenna adaptor, tool for removing the factory radio, and detailed instructions.
also quite refreshing that I didn't have to register and create an account to buy something.

Post by **SOAPboy** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:18 pm

Dr_Watson wrote:yeah, i'm not into having 5000 watts of nonsense weighing down my car.
And i've put in 3 head units before, generally the hardest part is getting into the dash without breaking the shitty american car trim materials.

kenwood is in the mail... hopefully its as good as I want it to be.
never really been big on crotchfield... but jeez; can't beat the free dash-kit, harness, antenna adaptor, tool for removing the factory radio, and detailed instructions.
also quite refreshing that I didn't have to register and create an account to buy something.

And you can pretty much call them whenever you need for support

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:17 am

SOAPboy wrote: He didnt say he was hooking/buying 100 subs, amps, and component speakers =P

neither did i.....

*note trademark soapboy trailing sentence*

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:53 am

Dr_Watson wrote:yeah, i'm not into having 5000 watts of nonsense weighing down my car.
And i've put in 3 head units before, generally the hardest part is getting into the dash without breaking the shitty american car trim materials.

kenwood is in the mail... hopefully its as good as I want it to be.
never really been big on crotchfield... but jeez; can't beat the free dash-kit, harness, antenna adaptor, tool for removing the factory radio, and detailed instructions.
also quite refreshing that I didn't have to register and create an account to buy something.

I was on the phone with a rep this afternoon, prior to ordering one, thanks for finding what I was looking for

He was saying that these units are better suited for 1gig drives or less and most manufacturers are straying away from USB inputs. The file structure on anything over 1 gig may cause some delays in the radio reading the drive.

I have a 20 gig drive waiting and hope to prove him wrong

Either way crutchfield is the place to order car stereo stuf from, it's pretty damn cheap and all the free extras are so worth it.

Post by **SOAPboy** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:14 am

Giraffe }{unter wrote:
Dr_Watson wrote:yeah, i'm not into having 5000 watts of nonsense weighing down my car.
And i've put in 3 head units before, generally the hardest part is getting into the dash without breaking the shitty american car trim materials.

kenwood is in the mail... hopefully its as good as I want it to be.
never really been big on crotchfield... but jeez; can't beat the free dash-kit, harness, antenna adaptor, tool for removing the factory radio, and detailed instructions.
also quite refreshing that I didn't have to register and create an account to buy something.
I was on the phone with a rep this afternoon, prior to ordering one, thanks for finding what I was looking for

He was saying that these units are better suited for 1gig drives or less and most manufacturers are straying away from USB inputs. The file structure on anything over 1 gig may cause some delays in the radio reading the drive.

I have a 20 gig drive waiting and hope to prove him wrong

Either way crutchfield is the place to order car stereo stuf from, it's pretty damn cheap and all the free extras are so worth it.

Havent shopped at the crutch for a few years. they actually gone down in price? because sadly its always been, "Drive to audio place locally, pay over 100 bucks less than crutchfield and have it installed as well".

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:43 pm

My last few haggles I have found I pay about the same or very little more than I would haggling down the local private guy, and with crutchfield get the kits and shipping free.

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:41 pm

Compatible USB devices

http://www.kenwood.com/usb/english.html

Post by **Foo** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:46 pm

I've got a 256Mb muvo and one of those is sorely tempting.

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:11 pm

I should have mine installed by tomorrow, We'll see if it's worth it. It says it can run any USB storage device under 500mA.

USB Stick 200 - 400 mA
100 gig Fujitsu Laptop Drive in USB enclosure 96mA

Post by **Foo** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:17 pm

Seems too low for the laptop drive. Is that without an independant power connection?

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:39 pm

Yeah, it's a laptop drive, I checked it on a few different PCs it comes up as 96mA even while reading/writing.

I'm curious as to why it's so low...

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:43 pm

Giraffe }{unter wrote:I should have mine installed by tomorrow, We'll see if it's worth it. It says it can run any USB storage device under 500mA.

USB Stick 200 - 400 mA
100 gig Fujitsu Laptop Drive in USB enclosure 96mA

as long as windows can run it as a generic mass storage device... it's supposed to work.

I'm hoping it works with one of these:
http://www.pocketec.net/catalog.taf?f=fam&fam=1.8

i think it will... since it operates like a 60G thumb drive pulling all its power from the usb port.

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:52 pm

I was checking out this one, but I'll test the performance with a 100 gig laptop drive I have laying around.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?s ... caid=15890

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:49 am

going to need a converter for the connector.
IIRC the kenwood wants a standard Type-A connector... that blurb says the drive uses mini-usb (probably Type-B, like cellphones and digi-cams use)

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:37 pm

USB
2.5" 100gig hard drive did not work :/, just clicked away

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 2:51 am

I gotta say this stereo is pretty hot, worth looking into if you hate listeneing to the same crap over and over. I also hate having CD's scattered all over my car.... Memory sticks are smaller

Post by **AmIdYfReAk** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 2:44 pm

PICS!

And uhh, dident you have a Carputer in your trunk feeding your stock HU with MP3's?

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:25 am

oh yeah... i installed mine this weekend.
the navigation system for mp3s is kind of clunky and takes some serious getting used to... but In retrospect I guess its as good as can be expected without a big lcd screen to navigate a playlist on.

GH did you try the western digital?

So far it loves all my flash drives, but i dont' have a usb HDD to try it with yet.

all things considered, i'm very happy with this unit. :icon14:

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:06 pm

FYI this drive works in the car and it's damn sext too. It fits in the pocket below my radio and is practically invisible when turned off. The blue status light matches the radio knows also

WD Passport 120 GB

I put about 90mb of MP3s on my dads new passport drive and plugged it in. I was amazed to find that it not only worked but navigated very fast. I'll be getting one for Xmas and loading the thing full of MP3s

I'm hoping it will perform well with a few thousand MP3s on there

:icon30:

Post by **bitWISE** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:16 pm

Does your head unit have a USB port in the rear or the front?

Post by **Giraffe }{unter** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:48 pm

it's in the rear, but on a 3 foot cable. I made a cut in the back of the compartment under the radio to place the plug.

Post by **Doombrain** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:28 pm

Scourge wrote:Lol

Post by **bitWISE** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:47 pm

Giraffe }{unter wrote:it's in the rear, but on a 3 foot cable. I made a cut in the back of the compartment under the radio to place the plug.

Thats sweet. Which unit did you find with a rear plug?