On Sep 10, 12:15 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
Each time I resolved to replace the stereo system on my boat this
year, it would start working properly again and the task would drop
several notches on the priority list. Saturday, it gave up the ghost-
wouldn't turn on until about 50 attempts had been mae pressing the
switch, and even then the digital display was kaput. Only about 14
years' service from that unit- I guess they just don't make them like
they used to. :-)

Speaking of not making them like they used to.........

Holy Smackaroons

Used to think I knew a few things about car stereo (my stereo mounts
in the cabin where it's pretty protected- and I don't need/won't buy
"marine" version). Looking at the specs for potential replacements, I
can see where the industry has evolved substantially in the last 14
years while my technical awareness has not. It's like learning a new
language.

Questions for the more techinally hip:

1. Anybody got "HD" FM radio? Would you rate the difference in sound
quality as indistinguishable, marginal, or substantial?

2. Anybody using "memory cards" for music storage? Actually sounds
like a better approach than hooking up an external iPod, at least at
first blush. (We've got an entire galley drawer filled with CD's,
etc....would be nice to free up that space and store the music data on
something much smaller). So:

3. What are the pros and cons of memory cards, mp3 CD's, CD changers,
separate iPod's etc? There's a real smorgasbord og choices now
available.

4. Any general advice on this subject?

I went with one of the deh- pioneers (also not marine) and added the
real ipod adapter. It transfers your ipod control to the radio
controls and display. You could just get a second hand ipod and leave
it connected if all you want is a lot of storage. We let everyone
bring their ipods when we go out.

I have not seen a stereo that uses memory cards. Many of the later
ones can read mp3 cds. That at least would let you reduce your cd
count. Most will recognize a folder on the cd as well so you can
organize you mp3s if you go that way.

jamesgangnc wrote:
On Sep 10, 12:15 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
Each time I resolved to replace the stereo system on my boat this
year, it would start working properly again and the task would drop
several notches on the priority list. Saturday, it gave up the ghost-
wouldn't turn on until about 50 attempts had been mae pressing the
switch, and even then the digital display was kaput. Only about 14
years' service from that unit- I guess they just don't make them like
they used to. :-)

Speaking of not making them like they used to.........

Holy Smackaroons

Used to think I knew a few things about car stereo (my stereo mounts
in the cabin where it's pretty protected- and I don't need/won't buy
"marine" version). Looking at the specs for potential replacements, I
can see where the industry has evolved substantially in the last 14
years while my technical awareness has not. It's like learning a new
language.

Questions for the more techinally hip:

1. Anybody got "HD" FM radio? Would you rate the difference in sound
quality as indistinguishable, marginal, or substantial?

2. Anybody using "memory cards" for music storage? Actually sounds
like a better approach than hooking up an external iPod, at least at
first blush. (We've got an entire galley drawer filled with CD's,
etc....would be nice to free up that space and store the music data on
something much smaller). So:

3. What are the pros and cons of memory cards, mp3 CD's, CD changers,
separate iPod's etc? There's a real smorgasbord og choices now
available.

4. Any general advice on this subject?

I went with one of the deh- pioneers (also not marine) and added the
real ipod adapter. It transfers your ipod control to the radio
controls and display. You could just get a second hand ipod and leave
it connected if all you want is a lot of storage. We let everyone
bring their ipods when we go out.

I have not seen a stereo that uses memory cards. Many of the later
ones can read mp3 cds. That at least would let you reduce your cd
count. Most will recognize a folder on the cd as well so you can
organize you mp3s if you go that way.



I vote for the ipod...my wife and I each have one, and we plug it into
the car, she uses hers at her office, or while traveling, and as a way
to play back non-music audio tapes. Very high fidelity, easy to use, and
pretty reliable.

On Sep 10, 10:20?am, HK wrote:
jamesgangnc wrote:
On Sep 10, 12:15 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
Each time I resolved to replace the stereo system on my boat this
year, it would start working properly again and the task would drop
several notches on the priority list. Saturday, it gave up the ghost-
wouldn't turn on until about 50 attempts had been mae pressing the
switch, and even then the digital display was kaput. Only about 14
years' service from that unit- I guess they just don't make them like
they used to. :-)

Speaking of not making them like they used to.........

Holy Smackaroons

Used to think I knew a few things about car stereo (my stereo mounts
in the cabin where it's pretty protected- and I don't need/won't buy
"marine" version). Looking at the specs for potential replacements, I
can see where the industry has evolved substantially in the last 14
years while my technical awareness has not. It's like learning a new
language.

Questions for the more techinally hip:

1. Anybody got "HD" FM radio? Would you rate the difference in sound
quality as indistinguishable, marginal, or substantial?

2. Anybody using "memory cards" for music storage? Actually sounds
like a better approach than hooking up an external iPod, at least at
first blush. (We've got an entire galley drawer filled with CD's,
etc....would be nice to free up that space and store the music data on
something much smaller). So:

3. What are the pros and cons of memory cards, mp3 CD's, CD changers,
separate iPod's etc? There's a real smorgasbord og choices now
available.

4. Any general advice on this subject?

I went with one of the deh- pioneers (also not marine) and added the
real ipod adapter. It transfers your ipod control to the radio
controls and display. You could just get a second hand ipod and leave
it connected if all you want is a lot of storage. We let everyone
bring their ipods when we go out.

I have not seen a stereo that uses memory cards. Many of the later
ones can read mp3 cds. That at least would let you reduce your cd
count. Most will recognize a folder on the cd as well so you can
organize you mp3s if you go that way.

I vote for the ipod...my wife and I each have one, and we plug it into
the car, she uses hers at her office, or while traveling, and as a way
to play back non-music audio tapes. Very high fidelity, easy to use, and
pretty reliable.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

How about the interface?

I bought a portable mp3 player last year, (not the iPod brand), and I
have loaded one album onto the thing and hardly used it since. The
biggest problem is the interface, IMO. Push this button thirty one
times, bush that other buttom twice, stop to chant, spin twice on left
heel, push first button 11 times more and then second button another
six. Although somewhat exaggerated, I concluded that it takes just
about that much nonsense that to change selections. :-(

Chuck Gould wrote:

- Show quoted text -

How about the interface?

I bought a portable mp3 player last year, (not the iPod brand), and I
have loaded one album onto the thing and hardly used it since. The
biggest problem is the interface, IMO. Push this button thirty one
times, bush that other buttom twice, stop to chant, spin twice on left
heel, push first button 11 times more and then second button another
six. Although somewhat exaggerated, I concluded that it takes just
about that much nonsense that to change selections. :-(


The interface is considered the easiest and most intuitive mp3 on the
market.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2015761,00.asp

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Sep 10, 10:20?am, HK wrote:
jamesgangnc wrote:
On Sep 10, 12:15 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
Each time I resolved to replace the stereo system on my boat this
year, it would start working properly again and the task would drop
several notches on the priority list. Saturday, it gave up the ghost-
wouldn't turn on until about 50 attempts had been mae pressing the
switch, and even then the digital display was kaput. Only about 14
years' service from that unit- I guess they just don't make them like
they used to. :-)
Speaking of not making them like they used to.........
Holy Smackaroons
Used to think I knew a few things about car stereo (my stereo mounts
in the cabin where it's pretty protected- and I don't need/won't buy
"marine" version). Looking at the specs for potential replacements, I
can see where the industry has evolved substantially in the last 14
years while my technical awareness has not. It's like learning a new
language.
Questions for the more techinally hip:
1. Anybody got "HD" FM radio? Would you rate the difference in sound
quality as indistinguishable, marginal, or substantial?
2. Anybody using "memory cards" for music storage? Actually sounds
like a better approach than hooking up an external iPod, at least at
first blush. (We've got an entire galley drawer filled with CD's,
etc....would be nice to free up that space and store the music data on
something much smaller). So:
3. What are the pros and cons of memory cards, mp3 CD's, CD changers,
separate iPod's etc? There's a real smorgasbord og choices now
available.
4. Any general advice on this subject?
I went with one of the deh- pioneers (also not marine) and added the
real ipod adapter. It transfers your ipod control to the radio
controls and display. You could just get a second hand ipod and leave
it connected if all you want is a lot of storage. We let everyone
bring their ipods when we go out.
I have not seen a stereo that uses memory cards. Many of the later
ones can read mp3 cds. That at least would let you reduce your cd
count. Most will recognize a folder on the cd as well so you can
organize you mp3s if you go that way.
I vote for the ipod...my wife and I each have one, and we plug it into
the car, she uses hers at her office, or while traveling, and as a way
to play back non-music audio tapes. Very high fidelity, easy to use, and
pretty reliable.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

How about the interface?

I bought a portable mp3 player last year, (not the iPod brand), and I
have loaded one album onto the thing and hardly used it since. The
biggest problem is the interface, IMO. Push this button thirty one
times, bush that other buttom twice, stop to chant, spin twice on left
heel, push first button 11 times more and then second button another
six. Although somewhat exaggerated, I concluded that it takes just
about that much nonsense that to change selections. :-(



Huh? The ipod is easy. We have last year's model, the 60 gig units. On
my older car, I have hardwired a unit to the car's radio and the radio
controls, including the ones on the steering wheel, switch to the ipod,
and move forward through the various albums and within those, individual
songs. Same with volume. Other vehicle, much newer, handles ipod
directly...and there are third-party "car radios" that can be installed
in boats that do the same.

I also play my ipod through my stereo system. Works great.

There are many sources for music for your ipod, including Apple's site,
your own cds, and many other sites, some of which provide music in the
ipod format and many which provide music in a format that can easily
converted to ipod format.

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:58:46 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:


How about the interface?

I bought a portable mp3 player last year, (not the iPod brand), and I
have loaded one album onto the thing and hardly used it since. The
biggest problem is the interface, IMO. Push this button thirty one
times, bush that other buttom twice, stop to chant, spin twice on left
heel, push first button 11 times more and then second button another
six. Although somewhat exaggerated, I concluded that it takes just
about that much nonsense that to change selections. :-(

I'm with you. I'm getting tired of stuff that takes 10-10 vision,
tiny fingers, and complex sequences to do things that were formerly
done by twisting a big knob.
Five-year-olds have no problem with it, though.

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:58:46 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:


How about the interface?

I bought a portable mp3 player last year, (not the iPod brand), and I
have loaded one album onto the thing and hardly used it since. The
biggest problem is the interface, IMO. Push this button thirty one
times, bush that other buttom twice, stop to chant, spin twice on left
heel, push first button 11 times more and then second button another
six. Although somewhat exaggerated, I concluded that it takes just
about that much nonsense that to change selections. :-(

I'm with you. I'm getting tired of stuff that takes 10-10 vision,
tiny fingers, and complex sequences to do things that were formerly
done by twisting a big knob.

--Vic

You're hanging out with the wrong sort of woman.

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:32:53 -0400, HK wrote:

Vic Smith wrote:

I'm with you. I'm getting tired of stuff that takes 10-10 vision,
tiny fingers, and complex sequences to do things that were formerly
done by twisting a big knob.

--Vic

You're hanging out with the wrong sort of woman.

No, but I do prefer women who hang out.
And electronics with similar knobs.

--Vic

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:04:19 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:30:36 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

Although somewhat exaggerated, I concluded that it takes just
about that much nonsense that to change selections. :-(

I'm with you. I'm getting tired of stuff that takes 10-10 vision,
tiny fingers, and complex sequences to do things that were formerly
done by twisting a big knob.
Five-year-olds have no problem with it, though.


The manufacturers have tortally written off he baby boomers.
everything has tiny displays, tiny buttons and "black on black"
graphics molded in the case.

Eyesight sure plays a big factor. I hate putting on reading glasses
just to change a channel or a mode.
Another thing I've noticed as I age - maybe the most important - is I
don't want to devote much time to learning how to operate something I
hardly ever use. If I was a music fanatic I would readily learn it.
My kid put one of these new-fangled stereos in my Chevy because
the Delco FM was out and my wife wanted to listen to her FM music if
she used the car, and wanted a CD player for our trips. Hey, fine.
I just used the radio for a few presets of traffic/weather/talk on my
commute.
So it wasn't a week before I start driving to work, push the "on"
button, the big red one, and this FM rock music blasted out at me.
Hell if I could change it to what I wanted while driving.
Well, my wife and kid had used the car the day before.
I bitched about it, and told her to make sure they change it back
to my channels. My bitching didn't work, and it happened a couple
more times.
Then me and the wife were going somewhere, and the same crap
again when I turned on the radio. After a bit of yelling at each
other, because she couldn't operate the damn thing either, I pulled
into a parking lot, got my glasses and the stereo's manual out of the
glove box, and learned all I had to know it in 3 minutes.
So sue me.

--Vic