calrockx

i haven't seen any around, but was wondering if there are such things in the market yet.

MP3 players are nice, but it'd be better to be able to store all your MP3s on the stereo and not have to deal with burned CDs/DVDs.

Scofco

Yeap, they exist.
Last one I saw was priced out at $1300CDN.

I wouldn't mind getting a MP3 deck for my truck, the 10-disc changer isn't cutting it.

PoBoy

Rio had a line waaaay back in the day...no one bought em and they were a mere $300 for like 80 gigs

trangk

The Eclipse AVX2494 is a double din mp3 player with a 20gb hard drive/touchscreen. I also heard that Eclipse will be releasing another double din unit later this year that will have a hard drive large enough for navigation and mp3s. I wish my AVN2454 had a hard drive

http://www.eclipse-web.com/products/avx/avx2494.htm

calrockx

wow that's rad. can you load MP3s from something likea laptop tho? i've got all my MP3s on my computer and it' be nice to hook it up and just transfer the songs that way. and how much?

ldivinag

the sony one that came out a couple years ago, had a memory stick interface where you can load up songs that way.

it can also rip CDs on the fly...

http://www.xplodsony.com/products/?C...=CD&MD=MEX-1HD

chuckd

There are several, but they are all expensive. I fail to see how combining two relatively cheap things (HDD and a HU) ends up producing something that costs over a grand.
I would just get a HU with an extra input and an ipod

PoBoy

They arent that expensive..just none of the big manufactures have jumped on them: here is a link to a bunch: http://www.mp3mall.net/mp3/MP3_Playe...ve_MP3_Player/

Scofco

I used to have my home stereo hooked up to my computer.
Made it kind of annoying for any noises that isn't music though

calrockx

yeah i've got that setup right now. my stereo is right next to my computer, but at least i can turn the stereo on and off. you're right about non music noises, i could hear an IM from a mile away

Scofco

I did like when I was outside with the music cranked, I could tell when I had an IM because the noise was as loud as the song.

"Life is a highway, BONG!, I wanna ride it, all night BONG!, long. Du du du"

li_runner

I've thought about the same setup. But with nothing satisfactory out yet I devised my own. As of right now your best bet is to use a mp3 jukebox and hook it up to your stereo. Yes that eclipse is very cool but it will be $$$. I can probably make 2-3 of my setups for what that will cost.

I would not steer anyone who is not very very computer/audio/install savvy to setup something like I have. But I assume that within the next few years someone will get a cost effective method of putting a computer in a car that is easy to use but nothing is out as of yet.

The authority on stuff like this is www.mp3car.com those guys know everything about it, and just like here it's free to learn everything you would ever want to know about car computers. The bonus with a full computer though is substantial, video, gps navigation, mp3's, anything a computer can do.

PoBoy

It's not THAT hard...power inverter, aux in head unit, done deal as you dont need an LCD screen. There are various text display options out there. I'd give it a "Body Lift" dificulty level.

redfox435cat

yea they exist. about 700 bucks last I saw. I got an alpine 6 disc mp3 changer and an mp3 cd deck and am never out of tunes

PoBoy

I guess no one looks at the link I put up...$280 will get you one with a 20gb hd

FirstToy

There are several threads on t4r.org about the Scion headunits (@$90) that swap in with mp3 hookups I think. They switch colors and all that good stuff. I'm sure you can make it fit right into a 3rd gen

Mossback74

And on the topic of car computers. Why hasnt anyone come up with a way to eliminate the inverter from the equation. Going from AC to DC back to AC seems in efficient. We need a computer powersupply that runs on 12vDC and just reduces to 12,5, and 3.3. It really seems like it shouldnt be hard.

Tundradude

For some time now, I had been toying with the idea of having a HU or laptop that also has WiFi wireless network card. When I pull into my garage, I would just upload MP3's or DVD movies to my car. Sure I could use XM, but thats $$$ a month.

GoudyMan

there is also a 'kenwood music keg' that is a hard drive for cars...

a buddy i know wired up his ipod through the back of his deck... there is a article about how to do that somewhere on the 'popular mechanics' website... that seems like the best way to go!!

li_runner

It actually is not that simple. Car powers systems are not regulated they fluctuate through a band of voltages during different situations, a computer needs 12v constant and regulated. There are however a few ways of using straight DC to DC one way is made by a OPUS they are the only sure fire way of powering a car computer properly it also controls the turn-on/shutoff of the computer . Other methods are a inline voltage regulator the car computer crowd uses as a cheap way out ITPS . If you read up on power supplies on mp3car you will understand why power is not so simple.