[thejackal51]

i got this stereo, you think it was a good buy?

http://www.buyersedge.com/Product/pr...916&pageView=1

[MOSFET]

I think that's TOO COOL. I have not yet seen this unit and I think the idea
of incorporating a flash drive into the face-plate is brilliant.

One gigabyte is certainly a lot of storage (more than a CD-R full of MP3's).
10-20 gigs, of course, would have been better. Many people are looking for
head-units with built in HD's so they can store their ENTIRE music
collection on their HU (head unit).

If this idea catches on (incorporating a flash drive in the faceplate), I
expect we will see larger and larger storage capability (flash drive cards
get larger and cheaper every day it seems, now they have 4 gig SD cards, I
can't get over how they can squeeze so much memory in such a tiny space!!!).

So I fear the only drawback of such a HU is that by next year, for the same
price, Sony will have a similar unit with 3-4 gig (or more!) capability
(this is what happens when you are an "early adopter").

But having said all this, it is still a truly COOL idea and I expect you
will be very happy with the Mex 1GP.

MOSFET

"thejackal51" wrote in message
oups.com...
i got this stereo, you think it was a good buy?

http://www.buyersedge.com/Product/pr...916&pageView=1

[Matt Ion]

MOSFET wrote:
I think that's TOO COOL. I have not yet seen this unit and I think the idea
of incorporating a flash drive into the face-plate is brilliant.

One gigabyte is certainly a lot of storage (more than a CD-R full of MP3's).
10-20 gigs, of course, would have been better. Many people are looking for
head-units with built in HD's so they can store their ENTIRE music
collection on their HU (head unit).

If this idea catches on (incorporating a flash drive in the faceplate), I
expect we will see larger and larger storage capability (flash drive cards
get larger and cheaper every day it seems, now they have 4 gig SD cards, I
can't get over how they can squeeze so much memory in such a tiny space!!!).

So I fear the only drawback of such a HU is that by next year, for the same
price, Sony will have a similar unit with 3-4 gig (or more!) capability
(this is what happens when you are an "early adopter").

But having said all this, it is still a truly COOL idea and I expect you
will be very happy with the Mex 1GP.

That IS cool. Much slicker than having a USB or CF/SD slot, although not as
flexible (you could carry a good-sized library on multiple flash cards or thumb
drives).

One idea might be if they COMBINED an HDD-based HU with a flash-memory FP, and
the system could then copy the files off the FP onto the internal HDD. A
flip-down faceplate with a full-depth card slot behind it would be cool too (so
the slots are hidden normally, and the card not sticking out when in use).

[MOSFET]

.. A
flip-down faceplate with a full-depth card slot behind it would be cool
too (so
the slots are hidden normally, and the card not sticking out when in use).

I agree Matt. That, to me, is the IDEAL route (a HU that accepts flash
memory cards). Why we don't see more HU's with this feature is a TOTAL
mystery.

But, again, I wonder if there is pressure from Apple, perhaps, to NOT
incorporate these things and in return, Apple will make it's iPod's
compatible with certain manufacturer's HU's (so the iPod controls can be
activated from the HU). Or, I wonder, if there is pressure from the
recording industry on HU manufacturers (I can certainly imagine a day when
tiny cards, like the SD, will replace discs). I know, this all seems rather
"conspiracy theory"-ish, but it's such an INCREDIBLY logical feature I just
CAN'T HELP but wonder if there's something "going on".

As I said in the previous post, the trouble with the Sony Mex-1GP is that
next year they will probably be selling the Mex-3GP for the same price (and
the year after that, the Mex-5GP). With an SD card slot, however, your HU
is "future proof".

It's OBVIOUSLY the future of HU's, yet NONE OF THE BIG MANUFACTURERS ARE
EMBRACING IT!!! What the heck is going on?

MOSFET

[MOSFET]

BTW, what I said also goes for why we haven't seen more HU's with built in
HD's which, again, seems like a PERFECT and logical feature for a car's head
unit.

I just can't help thinking dark forces (Apple) are involved. I mean, SO
MANY people buy and use their iPods for their cars (many people ONLY use it
in their cars). Beyond that, Apple (AND other manufacturers) make a bundle
on iPod integration products for the car. Built in HD's and large capacity
(5+ gigs) flash memory ports would render the iPod (and iPod integration
accessories) obsolete (at least in the car), and that would not make Apple
very happy.

It kind of reminds me of when pocket calculators were new (yes, I'm old
enough to remember that). At first they were rather large, and pretty
expensive. But in an INCREDIBLY short amount of time, calculators became
amazingly ubiquitous. They would give them away at bank openings. Things,
all of a sudden, had built in calculators whether it was useful or not.
They got really, really cheap and really, really small. We even had
calculators on our wrist watches, and they were DIRT CHEAP.

My point is I wonder if Apple is trying to hold on to a technological point
in time, like when the calculator was brand new.

MOSFET

[keith]

There's probably something to that. On the other hand, I've been hitting
the Brick and Mortars auditioning HU's for a few weeks now, and I'm
amazed that it's all come down to Alpine, Pioneer, and Kenwood (along
with JVC and other assorted crap at the big stores). I asked about
Eclipse in the highest end shop I visited, and the sales guy / installer
said "Huh? never heard of it." Sad...

I can say this, head unit tech has EXPLODED in the last few years. Way
back in 2002, MP3 capability was just gaining wide exposure. Now it's
just a matter of how that content is delivered. The power of apple
aside, it's us, the consumers who will dictate the direction of those
formats. Remember Mini Disks? the wave of the future, until consumers
poo-hoo'd them...

Really, I think that Apple is already ten steps ahead of in-car tech -
and probably not all that concerned with it. iPod owners will own iPods
anyway. It's just a good product. It's more likely the Hu producers
who are jockeying to get in on the iPod direct interface game - at the
expense of other technologies. Notice the differences between the iPod
interfaces of Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood and the like. They all have bugs,
and their own particular pros and cons... Once the big boys get those
systems ironed out (access time, track searching, GUI's, etc.), it'll be
industry standard (like CD changer controls of the '90s), and they'll
move on to the aforementioned technologies.


I'm not saying there's not a conspiracy, it's just probably not the one
you think it is...

KeithS



MOSFET wrote:

BTW, what I said also goes for why we haven't seen more HU's with built in
HD's which, again, seems like a PERFECT and logical feature for a car's head
unit.

I just can't help thinking dark forces (Apple) are involved. I mean, SO
MANY people buy and use their iPods for their cars (many people ONLY use it
in their cars). Beyond that, Apple (AND other manufacturers) make a bundle
on iPod integration products for the car. Built in HD's and large capacity
(5+ gigs) flash memory ports would render the iPod (and iPod integration
accessories) obsolete (at least in the car), and that would not make Apple
very happy.

It kind of reminds me of when pocket calculators were new (yes, I'm old
enough to remember that). At first they were rather large, and pretty
expensive. But in an INCREDIBLY short amount of time, calculators became
amazingly ubiquitous. They would give them away at bank openings. Things,
all of a sudden, had built in calculators whether it was useful or not.
They got really, really cheap and really, really small. We even had
calculators on our wrist watches, and they were DIRT CHEAP.

My point is I wonder if Apple is trying to hold on to a technological point
in time, like when the calculator was brand new.

MOSFET

[MOSFET]

It's more likely the Hu producers
who are jockeying to get in on the iPod direct interface game - at the
expense of other technologies.

I think you are probably right. I mean, built in HD's and flash memory card
ports just seem like a PERFECT FIT for HU's. Why aren't we seeing more of
this?

MOSFET

[keith]

Cool indeed, and a 24bit DAC to boot?

I saw this (Insignia NS-C5111) at Best Buy

Text link:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1141762608953

USB port AND SD card slot... Another cool idea. Too bad the SQ was sh*t.

Are there any feelings on the Sony's GUI (graphical user interface)?
Is is convienent, and easy to use?

Very interesting developments.

KeithS



thejackal51 wrote:

i got this stereo, you think it was a good buy?

http://www.buyersedge.com/Product/pr...916&pageView=1