End of the road for in-car CD players

[GA Russell]

It says here in the Montreal Gazette that as demand for CD players in cars declines, car makers will stop offering them.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/road+players/6671684/story.html

[mjzee]

Wow...time marches on.

[relyles]

Guess I better hold on to my 2002 Honda Accord for as long as I can.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

My new 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid has a CD player and a USB slot for mp3 playback. In 3 months, I've used the CD player two or three times. In those same 3 months, I've used the USB slot about 200 times.

I have two 8 GB memory sticks. One loaded up with Jazz mp3s and the other loaded with Rock & Roll mp3s. I swap them as the mood hits and the car remembers where I was the last time I used the stick. Cool.

[Dave James]

Car, home and portable CD players will soon become the early 21st century equivalent of cassettes.

[JSngry]

Guess I better hold on to my 2002 Honda Accord for as long as I can.

That's a good plan in pretty much every regard.

[Dan Gould]

I'm pretty sure it will be easy to find after-market in-dash CD players at your local Best Buy or stereo emporium for a long time to come.

[Big Al]

Car, home and portable CD players will soon become the early 21st century equivalent of cassettes.

With today's economy, cars and homes will soon become the early 21st century equivalent of cassettes.

[sonnymax]

My new 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid has a CD player and a USB slot for mp3 playback. In 3 months, I've used the CD player two or three times. In those same 3 months, I've used the USB slot about 200 times.

I have two 8 GB memory sticks. One loaded up with Jazz mp3s and the other loaded with Rock & Roll mp3s. I swap them as the mood hits and the car remembers where I was the last time I used the stick. Cool.

Sounds like a great combination. Hope the car runs as well as the jazz swings!

[A Lark Ascending]

I hardly use the CD player. So much easier to plug in the iPod - and you don't have to think what CDs to bring.

[Chuck Nessa]

Anything to keep one from thinking.

[7/4]

Having to plan what to convert to mp3 files kills impulse listening.

[A Lark Ascending]

Can't say I've noticed any difference in the chaotic thoughts going through my brain be it car CD or iPod.

Just as long as I keep enough of them on what's happening on the road.

[JSngry]

Having to plan what to convert to mp3 files kills impulse listening.

So does deciding what to buy in order to have things to convert in the first place!

[mikeweil]

I trust there will be some brand of car CD player for some time to come. OTOH some models are offered so cheap at the moment that it would be possible to buy one or two as replacement and store them.

[Dave James]

I trust there will be some brand of car CD player for some time to come. OTOH some models are offered so cheap at the moment that it would be possible to buy one or two as replacement and store them.

Try finding a portable CD player these days with an AC adapter.

[WD45]

I just leased a 2012 Ford Fiesta (the most basic model). It has an AM/FM stereo with an auxiliary jack.

At higher trim levels, you can get a CD player. This is oddly apparent, as my AM/FM-only unit has a CD button and an eject button.

I'm getting to the point where I don't use the CDs I have very often at all. The car used to be the last place. Not any longer. Plug in the iPhone with tons of albums from Rdio, and I am set.

I trust there will be some brand of car CD player for some time to come. OTOH some models are offered so cheap at the moment that it would be possible to buy one or two as replacement and store them.

The only trouble will be a lack of dashboards in new cars that you'll be able to fit with an old-school rectangular car stereo. Much like when the auto industry switched from the two-knob radios to the one-big-rectangle models.

[JSngry]

Try finding a portable CD player these days with an AC adapter.

One click is all it takes:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-AC-E45A-Worldwide-Adaptor-Folding/dp/B00006HOL1/ref=pd_sim_e_3

Scroll on down for the package deal.

Amazon has all. I wanted a clock/radio/phone combination a few years ago, looked everywhere, including once-sure-thing-technology-graveyards Radio Shack & Wal-Mart, nothing. I go to Amazon, they got a freakin' selection. Same thing with an old-style garment bag. Shops, no. Amazon, selection. A dazzling array, in fact.

When faced with the choice between despair and Amazon, always choose Amazon.

[Ed S]

I still occasionally use my car CD player, but I would not miss it if it were gone. Between my ipod, pandora, and Sirius - I'm set for my music listening. I used to have one of those visor CD holders - now I just have one or two CDs in the car and that's enough.

[GA Russell]

I bought a new car radio/CD player when I got Sirius in 2006. I have never used the CD player (except once when a friend insisted), as I always listen to Sirius.

[marcello]

My new Lincoln MKX has all sorts of bells and whistles ( it's almost a computer on wheels) including Sirius and a cd player that plays one at a time. The sound system is pretty damn hot, and playing the cds sounds much better than Sirius. I'll listen to cds until the end, I guess.

The car also has inputs for any kind of device (including a computer) that you could ever think of.

You can voice command all sorts of things, any type of news, stats, car functions, Blutooth, navigation etc. etc. etc.

By the time I figure everything out, it'll be time for a new car!

It looks exactly like this:

[Chuck Nessa]

Nice machine.

Wanna race my Mazda 3?

[jeffcrom]

I bought a new car radio/CD player when I got Sirius in 2006. I have never used the CD player (except once when a friend insisted), as I always listen to Sirius.

Interesting - my car has Sirius, but it's not activated. They're having one of their free trial periods right now, and have offered me a ridiculously cheap deal, since I've had the car for almost three years without activating the service. I've tried listening to it, but I don't really enjoy it - I'd rather pick my own music. The CD player and iPod jack get equal time in the car.

[Neal Pomea]

Love the iPOD. Wish it were easier to go through my menu when it's plugged into the car radio. Can't wheel around quickly. Gotta click a million times to go through my alphabetized playlist arranged by artist or album. I am not as distracted as someone text messaging, but it can't be good.

Sweet set up, Mr. Marcello!

Edited May 26, 2012 by Neal Pomea

[GA Russell]

I bought a new car radio/CD player when I got Sirius in 2006. I have never used the CD player (except once when a friend insisted), as I always listen to Sirius.

Interesting - my car has Sirius, but it's not activated. They're having one of their free trial periods right now, and have offered me a ridiculously cheap deal, since I've had the car for almost three years without activating the service. I've tried listening to it, but I don't really enjoy it - I'd rather pick my own music. The CD player and iPod jack get equal time in the car.

Jeff, are they offering you the deal of $25 for six months, or something like that? If so, go for it! I find the Real Jazz station alone has been educational for me.

(And as an added bonus, Sirius carries every CFL game!)