Analyst: Target should drop CDs

[jazzbo]

The CVT. . . because I need AWD here. My wife has a Juke SV and it was how well the AWD does in the winter that made me really consider the Juke. I also really like the AWD Vector mode, it really is a handling enhancer. If I weren't living in a lake effect snow belt I'd have the six speed. . . but the CVT is pretty darned good.

[Scott Dolan]

Yeah, I understand that. Luckily I have a 4x4, so I was able to get the 6spd. The difference between the two is rather astonishing, but like you said, the CVT is no slouch and the all wheel vectoring does improve handling quite a bit. 

So there are trade offs either way you go, but a Juke is a Juke. And they are fun as hell. I refer to it as my urban assault vehicle.  

[Kevin Bresnahan]

16 hours ago, Scott Dolan said:

???

What is that? I know what mp3 and VBR are, but Q1?

From http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=LAME#VBR_.28variable_bitrate.29_settings

VBR (variable bitrate) settings

VBR: variable bitrate mode. Use variable bitrate modes when the goal is to achieve a fixed level of quality using the lowest possible bitrate.

VBR is best used to target a specific quality level, instead of a specific bitrate. The final file size of a VBR encode is less predictable than with ABR, but the quality is usually better.

Unlike other MP3 encoders which do VBR encoding based on predictions of output quality, LAME's default VBR method tests the actual output quality to ensure the desired quality level is always achieved.

Usage: -V <number> where <number> is between 0 and 9, 0 being highest quality, 9 being the lowest. (Note: The "V" has to be a capital letter.)

Example: -V Q2

Fractional values out to three decimal places are also accepted, with 9.999 being the absolute lowest quality.

Example: -V 2.75

Note: The switch --vbr-new, which enabled a superior VBR mode in LAME 3.97 and some previous versions, is no longer needed with LAME 3.98 and higher, as it is now the default VBR mode. However, if you're still using LAME 3.97 or older, you have to add --vbr-new to your command line to use that mode.

The target bitrate and actual typical bitrate for each VBR quality level is shown in the Technical details for recommended LAME settings section below.

If you need a predictable bitrate (in a streaming application, for example), use ABR or CBR modes, described below.

[Scott Dolan]

Interesting. 

So if I'm all of that correctly, including the table it linked to, the median bitrate is 220kbps? 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

57 minutes ago, Scott Dolan said:

Interesting. 

So if I'm all of that correctly, including the table it linked to, the median bitrate is 220kbps? 

Yes. I used to use Q2 but I switched to Q1 a few years ago. Both are indistinguishable from the CD used to create the file to 99.9% of listeners.

[Scott Dolan]

1 hour ago, Kevin Bresnahan said:

Yes. I used to use Q2 but I switched to Q1 a few years ago. Both are indistinguishable from the CD used to create the file to 99.9% of listeners.

That's excellent to know. I already knew 256kbps VBR was indistinguishable, but I wasn't entirely sure about bitrates in that 190-250kbps range. Thanks for the info!  

[catesta]

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 4:24 PM, Kevin Bresnahan said:

2012 Toyotas and 2016 Subaru USB playback has a shuffle option.

I switched over to mainly USB playback in my cars. I have two 64 GB sticks (1 for Rock, 1 for Jazz) in my Camry. You can put a whole lot of music on a 64 GB stick.

There is a trick to get glitch-free playback with a large USB sticks like this though. You need to minimize the number of folders you use because then the file name gets too big. What I do is just copy the individual tracks onto the stick. I haven't had any problems since.

Can you skip over tracks and get to one in particular? Or is shuffle the only option?

[Scott Dolan]

I can tell you with my 32 pin USB connector for my  iPod in my Juke the stereo controls act exactly as they do with the CD player. 

I'd have to think the flash drive would work the same way. 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Scott Dolan

[sidewinder]

I use a USB flash drive in the car, with a choice selection of current music. Even put Mosaic box sets on there, together with the big box cover art on the dashboard nav display. 

[rostasi]

I wanted to mention too (since I'm using it again in my car starting today),
that I had installed - many years ago - a cable that's inside the central
armrest compartment and goes to a classic iPod on one end and directly
to the radio on the other. I tune in the radio to a specific station that is not
being used and the iPod plays thru that. It's nice, cause the iPod is hidden
and the music is instantaneous without having to fiddle with anything.
It may be an ancient idea, but I still drive a car that's almost 16 years old.

[Scott Dolan]

You mean a FM transmitter? 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

8 hours ago, catesta said:

Can you skip over tracks and get to one in particular? Or is shuffle the only option?

I can play all songs in order or shuffle them. I can also hit the "Browse" button and sort by genre or artist. I can also drill down to individual albums. So if I want to to hear "Soul Station", I just click Browse>Artist>Hank Mobley>Soul Station. I can play all the tracks in order or I can shuffle them.

BTW, the only way that I can get the tracks to play back in album order is by naming the tracks "01 - Remember", "02 - This I Dig Of You", "03 - Dig Dis", etc. Most players play back in alphanumeric order. Starting the track name with a number takes precedence. Be sure to use 01, 02, 03, etc. If you use 1, 2, 3 instead, track number 10 will play after track 01.

Also, the reason I drop in individual tracks instead of keeping them in their perspective folders is because of filename length restrictions. Some car players limit filenames to 72 characters. You would think that is enough. But if you put Dexter Gordon's track "Until The Real Thing Comes Along" from the album "A Swingin' Affair" onto a USB stick in folders, the actual track name the player sees is "Dexter Gordon/A Swingin' Affair/01 - Until The Real Thing Comes Along", which is 70 characters.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Kevin Bresnahan

[rostasi]

7 hours ago, Scott Dolan said:

You mean a FM transmitter? 

Well, it's an actual line to the built-in radio.

It does have that "FM" sound to it,
but it's sometimes better than the clackity-clack
of a cassette-based system where the special cassette
plugs into the iPod. All strange advantages and disadvantages
based on what's desired at the time.

[Dmitry]

9 hours ago, rostasi said:

I wanted to mention too (since I'm using it again in my car starting today),
that I had installed - many years ago - a cable that's inside the central
armrest compartment and goes to a classic iPod on one end and directly
to the radio on the other. I tune in the radio to a specific station that is not
being used and the iPod plays thru that. It's nice, cause the iPod is hidden
and the music is instantaneous without having to fiddle with anything.
It may be an ancient idea, but I still drive a car that's almost 16 years old.

Years ago I had one of those gizmos, a wireless fm transmitter where I'd pug my discman, and use a vacant fm frequency to reproduce the sound. It wasn't very good. I imagine that your mode isn't that much better.  Have you thought about purchasing a new, modern head unit that would allow Bluetooth connection for your phone, along with a usb plug? 

On 3/4/2017 at 3:17 PM, catesta said:

They got to you too? All that time in the fresh air of Rhode Island must have warped your brain.

Maybe I'm just lazy. I use my cell phone to make calls, receive calls, check emails and occasionally text. The thought of putting a bunch of music on it just does not interest me at the moment and seems to be a hassle. Now, with the new truck I'm going to be forced to have to do just that or use a usb flash drive. Otherwise I'm at the mercy of Sirius XM all the time.

At home I do sometimes use Bluetooth to stream from the iPad to a speaker source. Works fine but I still prefer my self-burned compilation discs.

I'll give an update after I experiment with streaming while on the road. I'll either like it or be reporting back that I installed an after market CD player or junked the RAM and went back to Ford or Chevy.

The convenience of not schlepping cds to the car, and futzing around with stuff is out of the ballpark when using the BT for audio. If you are really into having just about everything available out there, there's the Amazon Unlimited music streaming service, which costs around $5-$10/mo., I think. You get access to millions of songs, hundreds of thousands of albums, any time you want , in the car, at the office, or by your pool.  I might sign up down the road,  but at this juncture I'm mostly all set with what's available for free with the Amazon Prime. They got like 5 or 6 Horace Parlan albums there, streaming for no charge. Takes seconds to hook up the phone to BT, and off you go. To drop a cd into ITunes on your phone takes about 5 minutes, nothing terrible. But I don't even bother with that, just shuffle stuff on my Amazon Music app, it's more fun imho.

[rostasi]

1 hour ago, Dmitry said:

Years ago I had one of those gizmos, a wireless fm transmitter where I'd pug my discman, and use a vacant fm frequency to reproduce the sound. It wasn't very good. I imagine that your mode isn't that much better.  Have you thought about purchasing a new, modern head unit that would allow Bluetooth connection for your phone, along with a usb plug? 

I think it if were truly wireless, then it'd be horrible,
but like I said, it's not. Being a first gen Prius, audio
places scratch their collective heads as to how to
change audio out without disrupting other functions.
This direct line to the radio using a mostly hidden
cable was the final result - car audio guys could
do this. That has turned out to be just fine for me. 
Mostly, my concerns with use are for cars that I
rent for longer trips when I don't want to use my
own car, so that's why I asked about USB ports
(with stick use) because these rentals seem to
have these ports nowadays.

[Scott Dolan]

I used a FM transmitter in my old work van, and I can confirm that while they're a really neat gadget, they sound like shit. 

[rostasi]

Yeah, I had one of those one time and, yeah, the sound was bad
and it used to slide off the station. A real pain. I think it may still
be sitting in my glovebox.

[Dmitry]

rostasi, I'm curious how much a new head unit would cost to retrofit in your old Prius. Something that'll allow BT and USB connections. Could really transform the way you do things.

[rostasi]

Well, like I said, the guys were scratching their heads and stroking their beards over this back then
because they just didn't know how to do it without disturbing all of the other electronic functions.
They may know now, but, again, maybe not because how many times would someone come in with
such a thing? They didn't know then because they never had to deal with a hybrid 15 years ago and
they still don't have to deal with older models now. I'm sure that the electronics on the recent ones
are much different than on the first gens and so it's probably not a problem these days.
Anyway, I'm not gonna worry about it. Between the built-in 6-disc changer, the cassette player,
the direct to radio cable and the cassette to iPod setup, I've got plenty of options.

Tho, I do see this video on the same setup (except it's a single disc player):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OGuPuCpusQ

Maybe there's hope! Can't buy it at Target tho. 

Edited March 7, 2017 by rostasi

[JSngry]

http://www.target.com/s/car+cd+player+ipod

They're trying to try!

Ohio Players!

[Hardbopjazz]

On 3/3/2017 at 2:52 AM, David Ayers said:

Remember that they continued to fit cassette players alongside CD for many years. The CD player is gone from new designs now. 

Yup. Recently on Freecycle.org someone was offering this. I wonder this was available for cars.