Are CD players in cars "outdated" by now?
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 22,608
Likes: 105
From: Waiting for next track day
This is rather simple. Buy a quality USB sound card, open up some basic sound recording software (Audacity works well), and press play on a cassette player... then wait.
There are services that will do this for you as well, which is probably cheaper considering the time it takes to do this.
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-tu...ape-into-mp3s/
http://www.audiomover.com/transfer-cassette-to-cd.php
Paying someone to do this isn't cheap - in fact it's like paying near retail price for every cassette tape! Depends on how much you value your time and the music you're trying to digitize.
There are services that will do this for you as well, which is probably cheaper considering the time it takes to do this.
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-tu...ape-into-mp3s/
http://www.audiomover.com/transfer-cassette-to-cd.php
Paying someone to do this isn't cheap - in fact it's like paying near retail price for every cassette tape! Depends on how much you value your time and the music you're trying to digitize.
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: New York
CD's and players are still popular, I don't see them as outdated at all. They still offer the highest quality listening experience and are pretty much the only way to obtain a album from a store or if you don't a computer/smartphone and the means to download albums/songs. I still use my CD player all the time in my car. They should still be standard in cars, they don't cost much and don't take up much room, no need to get rid of a important music listening option for many buyers just because some people think they are outdated or there are more options to listen to music. Until there is a superior physical format for listening to albums and purchasing them at stores I don't think a CD player should not be offered in cars. Automakers should continue to refine and offer the most options possible for music/entertainment, USB drives, Bluetooth, Streaming, highest quality CD, etc. I like having physical CD's, DVD's, Blu Ray's, and albums, they have their uses and conveniences.
Lexus switched to a single disk player on all 2013+ models. Gone is the changer since CD's are being phased out in the industry and techology in general. USB and Bluetooth are reigning supreme. AUX while still around will take a hit when Apple drops it in favor of a lightning cable style in the near future.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,054
Likes: 103
From: Southeastern PA
The new Apple Macs with Retina Displays come without a CD drive; and I'm thinking, "That's crazy." But Apple must know the technology and the market better than I do.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,054
Likes: 103
From: Southeastern PA
this will never happen, unless they go back to dealer installed accessories under the seat, or in the trunk. The cost to add this variable to the assembly line isn't worth it to car makers, and it would be just another item bundled with some ridiculous option package for $1000s anyway.
car CD drives won't live long... yeah some people will 'carry the flame' for decades, but like ashtrays, their days are numbered.
about audio quality, not convinced most everyone can hear any difference between a high or variable bit rate mp3 and a cd. heck, most young people just make an mp3 from a youtube video, which is terrible audio quality, but 'good enough' and free.
about audio quality, not convinced most everyone can hear any difference between a high or variable bit rate mp3 and a cd. heck, most young people just make an mp3 from a youtube video, which is terrible audio quality, but 'good enough' and free.
Last edited by bitkahuna; Jul 7, 2014 at 05:23 PM.
this will never happen, unless they go back to dealer installed accessories under the seat, or in the trunk. The cost to add this variable to the assembly line isn't worth it to car makers, and it would be just another item bundled with some ridiculous option package for $1000s anyway.
jeep and other chrysler products i believe, already have the cd player as optional.
it's not hard at all. in the jeep case, the cd player goes in the console box between the seats and is optional.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
'always' is also a long time.
the cd has been around for over 30 years. it is stereo 16 bit sampling at 44.1khz. that's a straight 1.4 megabits per second. but 16 bit data samples is actually lame today. 24 bit sampling is pretty typical and let's say we went to 128Khz sampling rate. that would be 6.1 megabits per second or over 4 times the data. and of course that's still only stereo. with home theater at 5.1 or 7.1 and cars often having a dozen speakers, lets say we had 6 channels of audio instead of 2, then we'd be looking at 18 megabits per second or 13 times the cd data rate.
perhaps your statement could be rephrased... audiophiles will always choose the better format.
the shiny ancient 700MB disc format though, will go away.
the cd has been around for over 30 years. it is stereo 16 bit sampling at 44.1khz. that's a straight 1.4 megabits per second. but 16 bit data samples is actually lame today. 24 bit sampling is pretty typical and let's say we went to 128Khz sampling rate. that would be 6.1 megabits per second or over 4 times the data. and of course that's still only stereo. with home theater at 5.1 or 7.1 and cars often having a dozen speakers, lets say we had 6 channels of audio instead of 2, then we'd be looking at 18 megabits per second or 13 times the cd data rate.
perhaps your statement could be rephrased... audiophiles will always choose the better format.
the shiny ancient 700MB disc format though, will go away.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,395
Likes: 361
From: Las Vegas
I have not yet used the CD player in my Fusion, and I had stopped using the one in my LS the day I got my first iPod.
Most of my music comes from my USB drive, but occasionally I'll switch it up with bluetooth on my phone. I may be switching to T-mobile, and with their new policy of music streaming not counting against your data, Pandora might become a daily part of my commute.
Most of my music comes from my USB drive, but occasionally I'll switch it up with bluetooth on my phone. I may be switching to T-mobile, and with their new policy of music streaming not counting against your data, Pandora might become a daily part of my commute.
Never once used the CD player in my Venza. It could be defective for all I know...
Haven't used the CD changer in my F in ages...
I even installed a Pioneer headunit in my mom's 20 yo Camry and pre-installed all her music in a tiny flush USB drive so that she has access to all her music when driving. So even SHE doesn't use CD's anymore.
Haven't used the CD changer in my F in ages...
I even installed a Pioneer headunit in my mom's 20 yo Camry and pre-installed all her music in a tiny flush USB drive so that she has access to all her music when driving. So even SHE doesn't use CD's anymore.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,366
Likes: 613
From: IL
Sorry, audiophiles rejected the CD in favor of Vinyl or SACD/DVD-A. And a car is about as far as you can get from a critical listening environment, aside from things like bandshells next to the ocean.
I've used the CD player in me E90 once--I was buying used, and wanted to make sure it worked. 98% of my content comes from my iPad Mini, the other 2% from XM. I bought my last CD eight years ago. My wife and her 74-year-old father are both late adopters, and they got their last CDs almost five years ago. The CD player in his car has NEVER been used since he bought it new 3+ years ago. So we don't actually know if it works, and no one cares.
I do think it should remain an option, as for a while there will be an ever-shrinking contingent of people who actually want it. But eliminating it opens up some additional real estate for more screen space or larger/more convenient controls. Therefore it should not be standard, and I explicitly do not want it. We're not yet to the point where I can summarily reject any car that does have one, but that day is coming soon and I can't wait.
I've used the CD player in me E90 once--I was buying used, and wanted to make sure it worked. 98% of my content comes from my iPad Mini, the other 2% from XM. I bought my last CD eight years ago. My wife and her 74-year-old father are both late adopters, and they got their last CDs almost five years ago. The CD player in his car has NEVER been used since he bought it new 3+ years ago. So we don't actually know if it works, and no one cares.
I do think it should remain an option, as for a while there will be an ever-shrinking contingent of people who actually want it. But eliminating it opens up some additional real estate for more screen space or larger/more convenient controls. Therefore it should not be standard, and I explicitly do not want it. We're not yet to the point where I can summarily reject any car that does have one, but that day is coming soon and I can't wait.