| Author |
Message |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.130.11.52)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 12:27 am: | |
I was searching for a new car radio to play MP3 Audio from a DVD and I found that I can now buy a All Region DVD, CD, AM FM car radio with remote for between $110 and $150. I had just redone my TV and VCR and added a DVD player. Now it looks like the ideal system will be to take out the Pioneer AM FM cassette with CD changer and replace it with one of these new units. It will allow me to use the car stereo speakers with the TV for better sound, play movies on DVD and allow DVD discs of MP3 audio for 500 or so songs on a disc to lighten my library space. It has 2 sets of video /audio outputs and one set of video / audio input (for the VCR deck)plus the usual 4 channel speaker outputs. Finally an integrated TV / audio system for the bus that does not fill a cabinet.
As fast as electronics change I would think it makes sense to get the cheaper unit and trade up in a few years when even more features are available. Expensive models are starting to appear that include the TV Tuner, but why pay retail when I can wait 2 years and get one for a low price. I guess you wire a relay to the power antenna wire to turn the TV off when the radio unit is off if you have an older style TV that can be left on and turned on and off at the 120 Volt outlet.
The brands I found on Ebay and (at better prices) on a search of online stores were:
Pyle, Pyramid, Power Acoustic. My son recommended that I get Power Acoustic because the make high line car audio equipment up to $1000 so they are more likely to have good, reliable technology in the cheaper units. |
Derek (Derek_L) (172.167.47.9)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 1:45 am: | |
Stay away from Pyramid, at least in Canada. They make cheap end stuff. |
CoryDane RTSII (66.155.188.97)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 4:21 am: | |
Stay with Name Brands. if you never heard of it, its probably trouble.
The best value is not always in the amount of money you save.
"Imagine"
cd |
David & Lorna Schinske (Davidschinske) (67.216.108.36)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 8:43 am: | |
Research, Research, Research! |
DaveD (64.235.206.83)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 9:26 am: | |
I bought an OEM (Chrysler) radio/cassette/cd player on the internet. Haven't had a chance to install it yet.
DaveD |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.173.87.31)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 10:43 am: | |
JVC makes a 200 watt unit that is mp-3 and cd/rw compatible for between $100~$150 U.S.
You could easily create a really great sounding system with seperate tweeters and woofers with crossovers and sub-woofer for less than $400 U.S.
Pretty amazing, considering that on my first car stereo system (built in 1975), I spent over $1400 U.S. for the entire system with less than 30 watts total!
Brian |
TWO DOGS (63.156.216.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 10:57 am: | |
for right now...I just sing into the P.A....need to go out back & get that Blaupundt out of that old Mercedes |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.154.177.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 01, 2004 - 12:34 am: | |
Brian, the point to the new radios is that they will play DVD Video. It completes the entertainment system in a small package by the driver and maybe another above the bed. In 1975 I bought a Roadstar cassette AM FM car stereo at the PX for around $100. It was more advanced than most of the Pioneer sets and one of the few that would not eat tapes if the tape stuck.
Derek, thanks. That was the conclusion that I reached because Pyramid not only made a lot of cheap stuff, but they made no high end stuff. I suspect Pyle is the same.
That is why my son recommended Power Acoustic. They have a high line.
Cory, I have bought new brands before and been very happy. There are many new brands in DVD players and they work just fine. Electronics is not hard to get right today. On the other hand some popular car stereo name brands are junk, going on the name only. 10 or 15 years ago the name was everything. Today it is just more dollars. If I buy a cheaper set today, a Kenwood with the same features and more will be available in the same price range within a year. If the cheaper set is good, I leave it. If it is not up to par, I put in a Kenwood next year and spend less than I would hunting up a brand name with all the features I want this year.
I guess the important thing is that electronics are not something to stockpile for your conversion. Better to buy at the end when prices are down and feature are up. |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.173.87.31)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 12:58 am: | |
I definitely agree that electronics should be the one of the last things to go into a conversion.
Speakers though generally haven't changed nearly so fast, in other words, speakers bought today will work as well as next decade's models, so if you find a deal, stockpiling them is not a bad idea.
It's funny that you mention Roadstar, the original reciever/tape deck in my first system was a Roadstar AM/FM 8Track player, I thought it was a great deck, until someone liked else liked it too and tried to steal it.
They crushed it trying to remove it from under the dash, funny thing is, for the heck of it I turned it on and the radio came on! I used it for a few weeks like that until I bought a really high end Sony, what an AWESOME deck that was.
I did keep the Roadstar though, as a radio for my basement.
I had some nice high end 8" Pyle drivers in the 80's that were great and I'm still using them for a radio at work, plus the Plye tweets I had were pretty clean sounding and I still have those somewhere.
I just bought a pair of 5 1/4 Pyle speakers for the cab of my truck.
Plye used to be a great name, and it still seems they have a nice product based on the 5 1/4 pair I bought.
I have to say that while some popular brands may be junk, the old name brands have far better quality control and are a safer bet.
Athough truth be told I hated Pioneer with a passion back then, and wouldn't have bought a Pioneer to save my life, I imagine they have gotten their act together in the years since.
As far as buying cheaper, if you look around on the internet, deals for really nice brand name units come up all the time. Close-outs and previous model year equipment can be an excellent way to buy higher end units at a great price.
I just recently bought a really nice Kenwood reciever new in the box for my pick-up for around $30 shipping included.
Brian |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.154.176.123)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 4:26 am: | |
But no DVD. I want the latest technology and I dont want to pay for the big names at this year's prices. I'll buy one and let you all know if it is satisfactory. I have several Kenwoods with CD changer but no MP3. I want the latest technology because I detect a major change. |
John that newguy (199.232.240.176)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 7:39 am: | |
Wow. All this talk about high tech radios reminded me that the one I was
planning to use is starting to buzz pretty bad 'cuz it needs a new vibrator. |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.154.176.169)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 2:48 am: | |
I have installed a Power Acoustik PADVD740R DVD MP3 CD AM FM radio in my bus to replace the old Pioneer cassette unit with separate CD changer. It makes a very nice unifying package for the entertainment system. DVD player works great and plays DVD-R also, even though the manual says it will not. Sound is great. VCR sound is run through the unit also, through audio input. So I have sound on my main speakers on for DVD and VCR but not for TV alone. I have seen more expensive units with a TV tuner also. The remote control is for the disc functions and is not an all function remote control. It does not control volume or turn the power off. Still it is a good unit for a little more than the cost of a DVD player. MP3 menu show up on the TV with all the song titles and folders for albums.
Cost $128.45 with shipping. |
John Rigby (65.112.227.94)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 12:52 pm: | |
Steve. This sounds great.
I had a 120volt house unit in my coach, parked no problem, but on the road it would skip all the time. Is this model good for road use?
Thanks
John |
John Rigbyj (24.174.238.253)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 11:20 pm: | |
Stephen
I have looked,Lots out there, Please let us know the model# and were you purchased it
Thanks
John |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (65.154.177.98)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 3:24 am: | |
The model is Power Acoustik PADVD740R
I purchased it from:
eSLAKE
(585) 381-3399
www.eslake.com
There is a Pyle unit on Ebay that includes a TV tuner so all will be controlled by one head unit: Pyle In Dash AM/FM DVD/CD/MP3 Player w/TV tuner NEW price is $160 = shipping.
I do not consider either of these units to be the final answer. The remote does not cover all functions on the Power Acoustik unit and My Kenwood CD MP3 player is easier to play MP3s on and allows 8 levels deep of files on the MP3 CD. As I said originally, something better will be along next year for the same price. |
FAST FRED (4.245.230.182)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 5:45 am: | |
For EZ living a remote controll is great as in a camper you spend far more time inside but not behind the wheel .
Most units , regardless of cost , only will work as well as the speaker SYSTEM is.
First big expense should be GREAT speakers , then everything else will work as well as it can.
FAST FRED |