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Default Car Am/Fm Cassette, Reliable 'economical' brand = the ultimate Impossible Dream?

Most desired features:
Clock that keeps time.
Display that doesn't burn out in a couple years.
Receiver/Amp that doesn't stop sending to speakers in a couple years.
More or less standard install/connectors. No exorbitantly priced "install
kits" or other hidden charges, fees, etc.

Removable face somewhat desired, though never had need of this yet.

Is it better to plug in cheap-clone Walkman (buying its replacement every 2
years?)

and separate clock? Then, does 12V clock exist? (Or only NiMH refillable?)


also interested in brands of reliable CD changer, mounted elsewhere, as is
often done.

TIA & t later


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Joe Dufu
 
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Default Car Am/Fm Cassette, Reliable 'economical' brand = the ultimate Impossible Dream?

Junk yard. Buy an old "analog' version with the manual tuning knobs. Buy
the remote CD player with the FM transmit option.

Low cost radio, low chance it will break (although quality will probably be
the pits), nobody will steal it so you don't need the removable face and the
CD player will work just fine as long as you can tune it in!

--



Joe - V#8013 - '86 VN750 - joe @ yunx .com
Ask me about "The Ride" on July 31, '04:
http://www.youthelate.com/the_ride.htm

Born once - Die twice. Born twice - Die only once. Your choice...


wrote in message ...
Most desired features:
Clock that keeps time.
Display that doesn't burn out in a couple years.
Receiver/Amp that doesn't stop sending to speakers in a couple years.
More or less standard install/connectors. No exorbitantly priced "install
kits" or other hidden charges, fees, etc.

Removable face somewhat desired, though never had need of this yet.

Is it better to plug in cheap-clone Walkman (buying its replacement every

2
years?)

and separate clock? Then, does 12V clock exist? (Or only NiMH refillable?)


also interested in brands of reliable CD changer, mounted elsewhere, as is
often done.

TIA & t later




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mike
 
Posts: n/a
Default Car Am/Fm Cassette, Reliable 'economical' brand = the ultimate Impossible Dream?


wrote in message ...
Most desired features:
Clock that keeps time.
Display that doesn't burn out in a couple years.
Receiver/Amp that doesn't stop sending to speakers in a couple years.
More or less standard install/connectors. No exorbitantly priced "install
kits" or other hidden charges, fees, etc.


unless you want to "ethnically engineer" the job, ANY aftermarket stereo is
going to require a wiring harness.

and depending on the car, if you dont want it to look like utter ****e, you
might need a "trim ring" and other misc goodies.

cheapest? go to a junkyard and get the same kind of stereo that came with
your car. plug n play.


Removable face somewhat desired, though never had need of this yet.

Is it better to plug in cheap-clone Walkman (buying its replacement every

2
years?)

and separate clock? Then, does 12V clock exist? (Or only NiMH refillable?)


also interested in brands of reliable CD changer, mounted elsewhere, as is
often done.


ive been happy with my blaupunkt setup. the head unit was about $140, and
the changer was about $200. 5 years, still works great.



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Bill 2
 
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Default Car Am/Fm Cassette, Reliable 'economical' brand = the ultimate Impossible Dream?


wrote in message ...
Most desired features:
Clock that keeps time.
Display that doesn't burn out in a couple years.
Receiver/Amp that doesn't stop sending to speakers in a couple years.
More or less standard install/connectors. No exorbitantly priced "install
kits" or other hidden charges, fees, etc.

Removable face somewhat desired, though never had need of this yet.

Is it better to plug in cheap-clone Walkman (buying its replacement every

2
years?)

and separate clock? Then, does 12V clock exist? (Or only NiMH refillable?)


also interested in brands of reliable CD changer, mounted elsewhere, as is
often done.

TIA & t later


Option one: Junk yard, same make and model or less.

Option 2: Blaupunkt. They make good sounding gear, but it looks cheap,
making it not very attractive to a thief. I think I saw a low end CD/Radio
unit go for $150 CDN or so.

Option 3: Cheap crappy $15 Wally-World special with crappy analogue tuning,
a knob that will break off at a moment's notice, and a hissy tape deck.


One of the best AM/FM/cassette players I had was in a 1989 Plymouth Reliant.
The screen stopped working after a few years, but it still sounded great
when we sold it. You get used to operating by feel and can install a
standalone stick on clock if it means so much to you.

For my car an adapter kit is $15. That combined with a Blaupunkt unit is
less than the factory radio.

You could probably also get a cheap inverter and plug in a small stereo. And
I've seen a small LCD stick on clock with a .75" screen that runs on watch
cells that would probably last years before replacement. I think it was a
couple bucks.


  #5   Report Post  
 
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Default Car Am/Fm Cassette, Reliable 'economical' brand = the ultimate Impossible Dream?

I found most of these posted replies in Google only

current unit is Blaupunkt, a clearance model from Fry's (typical? uh oh).

The clock button became erratic in less than one year.

I guess because there's no physical volume indicator, the Blaupunkt designer
chose to have the volume go down to zero when power is shut off. So you have
to reset volume whenever powering on. After letting off the clock button,
the display returns to the radio call number when it should stay showing the
time. There are some other lesser control annoyances.


Previous FM/AM/cassette was Panasonic or Pioneer (can't remember) The panel
lighting went almost black after a few years. (Station could be read if you
leaned your face close to panel when the day wasn't too sunny) Then a couple
years later the signal to speakers went out. Depending on the month(?):
either l, r, both, or neither speaker received signal.


"Joe Dufu" joe @ yunx . com wrote in message
...
Junk yard. Buy an old "analog' version with the manual tuning knobs. Buy
the remote CD player with the FM transmit option.

Low cost radio, low chance it will break (although quality will probably

be
the pits), nobody will steal it so you don't need the removable face and

the
CD player will work just fine as long as you can tune it in!




Re junkyard:
Had a cheapo mid 80's (Craguar Kranco whatever) that went to the wrecker
with the rest of the car. I suppose I should have saved the radio. Maybe
it's still there

I think the tape mechanism was getting weird. But the radio worked. It never
had a clock. The trim piece didn't actually fit right, but blocked the gaps.
Less stuff is more reliable

The car window was broken once. Whoever found nothing worth filching, also
left the radio



best clock I've seen is built into the dash by Honda. Clock display turns on
with Ignition. The clock and the other dashlights dim when headlights are on
(assumes for night driving). Two clock buttons, minutes and hours. Simple
reset for daylight savings or if the car battery dies.


wrote in message ...



Removable face somewhat desired, though never had need of this yet.

Is it better to plug in cheap-clone Walkman (buying its replacement

every
2
years?)

and separate clock? Then, does 12V clock exist? (Or only NiMH

refillable?)


also interested in brands of reliable CD changer, mounted elsewhere, as

is
often done.

TIA & t later


t later




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mike
 
Posts: n/a
Default Car Am/Fm Cassette, Reliable 'economical' brand = the ultimate Impossible Dream?



I guess because there's no physical volume indicator, the Blaupunkt

designer
chose to have the volume go down to zero when power is shut off. So you

have
to reset volume whenever powering on. After letting off the clock button,
the display returns to the radio call number when it should stay showing

the
time. There are some other lesser control annoyances.


weird. my blau colorado lets you set what you want the volume to be when you
turn it on, and when you mute it.


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