CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 28, 2011 CMS Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 In a blatant sign of the digital times, Ford Motor Co. this week announced it no longer will be including a CD player in its new Ford Focus vehicles, replacing that feature with a USB port for portable music players. The USB digital music access will be included as part of Ford's Sync in-car entertainment system, which includes Wi-Fi and the use of personal digital music devices. The Wi-Fi access lets drivers listen to music online, either via Internet radio, services like Pandora and Spotify, or music stored on a "cloud" service. So now you need to rip your CDs to an MP3 memory stick to play them in the car. But you've probably already done the ripping part, right, and already have your 30,000 songs cataloged on your computer, so all ya gotta do is drag and drop, right? And how are you going to get WiFi in your car? When will all the streets and highways be wired for free wireless Internet access? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Lozada Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 And how are you going to get WiFi in your car? When will all the streets and highways be wired for free wireless Internet access? Some -or most, I don't know for sure- smart phones like the iPhone provide a "tethering" or "personal hot spot" which allows you to use the telephone as a modem. That's how, I guess. I am one of those sincerely wishing the CD (or whatever physical media of delivering a music album) never disappear. It's still something magic for a musician to have its work on a box which is sold at a physical store. And for the real fan, the same magical experience to have such box on their hands. ... however I find myself more and more into buying digital downloads from iTunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Poker99 Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 Real fans? What is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 If the audio CD format disappears it will be a major step backwards for quality audio. Damn shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 And that's really saying something for those of us who felt that a 24-bit audio format sounded better, fuller, and had more depth. That said, I play MP3s on the car regularly. I rip them at 256 or 320kbps and can't tell the difference between that and my CDs in a noisy car environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueSteam Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 This makes me sad... Also, I thought the new Focus was a nice looking car... I hate it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 You know, a trip to Al and Ed's AutoSound will fix you right up, not to worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nat whilk II Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 I go back and forth on CD acquisitions. eMusic, when it was really cheap, got about 3/4 of my purchases, the rest CDs, used and new. eMusic is still less than iTunes, but it's gone up. Lately, even the local used CD store has been hiking prices to around $6.99 per. If I scavenge in half.com or other like places, I can find used CDs for $1 plus $2.99 for media mail shipping. But of course, the selection is pot luck. This is the cheapest honest option going that I've come up for the time being. I don't want to end up with 5,000 CDs useless CDs at some point. That point being when the subscription-based streaming services offer affordable CD-quality sound. Or maybe when someday you can buy a little stick or something that holds 5,000 albums of your choice all at CD or better quality.... Oh the sufferings of the poor hapless consumer....woe woe woe and sob...such hardships, such heart-breaking choices between shopping options...HOW do we cope?? nat whilk ii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bookumdano2 Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 Speaking of cars, from my completely disconnected connections, 3g junk is going to swarm everything within the next 18 months. I've heard about cars getting the circuitry, and I even think the one of the iPods gets 3g in the next 8 weeks or so. Everything has a credit card reader now, so wouldn't be surprised in 2015 cars have a usb port, a credit card reader port (to stop and start your 3g and pre-shop at McDonalds a minute before you get there) and a useable standard ac outlet for your popcorn machines and shoe shiners, ... and for charging up all the other 3g junk you've been collecting for the past years before 2015. I can see apple bringing out a regular actual home tv (to get their name and circuitry inside.. but that's just for starters) in a couple of minutes, getting that connected to the cloud a couple of hours after that, and also into a mini display format to force.. er.. suggest for car makers to build into your car for yet another closed eeek-it's-apple-eco-in-my-car-and home system. Connect to the IisaCloud wherever you are. Even in your car. And hey, the sound of Safari and car just begs for a tv commercial. All those signals and junk. Who's actually gonna give the speed for all that? Anyway, then all the hardware finally goes into the dump in 2021 since virtual 3d will take hold. Anyone see that new patent Apple has to give you 3d without tricks and glasses... with actual triple or more imaging on multi-layers of the display itself. I can't keep up with all of it. It's cool to watch. I don't buy in to most of it as it ultimately is more stuff to keep your mind out of reality and into cyberuniverses. But I won't miss cds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark L Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 I reckon in 10 years' time we'll have record players in our cars, filling our little tin boxes with luvverly old anologue on vinyl But I could be wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 All physical media for entertainment purposes will be long gone within my lifetime (i.e. 40 years or so). Probably a lot sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Beck Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 Look even further into the future and there will be no cars. We'll go everywhere right here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark L Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 Look even further into the future and there will be no cars. We'll go everywhere right here. We'll just be brains in jars, living virtual lives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 Look even further into the future and there will be no cars. Good. I've already abandoned mine. There will also be no cash. The only things you currently have to use cash to buy are illegal anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 We'll just be brains in jars, living virtual lives Is that sort of like Second Life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bookumdano2 Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 ............"We'll go everywhere right here...." All your here are belong to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 28, 2011 Author CMS Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Some -or most, I don't know for sure- smart phones like the iPhone provide a "tethering" or "personal hot spot" which allows you to use the telephone as a modem. That's how, I guess. I've seen exhibitors do that at trade shows when they need Internet access and can't depend on the venue's WiFi (or it isn't offered), and Pandora has a car radio that plugs into an nG phone. But that requires another piece of hardware (the phone) and a service account which charges by the month and if they get their way, by the byte as well. I have neither. Maybe the new radios will have a data-capable phone interface built in and all you'll need is the account. But it probably won't be free. I am one of those sincerely wishing the CD (or whatever physical media of delivering a music album) never disappear. It's still something magic for a musician to have its work on a box which is sold at a physical store. And for the real fan, the same magical experience to have such box on their hands. Sure. What will touring folkies sell at house concerts if the audience can't listen to their CD on the way home? And if it comes to selling a USB thumb drive, I wonder if there will be pressure to lower the cost. A musician can make a gig worth while by selling a couple of dozen CDs at $15. But not if he has to sell a dozen USB drives at $5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 28, 2011 Author CMS Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 If the audio CD format disappears it will be a major step backwards for quality audio. Damn shame. Not necessarily. When have people stopped complaining about the audio quality of commercial music CDs? If you want 24-bit WAV files you can fit an hour's worth of stereo on a 1 GB, which is probably the smallest USB memory drive you can buy any more. Or 96 kHz 24-bit on a 2 GB stick. Not that you can take advantage of either in a normal car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 28, 2011 Author CMS Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 You know, a trip to Al and Ed's AutoSound will fix you right up, not to worry. Depends on the car you have. I wanted to either replace the radio or get an adapter to add a line input, but Al & Ed's, or Crutchfield didn't have either. In my car, a 2003 Lexus ES300 (a fancy Camry) the radio is spread out in so many pieces that there's no way to replace it without gutting the cockpit, and no neat way to tie in an external input. I did find a line-in adapter on line that claimed to interface with it but it cost a couple of hundred bucks. Fortunately the car is old enough to still have a cassette deck as well as a 5-disk CD changer, so I use one of those cassette adapters that couples to the head when I want to connect my MP3 player. Fidelity? It's a good think it's only to keep me company when driving for hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 IA musician can make a gig worth while by selling a couple of dozen CDs at $15. But not if he has to sell a dozen USB drives at $5. I usually end up selling CDs at shows for $5 anyway... when I can sell CDs and not tell people that they can get my stuff on iTunes (which becomes a toss-up as to whether they actually buy it later as they promise they will). Anyway, the only constant is change. Expect that, and all will be well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 28, 2011 Author CMS Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Anyway, the only constant is change. Expect that, and all will be well. Playing for change, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted July 28, 2011 Members Share Posted July 28, 2011 Beats a sharp stick in the eye. Not by a lot, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted July 29, 2011 Members Share Posted July 29, 2011 If you want 24-bit WAV files you can fit an hour's worth of stereo on a 1 GB, which is probably the smallest USB memory drive you can buy any more. Or 96 kHz 24-bit on a 2 GB stick. Cool. Where can I buy these files? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 29, 2011 Author CMS Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Cool. Where can I buy these files? First you have to find someone with a recording who cares about the quality of the delivery medium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted July 29, 2011 Members Share Posted July 29, 2011 Well it was only a matter of time. To be honest, I still buy CDs but I admit, I was pissed to find out my Honda Odyssey did not have a connection for my iPod. I was like... what the frig? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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