How am I going to play my CDs now?

[fisicx]

We were out perusing a new car at the weekend and it now appears that CD players are no longer stadard fit. Because we have all gone digital (ignore the irony of that statement) I'm expected to use iTunes to store all my music and plug my phone into the car.

So I now have to download the CD onto my computer (where it will get compressed and chopped), copy it to my phone and plug this into the car instead of just getting the CD out the box and shoving it into the slot.

Apparently this is progress.

PS: As I have a mac air I don't event have a disc drive. I mentioned this to the salesman and you could see their brain fizzle with the complexity of the question, they probably haven't ever listened to uncompressed music and wouldn't know hi-fi if it bit them on the bum.

 

[avecSys]

For most of this newer models you can buy the CD changer for the boot, but I agree that you shouldn't have to

 

[Faevilangel]

My dad gets a new car (brand new, no miles, straight off boat from Japan) every 9 months due to his job and everyone has had a cd player, the last 4/5 don't look like they do but the panel for the sat nav (or just a screen for the music player) drops down and reveals the cd player behind the panel, could this be the same for your car?

 

[AllUpHere]

My dad gets a new car (brand new, no miles, straight off boat from Japan) every 9 months due to his job and everyone has had a cd player, the last 4/5 don't look like they do but the panel for the sat nav (or just a screen for the music player) drops down and reveals the cd player behind the panel, could this be the same for your car?

I'd imagine the salesman would have known about it if that were the case.

 

[Paul Murray]

Apparently this is progress.

I'm all for change, but completely agree that this 'progress' is pretty backwards. My car is the only place I can listen to CDs now. I used to use an ipod to play as I drove but let's just say switching CDs at 70mph is a lot safer than trying to find that album you want on a little white box.

 

[Faevilangel]

I'd imagine the salesman would have known about it if that were the case.

You would hope so,

 

[fisicx]

This salesman extolled the virtue of iTunes - he banged on about how you can see the album artwork on the central display panel. And then he excitedly said it would show my twitter feed. At that point I gave up and went for an intelligent conversation with the flowerpots outside.

CD isn't an option, you can't even install a CD changer in the boot or anything. But you can check facebook at 70mph.

 

[MikeJ]

Mine's got a USB port in the center console. Shove in a 64gb pen drive, and I've got all the music I could ever want, easily selectable and I lose nothing if it gets nicked (other than the cost of a pen drive).

 

[TotalWebSolutions]

You could look to replace the stock system with another which does have CD input. Halfords do CD/MP3 from about £60 and some stores will do free fitting.

On a side topic, I still have CD in my car but mainly use a DAB portable I have hooked into an AUX input for DAB radio. Works a treat !

 

[Ian J]

I now have to download the CD onto my computer (where it will get compressed and chopped),

You can rip a CD losslessly so it doesn't need to be compressed

 

[fisicx]

Mine's got a USB port in the center console. Shove in a 64gb pen drive, and I've got all the music I could ever want, easily selectable and I lose nothing if it gets nicked (other than the cost of a pen drive).

Yes - but I've got to get the stuff onto the USB in the first place.

Listen to Dark Side of the Moon on a CD then on the iTunes/USB version and you will understand why I still want my CDs. In fact listen to the album on Vinyl and you will soon discover what you are missing.

You can rip a CD losslessly so it doesn't need to be compressed

Yes, but you can't fit 50 lossless CDs on an iPhone.

 

[paulears]

My van system plays CDs, DVDs USB sticks, microSD cards and can connect to the net and my player, plus of course my phone - however, playing a CD involves tapping the screen, swiping and fiddling - the original Vauxhall one was soon much easier.

 

[Maxwell83]

Kids today don't know what a CD is, but the older generation who usually are the ones affording brand new cars still use them. Manufacturers need to think of their target market.

I'm of an age where i'm comfortable with both (31) but i would feel sorry for my dad if he didn't have a CD player in his new car. He still moans about tape players being phased out.

 

[AllUpHere]

I think my Dad is still waiting for 8 track to make a comeback.

 

[fisicx]

This is all a modern car needs:

 

[Nuno]

Not an Apple user so just a stab in the dark: can't you use voice control on a Mac box (pod, pad, book) and go that way? No singing along mind...

 

[BustersDogs]

I still have a CD player, but I put all my music onto my own CDs so I can get well over 100 tracks on a CD - some have nearly 150 tracks. Invaluable when driving on your own, never have to change the CDs!

Just make sure when you start up your projecct to put all the tracks on whatever storate you want, that you copy at 192kbps at least, and you won't notice the difference in a car. If you really want to be sure, use 320kbps instead, but unless you're changing the standard set up that comes with the car, it's not necessary.

 

[BustersDogs]

Yes, but you can't fit 50 lossless CDs on an iPhone.

Do you normally play 50 CDs on the same journey before you get home?? Just rip a few at a time, and swap them over in your phone, or invest in an MP3 player. Move with the times. :-D

 

[fisicx]

I've got a box of CDs in the car, I usually just pick the one I fancy listening to.

What annoyed me was the assumption by the salesman that everyone puts their music on a phone/player/whatever. It just didn't occur to him that was any alternative way of doing things.

I thought I was quite modern having a DAB. Which works intermittently depending on the signal. With a good old FM radio you could alway hear something, DAB just stops. Which isn't much use when the announcer says: 'The M6 is closed between Junction...... ' (followed by the sound of silence).

 

[PaulThompson]

See if you can get a DiskMan (from the '90s) to plug into the iPod port...?

 

[deniser]

I only have a tape deck in my car (an old mini) - but I can use a funny cassette type thing to play my ipod in it.

I was surprised when my husband bought a car recently and it had a cd player but you had to pay £50 extra for the ipod attachment which didn't come as standard.

 

[deniser]

See if you can get a DiskMan (from the '90s) to plug into the iPod port...?

Those things that you had to keep completely still otherwise the cd would jump?

 

[sirearl]

Not an Apple user so just a stab in the dark: can't you use voice control on a Mac box (pod, pad, book) and go that way? No singing along mind...

I have voice control ,complete waste of time.

I spend more time arguing with Frau Gertrude than I do with the wife.

 

[fisicx]

See if you can get a DiskMan (from the '90s) to plug into the iPod port...?

This was a MIni we were looking at. You can plug anything you like into the port but the car sofware will ignore most of them.

To add insult to injury, if you want to use your iphone/android with the car you have to buy a special lead - it's an optional extra.

 

[Spock]

Surely you can connect via bluetooth fisicx? No cable required.

I did a little dance when I managed to connect my ipod to my car – no more cd cases littering my car seats, glove box and floor. Now I have all 12k songs available. I call that progress.

 

[Ian J]

Listen to Dark Side of the Moon on a CD then on the iTunes/USB version and you will understand why I still want my CDs. In fact listen to the album on Vinyl and you will soon discover what you are missing.

That is my one and only SACD and the sound is superb

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

Does it have an aux input?

If so, buy a portable CD player and an aux-to-aux cable and then connect it from the CD player's headphone output into the aux input port.

If it doesn't have one, I believe there are some fairly simple kits on the internet to create an aux input. Mind you, if it does have one, they're usually quite difficult to find, so be sure to have a thorough look under and around the dash.

 

[MarkHopkins]

Get a cheap laptop and copy your CDs to a USB drive - if they have a port for that.

Use a lossless format for the songs you really want to keep pristine.

Oh, and enjoy progress.

 

[Jeff FV]

... and when the battery of your phone/ipod runs out ... ?

I'm with fiscx on this and, I could be wrong, but aren't some of you missing the point?

I don't want the faff of putting all my CDs onto my iPod

 

[GraemeL]

What about me and my Buddy Holly on Vinyl?

 

[sirearl]

I would assume the no CD player is about saving the manufacturer money,my car has 4 and a half wheels which saves them 90 quid on a 30k motor.

 

[Ian J]

I would assume the no CD player is about saving the manufacturer money,my car has 4 and a half wheels which saves them 90 quid on a 30k motor.

It's a bit of a short sighted view as not everyone is ready to give up physical media in favour of downloading as that seems to be the way the world is going.

I don't listen to music much nowadays but both of my previous BMW cars have had six CD changers in them but my current 3 series has a single CD player in the dash plus a hard drive on which to store music plus all sorts of connectors for iPods etc.

Personally I don't mind as all of my music is stored on PC anyway as I use Squeezeboxes around the house for music listening and it's no hardship to download a few albums onto a stick to transfer to the car if I'm going on a long trip

 

[avecSys]

Listen to Dark Side of the Moon on a CD then on the iTunes/USB version and you will understand why I still want my CDs. In fact listen to the album on Vinyl and you will soon discover what you are missing.

I use this http://lighthouseaudiovisual.co.uk/...-25269-p.asp?gclid=CNS7hebsuMMCFQXnwgodvk4AUA

Record in .WAV format for best quality. I have album from 80's and 90's in that format. Sound a lot better than their CD counterparts. One song should come out at around 40-50mb and I lose nothing. Also I enjoy the hiss and crackle of dirty ones

 

[Cobby]

I'm all for change, but completely agree that this 'progress' is pretty backwards. My car is the only place I can listen to CDs now. I used to use an ipod to play as I drove but let's just say switching CDs at 70mph is a lot safer than trying to find that album you want on a little white box.

Doing either is dangerous. Please don't drive dangerously.

Yes, but you can't fit 50 lossless CDs on an iPhone.

You don't need lossless quality in a moving car. Between engine and road noise you will not be able to notice the difference between a raw format and a high bitrate mp3.

 

[Cobby]

It's a bit of a short sighted view as not everyone is ready to give up physical media in favour of downloading as that seems to be the way the world is going.

It's not short sighted at all. It has been and always will be the way that industry provides first for its largest demographic, and if you aren't or don't want to be part of that demographic then there's a premium to be paid. It applies to every aspect of business from extras in new cars, dietary requirements, and clothing all the way out to postal services.

People did the same grumbling about the move from cassette to CD.

 

[avecSys]

You don't need lossless quality in a moving car. Between engine and road noise you will not be able to notice the difference between a raw format and a high bitrate mp3.

I beg to differ with my system lol!

 

[fisicx]

I beg to differ with my system lol!

Same here. A CD is far superior to the scabby sound you get from iTunes. Did some testing with a spectrum anaylser a while back and you can see everything getting chopped.

 

[Ian J]

It's not short sighted at all. It has been and always will be the way that industry provides first for its largest demographic, and if you aren't or don't want to be part of that demographic then there's a premium to be paid. It applies to every aspect of business from extras in new cars, dietary requirements, and clothing all the way out to postal services.

People did the same grumbling about the move from cassette to CD.

Are you suggesting that the "largest demographic" for listening to music in cars listens to it via non physical media as I believe that to be highly doubtful (excluding radio of course)

People did grumble about moving from cassette to CD but that was mainly because they were being forced to buy the same music all over again which isn't the same as being forced to convert your existing CDs into some other format as your new car no longer has a CD player

 

[Ian J]

Fizzy - I've just had a look at the Mini website and a CD player is offered as an optional extra - certainly on the Mini Cooper although I didn't check every variant

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

... and when the battery of your phone/ipod runs out ... ?

I'm with fiscx on this and, I could be wrong, but aren't some of you missing the point?

I don't want the faff of putting all my CDs onto my iPod

Then you charge it in the cigarette/USB port of the car.

Surely it's understandable that car manufacturers will design their cars based on the needs and wants of the largest audience?

What you also have to factor in is that these cars are future-proofed. They're likely to sell more of these models in 2016, 2017 and 2018 than 2015 alone, so they have to design the cars based on the needs and wants of the future. Not only are CDs considerably lower in popularity than they once were, but they're only going to get even less popular in the coming years. Modern cars of today will need to be technologically competitive in 2020 and beyond.

It simply doesn't make sound business or financial sense to automatically install CD players like that any more. As Ian J has mentioned, most brands can include optional CD players, but they're obviously going to cost more as they 1). need to be bought and installed and 2). extra development time needs to go into the design of the car itself to adapt it for an optional CD player. They need to include connectors and holes and space for the device within the dash even though most buyers will never need it.

I still use CDs sometimes. Heck, I even use vinyl records. I'd love nothing more than for our cars, homes and other pieces of tech to be able to cater to all of my preferences. However, I understand why the industry moves on the way it does.