Can't wear headsets while driving.

I hate the idea of streaming, I converted all my CDs to MP3s, so I am sticking with that.

The same little aux out jacks on MP3 players usually exist on a walkman, and will go right into your aux-in jack on your head unit - although those are increasingly rare. 

Mon Dec 07 2020 18:37:55 EST from zooer

Can't wear headsets while driving.

 

And here I was amazed at the "fake casette" that plugs into a tape deck and gives you an 3.5" audio plug. I love things that bridge the old and the new, allowing us to enjoy the best of both.

The aux jack. 

They're going the way of old video standards. They're basically a retro-connector at this point.  The aux-to-something modern adapters will increasingly be the way to get that done. They tend to be a hassle, because they need power. One more thing to forget to charge. 

Wed Dec 09 2020 09:28:42 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

What's increasingly rare? The aux jack on car stereos? I haven't found that to be the case. In any case, there are both aux-to-bluetooth and bluetooth-to-aux dongles readily available from the random electronic stuff supplier of your choice.

That is an awesome memory. 

Sat Dec 12 2020 19:09:24 EST from IGnatius T Foobar

driving around Reading in the middle of the night with some friends and playing my electric guitar connected through one of those adapters. 

I just bought 2 new stereos ( one for the jeep and one for the little car ) both had aux input. They were not 'high end', perhaps that is why?  ( but they did have BT, USB, and a Sirius jack )

Wed Dec 09 2020 14:52:02 EST from ParanoidDelusions

The aux jack. 

They're going the way of old video standards. They're basically a retro-connector at this point.  The aux-to-something modern adapters will increasingly be the way to get that done. They tend to be a hassle, because they need power. One more thing to forget to charge. 

 

 

 

Kids these days and their fancy cassettes playing that 'rock music'.

In my day 

( ok, perhaps a bit older than me.. but i DO remember having an 8 track in my first car )

In the weekender I have a head unit that is a half-din Pioneer that has a full DIN screen that extends out and then flips up when you turn it on, and it has BT, USB... Android Auto, Apple Play... Pandora, Navigation and some other things built in... it'll play DVDs when you're stopped, or if you hack it, when you're driving. Voice command. It used to work great with Android Play for hands free music selection from my library without taking my eyes off the road with "OK Google..."  

It wasn't cheap. The aux-in is there, but you have to run a cable from the back of the head unit around and mount it somewhere on the front - so most people just skip it. You did need the USB in order to get the full features of Android Auto. 

Sun Dec 13 2020 13:13:54 EST from Nurb432

I just bought 2 new stereos ( one for the jeep and one for the little car ) both had aux input. They were not 'high end', perhaps that is why?  ( but they did have BT, USB, and a Sirius jack )

 

 

 

Ya, the port is in the back, but its still there was my meaning. Not 'gone'.

Putting it in the back and running a special cable to it is the first step toward, "let's just cut this bit out in the next version." 

It is a matter of market demand. Aux-jack users are dwindling. 

Eventually, there will be *very* expensive units that have an aux-jack, for the hold outs who won't move forward. 

Mon Dec 14 2020 07:19:48 EST from Nurb432

Ya, the port is in the back, but its still there was my meaning. Not 'gone'.

Oh, i also see the day its gone, just not yet :)

My latest has USB, that seems to do the job for me, for the most part. I have about given up on BT in the car. too unstable due to interference. 

Well... built in BT in the GMCs works really well. But aftermarket adapters are just a nightmare. 

Ironically have had better luck with "external' FM transmitter types, then built in. ( both aftermarket stereo and OEM ).  

But the FM ones get a lot of broadcast interference. ( more so now that here are NO un-used channels left in this area. ).  I have yet to try one that taps into the antenna, that should fix that.  But its a lot more trouble than I want to go thru just to be able to use my phone for music in the car.

Tue Nov 17 2020 02:02:40 PM EST from LoanShark

zooer - don't let it install the latest version of SupportAssist OS Recovery tools - this is what bricked my machine last week

Dell told me it has another BIOS update along with another SupportAssist update.

BIOS Info

Dell G5 5000 System BIOS

This package contains the Dell system BIOS update. BIOS is a firmware package that is embedded on a small memory chip on the system board. It controls the keyboard, monitor, disk drives, and other devices. This update addresses the Intel Technical Advisory INTEL-TA-00391 and Intel Security Advisories INTEL-SA-00358, INTEL-SA-00389. A security advisory is a statement when a security vulnerability impacts a product, and a remedy is available for the vulnerability.

Version: 1.1.0

Category: BIOS

Release Date: December 08, 2020

Last Updated: NA

Importance: Urgent

File Format: Update Package for Microsoft Windows

File Name: G5_5000_1.1.0.exe

File size: 11.53 MB

 Support Assist info:

SupportAssist OS Recovery Tools

SupportAssist OS Recovery Tools

Version: 5.3.0.13847

Category: Application

Release Date: 11/2/2020

Last Updated: NA

Importance: Urgent

File Format: Update Package for Microsoft Windows

File Name:

File size: 180.00MB

Looking at the release date, I am assuming that I did not install it the last time it came up.

I looked at my mother's 2005 Toyota, her car stereo had a cassette tape, a *SIX* CD player, a button labeled "TRAF" and a button labeled "SAT".  I have no idea how it connected to traffic reports or how the satellite worked.

There isn't an AUX plug, but it is interesting that it had a six CD player with a cassette deck.

These were absolutely a thing at some point. They were kind of a hassle, and you inevitably lost 4-6 of your CDs when you traded in your car. But if you bought a used one, you also usually got a bonus 4-6 CDs with the purchase. 

Often, Phil Collins was part of this trade. 

Tue Dec 15 2020 10:42:04 EST from zooer

I looked at my mother's 2005 Toyota, her car stereo had a cassette tape, a *SIX* CD player, a button labeled "TRAF" and a button labeled "SAT".  I have no idea how it connected to traffic reports or how the satellite worked.

There isn't an AUX plug, but it is interesting that it had a six CD player with a cassette deck.

The one i removed from my jeep last summer had a 5 disk player, and cassette.  No fancy stuff tho. But it did have cooling fans, which i have never seen before.   ( 2006 )

Tue Dec 15 2020 10:42:04 EST from zooer

I looked at my mother's 2005 Toyota, her car stereo had a cassette tape, a *SIX* CD player, a button labeled "TRAF" and a button labeled "SAT".  I have no idea how it connected to traffic reports or how the satellite worked.

There isn't an AUX plug, but it is interesting that it had a six CD player with a cassette deck.

My wife had one, I think it was in a Land Rover discovery - where the changer was a whole separate box somewhere else in the car. I don't remember much about it, what car it was... but I have a vague memory of it having these caddies and being about the size of a shoebox.