In-Car CD Players May Face Extinction
In-dash CD players have been a staple of car audio for nearly two decades now. But, with CD sales declining and digital music sales soaring, it seems the in-car CD player is going the way of the cassette deck (and the 8-track before it). German car audio manufacturer Blaupunkt -- popular with the 'Pimp My Ride' set -- has ditched the CD player in its new Melbourne SD27 head unit in favor of a slot for SD or MMC memory cards.
The unit will play both MP3 and WMA songs directly from the SD card, displaying song information on a 30-character front-panel display, which, to be honest, we find a bit small by today's standards -- especially given the room freed up by the lack of a CD slot. It won't play AAC songs, so iTunes fans who don't want to convert their tracks will need to hook up their iPods through the line-in jack, which also works with any other media player, of course. The SD27 is also Bluetooth-compatible, so it can do hands-free calls and even stream music directly from other Bluetooth-compatible devices.
The Melbourne SD27 goes for $159.95 -- a small price to pay for freeing your glove box up for what it was really meant for: napkins and ketchup packets.
From Gizmag
Related Links:
- How to Connect Your iPod to Your Car (Without a Cassette Deck or CD Player)
- Hertz Vs. Avis (GPS Road Test)
- How to Save a Wet Cell Phone






Whitney Houston Dead: Singer Dies at 48, Body Found in Beverly Hilton Hotel
Whitney Houston Autopsy: Cause of Death Determined?
Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina: Late Singer's Daughter Hospitalized
Whitney Houston Dead: Stars React to Legend's Sudden Death
Adele Five-Year Break? Singer Plans to Focus on Relationship, Write 'Happy Record'
Jennifer Hudson Whitney Tribute: Grammy President Reveals Why Singer Was Chosen for Musical Memorial
Grammy 2012 Winners' List: Adele Sweeps Music's Biggest Night
3 Economic Misconceptions That Need to Die
5-Hour Energy: A Success Equal Parts Caffeine, Chemistry and Meditation
People With Easy-To-Pronounce Names More Likely To Succeed, Study Says















Comments
81
Subscribe to commentsgutterSep 25th 2007 3:00AM
sema, sema, sema, already seen this but auto makers wont make it optional for many many years...
Mike GlenSep 24th 2007 1:38PM
Technology is constantly changing everything. But it takes time to establish itself, no one can constantly upgrade thier systems each time a new toy comes on the market. CD's and MP3 disks will be around for another decade at least. During that time who knows what new technology will be developed.
FranSep 24th 2007 2:10PM
Bah. I'm not even ready for a CD player in my car yet; I can always listen to those at home. But what am I going to do with all my great old cassettes if I can't get a player in my next car? And who has time to learn a whole new technology just for downloading songs, & then spend all that time searching for & downloading them? Kids, maybe, but not a single Mom with 2 jobs...
docSep 24th 2007 2:34PM
-yawn- i'm sorry, but i just dont care...
Don PSep 24th 2007 3:04PM
I was waiting for this technology. Now I can remove my tremendous CD cases from under my seats and free up my armrest compartment!
Legend2rxSep 24th 2007 3:20PM
Long live the radio . . . Ba-wa-hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! (My evil scientist laugh) Tee-Hee
funnySep 24th 2007 3:08PM
I Love people Like "DOC" they come on here read and even both to make a comment by saying Quote "BUT I JUST DON"T CARE" If that was really true they wouldn't make a comment keep on telling that to yourself maybe you believe it, WE don't
Rex E. Babcock IISep 24th 2007 3:17PM
Seems to me everything is going mobile digital, satellites are the endeavor of choice for all media and/ or relations. So those money grabbing radio services are going to have to pick up where typical radio channels are leaving. As for these custom music players go, I've got to feel there going smaller. Indeed, watch size, sun-glasses, two which are available. And that blue tooth, wow, can anyone think "stay at home library" for your media sorts, for everyone of course. Ok, my conclusion is that even though;We're "SELF-INDULGED", money is root...., some people dont like change (8-track to cassette,to cd,to mp3/wma,to some "opened-source" (remember smaller is better,so music/media files any larger is bad (gigabytes,terabytes,petabytes,exabytes-are all resource hungry), companies bring upon innovations for everyday people (people them-selves of course), robots are gaining a real A.I. for...., and space and time are becoming more defined in our language. We indeed are capitalizing on a bigger and better tomorrow (included are 3 hugs (lol)) hpoe to see ya ALL there. IN GOD WE TRUST .....
MikeSep 24th 2007 3:29PM
When you got Sirius satelite radio, you don't need the cd player anyway! I never play cd's in my truck now, but rather just use my favorite artist stored in my satelite, and then ''fm'' frequency it over to my pioneer as it is.
I initally thought, that my clarity would be less with my audio system (amp & subwoofers), but found it sounds just fine! With 198 channels, and the ability to rock out to just about anything under the sun at anytime and mood change, the Sirius is the way to go anyways for me!
On a side note, cd players will hot for years to come! You might have the new stuff on digital media, but I betcha don't have that good old cd of the 80's , too hard to find online, in mp3 format!
oldladySep 24th 2007 3:44PM
I will always like having an actual, physical disc -- not just invisible digits -- to represent and encompass an album. And, I like having album-sized collections; ten or so songs at a time is plenty.
Some of us, too, have vision or other physical problems that really make the typical new screens and buttons annoying to use.
I like CDs, and listening to one in my car on my car player is one of the day's nicer things. It's easier to do than it is at home, where there are often many interruptions (...I don't like wearing portable headphones all around the house).
I especially like CDs that have companion booklets with them, these days. Though, I won't read while I drive!
MarkSep 24th 2007 3:49PM
I am still working with compact discs. Since I haven't changed the radio in my Chevy express I will wait a little longer. Do I dub my records/CD/tapes onto sd cards,or do put it on a memory strip?
jessSep 24th 2007 3:57PM
I bought my hubby satellite radio because he travels so much and it is a hassel to find radio staions wherever you go, but since I stay in the area of my favorite stations, why pay $150.00 for what I get for free? Not only that, it is a pain to try to switch the satellite stations while driving because you have to be able to read the display and I would rather not end up in someones trunk because I wanted to hear something else on the radio! I do miss cassetes though, they could be put through anything and still work, just breathe on a CD and the stupid thing is scratched!!!!
mexgyverSep 24th 2007 4:07PM
Great easier to get jacked, stick w/ my good old cd
and cd changer, keep it in old world.
nancy mcgrewSep 26th 2007 5:12PM
People talk about progress when they want to sell you something. Boys and girls, this is just to make more money. The tape deck to make one buy it instead of the 8-track, the CD to make your tapes useless to make more money, and so it goes. One cannot even GET a tape player anymore in ones car! I do not use or want to buy an I-phone, I-Pod, etc. much less download music. I just hope my little car and CD player lasts a long, long time. Bah hum-bug!
KENNETHSep 24th 2007 6:32PM
WOW THEY THOUGHT OF THIS WELL IM HAVE THE SONY WITH THE BUILD IN HARD DRIVE THAT RECORDS THE CD AND PLAYS THEM FROM MEMORY SO ONE IN THE CAR TO RECORD AND THEN ITS BACK IN THE HOUSE IT PLAYS MEMORY STICKS I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM AND CAN NOT SEEM TO FILL IT UP , NOW WITH THIS WHATS THE DATA TRANSFER RATE OF READING MEMORY SO IT WILL PLAY OR WILL IT DRAG AND STUDDER
don pelfSep 24th 2007 4:31PM
i have to agree with "Doc": "yawn, i'm sorry, but i just don't care!" why should we, it will just change again in a couple of month's and then what, run out and start over?? NOT! today's music isn't worth all that.
duh!Sep 24th 2007 4:35PM
You would still be able to listen to CDs or cassettes with one of these players by connecting any portable player from it's headphone jack to the line in on the car amp, or by bluetoothing...
KathieSep 24th 2007 4:43PM
Think I'll just wait for the voice activated, "say what you want to hear" radio before I junk my CD's and XM radio
Sabrina HillSep 24th 2007 4:47PM
CD's are fine with me. I'll call what is out there now "music" when a group can sell out a major football stadium in less than a day like the "supergroups" did in the late sixties, and early seventies, (instilling riots when the tickets ran out).
tommySep 24th 2007 4:54PM
never happen, cd-s are here to stay.
tommy