OT MP3 and DVD for little toyota

We're headed to the Outer Banks in two weeks. I wanna have elmo with
us. Should I buy Chinese?

I've seen configurations for around 200 bucks or so. I thought about
just rigging my laptop up, which is what I might do. I dunno though,
with these sophisticated devices I've seen lately, it seems like for
not much money I could get down with GPS, Satellite, DVD, MP3 or
whatever for under $300 bux. I bought this Toyota with prudence and
thriftiness in mind, but what the hell right?

I have a free slot above my tape player -- I want to keep the original
stereo equipment in tact.

heh... I'm so used to spewing OT bs in here... this actually is NOT OT.

Learning Richard wrote:[color=blue]
> We're headed to the Outer Banks in two weeks. I wanna have elmo with
> us. Should I buy Chinese?
>
> I've seen configurations for around 200 bucks or so. I thought about
> just rigging my laptop up, which is what I might do. I dunno though,
> with these sophisticated devices I've seen lately, it seems like for
> not much money I could get down with GPS, Satellite, DVD, MP3 or
> whatever for under $300 bux. I bought this Toyota with prudence and
> thriftiness in mind, but what the hell right?
>
> I have a free slot above my tape player -- I want to keep the original
> stereo equipment in tact.[/color]

"Learning Richard" <learningrichard@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1119547062.983494.250610@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> We're headed to the Outer Banks in two weeks. I wanna have elmo with
> us. Should I buy Chinese?
>[/color]
Chinese food - yes; Chinese electronics - depends on you willingness to
gamble.

I am not aware of any major Chinese branded GPS/satellite/DVD/MP3 combos so
if you buy one, it's quality and reliability is a shot in the dark. A name
brand one that happens to be made in China is less of a gamble because at
least you have the backing and reputation of the name brand.

Since it is illegal in many states to have a TV visible from the driver's
seat, the DVD feature is not so useful on the road, so that leaves GPS,
Satellite, and MP3 functions to consider.

For street travel, GPS is only as useful as the database of roads. If it is
not updateable, the database will become outdated fairly quickly.

As for satellite receiver, I guess that depends on your willingness to pay
for and subscribe to a satelite broadcast service. If you routinely travel
where there is little or no regular reception, then it might be worthwhile.
If you are always in big cities, listen mostly to AM news radio, or listen
to CD's MP3's a lot, then satellite's value becomes a little murky.
[color=blue]
> I've seen configurations for around 200 bucks or so. I thought about
> just rigging my laptop up, which is what I might do. I dunno though,
> with these sophisticated devices I've seen lately, it seems like for
> not much money I could get down with GPS, Satellite, DVD, MP3 or
> whatever for under $300 bux. I bought this Toyota with prudence and
> thriftiness in mind, but what the hell right?
>
> I have a free slot above my tape player -- I want to keep the original
> stereo equipment in tact.
>[/color]

So, if you don't need the DVD, GPS, or satellite, then that leaves MP3. You
can get an Apple I Pod or other portable MP3 player and use that both in
the car or when hoofing it.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

Ray O wrote:[color=blue]
> "Learning Richard" <learningrichard@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1119547062.983494.250610@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
> > We're headed to the Outer Banks in two weeks. I wanna have elmo with
> > us. Should I buy Chinese?
> >[/color]
> Chinese food - yes; Chinese electronics - depends on you willingness to
> gamble.
>
> I am not aware of any major Chinese branded GPS/satellite/DVD/MP3 combos so
> if you buy one, it's quality and reliability is a shot in the dark. A name
> brand one that happens to be made in China is less of a gamble because at
> least you have the backing and reputation of the name brand.
>
> Since it is illegal in many states to have a TV visible from the driver's
> seat, the DVD feature is not so useful on the road, so that leaves GPS,
> Satellite, and MP3 functions to consider.
>
> For street travel, GPS is only as useful as the database of roads. If it is
> not updateable, the database will become outdated fairly quickly.
>
> As for satellite receiver, I guess that depends on your willingness to pay
> for and subscribe to a satelite broadcast service. If you routinely travel
> where there is little or no regular reception, then it might be worthwhile.
> If you are always in big cities, listen mostly to AM news radio, or listen
> to CD's MP3's a lot, then satellite's value becomes a little murky.
>[color=green]
> > I've seen configurations for around 200 bucks or so. I thought about
> > just rigging my laptop up, which is what I might do. I dunno though,
> > with these sophisticated devices I've seen lately, it seems like for
> > not much money I could get down with GPS, Satellite, DVD, MP3 or
> > whatever for under $300 bux. I bought this Toyota with prudence and
> > thriftiness in mind, but what the hell right?
> >
> > I have a free slot above my tape player -- I want to keep the original
> > stereo equipment in tact.
> >[/color]
>
> So, if you don't need the DVD, GPS, or satellite, then that leaves MP3. You
> can get an Apple I Pod or other portable MP3 player and use that both in
> the car or when hoofing it.
>[/color]

Yeah, I actually picked up a real nice Sony Discman MP3 player for use
in the car. Among other things, it has a memory of where it was
playing when you turned it off and that was my main problem with using
a portable in the car... makes it act more like an in-dash cd player.

It also has the very nice Ipod-like controls sans the shuttle. Even
reads text on CDDA disks.

Only paid about $60 for that.

I was thinking as far as DVD, maybe I could get an in-dash unit and
hook up a 7" LCD to the headrest so my daughter can watch her angelina,
elmo and maisy as required on the ensuing 10 hour drive. Setting up my
laptop to do that is going to be a real pain, since I really don't have
a reliable way to mount it safely in the car.

"Learning Richard" <learningrichard@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1119551354.968190.95840@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>
>
> Ray O wrote:[color=green]
>> "Learning Richard" <learningrichard@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1119547062.983494.250610@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>> > We're headed to the Outer Banks in two weeks. I wanna have elmo with
>> > us. Should I buy Chinese?
>> >[/color]
>> Chinese food - yes; Chinese electronics - depends on you willingness to
>> gamble.
>>
>> I am not aware of any major Chinese branded GPS/satellite/DVD/MP3 combos
>> so
>> if you buy one, it's quality and reliability is a shot in the dark. A
>> name
>> brand one that happens to be made in China is less of a gamble because at
>> least you have the backing and reputation of the name brand.
>>
>> Since it is illegal in many states to have a TV visible from the driver's
>> seat, the DVD feature is not so useful on the road, so that leaves GPS,
>> Satellite, and MP3 functions to consider.
>>
>> For street travel, GPS is only as useful as the database of roads. If it
>> is
>> not updateable, the database will become outdated fairly quickly.
>>
>> As for satellite receiver, I guess that depends on your willingness to
>> pay
>> for and subscribe to a satelite broadcast service. If you routinely
>> travel
>> where there is little or no regular reception, then it might be
>> worthwhile.
>> If you are always in big cities, listen mostly to AM news radio, or
>> listen
>> to CD's MP3's a lot, then satellite's value becomes a little murky.
>>[color=darkred]
>> > I've seen configurations for around 200 bucks or so. I thought about
>> > just rigging my laptop up, which is what I might do. I dunno though,
>> > with these sophisticated devices I've seen lately, it seems like for
>> > not much money I could get down with GPS, Satellite, DVD, MP3 or
>> > whatever for under $300 bux. I bought this Toyota with prudence and
>> > thriftiness in mind, but what the hell right?
>> >
>> > I have a free slot above my tape player -- I want to keep the original
>> > stereo equipment in tact.
>> >[/color]
>>
>> So, if you don't need the DVD, GPS, or satellite, then that leaves MP3.
>> You
>> can get an Apple I Pod or other portable MP3 player and use that both in
>> the car or when hoofing it.
>>[/color]
>
> Yeah, I actually picked up a real nice Sony Discman MP3 player for use
> in the car. Among other things, it has a memory of where it was
> playing when you turned it off and that was my main problem with using
> a portable in the car... makes it act more like an in-dash cd player.
>
> It also has the very nice Ipod-like controls sans the shuttle. Even
> reads text on CDDA disks.
>
> Only paid about $60 for that.[/color]

That sounds like a much better deal than one of those in-dash fancy ones
with the light shows.
[color=blue]
>
> I was thinking as far as DVD, maybe I could get an in-dash unit and
> hook up a 7" LCD to the headrest so my daughter can watch her angelina,
> elmo and maisy as required on the ensuing 10 hour drive. Setting up my
> laptop to do that is going to be a real pain, since I really don't have
> a reliable way to mount it safely in the car.
>[/color]

You can buy portable DVD players for under $200. Electronics stores sell
them that hang from the back of the front seat so they're fairly secure, you
can also buy ones that look like mini-laptops. You can also run these on AC
power to use in a hotel room or in the house.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

On 23 Jun 2005 10:20:01 -0700, "Learning Richard"
<learningrichard@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>heh... I'm so used to spewing OT bs in here... this actually is NOT OT.
>[/color]

Hey! It has NOTHING to do with politics, so it IS off... topic...
oh, wait, this *is* a Toyota group...

NEVERMIND!

;-)

....
[color=blue]
>Learning Richard wrote:[color=green]
>> We're headed to the Outer Banks in two weeks. I wanna have elmo with
>> us. Should I buy Chinese?
>>
>> I've seen configurations for around 200 bucks or so. I thought about
>> just rigging my laptop up, which is what I might do. I dunno though,
>> with these sophisticated devices I've seen lately, it seems like for
>> not much money I could get down with GPS, Satellite, DVD, MP3 or
>> whatever for under $300 bux. I bought this Toyota with prudence and
>> thriftiness in mind, but what the hell right?
>>
>> I have a free slot above my tape player -- I want to keep the original
>> stereo equipment in tact.[/color][/color]