[zvezdah1]

HI All,
I've got the Blaupunkt Los Angeles that came with the card. I've read the manual.

Could someone explain MMC cards to me (multimedia cards). If you take the face off it has slot to insert these cards. Where do I get these? I assume you can put music on them? How? How many minutes of play per card?
Thanks
Chris

 

[Vantage]

If I'm not mistaken, they might be the same as those found in certain digital cameras and digital video cameras. Not really cost effective unless you already have the card around for your other electronic devices. Otherwise, you're better off with a burned CD....assuming I've got this right.

 

[LarryB]

Most electronic stores, Best Buy or camera shop will have mmc cards. Typically you can get them up to 512mb ($70+). How much music depends on the amount of compression you use. For mild compression 512mb would be around 5-6 hours of music. If your already setup for it would be a whole lot cheaper to burn CD's (~10 cents).

 

[zvezdah1]

HI Guys,
Thanks for the info. I'm probably just going to go for the MP3 cds,
Really seems the most effective way and I don't have that many music cds I care about.

Neat thing this blaupunkt comes with is a small microphone to set up the equalizer in the car, beats the hell out of me how to do it, not that much of an afficianado I guess.


Chris

 

[Racer X]

What's the difference?

Can you you an SD card in something that uses MMC? My handheld GPS and my Camera use SD, can I use those cards in the car stereo?

Greg

 

[zvezdah1]

Racer,
I don't know, the card that came out was probably 7/8" x 1 1/8" by 1/8" thick

Chris

 

[Racer X]

I think they are physically the same size. I have heard that the SD may additional contats and allows additional security. I was hoping that an SD card card could be used in an MMC, but just wouldn't have the security.

Greg

 

[Miguel]

Racer,
I don't know, the card that came out was probably 7/8" x 1 1/8" by 1/8" thick

Chris

Chris,

Check the manual, but I think what it comes with it is a removable Key Card.

Everytime the radio looses power (disconnect from battery) The radio won't work until the key card is inserted on the MMC slot.

You can remove that key card and keep it at home, if someone steals your radio, they won't be able to make it work.

If you change your battery or disconnect the radio, you need to instert the key card back to the slot to activate the radio.

Too bad that Blaupunkt don't sell the 1GB microdrive anymore, but that did hold a lot of music in a drive the size of a palmtop, maybe there are other MP3 drives available somewhere else.

Edit:
I'm glad that we get the MP72 instead of their newer MP74, seems like they deleted the MMC and Key card from the newer model without adding anything else.

Here are several sources of 1GB MMC cards
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=226&a=5581&f=1

Miguel

 

[Ground Loop]

It used to be all MMC cards were the same. Seven contacts on the edge of the card. Digital cameras, voice recorders, and MP3 players like the early iJam used MMC.

The problem was that writing to the card took too long. Nobody cared that reading was slow (since playing music is slow reading), but dumping 16MB into an MMC card takes quite a while, especially compared to the competing CompactFlash.

Then SD came along and added a few more pins, making it nine and allowing a write-speed that is 4x faster.

They also allowed the card to be thicker -- 2.1mm thick to allow for thicker memory parts or double-stack boards. That right there broke some of the compatibility, since the old slots were too thin for the new cards.

In addition, they saddled it with "Security" features to keep you from listening to music they don't want you to. "To serve you better, these cards don't trust you."

Most devices ignore the "secure" features and just treat SD cards as a thick, fast, MMC card.

The down side to MMC/SD cards is that they usually run a generation behind CompactFlash in capacity because of space constraints. The serial interconnect is still slow.


All in all, I'm still going to throw 700MB of MP3s on a CD-R for $.10 and give it away whenever I get tired of it.

 

[Dan]

Neat thing this blaupunkt comes with is a small microphone to set up the equalizer in the car, beats the hell out of me how to do it, not that much of an afficianado I guess.

Chris, didn't you say in your first post that you read the manual?

That microphone will automatically calibrate your stereo to the car and the driver's position. You can also store settings for driver+passenger.

By the way, did Lotus supply you with the security KeyCard that will let you re-activate the stereo after the battery has been disconnected?

 

[TimMullen]

All in all, I'm still going to throw 700MB of MP3s on a CD-R for $.10 and give it away whenever I get tired of it.

I could see the advantage of the smallness of the cards (take up a lot less room), but $50 to $100 for the same amount of storage that you can put on the $0.10 CR-R, doesn't make much sense - unless you already use the cards for you portable MP3 player while jogging or something...

Me? I'm just going to listen to the radio and very, very occasionally, a CD. Just like I do now with my Miata. Actually, I think it mostly an age thing, as I'm happy to have the radio, but my kids (age 23 and 21) just have to have their CDs with them when driving...

Tim Mullen

 

[zvezdah1]

Miguel,
Yes the slot with the Los Angeles radio behind the face IS the key card slot, the manual also says this slot is to be used for MMC cards also.

The stereo DID in fact come with the key card, didn't read the blaup manual until last night so been driving around oblivious to the fact that my keep at home security card was nestled in the stereo!!

Preciate all the tips, I'll just settle for mp3 cds I guess.
Chris

I did read the manual and you're right about the mic. Just not that big of an afficianado of car stereos that I'll probably ever use it. Don't want the stereo to get in the way of the glorious exhaust note. Pulled up to a friends house, he said it surre doesn't sound like a celica.

 

[babak]

Chris,

Have yoy found the Auxiliary input jack yet? I'm curious to know where it's located for an iPod mount.

 

[zvezdah1]

babak,
It must be in the back of the unit as it only mentions you need to get a cable to hook it up and select the aux option in the menu.

Chris

 

[z06fun]

I did some searching and it looks like for the the Los Angeles you can also use a re-writable cd (CD-RW). A lot of aftermarket units seem to be able to handle them now

 

[Patricko]

babak,
It must be in the back of the unit as it only mentions you need to get a cable to hook it up and select the aux option in the menu.

Chris

You will need one of these. I have mine on order

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uqubCuvAzC5/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&cc=01&i=023AUXIN1R&o=&a=

 

[zvezdah1]

zo6,
That's correct, you can fit about 10-12 music cds on a standard cd in mp3 format, and blaup accepts the mp3 cds.
Chris

 

[babak]

You will need one of these. I have mine on order

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uqubCuvAzC5/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&cc=01&i=023AUXIN1R&o=&a=

Thanks, I'll order one, we'll also need the splitter to convert a headphone jack to RCA out.

 

[Buck Dharma]

So to get to the aux input you need to pull out the unit? I hesitate to start opening up the dash on a new car. Tell me there is another way!

 

[zvezdah1]

Buck,
I don't think you have to pull the dash, I think you can pull it out of the dash, might ask a car stereo shop, they could probably tell you.

Chris