Portable CD players with USBs to connect to new cars without CD players

[Ken Dryden]

The issue remains I like to play new CDs in the car, it knocks out some listening for me. II am always a minimum of 1200-1500 CDs behind in my listening and if driving for an hour or two day can help me get a couple more of them heard, it's great. I  have no desire to be exploring digital options when there is something new that I own that I want to hear.

I previously had a portable CD player with an adaptor that fit the cassette player (which I never used) for our 1992 Camry years ago. I never had any issues and waited until I was stopped to change CDs.

[Coda]

This is a nice one.  It works with USB input, is small and discreet so as not to attract attention in your car.  It only has the one cable, so you don't use an audio cable to attach to your car speakers.  It works when placed both vertically or horizontally.

Amazon.com: External USB CD Player for Car, Homlab Portable Plugs in CD Player with Extra USB Cable, for Car Without CD Player, Laptop, TV, Mac, Computer, for Android 4.4 and Above Navigation, Black : Electronics
 

• User-Friendly Operation: You can enjoy your favorite CDs in car in seconds. Just connect the external CD player to the USB port of your car and insert the CD. The USB CD player will automatically read the disc, and you can easily access the music list through the car's flash drive resource.
• More Compact Size - This portable CD player is the perfect solution for cars without built-in CD players. It is thinner than most car CD player in the market. But features with enhanced chipset at the same time. It has better reading capabilities, anti-skip functionality, compatibility with various formats, noise reduction.
• Additional 1m USB Cable: The car CD player comes with a free 1m USB cable. This allows you to place it anywhere you desire, such as the car center console, dashboard, or glove box. It is more convenient for storage and changing disc.
• Impressive Music Enjoyment: With this USB portable CD player, you can fully immerse yourself in the music or audio books from your collection. Nothing can stop the music coming out from your car stereo. No matter it is placed horizontally or vertically or the car bumps. Please note that the initial reading process may require a bit of patience.
• Wide Compatibility: This car CD player offers wide compatibility with thousands of car models. For specific compatibility information, please refer to the list on below or reach out to our customer support team for assistance. Additionally, you can connect the player to other devices such as computers, laptops, and TVs. Please note that if your car has an Android system, ensure that it is version 4.4 or above. If your car model is not listed, an additional audio conversion box may be required.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I find the iPhone a hell of a lot harder to operate than my old Samsung Galaxy. It's harder to text. It's harder to call. It's hard to setup. It uses stupid shit like defaulting to HEIC pictures instead of JPEG pictures. Have you ever tried to send someone a picture from your iCloud? They likely cannot open it unless they have an Apple PC. It defaults to AIFF instead of mp3, most likely because they invented a format just because they're Apple & they want to force people to use their player app.

One thing I really hate is that this iPhone has terrible predictive texting capabilities compared to my old Galaxy phones. I'm talking about when you're swiping a text to someone and you mention something like a winery, say Kinsella Vineyard. With the Samasung Galaxy, you type in Kinsella Vineyards one time and any time after that, if you type Ki, the Samsung pops "Kinsella" down at the bottom as an auto-fill option. After you select "Kinsella", it'll then pop up "Vineyard". The iPhone never gives that option. It requires you to type out the entire name Kinsella Vineyard over & over & over. It's very annoying.

And I never had to do anything special to answer any calls on my Galaxy so I don't know what your wife did to her phone to make it act like that. In fact, this iPhone sometimes requires me to point it to my face just to get it to show up in my car for CarPlay. This is actually very annoying as the whole reason I was to use CarPlay is because I don't want to have to look at my phone at all.

1 hour ago, Coda said:

This is a nice one.  It works with USB input, is small and discreet so as not to attract attention in your car.  It only has the one cable, so you don't use an audio cable to attach to your car speakers.  It works when placed both vertically or horizontally.

Amazon.com: External USB CD Player for Car, Homlab Portable Plugs in CD Player with Extra USB Cable, for Car Without CD Player, Laptop, TV, Mac, Computer, for Android 4.4 and Above Navigation, Black : Electronics
 

• User-Friendly Operation: You can enjoy your favorite CDs in car in seconds. Just connect the external CD player to the USB port of your car and insert the CD. The USB CD player will automatically read the disc, and you can easily access the music list through the car's flash drive resource.
• More Compact Size - This portable CD player is the perfect solution for cars without built-in CD players. It is thinner than most car CD player in the market. But features with enhanced chipset at the same time. It has better reading capabilities, anti-skip functionality, compatibility with various formats, noise reduction.
• Additional 1m USB Cable: The car CD player comes with a free 1m USB cable. This allows you to place it anywhere you desire, such as the car center console, dashboard, or glove box. It is more convenient for storage and changing disc.
• Impressive Music Enjoyment: With this USB portable CD player, you can fully immerse yourself in the music or audio books from your collection. Nothing can stop the music coming out from your car stereo. No matter it is placed horizontally or vertically or the car bumps. Please note that the initial reading process may require a bit of patience.
• Wide Compatibility: This car CD player offers wide compatibility with thousands of car models. For specific compatibility information, please refer to the list on below or reach out to our customer support team for assistance. Additionally, you can connect the player to other devices such as computers, laptops, and TVs. Please note that if your car has an Android system, ensure that it is version 4.4 or above. If your car model is not listed, an additional audio conversion box may be required.

That's some bad photoshopping!!

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, bresna said:

I find the iPhone a hell of a lot harder to operate than my old Samsung Galaxy. It's harder to text. 

...

One thing I really hate is that this iPhone has terrible predictive texting capabilities compared to my old Galaxy phones. 

I have always had private (Sony) Android phones (never owned an Apple product), though I have had work iPhones for the last seven years. Given iPhone's reputation, I've always been surprised of how much slower it is to text on an iPhone compared to every Android phone I've tried. Me and my (iPhone user) brother did a kind of "competition" where we texted a given message to each other. Android was much faster every time. 🙂

[rostasi]

3 hours ago, bresna said:

I find the iPhone a hell of a lot harder to operate than my old Samsung Galaxy...

Well, I can't say much more about the phone basics because I've used one a total of about three times - 2 were directly pandemic related and yesterday's was partially pandemic related. Yes, HEIC is used to save space with the same visual quality (you just easily change it in the camera settings under "format" by just ticking the box - no big deal). Also, maybe the audio is AIFF because it's better quality than an mp3? But, you know, you have a dozen formats available on an iPhone and you can listen to the crappiest to the best and anything in-between at a flick of a finger if you want to geek out.

Apple haters love to think they're being "forced" by the company - that something is (watch for the bad word): "proprietary" - the sole purpose of which is to be enslaved by them. Well, I'm just furious that Tom's Toothpaste has the gall to actually make something different than Crest! I mean, who do they think they are trying to give us something different and actually thinking it might be a better alternative.

A couple of days ago, we were laughing at the fact that everytime I try to type the word "I've" on my iPad, it always fills in "Ivermectin." THAT's something that drives me cRaZy when it comes to Apple - auto-filling in while I type, so, yes, I have the exact opposite problem when it comes to auto-fill.

I looked up some videos on answering calls on a Samsung phone. People complain about this swiping motion you have to do. I'm sure that somewhere there's a way to change that, but if we're gonna complain about default settings, then let's be consistent.

Comments about answering or rejecting calls on a Samsung phone:

 

Quote

 

"I have had this phone a year and always had trouble answering calls because I was swiping to the right! Now thanks to you I know to swipe up...Wow why wasn't I shown this when I bought it? My old Samsung was swipe to right, who knew they change direction with each phone model."

 

"Is it better to swipe up than across, I always have trouble answering this phone and people think Im ignoring them when I dont answer ,Its not me its the phone"

 

"I've heard you can change this phone so that you can tap it to answer it but don't know how to do it"

 

 

Swiping? What the hell?

 

On the iPhone, I pressed the "home" button on the bottom when it rang - that's it. It worked that way out of the box.

My wife says it perfectly when she says that some geeks love those kinds of phones because they can get down and dirty with all of those special settings - but she (and I) and apparently the late Steve Jobs agree that if you can't open up a box with the product in it and start using it immediately, then why would you even want it?

Edited December 23, 2023 by rostasi

[JSngry]

If a little thing like answering a phone call becomes technologically overwhelming, then yes, Apple is for you. 

Oh, Samsung is just one type of Android phone. There are several. They can all have variations in their bells and whistles (Customization!!! CHOICE!!!) I've been using a Google phone for the last few years and it's very fine, and very simple. I don't really like Google as a company, but their phones are solid. 

"The Great State of Texas"  gave me a free iPad when I got my hearing aids (I had a choice between that and a Razr phone,which I did not want). I thought I was going to figure it out, but jeez, still totally counter-intuitive for me. I can websurf (and most other things) on my phone exponentially faster on my phone, so I gave it to my wife. She likes it well enough, but still uses her phone (Samsung) most of the time. The iPad if mostly for our granddaughter to play a few games on when she comes over. Other than that, it's this black rectangle thing that sits on the coffee table, or .. someplace. 

Then again, she's the type that never closes one window before opening another, so...what are going to do with that? Guaranteed slop no matter what 

 

6 hours ago, Coda said:

This is a nice one.  It works with USB input, is small and discreet so as not to attract attention in your car.  It only has the one cable, so you don't use an audio cable to attach to your car speakers.  It works when placed both vertically or horizontally.

Amazon.com: External USB CD Player for Car, Homlab Portable Plugs in CD Player with Extra USB Cable, for Car Without CD Player, Laptop, TV, Mac, Computer, for Android 4.4 and Above Navigation, Black : Electronics
 

• User-Friendly Operation: You can enjoy your favorite CDs in car in seconds. Just connect the external CD player to the USB port of your car and insert the CD. The USB CD player will automatically read the disc, and you can easily access the music list through the car's flash drive resource.
• More Compact Size - This portable CD player is the perfect solution for cars without built-in CD players. It is thinner than most car CD player in the market. But features with enhanced chipset at the same time. It has better reading capabilities, anti-skip functionality, compatibility with various formats, noise reduction.
• Additional 1m USB Cable: The car CD player comes with a free 1m USB cable. This allows you to place it anywhere you desire, such as the car center console, dashboard, or glove box. It is more convenient for storage and changing disc.
• Impressive Music Enjoyment: With this USB portable CD player, you can fully immerse yourself in the music or audio books from your collection. Nothing can stop the music coming out from your car stereo. No matter it is placed horizontally or vertically or the car bumps. Please note that the initial reading process may require a bit of patience.
• Wide Compatibility: This car CD player offers wide compatibility with thousands of car models. For specific compatibility information, please refer to the list on below or reach out to our customer support team for assistance. Additionally, you can connect the player to other devices such as computers, laptops, and TVs. Please note that if your car has an Android system, ensure that it is version 4.4 or above. If your car model is not listed, an additional audio conversion box may be required.

If that works as advertised, hey, yeah!

Does it? 

[Ken Dryden]

7 hours ago, Coda said:

This is a nice one.  It works with USB input, is small and discreet so as not to attract attention in your car.  It only has the one cable, so you don't use an audio cable to attach to your car speakers.  It works when placed both vertically or horizontally.

Amazon.com: External USB CD Player for Car, Homlab Portable Plugs in CD Player with Extra USB Cable, for Car Without CD Player, Laptop, TV, Mac, Computer, for Android 4.4 and Above Navigation, Black : Electronics
 

• User-Friendly Operation: You can enjoy your favorite CDs in car in seconds. Just connect the external CD player to the USB port of your car and insert the CD. The USB CD player will automatically read the disc, and you can easily access the music list through the car's flash drive resource.
• More Compact Size - This portable CD player is the perfect solution for cars without built-in CD players. It is thinner than most car CD player in the market. But features with enhanced chipset at the same time. It has better reading capabilities, anti-skip functionality, compatibility with various formats, noise reduction.
• Additional 1m USB Cable: The car CD player comes with a free 1m USB cable. This allows you to place it anywhere you desire, such as the car center console, dashboard, or glove box. It is more convenient for storage and changing disc.
• Impressive Music Enjoyment: With this USB portable CD player, you can fully immerse yourself in the music or audio books from your collection. Nothing can stop the music coming out from your car stereo. No matter it is placed horizontally or vertically or the car bumps. Please note that the initial reading process may require a bit of patience.
• Wide Compatibility: This car CD player offers wide compatibility with thousands of car models. For specific compatibility information, please refer to the list on below or reach out to our customer support team for assistance. Additionally, you can connect the player to other devices such as computers, laptops, and TVs. Please note that if your car has an Android system, ensure that it is version 4.4 or above. If your car model is not listed, an additional audio conversion box may be required.

I ordered this one in hopes that it will work fine. I can always return it.

[rostasi]

It's not a technologically overwhelming thing.
It's a niggling thing.
It's like someone writing you a note that can only be read
if you heat the letter or add red cabbage juice to it.

Baking pies can be fun, but I don't always want to put a pie together when I want one.
I want to, more often than not, pick up something that's already made well: Marie Callender.
I don't want to assemble it - even if I'm given "choices." I don't want someone
to give me some partial ingredients so as to figure out how to put the pie together.

You can't work an iPad.
I don't like cell phones.
Neither one of us will be seen at the next Tech-Fest.

[JSngry]

I can "work" an iPad, I help my wife on it all the time, but only after I start figuring out how Apple thinks I should be thinking, which is not how I do think.

Besides, if you're going to eat that Marie Calendar pie, you're still going to have to know how to work the oven. That pie's not going to come out of the box and fix itself.

What you should be asking me is how I got the state to give me an iPad just for getting hearing aids. That one still makes me laugh! 

[jazzbo]

I've been using Apple computers and laptops for over 20 years. Windows stuff is more difficult for me. But I still don't have a smart phone of any kind, and I hope to avoid having one as long as I possibly can. Which knowing my stubbornness will probably be a long time still.

[JSngry]

So when Cocaine Bear tries to eat your car in the woods, instead of calling 911, you are going to hope that it shits out a precooked Marie Calendar for your last meal?

God, if only it was that simple! 

[Stompin at the Savoy]

26 minutes ago, jazzbo said:

I've been using Apple computers and laptops for over 20 years. Windows stuff is more difficult for me. But I still don't have a smart phone of any kind, and I hope to avoid having one as long as I possibly can. Which knowing my stubbornness will probably be a long time still.

I'm a little surprised you - something of a gear-head - wouldn't even check out the whole concept of a smart phone. 

My kid got an ipod touch back when they first came out.  I come from a pretty traditional IT background so there was some point where I had to do something with it and I asked my son if there was a manual for it.  He gave me a sort of wondering look and said you just dink around with it and it's self-explanatory.  This is apple's basic posture and concept - ya don't need a manual just dink around and it will become clear.  That has become somewhat less true as the iphone gained all sorts of functionality and the list of 'settings' has grown exponentially.  Still and all, it's a fabulous tool, like a swiss army knife for the computer age.  I almost never have phone conversations but I use my phone a lot.  I use the timer/alarm app every day.  The 'personal hot spot' on the phone serves as a backup when my ISP goes down. When I go out I often use the music app with some blue-tooth headphones when I have to wait, such as dental office.  Or sometimes I read a book instead with the Kindle app.  There is a built-in compass app in case you get lost.  You can write and save memos.  Access the internet.  Text your friends!  Take pictures and send them to your friends.  It's pretty great.

I've told all this to several friends in their seventies like me and they look at me as though I  am proposing to take them for a trip on the Space Shuttle.  Everybody has their own level of tolerance and interest in technology, I guess.

[jazzbo]

My reason is. . . I don't really need a phone. I get and make about 20 calls a month on a BUSY month. I haven't worked in fifteen years, my wife is now retired, my two best friends in Texas really don't talk on the phone. My parents are dead. My brothers and sister and I email each other when we're not in person with each other. 

I have zero interest in taking a lot of pictures, in fact any pictures. All the things that people do on a phone that I want or need to do I do on my laptop. I'm not out and about much AT ALL (my wife and I are big homebodies) and don't need to do any communicating or sharing etc. away from home. The few hours a week I spend in a car I can listen to cds or NPR with my car components. All those things you list you can do with a phone when you are out and about. . . I don't want or need to do. I am glad I can't access the internet when not at home! I'd rather listen to music on one of my systems than from a phone. I would rather read a book than text on a phone. That's just more my style.

On top of that . . . I just have never liked phones. And for the worst years of my work life I had a desk phone, a "radio" for work, and a company flip phone and I was on the phone between 70 and 100 times a day. And did not like that. . . wanted to have a less interrupted life. So. . . part of my disdain for a smart phone is my disdain for phones in general.

I'd rather pay 20 dollars a month as I do from ATT for the few calls and texts I do make and receive on a flip phone they gave me for free than spend umpteen dollars on a smart phone and services that I don't use and don't desire to use. I'd rather spend the little money I can on other things, audio, books, etc.

Hope that is clear. I do love gear. . . tube audio gear, guitar and bass and instrument gear, transports and DACs, but that's about IT. Not cameras or phones for taking pictures, blue-tooth etc.

Edited December 23, 2023 by jazzbo

[JSngry]

I would think that a flip phone would be easy for Cocaine Bear to swallow whole. But maybe not? 

[rostasi]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

I can "work" an iPad, I help my wife on it all the time, but only after I start figuring out how Apple thinks I should be thinking, which is not how I do think.

Besides, if you're going to eat that Marie Calendar pie, you're still going to have to know how to work the oven. That pie's not going to come out of the box and fix itself.

What you should be asking me is how I got the state to give me an iPad just for getting hearing aids. That one still makes me laugh! 

Sorry, I took the phrase, "I thought I was going to figure it out..." as not being able to figure it out.

Yeah, the oven. Thank god I don't have to dig deep and swipe over, under, sideways, down to start pre-heating it!

Did Texas seem to feel that hearing aids were a disability warranting an iPad?

[JSngry]

I figured out how to "work" it at 25% (at best) efficiency. I do it to help my wife. It keeps her off my desktop, which is best for both of us. But truthfully, she uses her phone 95% of the time.

I heard that if you fix a pie on a Mac oven, all you have to do is think about ice cream and it adds it automatically. I'm skeptical of that. Some things still requite manual inout.

As for Our Great State...apparently part of your phone/internet bill every month goes into some fund for those who are "impaired" as it pertains to being able to communicate with the outside world and yes, hearing aids count you as being "impaired". So you qualify for either an iPad or a Razr phone. The audiologist had the request forms in her office, and sure enough, the process is slow, but as advertised. Brand new hardware, and totally free.

Deep in the heart of Texas is where charity overfloweth.

[Dan Gould]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

 

As for Our Great State...apparently part of your phone/internet bill every month goes into some fund for those who are "impaired" as it pertains to being able to communicate with the outside world and yes, hearing aids count you as being "impaired". So you qualify for either an iPad or a Razr phone. The audiologist had the request forms in her office, and sure enough, the process is slow, but as advertised. Brand new hardware, and totally free.

Deep in the heart of Texas is where charity overfloweth.

In Florida, hearing aids only qualified me for a landline phone amplifier which seems a lot more related to the impairment than an Ipad or Razr phone, especially pre-smartphone or blue-tooth technology (and my "smart phone" still won't interact with the hearing aids to actually get the signal from the phone direct to my ears.)

[JSngry]

Texas loves humanity in all its imperfections, physical, spiritual, and mental.

Texas gets us.

All we need now is wheelchairs for our brains, and brains in our wheelchairs. 

[Stompin at the Savoy]

Wasn't there a famous cartoon of a man running for dear life entitled "Harry Houdini escaping from Texas"?

[JSngry]

He was running to pick up his hearing aids so he could get that free iPad!