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Open car soundsystem

Car stereo that is basically an amp and speakers
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Current car stereos have near- uniformly ghastly faceplates, e-z-steal head units (the oblong part you see in the dashboard), closed systems of incompatible CD-changers and other nonsense.

The alternative - The car should be 'wired for sound' with amp, speakers and simple volume/source/balance/ mute controls, pref on the steering.

The installation is totally media- generic, providing aerial output and taking digital or analogue input.

Using current technology It will have an RCA minijack input (analogue- digital combo) where you can add in your own MP3/radio which is then taken with you when you leave the car.

The vacant space could be used as a padded place to put your mobile gizmo.

This means there is no head unit to speak of, so no unit to easily steal or make your dash look like some reject Urwin Allen production.

timbeau, Jan 22 2004

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       Not entirely sure what a head unit is (I thought that was a bathroom on a ship), but our car certainly has the stereo controls on the steering wheel and the guts of the thing molded attractively around the interior.
DrCurry, Jan 22 2004
  

       I don't think that was the point, DrCurry; the idea is that you are free to add whatever audio input devices you like, not have have it permanently fixed into the dashboard.   

       I think the truth is that you could bake this idea quite easily, although persuading car manufacturers to fit such things as standard is another thing entirely.   

       Perhaps this will happen when cars incorporate support for Bluetooth audio-transmitting devices. With the physical-media slot gone and the volume control mounted on the steering column, there's no reason for any visible head unit.
orangejon, Jul 24 2004
  
      
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