Do they still sell car radios with real sliders & knobs on the front?

My wife and I recently found ourselves looking at that gift from the
future (our future tax dollars) - the government stimulus check. We decided
to use part of it to upgrade our car stereo receiver. Presently, our car
stereo supports only cassette tape playback.


We found one that supports HD Radio, front USB port with MP3 playback, and
a front audio input jack - all for under $130 shipped. We felt that we got
a good buy.

When I got it, though, I was very unimpressed with the controls on the
stereo receiver. Currently, we have a GM factory install radio. It has
slider controls on it that allow us to move the signal from front to back
easily whenever we need to. (like when our toddlers are in the car with us,
or someone in the back needs to sleep, etc.) There are also bass & treble
slider controls right on the front of the unit. We are constantly having to
minimize sound to the back speakers, then turn it back up when we drive with
no one in back. There is no way I want to have to go into a menu to do
this.

The new unit makes you to go into a sub menu and select from different
options to access these features. I've already wrecked my car once just
from playing around with the tuner while I was driving, so I'm not too keen
on swapping out a radio I can adjust by touch with one that essentially
REQUIRES you to look at it to navigate menus. It just seems like an
accident waiting to happen. It means that if I want to get the HD radio,
front USB & MP3, I'll be putting my family's safety at risk to do so. I'm
not very comfortable with that, so I'm thinking of sending the radio back.

However, I've also noticed that NONE of the radios I see for sale online
or in stores seem to have basic functionality like the factory installed one
the car currently has. I want knobs and sliders on the front, so that even
a blind person could control things. I don't want flashy displays or
submenus.

I'm not the only one who feels this way about it, either:

http://home.wi.rr.com/saruman/rants/...r_stereos.html
(note, there's some rather strong language on the site)


I also noticed that it wasn't going to be an easy install, like the last
time I did this. The last car radio I installed was on a 1986 Plymouth
Reliant. I had to unscrew 4 lag bolts, then remove the old radio. I put
the new radio inside a plastic adapter, hooked up the wires, inserted it,
and put the 4 bolts back in. That was it, and it only took a couple of
hours, tops.

At this point I am kind of disgusted and disheartened. I just want a
simple radio that has real knobs and slider controls on the front, and has
front USB and audio in, as well as HD Radio support. Does nothing like this
exist anywhere?

Go to the junk yard and pull a radio out of a 56 Chevy.
Spend some time to learn the controls on the new radio. There is far more to
control today than in the past. Educate yourself on the radio and it will
become second nature.


"OhioGuy" > wrote in message ...
> My wife and I recently found ourselves looking at that gift from the
> future (our future tax dollars) - the government stimulus check. We
> decided to use part of it to upgrade our car stereo receiver. Presently,
> our car stereo supports only cassette tape playback.
>
>
> We found one that supports HD Radio, front USB port with MP3 playback,
> and a front audio input jack - all for under $130 shipped. We felt that
> we got a good buy.
>
> When I got it, though, I was very unimpressed with the controls on the
> stereo receiver. Currently, we have a GM factory install radio. It has
> slider controls on it that allow us to move the signal from front to back
> easily whenever we need to. (like when our toddlers are in the car with
> us, or someone in the back needs to sleep, etc.) There are also bass &
> treble slider controls right on the front of the unit. We are constantly
> having to minimize sound to the back speakers, then turn it back up when
> we drive with no one in back. There is no way I want to have to go into a
> menu to do this.
>
> The new unit makes you to go into a sub menu and select from different
> options to access these features. I've already wrecked my car once just
> from playing around with the tuner while I was driving, so I'm not too
> keen on swapping out a radio I can adjust by touch with one that
> essentially REQUIRES you to look at it to navigate menus. It just seems
> like an accident waiting to happen. It means that if I want to get the HD
> radio, front USB & MP3, I'll be putting my family's safety at risk to do
> so. I'm not very comfortable with that, so I'm thinking of sending the
> radio back.
>
> However, I've also noticed that NONE of the radios I see for sale online
> or in stores seem to have basic functionality like the factory installed
> one the car currently has. I want knobs and sliders on the front, so that
> even a blind person could control things. I don't want flashy displays or
> submenus.
>
> I'm not the only one who feels this way about it, either:
>
> http://home.wi.rr.com/saruman/rants/...r_stereos.html
> (note, there's some rather strong language on the site)
>
>
> I also noticed that it wasn't going to be an easy install, like the last
> time I did this. The last car radio I installed was on a 1986 Plymouth
> Reliant. I had to unscrew 4 lag bolts, then remove the old radio. I put
> the new radio inside a plastic adapter, hooked up the wires, inserted it,
> and put the 4 bolts back in. That was it, and it only took a couple of
> hours, tops.
>
> At this point I am kind of disgusted and disheartened. I just want a
> simple radio that has real knobs and slider controls on the front, and has
> front USB and audio in, as well as HD Radio support. Does nothing like
> this exist anywhere?
>

On Jun 3, 2:51*pm, "OhioGuy" > wrote:
> * My wife and I recently found ourselves looking at that gift from the
> future (our future tax dollars) - the government stimulus check. *We decided
> to use part of it to upgrade our car stereo receiver. *Presently, our car
> stereo supports only cassette tape playback.
>
> * We found one that supports HD Radio, front USB port with MP3 playback, and
> a front audio input jack - all for under $130 shipped. *We felt that we got
> a good buy.
>
> * When I got it, though, I was very unimpressed with the controls on the
> stereo receiver. *Currently, we have a GM factory install radio. *It has
> slider controls on it that allow us to move the signal from front to back
> easily whenever we need to. (like when our toddlers are in the car with us,
> or someone in the back needs to sleep, etc.) *There are also bass & treble
> slider controls right on the front of the unit. *We are constantly having to
> minimize sound to the back speakers, then turn it back up when we drive with
> no one in back. *There is no way I want to have to go into a menu to do
> this.
>
> * The new unit makes you to go into a sub menu and select from different
> options to access these features. *I've already wrecked my car once just
> from playing around with the tuner while I was driving, so I'm not too keen
> on swapping out a radio I can adjust by touch with one that essentially
> REQUIRES you to look at it to navigate menus. *It just seems like an
> accident waiting to happen. *It means that if I want to get the HD radio,
> front USB & MP3, I'll be putting my family's safety at risk to do so. *I'm
> not very comfortable with that, so I'm thinking of sending the radio back.
>
> * However, I've also noticed that NONE of the radios I see for sale online
> or in stores seem to have basic functionality like the factory installed one
> the car currently has. *I want knobs and sliders on the front, so that even
> a blind person could control things. *I don't want flashy displays or
> submenus.
>
> I'm not the only one who feels this way about it, either:
>
> http://home.wi.rr.com/saruman/rants/...r_stereos.html
> (note, there's some rather strong language on the site)
>
> I also noticed that it wasn't going to be an easy install, like the last
> time I did this. *The last car radio I installed was on a 1986 Plymouth
> Reliant. *I had to unscrew 4 lag bolts, then remove the old radio. *I put
> the new radio inside a plastic adapter, hooked up the wires, inserted it,
> and put the 4 bolts back in. *That was it, and it only took a couple of
> hours, tops.
>
> * At this point I am kind of disgusted and disheartened. *I just want a
> simple radio that has real knobs and slider controls on the front, and has
> front USB and audio in, as well as HD Radio support. *Does nothing like this
> exist anywhere?

Best idea is to keep looking. There are lots of choices, but to get
good usable controls you may have to spend more than $130.00
Generally as more and features are packed into a radio the more radio
companies have to resort to multi-function controls and cascaded menus.

John S. > wrote:
>
>Best idea is to keep looking. There are lots of choices, but to get
>good usable controls you may have to spend more than $130.00
>Generally as more and features are packed into a radio the more radio
>companies have to resort to multi-function controls and cascaded menus.

Where are the radios without features?

I want tuning on an actual knob, and volume control on an actual knob,
and I would like a CD player. I don't want a million features on cascaded
menus. I want to listen to the radio and play CDs.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 6/5/08 2:07 PM, in article , "Scott Dorsey"
> wrote:

> John S. > wrote:
>>
>> Best idea is to keep looking. There are lots of choices, but to get
>> good usable controls you may have to spend more than $130.00
>> Generally as more and features are packed into a radio the more radio
>> companies have to resort to multi-function controls and cascaded menus.
>
> Where are the radios without features?
>
> I want tuning on an actual knob, and volume control on an actual knob,
> and I would like a CD player. I don't want a million features on cascaded
> menus. I want to listen to the radio and play CDs.
> --scott

If all you want is a rock bottom basic radio/cd player, exactly what are you
upgrading from? Whatever you had couldn't possibly have less.

> simple radio that has real knobs and slider controls on the front, and has
> front USB and audio in, as well as HD Radio support.

I feel your pain. The mid 80s seemed to mark the advent of car
stereos that condensed home-stereo feature sets into that tiny area,
which is fine if you have the eyes of a fighter pilot and the hands of
a brain surgeon (and maybe smooth pavement too). Give me big knobs
controlling simple functions (complex behind-the-scenes functions with
a well thought out simple manifestation to the user are okay).

After all, I'm proposing to find a good station or play an album
while going over tar strips at 65 mph, using whatever scraps of
concentration I can spare from my primary job of driving. Those who
use their car stereo to call for potential mates and compete for
status among rivals while sitting in the parking lot are welcome to
the hypercomplex, superminiaturized ones.


I seem to recall that Blaupunkt made a nice, simple car stereo with
knobs a few years ago, but it doesn't seem to be in their product line
now. Kenwood makes one that might come close.

crutchfield.com might be able to help. However, "simple" plus the
rest of that feature set might be asking a lot. In particular, the
manufacturers might well figure that USB and HD/satellite radio
readiness are features that appeal to the technophile who grew up with
a cell phone in one hand and a pod in the other.

--Joe

E Meyer > wrote:
>On 6/5/08 2:07 PM, in article , "Scott Dorsey"
> wrote:
>
>> John S. > wrote:
>>>
>>> Best idea is to keep looking. There are lots of choices, but to get
>>> good usable controls you may have to spend more than $130.00
>>> Generally as more and features are packed into a radio the more radio
>>> companies have to resort to multi-function controls and cascaded menus.
>>
>> Where are the radios without features?
>>
>> I want tuning on an actual knob, and volume control on an actual knob,
>> and I would like a CD player. I don't want a million features on cascaded
>> menus. I want to listen to the radio and play CDs.
>
>If all you want is a rock bottom basic radio/cd player, exactly what are you
>upgrading from? Whatever you had couldn't possibly have less.

One of my cars has a cassette deck and an FM radio, the other one has a
fancy Blaupunkt AM radio. I would like a rock bottom basic radio/CD player.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Jun 3, 12:51 pm, "OhioGuy" > wrote:
> My wife and I recently found ourselves looking at that gift from the
> future (our future tax dollars) - the government stimulus check. We decided
> to use part of it to upgrade our car stereo receiver. Presently, our car
> stereo supports only cassette tape playback.
>
> We found one that supports HD Radio, front USB port with MP3 playback, and
> a front audio input jack - all for under $130 shipped. We felt that we got
> a good buy.
>
> When I got it, though, I was very unimpressed with the controls on the
> stereo receiver. Currently, we have a GM factory install radio. It has
> slider controls on it that allow us to move the signal from front to back
> easily whenever we need to. (like when our toddlers are in the car with us,
> or someone in the back needs to sleep, etc.) There are also bass & treble
> slider controls right on the front of the unit. We are constantly having to
> minimize sound to the back speakers, then turn it back up when we drive with
> no one in back. There is no way I want to have to go into a menu to do
> this.
>
> The new unit makes you to go into a sub menu and select from different
> options to access these features. I've already wrecked my car once just
> from playing around with the tuner while I was driving, so I'm not too keen
> on swapping out a radio I can adjust by touch with one that essentially
> REQUIRES you to look at it to navigate menus. It just seems like an
> accident waiting to happen. It means that if I want to get the HD radio,
> front USB & MP3, I'll be putting my family's safety at risk to do so. I'm
> not very comfortable with that, so I'm thinking of sending the radio back.
>
> However, I've also noticed that NONE of the radios I see for sale online
> or in stores seem to have basic functionality like the factory installed one
> the car currently has. I want knobs and sliders on the front, so that even
> a blind person could control things. I don't want flashy displays or
> submenus.
>
> I'm not the only one who feels this way about it, either:
>
> http://home.wi.rr.com/saruman/rants/...r_stereos.html
> (note, there's some rather strong language on the site)
>
> I also noticed that it wasn't going to be an easy install, like the last
> time I did this. The last car radio I installed was on a 1986 Plymouth
> Reliant. I had to unscrew 4 lag bolts, then remove the old radio. I put
> the new radio inside a plastic adapter, hooked up the wires, inserted it,
> and put the 4 bolts back in. That was it, and it only took a couple of
> hours, tops.
>
> At this point I am kind of disgusted and disheartened. I just want a
> simple radio that has real knobs and slider controls on the front, and has
> front USB and audio in, as well as HD Radio support. Does nothing like this
> exist anywhere?

My 2001 Chev Cavalier has the AM/FM/CD player. It has volume
on a real knob, and tuning on a real knob, but the volume is
controlled by some sort of switching device that the knob actuates as
it turns instead of a potentiometer, and the tuning doesn't run a
needle back and forth on a display; it's a digital readout. Bass and
treble and balance and fade are all operated by a single knob that you
have to push to get the different functions. The unit has more
features than I would ever use, and I find that the biggest danger
(and hassle) is the attention it needs to work it. Takes the eyeballs
off the road way too much.
For my '51 International pickup I got an AM/FM radio out of an
early '80s Chev pickup. Last of the mechanical setups, I think. The
new radios are about all we'll see now, since they can be made by
machines far more easily and cheaply than the electromechanical
devices that old radios used to use. Precision moving parts are
expensive to make and assemble, while the bubble switches (or whatever
the EEs know them by) are so cheap to make it's not funny. With
digital chips the switches can be made to do anything the engineer
wants. Besides, since when did function ever trump fashion?

Dan