On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 16:44:56 +0000, Me wrote:

On 16/2/04 12:09 pm, in article ,
"Andy Turner" wrote:


Just wondering whether anyone has come up with a product like this:

It's a head unit with a fold-down screen, but instead of housing a
tape slot or cd slot behind it, there's a slot for an iPod. So the
headunit uses the usual docking station interface of the iPod to read
the tracks from it and display info and play the tracks from it. The
screen folds back up and you leave the iPod in there until you leave
the car, when you eject it again.

Well I don't know of anyone who has done that but it would end up a bit
limited as if you don't have an ipod it would be useless (obviously)

Yeah, but since *so* many of them have been sold already, then perhaps
it's better than using a proprietary MP3 cartridge as many of the
other ones do. And of course they could do a bundle where you get the
iPod also.


unless
you add a cd changer etc( most people would probably prefer a screen with
built in dvd to save buying one separately so not many would sell).

I have no idea what this means! Why would a screen and DVD be a
competing product?


So already the development costs would probably be quite high and I can't
see it being that cheap from a well known manufacturer with small numbers
pushing the costs up.

Then Alpine are making an interface for an ipod so that will be able to
interface with them so you would be better off getting a alpine dvd screen
and getting the ipod interface providing its compatable with the screen
instead.

Then there is the issue of making the screen thin enough to allow an ipod to
slide into a 1 din slot with the screen.

Well if people want a big screen then it could slot into a CD-changer
style box as the Phatnoise system does.



Nice idea but perhaps not the most practical however annoying it might be
finding somewhere to put the ipod and adapter cable in the car rather than
in the unit.

But if you can make it work, go for it and good luck.

Christ, I haven't got anything like the right resources to make it
work!!! It'd take a licensing agreement with Apple for a start, and
allsorts else. Apple might be interested if they saw the market for in
car MP3 and figured they could market their iPod as being the
cartridge to use.


andyt