[SmartAZ]

The CD changer in my van stopped working and I don't want another machine with moving parts. I want an MP3 player. So I have several problems.

1. Store clerks don't have a clue about what they are selling, and can't understand what I'm trying to buy either. They have an MP3 player, and they have something they call a car adapter, but it's completely unsuitable for use in a car. There is no dock to hold the player, and the adapter is 6 feet of cable with an FM module in the middle. I can't have that mess sliding around while I'm driving. Is there anything that is actually made to carry a player in a car?

2. There is something called DRM that blocks you from transferring tunes to or from your player like you bought it to do. I'm not buying anything that has been crippled by lawyers. What model should I get?

3. Where exactly do I get the software that moves the music from a CD to the player? Do I need to learn anything new for this project?

4. Is there a forum somewhere for people to discuss these things?

[pave_spectre]

There are number of car stereo units that are capable of playing MP3s either via MP3 CD's or as straight-out MP3 players(I think. Could be wrong on that one).

For an MP3 CD you can probably fit the same amount of music on one as you can in a standard CD changer. Maybe more, my maths is a little off today.

What effect DRM will have will depend on where you obtain you music from. If you take it from CDs you own and they play fine on a comp then it wouldn't be aproblem in any kind of MP3 player, but if you get them from something like i-Tunes then those ar supposed to only play in i-Pods, in which case you would need some kind of i-Pod car adaptor but the few I have seen appear to have beeen custom made fro expensive vehicles.
Been too long since I used windows for much of anything so I can't recommend any CD extraction software off-hand.

You might want to go to a store specialising in car audio and see what they have in the way of MP3 capable head units.

[member31]

or get a new van . . .

[Black Seal]

http://www.macworld.com/news/2004/11/23/icelinkplus/index.php Icelink makes your iPod act like a CD changer for your car. http://homepage.mac.com/blackseal/.Public/thumbup.gif

[Hamilton Felix]

Yeah, I promised myself that if I buy a car stereo it will be an MP3 player. I like the idea of 150 songs on one CD. They're out there. I wonder if Crutchfield would be of help.