Blaupunkt Compact Drive MP3

Jono · 01-01-2003

Does anyone know whether this Blaupunkt device is compatible with the Blaupunkt head unit in Alfa 147's?

From the details on http://www.blaupunkt.com.au/en-au/7607700025_main.asp it sounds as though it should work.

This device allows use of Compact Flash cards(IBM Microdrive etc) with MP3 files on them to be played by most standard Blaupunkt head units.

Jono

01-01-2003

The price seems a bit high: £350 (€530) or £500 (€770) it is not very clear.

My source is <http://www.my-blaupunkt.com/acatalog/www_my_blaupunkt_com_MP3_19.html> (bottom).

Plus the price of the IBM Microdrive is also a bit high (approx. €230)! And it's only 1GB.

01-01-2003

The way i understand it it should work but you would be wise to go to a Blaupunk dealer and check.

btw i have just bought a Blaupunkt Los Angeles head unit and this play MP3's from CD or a Multi Media Card. Absolutely brilliant. Paid £220 so shop around as list price is £350.

I have fitted it it to my 155 V6 but am tempted to buy another for my 147 as thye steering wheel controls and display etc will still function.

One word of warning with MP3 files. I have found that dropping below 100 MB/sec gives a very poor sound. I have been using 128MB/sec. Eeven at this rate you will get around 6-7 cd's on one cdr or about 15 tracks on a 64meg card.

Chris_147 · 01-01-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by curvature:

One word of warning with MP3 files. I have found that dropping below 100 MB/sec gives a very poor sound. I have been using 128MB/sec. Even at this rate you will get around 6-7 cd's on one cdr or about 15 tracks on a 64meg card.<hr /></blockquote>I think you mean 100 kb/s (that is kilobits) wink
100 MegaBytes would give supreme audio quality, me think...

jomor · 01-01-2003

Curvature, Chris is right, that's 100kbps. How can you be sure that the steering controls and display will work?

Jono, i emailed european technical support of Blaupunkt months ago and they answered that its not compatible. The communication protocol is the same but the Alfa's head unit does not send cd navigation commands etc..

Los Angeles:
http://www.blaupunkt.co.uk/images_ei...0_14883_LO.JPG

Jono · 01-01-2003

Thanks Jomor

How does the CD changer work if the head unit doesn't send changer controls?

Cheers

jomor · 01-01-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Jono:
Thanks Jomor

How does the CD changer work if the head unit doesn't send changer controls?

Cheers<hr /></blockquote>ehm, maybe i didnt use the right words. It sends cd changer commands of course. Play, ff, rw, stop, change-disk etc. But it isnt programmed to send commands like: read directory contents, change directory, read id tags etc. commands related to mp3 control.

Jono · 02-01-2003

From the information on blaupunkt.com.au it sounds as though it should work...no specific MP3 functionality in the head unit is required. Here's an except from the site:

"Compact Drive MP3

The new Blaupunkt Compact Drive MP3 is a virtual CD changer, without it ever actually changing a CD. There´s a much easier way. You compile your own favourite CD by downloading MP3-encoded music from your PC onto the Compact Drive PC card. This gives you up to 18 hours of MP3-encoded music. The fact that you can connect the Blaupunkt Compact Drive player to all Blaupunkt radios with CD naming and simply slip it into the glove compartment also makes it very practical. The new Compact Drive MP3 means unheard of capacity in the most compact space, combined with an exciting design."

Source: http://www.blaupunkt.com.au/en-au/7607700025_main.asp

The unit in the 147 supports CD-naming doesn't it? The impression I get is that the MP3 unit described here kind of simulates a standard Blaupunkt CD changer...so not sure if you'd get track names etc displayed on the head unit.

Jono

jomor · 02-01-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Jono:
From the information on blaupunkt.com.au it sounds as though it should work...no specific MP3 functionality in the head unit is required. Here's an except from the site:

"Compact Drive MP3

The unit in the 147 supports CD-naming doesn't it? The impression I get is that the MP3 unit described here kind of simulates a standard Blaupunkt CD changer...so not sure if you'd get track names etc displayed on the head unit.

Jono<hr /></blockquote>I wish you are proven right, but i got negative answers from the professionals.

Ivo · 02-01-2003

Perhaps they mean CD-text with "CD naming"... CD text is NOT supported with the Alfa unit

Jono · 02-01-2003

Slightly off topic but...does anyone know if the CD changer cable is prewired through to the boot of the 147 or is this part of the CD Changer install where half the car has to be dis-assembled?!

Jono

firebird · 02-01-2003

those german people blaup**** i have the old orlando model i want to upgrade but nothing new looks nice they are very crowded looking units lots of colors and crowded displays i want something nice and dicreet that fits with the green light of my interior

Mel Bonkers · 02-01-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Jono:
From the information on blaupunkt.com.au it sounds as though it should work...no specific MP3 functionality in the head unit is required. Here's an except from the site:

"Compact Drive MP3

The new Blaupunkt Compact Drive MP3 is a virtual CD changer, without it ever actually changing a CD. There´s a much easier way. You compile your own favourite CD by downloading MP3-encoded music from your PC onto the Compact Drive PC card. This gives you up to 18 hours of MP3-encoded music. The fact that you can connect the Blaupunkt Compact Drive player to all Blaupunkt radios with CD naming and simply slip it into the glove compartment also makes it very practical. The new Compact Drive MP3 means unheard of capacity in the most compact space, combined with an exciting design."

Source: http://www.blaupunkt.com.au/en-au/7607700025_main.asp

The unit in the 147 supports CD-naming doesn't it? The impression I get is that the MP3 unit described here kind of simulates a standard Blaupunkt CD changer...so not sure if you'd get track names etc displayed on the head unit.

Jono<hr /></blockquote>Jono,

As Ivo said before, the MP Compact Drive uses CD-text to display the song name etc. on the headunit. HOWEVER, the standard 147 fit radio DOESN'T SUPPORT CD-TEXT! I considered the MP3 drive too, but found it unbelievably PRE-HISTORIC that the head unit doesn't support CD-TEXT! The CD-changer does support CD-text, but the head unit simply doesn't! If you fit the MP3 drive, it simulates being a CD-changer. This OUTRULES the possibility of having BOTH the CD-changer AND the MP3 drive attached to the head unit! When playing MP3 songs, the only that's displayed are the TRACK NUMBERS!

Don't know about the steering wheel controls being compatible with the MP3 drive.

Hope this clears things a little bit up for you! Good luck with your queste!

jomor · 02-01-2003

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Jono:
Slightly off topic but...does anyone know if the CD changer cable is prewired through to the boot of the 147 or is this part of the CD Changer install where half the car has to be dis-assembled?!

Jono<hr /></blockquote>The cable is part of the Blaupunkt A08 Cd-changer. And you dont have to disassemble the half car, its not that difficult as it seems.

And Firebird, you are right, discrete head units are difficult to find any more... I hate "crhistmas tree" head units also..

Jono · 02-01-2003

I've done some more digging and have checked some of the models that it is claimed to work with outright (from the installation pdf file for the MP3 player) and they do not support CD-Text either. Wouldn't worry me too much if the track titles didn't show anyway, as long as the tracks played!

I've emailled query off to the local Blaupunkt agents - I'll keep you posted with how I go.

Jono

Jono · 03-01-2003

I got my reply from Bosch (Blaupunkt) and the news is...good! They say the Compact Drive MP3 unit will work with any head unit which can run an A08 or A09 changer.

See below for reply...

-----Original Message-----
From: Joyner Elisha (RBAU/SCM) [mailto:Elisha.Joyner@au.bosch.com] On Behalf Of Blaupunkt (RBAU/SCM)
Sent: Friday, 3 January 2003 5:47 p.m.
To: 'Jonathan Clarke'
Subject: RE: Technische Anfrage

The compact drive can run with any head unit that the CDCA08 and IDCA09 can run with

-----Original Message-----

Mel Bonkers · 03-01-2003

Jono,

I believed that it worked with the Alfa head unit already, but you have to think about stuff like 'do the steering wheel buttons (if you do have these) work with the compact drive' for instance. Can't come up with other things at the moment. But I guess it's a good system.

Jono · 03-01-2003

Thanks Mel

I know what you mean, but I can't see why the steering wheel controls wouldn't work. The MP3 device takes the place of the CD changer (you select CD changer as the source). So, in theory at least, it should work fairly well.

Jono