[drey_p]

This is possibly a daft question, but where does the optional CD player get installed? Does it go in the boot or perhaps elsewhere in the car? Also how big is it?

 

[nsanderson]

I think it gets mounted in the glove box?

 

[drey_p]

You beat me to it @nsanderson! I have just found that out in the owners manual and was coming back on here to share the information.

How big is it? My worry is that it would take up most of the space in the glove box?

 

[UKtekkie]

Do you actually use CDs though? I used to have a Sony MDX-C800REC MiniDisc Recorder in both of our cars which I loved. It could record from the radio or even copy a CD from the 6 disc changer in the boot. I loved it and often used it to record the end of Radio 4 programmes when I arrived at my designation. One was linked to a CD changer while the other car had a 6 disc mini changer in the boot.

It took me a while but I have to admit my iPhone is way superior. I can listen to iPlayer or a vast range of albums or I can stream off the internet. I've not played a CD for years although I still buy them to copy. Arguably the quality is slightly better but I'd challenge anyone to tell the difference over the background noise in a car.

 

[drey_p]

Ironically, I do still use CDs! I guess I will have to simply rip them to MP3 and put them on a USB stick and play them that way. In my GTC, I tried music off my USD stick, but I don't think the tracks were at a high enough bit rate and you can definitely tell the difference in quality... some of the music sounded quite terrible TBH LOL.

Hopefully if I go ahead with a purchase, by the time I get the car, it will have updated software on the Navi 900 and will support Android Auto. That way I can use Spotify as well as any music on my USB stick.

 

[Mondy]

Cd player takes alot of space in the glovebox. You can see in the following video at 3.22

 

[drey_p]

Cd player takes alot of space in the glovebox. You can see in the following video at 3.22

OMG - it's HUGE!!! and not in a good way either! It literally takes up about half the glove box.

Thanks very much for that video - it has put me right off the CD player as an option.

 

[nsanderson]

I always ripped my CDs into MP3 format anyway so I could have about 10 albums on one disc in my old Astra.

The USB slot on the new one is amazing though and I've already copied loads of albums onto one tiny Cruzer Blade USB stick. Be useful to know exactly how I can categorise the albums on the stick once I have the correct Infotainment manual (got the Astra J one with mine!)

Sound quality is very good on MP3 though!

 

[UKtekkie]

I will have to simply rip them to MP3 and put them on a USB stick and play them that way. In my GTC, I tried music off my USB stick, but I don't think the tracks were at a high enough bit rate and you can definitely tell the difference in quality... some of the music sounded quite terrible TBH LOL.

I'd recommend using AAC rather than MP3 - the quality is generally a lot better for equivalent bit rates (AAC is the successor to MP3 and part of the MPEG-4 set of standards).

Apple's free iTunes software does a good job of copying CDs to AAC format. 128Kbit/s should be good enough for high quality but it supports 256Kbit/s and higher. Also enable VBR (Variable Bit Rate) to get even better quality by using a higher bit rate for the sections that need it (without VBR even silence will use the same bit rate as music).

Even with an Android phone you should still be able to stream music to the Navi 900 either via a cable or Bluetooth.

 

[drey_p]

I'd recommend using AAC rather than MP3 - the quality is generally a lot better for equivalent bit rates (AAC is the successor to MP3 and part of the MPEG-4 set of standards).

Good point - I take it the car has no problem reading AAC?

 

[UKtekkie]

The Navi 900 manual says its supports MP3, AAC, M4A (AAC audiobooks), WMA (Windows Media Audio) and AIF. (See page 39).

 

[snowy]

Don't forget you can play music from your phone including from spotify over bluetooth.

 

[MarcR]

We have been playing youtube music videos on iPod. Daughter watches videos on iPod and sound comes through car speakers.

 

[Slowcoach]

I have finally managed to link to the car wi-fi but cannot get Spotify to plat thru the car speakers, it shows as playing on my phone or iPad but no sound from the car system..... It's not really that important as I have masses of music on a sub stick or via my phone's sd card BUT it really annoys me that I can't get Spotify on board.

 

[drey_p]

Don't forget you can play music from your phone including from spotify over bluetooth.

True - I will give that a shot when I get the car.

Hopefully by then, the update will be out that gives the Android Auto functionality to the system as that will make things easier.