Alpine and Internet could kill off car CD changers

[Chalupa]

Alpine and Internet could kill off car CD changers

Tired of listening to the same handful of CDs in your car? Technology being developed by car audio specialist Alpine Electronics is going to change all that.

The choice of music in your car could become almost unlimited, the company says, by having a 20GB hard drive in your car that can be charged by short-range radio directly from your home PC to the garage.

Alpine is working on wireless downloads direct from house-to-car up to a distance of 30m.

No more fumbling for CD cases strewn over the back seat or recharging the boot CD changer halfway through a long journey. In fact CD changers could be consigned to history - just like the cassette tape and the long-playing record.

It will soon be possible, using the latest data transmission technology, to download music from the Internet into a home PC and send it directly to a 20GB hard drive - sufficient to store 3000 songs – in the car in your garage.

Ongoing development should make it possible to save 8000 tracks by 2007.

"Downloading music is only the start," said Alpine's UK marketing manager, Nick Bailey.

"Over the next few years there's a very real possibility of downloading computer games while at the petrol pumps! That should keep the kids happy on a long trip."

Alpine recently launched a hard disc, in-car system and is working with a number of leading vehicle manufacturers to develop a version as optional equipment on their new vehicles.

Drivers will be able to "rent" the music or game for a fixed period, such as a holiday. Or, for an additional fee, buy it.


*Published on the web by Motoring on November 6, 2004.

[WiraSoenaryo]

Wow... sampai 30km dari rumah? Keren ya...
Kalo bosen yang di mobil, bisa cari2 yang di rumah dong ya.. Coolll....

[DigitALL]

Wah kapan yah teknologi secanggih itu bisa digunakan di sini ?