DVD in the Q45 for $37

[Jesda]

I picked up an Audiobahn DVD/MP3/CD player for $37 at Circuit City. It was an open box special with no remote.



Well, my 1999 Alpine CD changer was on the fritz, skipping sometimes constantly and sometimes never. This was a perfect way to record 9GB MP3 DVD-RWs (almost my entire music collection).

When I got it home and popped in an iTunes-created MP3 CD, it said "BAD DISC". Baffled, I tried some others, including an original DVD (worked), iTunes-burned audio CD (worked), and original audio CD (worked). Turns out the problem was the way iTunes was burning data discs. I opened up Nero, dropped in my MP3s, and recorded in Disc At Once mode. Works great!



There's AV inputs and outputs in the front and rear, including S-video and optical. There's also a DC in to use it at home, as I did on my desk.

My Alpine HU's only way of receiving audio input was from FM or the tape. I yanked the RCA to 1/8" phone input adapter from the Maxima's head unit and connected the DVD drive to the tape slot.



Originally, I was going to use a Radio Shack input switch to go back and forth between XM and DVD, but the XM tuner kept picking up interference from the DVD whenever the DVD drive was near the Alpine HU. For now, the XM tuner is using its built-in FM transmitter, but later on I'll switch to a hard-wired FM modulator for better quality.



I finished installation at 6am, and accidentally left the dome lights on.



And there it is. I can listen to movies, which is fine for films I've already seen. Its like an audiobook. For shuffle mode, I have to buy the IR remote control, so at the moment I can only switch tracks sequentially, and I cant scan forward or backward. Not bad at all, and it sounds outstanding.

[hannibal]

Pretty cool, Jesda. Now you just need to add a nice 7" LCD and you can watch movies on the road.

Any idea how much a replacement remote costs?

[Rex]

... Any idea how much a replacement remote costs?

General rule is you can find any replacement remote onf ebay for ~$30 + shipping, so it might double his cost