Car Stereo?

[Drachen]

I know that this question isn't about the usual tech that we geek out about in this forum, but does anyone have any advice about what car stereo to buy? I would prefer something with bluetooth, but I know that this will be outside of my purchasing ability ($80 tops) so I am settling for an aux input. I have a few questions:
Should I get one with HD radio or a usb port?
- I am not sure what I would use the usb port for.
- Is HD radio cool enough to pay for?
Can I use my car speakers to hear a call if it is plugged into the aux?
- If this works I would think that I can just have the phone in the console next to me and people can hear me just fine through the phone's mic
Does anyone have any suggestions on a deck to buy?

I was looking at This one (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/JVC+-+50W+x+4+MOSFET+In-Dash+CD+Deck+with+MP3+Playback/1685061.p?id=1218279828640&skuId=1685061), it seems to have good reviews, what do yall think?

I am not going to build a system, the most I would do is replace the speakers if they don't sound good after installing the new deck (though they sound pretty good currently).

[Nathan Explosion]

Using the aux out for your phone works just fine. I tried it on mine and people say they can hear me fine. A USB port just gives you access to your MP3 really, so I'm sure you can live without it, unless you want to control your player through your stereo or steering wheel.

As for brands, I couldn't help you with that. I bought my car and it came with a Rockford Fosgate factory stereo with sub woofer in the trunk and 6 cd in dash player, so I just stuck with that.

[ElNono]

HD Radio is free. Satellite Radio is the one you have to pay for.

I miss HD Radio quality since I switched cars.

[Drachen]

Using the aux out for your phone works just fine. I tried it on mine and people say they can hear me fine. A USB port just gives you access to your MP3 really, so I'm sure you can live without it, unless you want to control your player through your stereo or steering wheel.

As for brands, I couldn't help you with that. I bought my car and it came with a Rockford Fosgate factory stereo with sub woofer in the trunk and 6 cd in dash player, so I just stuck with that.

Just to be sure, you can hear your caller just fine right?



HD Radio is free. Satellite Radio is the one you have to pay for.

I miss HD Radio quality since I switched cars.

Oh, I know, I meant should I pay extra for a stereo with the capability (pretty much the same stereo as above with HD capability is about $20 or $30 more). As an aside, I am already provided radio stations with commercials for free so I don't need to pay a satellite company in order to listen to radio with commercials.

[ElNono]

What I liked about HD Radio is that it was truly noise free. If you already receive some sort of premium digital radio (ie: pandora or the like on your phone), then you probably don't really need it.

[Drachen]

What I liked about HD Radio is that it was truly noise free. If you already receive some sort of premium digital radio (ie: pandora or the like on your phone), then you probably don't really need it.

Likely going to use my phone in some capacity (pandora, google music) for most of my listening. I do listen to NPR a good deal of time so I would use the radio for that and occasionally if I don't want to mess with my phone I will listen to kiss, kzep, 106.7, etc. I will very rarely use the cd player.

[scott]

HD sounds great, with the downside being you have to listen to the radio.

Don't know what satellite stations you've heard, but the ones I listen to are commercial free (only the talk stations have commercials and I don't listen to those).

[Drachen]

my wife's father has satellite radio, and I borrowed his truck and was listening to some rock stations and I was completely surprised to hear commercials since I thought the whole point of paying for radio was so you wouldn't have to hear them....