CD-A from Flash Memory

**iam2sam** · 05-08-2007, 04:26 PM

Howdy. My in-dash CD player has gone belly-up after several years of good service (it won't even spin the cleaning CD, so it's pretty certainly a goner). I have never used the radio side (long story omitted) so all I really need to do is reproduce recorded audio. I just got an OQO model 02 handtop (Windows XP Pro) that I plan to use to run GPS mapping software and possibly vehicle diagnostics when on the road. It would seem to be a no-brainer to play mp3 files from flash memory through the handtop over my existing speakers (feed OQO audio out to an standalone amp) But what I would really like to do is preserve the option to play audio in the original CD-A format (entire disc or ripped but unconverted tracks) With the plummeting prices of USB flash drives ($20 for 2GB currently) the storage to do this is no longer prohibitively expensive. I'm guessing that it would be fairly easy to use a software media player installed on the handtop and use a burner software utility to store the image of the CD on the flash memory, but I can't help but wonder if there might be a more elegant way to get this done. Anyone have any inspired ideas? If this subject has already been explored here in depth, a pointer into a few of those threads would be greatly appreciated. Thx!

-Samiam

**durwood** · 05-08-2007, 11:10 PM

well I guess if you don't want to compress it you could rip it to wav files and it will play on any media player. The other option although it would be a pain the *** trying to switch images is to use Daemon tools as another virtual drive and load the image, point your player to the Daemon tools virtual drive and play away. Like I said its not going to be easy to switch discs.

**iam2sam** · 05-09-2007, 06:02 PM

Update. I checked the price of usb hard drives for the first time in quite a while. In the process I discovered a small external USB enclosure for 2.5" IDE drives for $13. Also priced drives at about $80 for 120GB. Bottom line - I can put together a hd storage subsystem for the OQO with plenty (by my standards, I'm sure some here would take issue with the adjective) of room for my music for <$100. Space in my truck is no issue, I have plenty even before removing the CD head unit. Now to id an appropriate amp...