Thoughts on Terratec DAB Radio / TV USB Sticks For CarPC?

**356Speedster** · 11-02-2012, 09:31 AM

One key component for my CarPC needs to be radio. There is no head unit in my car and the PC will be the sole entertainment component, so it needs to do the lot.

In stumbling around the net, I've seen the Terratec products and would like to know the thoughts of the group on their products.

I'm in the UK and would love to have a DAB radio integrated. The Noxon DAB Stick looks like a very neat product.... does anyone have any comments on it's stability / reception, especially in the UK? I haven't picked a front-end for the PC yet, so any comments regarding compatibility with different products would be good too.

As an odd-ball product, I see their Cinergy T-Stick+ does TV & DAB radio.... as per the above, any comments from owners on it's performance / compatibility? I'm not fussed about TV, but if the unit it good, it could be a novelty in the car.

Many thanks, Mark

**SNOtwistR** · 11-02-2012, 09:48 AM

Your best bet would be to get the monkeyboard unit, http://www.monkeyboard.org It is a very good unit with excellent support from the dev. Plus it has been incorporated in to the most popular front ends or you could use Mickz's standalone app (it's very good). If you use the unit you are looking at, you would have to make plugin to use in a front end, unless of course you are making your own front end. Just my 2 cents SNO

**ibf** · 11-02-2012, 09:54 AM

Those are based on the realtek chipset, the unbranded realtek based radio can be found on ebay for much cheaper price. Reception on those are not very good and there is no plugin made for it, although attempts were made a year or so ago but was never completed.

You be better off getting a venice 5/7 or verona or keystone based radio. The venice 5/7 is a proven design and are used in high end hifi as well as HU.

Nice ultima build you have there, always wanted to have one. We visited the factory and Ted gave us a tour, what an amazing car, to bad it was raining at the time.

**356Speedster** · 11-02-2012, 02:42 PM

SNO - thanks for the tip, the MonkeyBoard unit looks good and certainly should do the job....
IBF - likewise, thanks. I've found this based on the Venice 7: http://www.coolapplab.com/ultimate_c...ona/index.html

I don't know which unit would be considered "better" (probably a difficult call to make), so I'd be interested to hear views from any owners. It looks like the Ultimate Radio is a bit bigger, which might be an issue in the M350 case I plan to use.... however, if they both fit in and can be connected to the PC motherboard easily enough, then reception and usability will be the deciding factors.

Any feedback would b gratefully received!

**ibf** · 11-02-2012, 03:09 PM

There are threads about the 2 unit :

http://www.mp3car.com/hardware-devel...ent-board.html

http://www.mp3car.com/hardware-devel...hat-works.html

As for choosing between the two, you will be better off buying the monkeyboard unless you can make your own venice or verona based radio. Donor DAB module is usually ripped from a cheap Tesco radio, they were going for £9 at one time. Pretty easy to build with basic electronic knowledge.