Thread: Oxgen Audio O'Car

i don't know about the part of the wired article that expects this unit to be cheap--i kind of doubt that programming the radio to talk to the iphone is cheap..

i personally just don't like the idea of a device that fully relies on another companies mass produced product the doesn't really have standards-- what happens when you break the model of iphone that fits, and the next available model is too wide/tall/thick to fit into it..

Cool = Yes
Practical / logical = No
Long term reliable = ??? I doubt it, it's hard to find a regular head unit that doesn't have connection problems with the removable face plate after it has been removed/ installed a few times. I wonder what supports the phone while bouncing over pot holes, the electrical connection? I don't know.
It will look good in the SEMA & CES booth though!

Hmm...I dunno, that looks pretty cool. It's basically a dock with an amplifier inside. And it looks like the way they built the clamping system that you can fit slightly different iPods/iPhones into it or maybe you just buy a different clamp if you change up.

The main issue I see is the interface. Their app might have big buttons, but in the video, they didn't look that large. Also, having used an iPhone in the car for about a year, I can tell you that while the interface *looks* intuitive, in a car it is a completely different story.

Props to them for a nice design.

Wow, you guys are harsh! I do agree that there is no way to future proofing any device made to use with an Apple product seeing as though Apple nickel and dime you for everything. If the price is reasonable, I would definitely buy the O’Car though.

How would that work in states with handsfree laws? Or countries with moving images (aka video) laws?

The only innovative concept in that product is the docking system for the phone. It's a nice and clean intergration with no hanging wires or suction mounts etc. Otherwise why not just get a regular cheapie deck and buy an iPod/iPhone dock? Just can't see any value in using your phone as a headunit control (besides the cool factor which will wear off quickly). You are basically locking yourself into that device.

Originally Posted by blackflux

Wow, you guys are harsh! I do agree that there is no way to future proofing any device made to use with an Apple product seeing as though Apple nickel and dime you for everything. If the price is reasonable, I would definitely buy the O’Car though.

it depends on your perspective-- i got into carpc-ing because i was sick and tired of the head unit market--i was at the point that i was willing to drop almost $3,000 on a headunit, and sound processor combo that didn't play dvd's, didn't have a hard drive to store any songs, and had crummy interfaces, many times lacking easy access to audio adjustments(alpine units need to be turned off so you can adjust the center freq for the eq) now i have spent around $2,000 on a carpc, but i have the capability to do anything i want-- and the limit of song capacity is only limited by the amount of hdd space i have..

this forum is also full of people that aren't happy with most head units-- hence the reason they are here developing their own custom solutions..

just something to keep in mind

@soundman98, Well said, but looks like more and more people are moving towards the iPad type install. And from what I've seen, in a lot of cases they go head unit-less. Wouldn't it be great to have a head unit that has FM/AM radio built in that's basically a dock for your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Galaxy Tab and or your Android phone?

[pulls out popcorn and sits down to watch the show]