Best FM radio hardware results? - Page 2

stroths · 02-10-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by vipervin

That would be awesome to see HD radio with CF. Especially since the cable/Directed Tuner are a cost effective solution.

edit: Just found this: http://76.27.122.50/index.htm HD RadioPC, could this be integrated with CF? Or pop up as an external plugin maybe?

With RR, you can embed external apps into it. If you can do that with CF, then that might be a viable solution for you. It states its skinnable so you could create a skin to look closer to your CF skin.

veetid · 02-12-2008, 01:45 PM

go to Settings and hit the "+" and you will see option to add external application...

david

Dwaine · 02-13-2008, 02:26 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by veetid

go to Settings and hit the "+" and you will see option to add external application...

david

Is there any plans of adding HD radio with in Centrafuse?

Nola111 · 02-13-2008, 11:13 AM

With all this cool talk about HD radio, I almost forgot that my original post was asking what currently supported radio hardware has the best results in CF!!

So can anyone who uses one of the radios that you find in CF's Settings offer any testimonials?

Lazyflip · 02-13-2008, 12:34 PM

I'm using the Silabs USB radio but the reception kind of sucks in the car. I can only pick a couple stations and it's very staticy sometimes. I've been wanting to hook up the car's antenna to it to see if I can improve the reception but I haven't had the time. I'll let you know how it works out when I do.

On a side note, I got the radio from Brando for $20 with free shipping so it didn't set me back too much.

Nola111 · 02-13-2008, 01:19 PM

Good deal, I read somewhere else (RR forums maybe?) where folks had been modding the Silabs unit and soldering their factory antenna connector to it, and by doing so, they get reception as though it was their factory radio. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Questions about the Silabs unit though... does it act as it's own soundcard? How does Windows handle this?

Lazyflip · 02-13-2008, 05:34 PM

Yea, it acts as it's own soundcard so no need for line in/out. When I plugged it into my laptop with Vista, it installed 3 drivers, USB Composite Device, FM Radio, and USB Human Interface Device.

Dwaine · 02-13-2008, 06:43 PM

I have it on it's own antenna too. The quality is the best so far for regular radio tuners. The HD radio unit is the best option right now. It drops back to regular FM/AM analog signal, so you get the best of both worlds.

Plus all the radio content is free like analog radio.

Nola111 · 02-13-2008, 09:15 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Lazyflip

Yea, it acts as it's own soundcard so no need for line in/out. When I plugged it into my laptop with Vista, it installed 3 drivers, USB Composite Device, FM Radio, and USB Human Interface Device.

I'm trying to figure out how this would work in Windows with the Silabs being it's own soundcard. Does it show up as a Recording device or Playback device?

Lazyflip · 02-13-2008, 11:11 PM

It doesn't show up as either. I'm a little confused on whay you're trying to figure out. When I say it "acts as it's own soundcard" I mean that it doesn't require any other external connections to get sound unlike the other tuners. The only connection you need is USB.

Tim Lake · 02-14-2008, 05:09 AM

Hey all, would this system work in the UK. I am really looking for a good radio solution

Nola111 · 02-14-2008, 10:38 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Lazyflip

It doesn't show up as either. I'm a little confused on whay you're trying to figure out. When I say it "acts as it's own soundcard" I mean that it doesn't require any other external connections to get sound unlike the other tuners. The only connection you need is USB.

Ok. Well technically then it doesn't act as a soundcard if it doesn't show up at all in the Windows Mixer. It sounds like it's just routing the audio directly to the output of whatever card you have selected as your playback device. I probably should have figured that out based on the 3 devices that you told me that it installs. Since USB Audio Device is not one of them, it's not really a soundcard after all. That's good news, and the info I was looking for.

RocStar · 02-15-2008, 09:18 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Dwaine

Is there any plans of adding HD radio with in Centrafuse?

I'm buying hardware now for my first CarPC. I consider HD radio an absolute must. How could I justify PAYING for a front-end that doesn't support HD radio when RR is open source and supports it just fine? PARTY FOUL!

Easy call... RR > CF

L-U-R-C-H · 02-15-2008, 11:07 PM

I found this:
http://www.rush2112.net/

Is David planning on integrating HD Radio with Centrafuse? I don't why he wouldn't! How exactly does the Directed Electronics unit plug into you computer? I mean, I see you can buy that serial cable, but what about the car antenna? Does that connect into the DEI unit somehow? And will this unit have the best reception out of all the other CarPC radios?

stroths · 02-15-2008, 11:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by L-U-R-C-H

I found this:
http://www.rush2112.net/

Is David planning on integrating HD Radio with Centrafuse? I don't why he wouldn't! How exactly does the Directed Electronics unit plug into you computer? I mean, I see you can buy that serial cable, but what about the car antenna? Does that connect into the DEI unit somehow? And will this unit have the best reception out of all the other CarPC radios?

The cable Mitch sells replaces the LCD button panel that comes with the HD tuner. This allows the unit to plug into your serial port and lets your computer control it. Sound is run from the stereo RCA jacks to the line in on your soundcard.

Regarding the antenna, the unit acts as a passthrough. It has an antenna in and antenna out to go to your stereo. Considering this runs off your car's stock antenna, it will probably get the best reception possible.