Please help - usb fm tuner - help me out !!

12345car · 05-12-2006, 05:30 PM

OK so before everyone starts flaming me for not searching, I have, and extensively. So basically the general consensus is - usb fm tuners suck. Even when connected to a car aerial. Is this right ?

Here's the thing - with me fabricating a screen into my car I dont have space for my headunit any more. So im thinking of going down the fm tuner route in my car pc (which is a laptop) with radiator and road runner. So......

1. This is 2006 - lots of these posts are from a few years ago - are there any decent usb fm receivers now ? (ignoring the home made HQ one on the forums).

2. What other solutions do I have ? I could keep the headunit in my glovebox but thats a pain to set the radio frequency.

Please help because it seems that all posts on this are really old.

Thanks in advance

proph · 05-12-2006, 09:13 PM

Good question... I just looked at adding adding this:

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_usbfm.html

It has a tv tuner and radio receiver. I loved the wintv I had a couple years ago. It worked great for me as a soldier w/ limited space, and not using a tv.

Wiredwrx · 05-12-2006, 09:17 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 12345car

OK so before everyone starts flaming me for not searching, I have, and extensively. So basically the general consensus is - usb fm tuners suck. Even when connected to a car aerial. Is this right ?

Here's the thing - with me fabricating a screen into my car I dont have space for my headunit any more. So im thinking of going down the fm tuner route in my car pc (which is a laptop) with radiator and road runner. So......

1. This is 2006 - lots of these posts are from a few years ago - are there any decent usb fm receivers now ? (ignoring the home made HQ one on the forums).

2. What other solutions do I have ? I could keep the headunit in my glovebox but thats a pain to set the radio frequency.

Please help because it seems that all posts on this are really old.

Thanks in advance

What do you mean by "Home Made HQ one" That IS the solution to your problem. What is your aversion to using that unit?

Michael

DarquePervert · 05-12-2006, 09:18 PM

No. There still aren't any good FM tuners for PC.

From what I understand, the only problem with the HQCT unit is that it's brand new, and as a result, there's limited software support.
I'm certain that if the HQCT is a quality tuner, the software support will come in short order, but it's just not there as of May 12, 2006.

Wiredwrx · 05-12-2006, 09:20 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

No. There still aren't any good FM tuners for PC.
There was a group developing the HQCT tuner, and that was made available very recently (past couple of months, as I recall). The problem with the HQCT unit is that it's brand new, and as a result, there's limited software support.
I'm certain that if the HQCT is a quality tuner, the software support will come in short order, but it's just not there as of May 12, 2006.

Except that the OP specifically mentions using RR, and the HQ is supported in the 5-6-06 build of RR.

Seems like a no brainer to me.

Michael

Splash-X · 05-17-2006, 11:13 AM

Well, aside from the fact that you can't GET the HQCT I think its obvious, he is looking for a cheap solution "today". I would love to get the HQCT but its just not avaliable!

theheel · 05-18-2006, 04:26 AM

isnt it available at the mp3car store?

Splash-X · 05-18-2006, 09:29 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by theheel

isnt it available at the mp3car store?

DOH! I've checked the new products over and over again and I never saw it. Sure enough, after I post that I can't find it I see it, like the car keys that are right in front of you but you like for an hour and when you give up, there they are!

Wiredwrx · 05-18-2006, 12:32 PM

Ya, I think it has been there for about a week. They posted in the HQ thread about it being in stock. Plus, it was available overseas, though I guess shiiping would have been more then the store, it is cheaper to purchase in the EU.

Michael

Splash-X · 05-18-2006, 04:45 PM

If you hadn't corrected me I would have missed it. By the time I saw that it was forsale overseas they were already sold out and didnt expect any more until late may.

I've orderd my until and things look good to go. Thanks for the info!

yrean · 05-19-2006, 03:17 PM

just for your info. I recieved my HQCT from the mp3car store on wednesday from ups. I wont be able to install it till next month. when i finish up my install, but its here already. and as far as i can tell besides having to make some cables people say it works great and road runner supports it.

johne5 · 05-19-2006, 09:23 PM

I got my HQCT today, I plan on going to fry's to pickup the audio and usb cables. then install the unit on sunday. I'll be running RR.