Folks,

I'm sitting here in Sunny California visiting the family when my cousin takes me to a shop where he's getting his stereo fixed. They have some very cool kit.

All I want to know (and no-one here can tell me) is this. If I buy a stereo here will the RDS work at home in dear old Blighty?

The kit I'm looking at is either Blaupunkt or Sony. Both are in dash, single DIN CD Radios with MP3 capability.

If you could let me know your opinions soonest I'd sure 'preciate it.

SB

 

"Dunno" is the answer. Some are software selectable, others (such as kenwood) are hard coded and cannot be easily changed over.

 

The other issue with radio is the tuning the states use - even for mw and odd for fm, so 909 for 5 live and 95.8 Capital won't be able to be dialed in. Check out the DAB capability, though, but I think the states has a different stance on this as well.

 

Thanks chaps.

I'll take it as a "No" then

SWhame 'cos there are some *great* toys out here...

SB

 

Shame, innit? Oh, the screens use a different format too . So, as long as you don't want to hear the radio or see a picture then you'd be fine

 

Dont forget the good ol us of a uses different frequency steps to the uk:

FM:
USA usually seeks with 50khz steps
UK seeks with 200khz steps

AM:
USA seeks 10khz
UK 9 khz

www.nakamichi.com has the band steps on the MB100 info not that I was looking into importing a MB100 of course lol

Funnily enough tho the frequency ranges between US & UK are fairly similar.

Hope this helps.

[Edited by TBMeech - 7/29/2002 2:51:34 PM]

 

I have a Blaupunkt Los Angeles MP72 - a single DIN in dash with MP3, so could well be the one you're looking at. If you press "menu" "Setp" and "Area" (setp and area are "softmenu" items), you are offered a "EURO" and a "USA" setting. Have never taken it to the states, but I took that to mean it will work fine in either market. Check it out in the shop.

If you can get the LA MP72 for <£250 equivalent it's a great piece of kit.

Chiark - assume you mean TV screens (NTSC vs PAL etc)? The display on a normal radio works from the chips inside. Just feed it 12 volts and you get a picture. A US volt is no bigger than a UK volt, despite what the americans might want us to think

Phil

 

Phil, LOL! Yes, I mean in-car screens

 

I bought a Kenward from the states 5 years ago, and the RDS works fine. JVC is the other make that will work other here in the UK. The radio frequencies are .1 out e.g 97.6 can be picked up on 97.5 or 97.7. Works fine though
Also bought subwoofers and amps back with me, and got back into the UK ok.

Steven