SC430 A claim to fame
#1
SC430 A claim to fame
The very last production car to offer a cassette deck SC430
Submitted by Bryan Usrey on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 15:48
It seems the cassette deck, or tape deck as they are sometimes referred too, is a thing of past, as the last car to feature one rolled off the line.
A once classic part of every vehicle, the tape deck, is on its last legs. According to the New York Times, the last new car to be equipped with a cassette player was a 2010 Lexus and now, for the 2011 model year, the cassette deck is dead.
“Lexus was the last holdout,” said Phil Magney, vice president for automotive research for the IHS iSuppli Corporation, a firm that does technology industry analysis. “We actually stopped tracking cassette players in cars some time ago. Now the question the automakers are asking is, how long has the CD got to go?”
It’s honestly hard to believe that the tape deck has been around as long as it has, as even the CD has been trampled on by the iPod and now, Internet radio applications, such as Pandora, are taking the glory away from Apple. Three generations of musical equipment have come to take all the glory and the tape deck has withstood them all, until now.
For more than two decades, the cassette deck was king. It offered up quality sound that was a massive improvement over the eight-track tape and it just so happened to work perfectly in cars.
Then came the compact disc, a thin circular object that was able to give out quality sound, the ability to skip certain songs and longevity that the cassette could only dream of. This media form became standard equipment in most vehicles.
Many analysts believe that CD will eventually go the way of the cassette and it probably will down the road, but for now, the CD lives on in each and every vehicle produced, unless of course its bargain basement, then only a radio is offered.
Don’t worry though, as aftermarket cassette decks are still on the market and buying one and having it installed shouldn’t cost that much. One can even install the deck themselves if they feel up to it. Want to listen to some Led Zeppelin on an old cassette deck but don’t own a car that complies, head over to Best Buy and numerous other automotive audio websites to find the right system for you.
So, if cassettes are still in your heart and you’re in the market for a new car, the 2010 Lexus SC430 is the only choice, although it’s not recommended that you buy one.
[New York Times, antonfortunato]
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Submitted by Bryan Usrey on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 15:48
It seems the cassette deck, or tape deck as they are sometimes referred too, is a thing of past, as the last car to feature one rolled off the line.
A once classic part of every vehicle, the tape deck, is on its last legs. According to the New York Times, the last new car to be equipped with a cassette player was a 2010 Lexus and now, for the 2011 model year, the cassette deck is dead.
“Lexus was the last holdout,” said Phil Magney, vice president for automotive research for the IHS iSuppli Corporation, a firm that does technology industry analysis. “We actually stopped tracking cassette players in cars some time ago. Now the question the automakers are asking is, how long has the CD got to go?”
It’s honestly hard to believe that the tape deck has been around as long as it has, as even the CD has been trampled on by the iPod and now, Internet radio applications, such as Pandora, are taking the glory away from Apple. Three generations of musical equipment have come to take all the glory and the tape deck has withstood them all, until now.
For more than two decades, the cassette deck was king. It offered up quality sound that was a massive improvement over the eight-track tape and it just so happened to work perfectly in cars.
Then came the compact disc, a thin circular object that was able to give out quality sound, the ability to skip certain songs and longevity that the cassette could only dream of. This media form became standard equipment in most vehicles.
Many analysts believe that CD will eventually go the way of the cassette and it probably will down the road, but for now, the CD lives on in each and every vehicle produced, unless of course its bargain basement, then only a radio is offered.
Don’t worry though, as aftermarket cassette decks are still on the market and buying one and having it installed shouldn’t cost that much. One can even install the deck themselves if they feel up to it. Want to listen to some Led Zeppelin on an old cassette deck but don’t own a car that complies, head over to Best Buy and numerous other automotive audio websites to find the right system for you.
So, if cassettes are still in your heart and you’re in the market for a new car, the 2010 Lexus SC430 is the only choice, although it’s not recommended that you buy one.
[New York Times, antonfortunato]
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#6
They haven't made cassettes in 10 years. And they degrade over time. So when you put an old cassette in a new player, I would assume you're bound to have problems. We've had to replace a couple under warranty for that reason. The tapes would get stuck in the player.
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#9
Meh. I am not an audiophile and have no interest in digging into my dash electronics, so the adapter works just fine IMHO. I would rather spend my $$$ on Luxlink and a backup camera .
#11
This one is first on the list along with NAVTOOL (will override the signal to the nav screen when the car is in reverse). About $300-350 and I am going to attempt to install myself. Just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit (don't tell me how nice it is in FL right now ;-D).
http://cgi.ebay.com/CCD-LICENSE-PLAT...item3c9fd7bc18
And NavTool : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lexus...fAudioQ5fVideo
http://cgi.ebay.com/CCD-LICENSE-PLAT...item3c9fd7bc18
And NavTool : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lexus...fAudioQ5fVideo
#12
This is the model that I just installed on two of my vehicles (along with Navtool) and it's going onto a third as well. It's a Boyo VTL375. The built in illuminators areen't needed as your backup lights are more than bright enough to do the job very well. The image is reversible, the frame is metal and the field of view is HUGE! The camera barrel rolls up and down to adjust he picture and is locked in place with set screws.
#13
This is the model that I just installed on two of my vehicles (along with Navtool) and it's going onto a third as well. It's a Boyo VTL375. The built in illuminators areen't needed as your backup lights are more than bright enough to do the job very well. The image is reversible, the frame is metal and the field of view is HUGE! The camera barrel rolls up and down to adjust he picture and is locked in place with set screws.
#14
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Sapheryth, OK I won't mention the weather. So I have to get a camera, $300. to $350. for the camera. And I also need a navtool? How much are they and were do you get them? Also where do you purchase a camera? Where do I start to look?
It was 81 and a little windy, but beautiful out! I lied!!!!!!! LOL Sorry!! Yeah right!
It was 81 and a little windy, but beautiful out! I lied!!!!!!! LOL Sorry!! Yeah right!