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FAQ – Car Audio

CD TUNER OR DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYER?

If you have heard the term Mechless or Digital Media Player but unsure what they mean?

In simply terms, Digital Media Players were created to match market demand due to the changes in the way we listen to music. Digital Media Players does away with the CD mechanism.

Designed to play digital music from Smart Phones, USB’s Streamed Music or AM/Fm Radio.

Most models also feature Bluetooth Hands-free as an option.

With today’s smartphones capable of storing 1000’s of songs plus streaming services such as Pandora® and SPOTIFI® giving access to millions of songs.

What is the difference between a car stereo, a head unit, and a receiver?

•    Car stereo is a generic term that can mean the in-dash unit or the whole audio system.

•    Controllers are head units that lack an AM/FM tuner.

•    Tuners are head units without built-in amplification.

•    Receivers are head units with built-in amplification (for example, 4 channels x 50 watts).

•    Head unit is a universal name for any in-dash stereo, including navigation, tuners, controllers, and receivers.

Can my existing car audio system be upgraded?

Definitely!

There are many ways to upgrade almost any car audio system. Some upgrades are simple and others are more complex. The options available to you depend on the features and input/outputs that are available with your current stereo.

•    If your factory stereo has a weak maximum volume limit and you want to overcome road or you want more clarity out of your speakers, adding an amplifier to increase musical clarity at higher volumes.

•    You want to entertain rear seat passengers?  Consider adding rear seat video system such as  an overhead ‘flip-down’ screen or pre-fabricated headrest monitors DVD player built in.

•    If your factory audio system lacks the quality of sound you desire and you want to improve it, consider upgrading the speakers  with Component or Coaxial speakers or adding a sub-woofer for a fuller sound, add amplifiers for more clarity and to get the best out of your speakers.

 

The possibility’s are endless, come in to one of our stores to discuss what options are available to suit your car

Can you install my own equipment?

We are happy to install your own equipment, both new or second hand.

If I install a new stereo, can I still use my steering wheel controls?

You sure can — if you install a special adapter.

We stock an extensive range of interfaces to suit many of the vehicles with steering wheel controls.

Come in to one of our stores on the Sunshine Coast, we can assist you in choosing the right interface for your vehicle.

 

Can I use Bluetooth® to make phone calls and stream music?

Absolutely! And you can often do even more, like running and controlling Internet radio or apps. Basically, a Bluetooth connection works as a bridge between your phone and your dash. Most receivers or controllers will allow you to stream the audio from your phone and play it in your Vehicle.

With the ever increasing costs of fines for holding a mobile phone while driving, you may find a Bluetooth receiver is cheaper than the fine.

Are all reverse cameras the same?

No. There are several different types of back-up cameras which accommodate different types of vehicles and installation locations.

Factory-Style Camera – This style is similar in appearance and installation to the cameras that are factory-installed and is intended for cars sold without a factory installed back-up camera. These mount exactly the same as the factory camera. The actual location varies by vehicle application. We stock a range of factory looking cameras that can be mounted like the orginal OEM camera’s

VW Reverse Camera - Signature Car Sound

Surface-mount Camera – This style is self-contained with mounting tabs or brackets to attach the camera to the vehicle. It is installed at the top of the hatch (on SUVs and hatchbacks) or under the license plate light housing.

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Flush-Mount Camera – This style is installed into an existing or custom drilled hole allowing the camera to fit “flush” into the vehicle body, rear light housing, or trunk lid.

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License Plate Mount Camera – This style is built into a license plate frame or an attachment to the existing license plate mount.

What are Dash Cams?

Dash Cams are a digital camera mounted inside of your vehicle, usually mounted to the windscreen, that have the capacity to continually record all events you may encounter on the road.

They are also refeered to as Crash Cams or Black Box Recorders and have featured on many different News and Current affairs reports.

A quality Dash cam can offer drivers peace of mind knowing that and incident will be recorded and can be used as evidence to support their claims as Dash Cams have proved to be a great unbiased witness.

 

What kind of a difference do new speakers really make?

You’ll find that replacing your factory speakers can make a noticeable difference. Music sounds crisper, more dynamic, and closer to the way it was recorded and better than it would with a worn-out or low-quality speaker.

Speaker replacement is also the single most cost-effective car stereo upgrade you can perform. And even the newer, factory-installed speaker systems, which may sound OK at first, aren’t typically built to give you the years of reliable, ear-pleasing sound you can expect from a good pair of aftermarket speakers.

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