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TiredDvrsWife

TiredDvrsWife

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My hubby's birthday is coming up and I want to surprise him with a new radio to go in his truck. My son knows how to build the boxes and has been in carpentry work for several years.

My question is what is a good brand that will take the 'beating' of linehaul? I'd like to have tape/CD player on it also. Speakers?

I don't want to walk into a store with 'moron' on my forehead so some young kid can sell a piece of junk. :loser:
 
TiredDvrsWife said:
My hubby's birthday is coming up and I want to surprise him with a new radio to go in his truck. My son knows how to build the boxes and has been in carpentry work for several years.

My question is what is a good brand that will take the 'beating' of linehaul? I'd like to have tape/CD player on it also. Speakers?

I don't want to walk into a store with 'moron' on my forehead so some young kid can sell a piece of junk. :loser:
Click to expand...

A regular, standard, automotive type stereo receiver????

what about sat. either Xm or Sirius?
 
TiredDvrsWife said:
My hubby's birthday is coming up and I want to surprise him with a new radio to go in his truck. My son knows how to build the boxes and has been in carpentry work for several years.

My question is what is a good brand that will take the 'beating' of linehaul? I'd like to have tape/CD player on it also. Speakers?

I don't want to walk into a store with 'moron' on my forehead so some young kid can sell a piece of junk. :loser:
Click to expand...



Some qualities you may want to look for;

Durable
Simple
LESS bells and whistles
Big buttons
XM already installed
Back lit

It's been my experience that it is not worth it to overspend here. I once bought a top of the line stereo with a 15 disc changer/magazine and all I did was worry about it AND get frustrated with its multitude of options and buttons that were hard to operate in a FORD bucking bronco 9000. The more time I take trying to discriminate 'tween tiny buttons is that much more time distracted. Smith would not approve.

And as you said, these things go through a lot of abuse.

Here is a local link on building a box;http://www.truckingboards.com/trucking/upload/con-way-freight/20227-building-slip-seat-box.html
There are other links in there and if you search the web, there are a lot of other ideas on box construction out there.

Good luck, I hope this helps.
 
stereo

TiredDvrsWife said:
My hubby's birthday is coming up and I want to surprise him with a new radio to go in his truck. My son knows how to build the boxes and has been in carpentry work for several years.

My question is what is a good brand that will take the 'beating' of linehaul? I'd like to have tape/CD player on it also. Speakers?

I don't want to walk into a store with 'moron' on my forehead so some young kid can sell a piece of junk. :loser:
Click to expand...
i spent about 400 bucks for speekers and stereo,if you buy to cheep cd's can skip and not good quaility.ive got pioneer stereo with remote and sirius added to it not sure what the speakers are but 299 for stereo and a 100 for speakers ive had it about 4 yrs and not a problem with it,granted alot of buttons but after awhile you know what you want and find it easy. i listen to sirius most all the time and it has remote also also.if you have sat.radio i find i dont listen to cd's mostly sat. to much to listen on there.
 
A USB port is nice . you don't have to carry Cd's you can put on it just what you want from music to pod cast to books on tape . no skipping no scratches and thumb drives are cheep . road sound speaker are cheep but sound good . walmart . 5 1/2 round are easier to put in a box than 6/9's . if you are willing to pay the $12 a month sat on board would be nice . if you think he would like HD sound read the reviews . but i don't think there would be to many stations between his point a&b . If he likes it loud around 50 watts per channel would be nice . hope this helps . if you need any ideas on a box design just PM me . i have been building them for me and other drivers for about 15 years . i would stay with a brand you know on the radio . i never spend over a $100 on my radios . i listen to books on tape/Cd and can wear one out in a little over a year . if he mostly listens to the radio that can last a lot longer .
 
Sat is the way to go. If he doesn't have it now, after a week of using it, he won't ever want anything else. The stereo must have an aux input for direct connection from the sat receiver to the stereo, otherwise the static and interference from terrestrial radio stations is beyond annoying. Aux input on the front is best, that way if he wants, he can direct connect either his sat receiver or his iPod. And a remote, for the stereo, I can't tell you how many radios I have rendered useless, because while I was trying to turn a knob, the truck bounced and I broke the knob off. The less you need to actually touch the radio, while the truck is moving, the longer it will last.


11248758.jpg


here is one idea.....If all he uses is the stereo.....Here is a satellite radio boombox. Everything is in one unit......the satellite receiver, the hardware and the speakers, all in one unit. All you do is, bungee the box to the slip seat, hang the sat antenna on the mirror mount, plug into the cig outlet and go........takes about 4 min. to set up, great if you don't get to drive the same truck everynight. You don't get any terrestial stations, but, it is portable, sounds great, and very inexpensive for the entire package.
 
Just tell HIM to go buy what HE wants !

Leaves YOU off the hook .

Does not make HIM feel guilty .

Makes you BOTH happy .

Just4Thought
 
av8tor said:
Sat is the way to go. If he doesn't have it now, after a week of using it, he won't ever want anything else. The stereo must have an aux input for direct connection from the sat receiver to the stereo, otherwise the static and interference from terrestrial radio stations is beyond annoying. Aux input on the front is best, that way if he wants, he can direct connect either his sat receiver or his iPod. And a remote, for the stereo, I can't tell you how many radios I have rendered useless, because while I was trying to turn a knob, the truck bounced and I broke the knob off. The less you need to actually touch the radio, while the truck is moving, the longer it will last.


11248758.jpg


here is one idea.....If all he uses is the stereo.....Here is a satellite radio boombox. Everything is in one unit......the satellite receiver, the hardware and the speakers, all in one unit. All you do is, bungee the box to the slip seat, hang the sat antenna on the mirror mount, plug into the cig outlet and go........takes about 4 min. to set up, great if you don't get to drive the same truck everynight. You don't get any terrestial stations, but, it is portable, sounds great, and very inexpensive for the entire package.
Click to expand...

I have this same boombox and i use it the way you described.
 
Thank you everyone! That boombox thing looks to be the way to go? He doesn't want a lot of buttons and thankfully I still have a few months left before final decision.

Justadriver, if I let him pick it out, he'll do what he's done the past several years: go the cheapest way (meaning he'll pull an old radio out of a car/truck that hasn't run in a while) and then have to replace nearly every year. And then I have to urge him to get something a little better and the 'discussion' is on :duh: The big ol' rascal feels guilty for buying himself something.

I want him to have the best (which isn't always the most expensive) and I knew you guys would come across with some good ideas. Ok, and I'm selfish too... I want him to have something to listen to and help keep him awake so I don't get The Call. Gotta keep the ol' man around so I have someone to aggravate :biglaugh:

I have enough time to check out the places in town and get this together by time his b-day rolls around.

BIG THANKS EVERYONE! :smilie_132:
 
TiredDvrsWife said:
Thank you everyone! That boombox thing looks to be the way to go? He doesn't want a lot of buttons and thankfully I still have a few months left before final decision.

Justadriver, if I let him pick it out, he'll do what he's done the past several years: go the cheapest way (meaning he'll pull an old radio out of a car/truck that hasn't run in a while) and then have to replace nearly every year. And then I have to urge him to get something a little better and the 'discussion' is on :duh: The big ol' rascal feels guilty for buying himself something.

I want him to have the best (which isn't always the most expensive) and I knew you guys would come across with some good ideas. Ok, and I'm selfish too... I want him to have something to listen to and help keep him awake so I don't get The Call. Gotta keep the ol' man around so I have someone to aggravate :biglaugh:

I have enough time to check out the places in town and get this together by time his b-day rolls around.

BIG THANKS EVERYONE! :smilie_132:
Click to expand...


Sorry to have to be the bearer of reality .

But , in this day , nearly every piece of radio equipment one can buy is of poor quality and if
it works over a year , it has met its warrenty .
This is even IF , one does NOT have to take it
in and out of a truck every day , or sometimes
even more .

Just4Thought
 
Yeah, I deal in customer service now on $$$$$$$$ equipment and believe me, I'm gonna duct tape anything around here that needs a little bit of repair. Not saying any product or name but if it begins with S and ends with g.....don't buy it!! If I get 50 calls, about 30 of those are for that tv. SAME PROBLEM EVERY TIME!

I'd give him money to do so but I want the gift to be from me :smile1:
 
TiredDvrsWife said:
Yeah, I deal in customer service now on $$$$$$$$ equipment and believe me, I'm gonna duct tape anything around here that needs a little bit of repair. Not saying any product or name but if it begins with S and ends with g.....don't buy it!! If I get 50 calls, about 30 of those are for that tv. SAME PROBLEM EVERY TIME!

I'd give him money to do so but I want the gift to be from me :smile1:
Click to expand...


What is that same problem?
 
Bankrupt, it turns itself off while watching and sometimes back on. Then if you get it on you'll have to unplug it to get it back off. Then the tvs with the red light that is suppose to be green but doesn't come on even tho it shows power is on.

And tvs with lamps? Once you have to start changing the bulbs then it's an ongoing thing. First bulb might have lasted 2-4 years and then after that several have complained that it's a 6 months-yearly thing now. Out of warranty? Bulb alone is $200 and up.

To be honest, I'm not sure if the reason I hear about that particular tv (that I mentioned in the earlier post) is because it's a very common problem or that it's the most bought tv.

TV's I rarely hear about:

P---ps (I think 4)
R-A (3 or 4)
V-o (sp?) (1 or 2)
S--o (none)

Two types of washer/dryers I hear about ALL of the time but don't want to mention on the board due to potiential legal hassles.
 
TiredDvrsWife said:
Bankrupt, it turns itself off while watching and sometimes back on. Then if you get it on you'll have to unplug it to get it back off. Then the tvs with the red light that is suppose to be green but doesn't come on even tho it shows power is on.

And tvs with lamps? Once you have to start changing the bulbs then it's an ongoing thing. First bulb might have lasted 2-4 years and then after that several have complained that it's a 6 months-yearly thing now. Out of warranty? Bulb alone is $200 and up.

To be honest, I'm not sure if the reason I hear about that particular tv (that I mentioned in the earlier post) is because it's a very common problem or that it's the most bought tv.

TV's I rarely hear about:

P---ps (I think 4)
R-A (3 or 4)
V-o (sp?) (1 or 2)
S--o (none)

Two types of washer/dryers I hear about ALL of the time but don't want to mention on the board due to potiential legal hassles.
Click to expand...


OK - Thank you.
 
TiredDvrsWife said:
Yeah, I deal in customer service now on $$$$$$$$ equipment and believe me, I'm gonna duct tape anything around here that needs a little bit of repair. Not saying any product or name but if it begins with S and ends with g.....don't buy it!! If I get 50 calls, about 30 of those are for that tv. SAME PROBLEM EVERY TIME!

I'd give him money to do so but I want the gift to be from me :smile1:
Click to expand...
I have a great idea, you may hate me for this, but try it , you may like it. He may love it. Buy a small voice recorder. give it to him for his birthday. everyday, while he is sleeping, put a very special message of the day on it for him, ( something private and sexy ). Tell him when he gets tired, turn it on, he may need the ear plugs in the truck, When he listens to it , it will perk him up and he will be able to drive for a hundred miles with smiles. From your post he already has the best wife and a not so high maintence wife, which is always the best. Lots of luck on your purchase. If you do not buy the voice recorder, at least tell him the idea on his birthday and see what happens. Buy the way, tell him not to leave it in the truck. Or he will hate me. :biglaugh::biglaugh:
 
ESP said:
I have a great idea, you may hate me for this, but try it , you may like it. He may love it. Buy a small voice recorder. give it to him for his birthday. everyday, while he is sleeping, put a very special message of the day on it for him, ( something private and sexy ). Tell him when he gets tired, turn it on, he may need the ear plugs in the truck, When he listens to it , it will perk him up and he will be able to drive for a hundred miles with smiles. From your post he already has the best wife and a not so high maintence wife, which is always the best. Lots of luck on your purchase. If you do not buy the voice recorder, at least tell him the idea on his birthday and see what happens. Buy the way, tell him not to leave it in the truck. Or he will hate me. :biglaugh::biglaugh:
Click to expand...

You should have sent this one via pm ... :eck15:
 
I would suggest a cute, sexy 23 year old, but I have seen your pic and he could not do any better.
Unless of course he had my bride but that aint happinin!
 
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