Need a Radio/CD for the shop

[Bushmaster]

I know there have been previous threads on this, just can't seem to find any. I listen to the radio, burned CD's, and would like to access my Mp3 player. Whatever it is it has to be hardy enough to survive cold winters/hot summers in the garage.

Most of my cordless tools are Dewalt, so if anyone can recommend a decent jobsite box with the above qualifications that charges 18V batteries, then that would be perfect. Anyway, hope you can help.

[poolhound]

Unless one is going to be throwing it around and actually moving it from place to place I'm not sure I would want to spend over $100 on one of those. I have been using an old one I picked up at a garage sale for less than $10. I cant say I have the cold to deal with but it gets darn hot in my garage. Even now with the swamp cooler running in there its still 92 degrees. and its over 105 outside so when the cooler isnt running it can get up to 120 in there.

I figured it was a disposable item but its been running for over 3 years without any problems. It stays mostly on the radio but plays CDs and I can use an FM transmitter to get stuff from my MP3 player.

[Tom Slick]

IF you want a charger built in then dewalt's radio/charger is your only option.

The bosch radio is very good and has a remote and aux in.
The milwaukee radio is good but no CD player.
sony makes a jobsite radio that looks like a nice unit.
makita now has a radio that is more compact then the others.

I've had a $20 cd/radio in the garage for 5 years that I have filled with dust, then blown out with the air nozzle and is all scarred up from welding and grinding next to it. the tuner sucks but it still works.
as poolhound was elluding to, unless you need the toughness of a jobsite radio you might be better off with a regular cd/radio.

[pelligrini]

I've got an old garage sale reciever in my shop right now too, no cd either, just radio. It's getting a bit long in the tooth. Sometimes the right channel will cut out.

I'm going to be putting in a car stereo, like one I put in my Camaro. It'll be smaller than the current on and it will play mp3 cds. It's also bluetooth enabled so I can stream music from my phone to it. My pocket-pc phone will also do wi-fi so I'll be able to access my collection on my network. I'll probably use an old AT power supply.

[jonmulzer]

Garage sales and craigslist are where most people find their shop radios I would imagine. No sense spending big bucks for something that has a good chance of being destroyed at some point.

[Bushmaster]

Thanks

Thanks for the ideas. I particularly like the car stereo idea. Something I wouldnt have thought of . I do have some older component stereo pieces, and maybe I could put them to good use. Incidentally, the reason I am looking is my 15 year old booombox had its CD player crap out (probably the laser). The radio works fine, but that gets old. I also want to be able to listen to Mp3's. Thats it. Anyway, thanks again.

[LCHIEN]

I've got an old garage sale reciever in my shop right now too, no cd either, just radio. It's getting a bit long in the tooth. Sometimes the right channel will cut out.

I'm going to be putting in a car stereo, like one I put in my Camaro. It'll be smaller than the current on and it will play mp3 cds. It's also bluetooth enabled so I can stream music from my phone to it. My pocket-pc phone will also do wi-fi so I'll be able to access my collection on my network. I'll probably use an old AT power supply.

AT power Supply probably won't work on a 12V car stereo. Most of them require a significant load on the 3.3 or 5V supplies before they'll start up and run.

[docrowan]

As soon as I get a C-note to burn I plan on buying a whole house FM transmitter to attach to my home stereo. It is supposed to get at least 500' range and maybe even a quarter mile. I'll be able to load up my 5 CD disk changer, then tune the radio in my shop and on the back patio and in our bedroom to the same FM station. This way I can keep the beat going when I duck inside for a soda. What I particularly like about this plan is I can pick up FM radio's very cheap and they are very durable. The problem I've had with most audio devices is tape drives and CD drives - susceptible to shop dust. FM is all solid state, so very little to go wrong. Plus I don't have to worry about carrying CD's into the shop where they can get all scratched up and dirty.

[pelligrini]

AT power Supply probably won't work on a 12V car stereo. Most of them require a significant load on the 3.3 or 5V supplies before they'll start up and run.

The ones I've worked with need no load or rigged wiring like an ATX would. Most all the older AT supplies have an actual switch. I was using one, stand alone, last weekend when I was sorting through a bunch of 120mm fans.

[LinuxRandal]

An old XT power supply to power a car stereo and speakers, OR,

See if your radio station choices are streamed online.

Then use an old pc, so you could also post/get plans, etc...

[atgcpaul]

I listen to a lot of Internet radio at work and enjoy one station in particular.
Most of my CDs are now in MP3 format, but my MP3 player (not an ipod) can't
be controlled remotely and can't hold my whole collection. I didn't want to
carry my laptop into my detached shop to listen to music.

So last Christmas I bought myself one of these for $150 on sale:

http://www.roku.com/products_soundbridge.php

The Roku can stream Internet radio without a computer (important to me)
wirelessly. All of my local stations also stream. It can also stream all my
music from my computer wirelessly which does need to be on. Down the
road I'd like to get a NAS so I don't need to have the computer on.

It is a premium over a simple CD player/boombox but it fits the bill for me.

Paul

[poolhound]

I listen to a lot of Internet radio at work and enjoy one station in particular.
Most of my CDs are now in MP3 format, but my MP3 player (not an ipod) can't
be controlled remotely and can't hold my whole collection. I didn't want to
carry my laptop into my detached shop to listen to music.

So last Christmas I bought myself one of these for $150 on sale:

http://www.roku.com/products_soundbridge.php

The Roku can stream Internet radio without a computer (important to me)
wirelessly. All of my local stations also stream. It can also stream all my
music from my computer wirelessly which does need to be on. Down the
road I'd like to get a NAS so I don't need to have the computer on.

It is a premium over a simple CD player/boombox but it fits the bill for me.

Paul

Cool idea and no radio reception problems. I have the DLINK version of something similar (DSM-320) thats no longer being used as I got a PS3 which replicates the functionality and more. Wouldnt work well in the shop as It doesnt have its own display and works through the TV and receiver. great for the living room home theater setup though.

[MikeMcCoy]

Dewalt radio discont code

I just got an email from Heavy Duty Tools and the radio/charger was one of the sale items. They usually don't last long.

DeWalt DC011 Radio - Only $70 After Using Discount Code DC011

http://www.heavydutytools.net/Script...?idProduct=409

[dbhost]

I am using a cheapie Wally World AM / FM / CD / Cassette Boom Box. If I wanted to listen to MP3 (or .ogg in my case) I would simply set up an FM transmitter on the speaker jack from my PC and run with that... But I mostly listen to the radio anyway...

[gary]

I just got an email from Heavy Duty Tools and the radio/charger was one of the sale items. They usually don't last long.

DeWalt DC011 Radio - Only $70 After Using Discount Code DC011

http://www.heavydutytools.net/Script...?idProduct=409

Thanks Mike, I got one. I was looking for one for a while now. Free shipping too.