Very cool. Now the question is: how close is the "eject faceplate"
button to the ones I am more likely to be using?

I've stopped using optical media. Though my present "radio" plays MP3
and CD from its front panel slot-o-rama, and I mounted a 6-dick changer
overhead, these days I just jack in the iPod.
--

Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR

On 4/10/2008 9:47 AM Mike S wrote:

> At 11:57 AM 4/10/2008, Mike Elliott wrote...
>> What I'd really like is a radio with a volume knob, a tuner knob, five
>> programmable push buttons (those of you who drove cars in the 50's or
>> 60's
>> see what I'm getting at) for my fave-o-rite stations, an iPod bay w/
>> remote, and that darn remote needs to have a power off button to shut the
>> stupid radio off once I'm in bed.
>
> Check out the Panasonic CQ-C5303U I mentioned earlier. Volume knob?
> Check (also a handy mute button nearby, programmable to either attenuate
> or mute). Power off w/remote? Check (you can even toggle the "off"
> display between completely off and clock display from the remote).
> Station presets? Check (6 per band; 3 FM, 1 AM, even has an Automatic
> Programming button - hold and it will program the 6 presets to the
> strongest received stations in the current band, handy when travelling).
>
> Doesn't have a knob for station tuning, but the buttons are in a
> knob-like arrangement so they're easy to locate (look at a picture and
> you'll understand), left/right for tune down/up, press to step, hold to
> seek.
>
> The CD player will handle CD-RW discs, and MP3 files. The faceplate is
> removable, if you need that. Has an aux line-in (RCA jacks), separate
> from the iPod input. 3 band parametric equalizer with 6 programmable
> presets. Dimmable display
>
> It will display track number/time/artist/title/album (toggle between
> them) when playing the iPod.
>
> You can also turn off all the moving, distracting graphics that so many
> decks seem to have these days (the kids apparently like bling). The
> glitz it does have gives you a choice between different spectrum
> analyzer displays, which at least do something ostensibly useful.
>
> You can even hook up an expansion unit (which costs more than the deck
> itself!), and then a Bluetooth adapter to that, and have handsfree for
> your cell phone. The same also allows the addition of Sirius/XM tuners.
>
> The manual can be downloaded here:
> http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/CQC5403U.PDF
>
>