Backseat TV - The Latest from Sirius Radio

Most folks in the A/V industry have been paying more time and attention speculating a potential merger between Satellite Radio giants XM and Sirius for the past two years than the content and features that each company offers. 

Sirius has stepped up by offering a new option for drivers with kids. Backseat TV is specifically marketed toward providing TV-G programming content to any existing headrest or flip-down monitor located behind the driver. Kids can watch one of three kids' channels on headphones while the grown-ups listen to any Sirius Radio channel in the front of the car.

2008 CES: A Good Show for Car Electronics

Alpine, Escort, JL Audio, and Viper were among the car electronics manufacturers making big product introductions at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

12 Volt Picasso

My wife sure is lucky to be married to me. After an exhaustive search for a car, she and I decided to get her a new Subaru Impreza- and she’s thrilled. My kids must like it too because they’ve already named it Night Sky.

But what does our new car purchase have to do with the "Expert Advice" section of my company’s web site? Well for me, getting the new car is just the canvas for the mobile entertainment Picasso I’m going to paint….

Why Navigation?

What if, as you were driving to a new destination, the voice giving you directions never missed a turn, and never sounded annoyed? That’s possible with a GPS navigation system.

All North American navigation systems utilize a network of 24 Global Positioning satellites, initially put into space by the US government for military applications. They recently made them available for use by the general public, and the service is free!

HD Digital Radio

HD Radio is a technology that makes radio station signals more versatile by providing better sound, clarity and even the ability to broadcast more than one program on the same frequency.

Why do you want it? Well, if you listen to the radio at all and care about sound quality, HD Radio is for you. In addition to great sound, stations can now “multicast.” That simply means that HD Radio lets stations simultaneously broadcast more than one program on the same radio frequency. In addition to multiple programs, HD Radio makes it possible for you to receive song and artist info, news, weather, traffic and more on that same digital signal.

My MP3s sound tinny in my car. How do I fix that?

The tinny sound might not be your deck. MP3s are compressed digital tracks that leave out some audio info. A good stereo can make your MP3s sound better, but it’s not the ‘playa’ that's the problem…it’s the format.

For better sound, save files in lossless formats or CD-quality. Yeah, they take up more room but the sound is worth it. Often a quality stereo will be able to get your digital files closer to full sound. But, if that doesn't work, drop by Tweeter with your 'Pod or a CD of MP3s and try it on our stuff to see if an amp or new speakers can tweak your sound for the better.

Keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer with a remote car starter.

It's 6 AM and your alarm just rudely awoke you from a deep sleep. You stumble off to start your day. Maybe you wake the kids up and get them ready for school, make breakfast and watch the news. Whatever your morning routine may be. Now it's time to go off to work. If it’s winter, you bundle yourself up as best you can, If it’s summer, you find the lightest clothing in the closet.

Then you jump in the car.

And you sit. If it’s cold, you shiver as the heater takes its own merry time. If it’s hot, you sweat waiting for the air conditioning to cool things off. All that effort to make yourself presentable for work is shot.

You could save yourself all this grief if you just had remote car starter.

Answering your questions about portable DVD players.

I travel a lot. What about a portable DVD?

By now you probably have a DVD player in your home. You may even have a DVD player in your car. But did you know that you could take a portable DVD player with you wherever you go.

Do you have to cut into the headrest to install monitor screens?

For some vehicles, we can get replacement headrests with monitors already installed, so your original headrests are swapped out.  For most other situations, our installers carefully cut out the headrest and install the screen.  The end result is that the monitors look like they came with the car.  That's professionalism!

How can I use an iPod in my car?

There are a number of ways to get your iPod tunes to play in the car. 

First, Tweeter carries aftermarket in-dash radios that have iPod adapters available so you can operate the iPod from the head unit's radio's controls (very cool), and use its large display to see your song and album titles.  Some stock radios may also be adaptable as well.  Second, many aftermarket radios have an extra set of inputs to allow the use of an audio cable that can attach to your iPod, letting you play it through the car system. You won't see the iPod display on the radio's screen, and you'll need to control the iPod directly.  Finally, you can get an FM Modulator, which lets you play an iPod through any car stereo; just tune in to the special FM station indicated by the Modulator and your iPod will be playing on it!  For more details, ask your local Tweeter Mobile Audio Expert team to suggest the best solution for you.

Can Tweeter do custom car installations?

Yes! Our installers have the skill and experience to do all sorts of customized installations. “If you can dream it, we can build it” is their motto.

Custom subwoofer and speaker enclosures, motorized amplifier racks, lighting, custom dashboard work, are just a few of the services offered. And for the video fans: monitor screens in headrests, drop-down screens, videogames in the trunk, LCD screens in the hatch area, and more! Whether you want to compete in custom car shows, or just want the coolest ride on the road, the Tweeter Install Team can make it happen. For great examples of what can be done, check out the Tweeter Mobile Dream Book at your nearest store.