Ian SmithMar 3
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 3

@IanDSmith
I'm not seeing how they made CDs and DVDs harder to use. You shove them into a drive, same as always.

Nobody forced you to subscribe to a streaming service. All of my music is still on local storage. A copy of everything sits on a USB stick plugged into my car radio, a copy sits on microSD in my phone.

Nobody made you give up phones with removable storage - you stopped buying them.

Don't blame industry for selling you what you asked for.

Show threadMarianneMar 3

@hyc @IanDSmith what drive? Laptops don't have them as standard anymore. Most cars don't (happily ours does). People rarely add them to desktop builds.
They aren't a default inclusion now and most people lack access.

And who is 'you'? Ffs.

Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 3

@noodlemaz @IanDSmith It really doesn't matter that they're not built into laptop or desktop PCs any more. USB DVD drives are dirt cheap and you can move them freely between laptop and desktop. https://www.amazon.co.uk/External-CD-Drive-Portable-Optical/dp/B0F9KF47H2

Using optical discs in cars just gets them scratched. Far better to copy the discs to a USB flash drive, that's impervious to shock or vibration.

External CD DVD Drive for Laptop USB 3.0 Type-C Slim Portable Player CD DVD RW Writer Reader Burner, Low Noise Optical External Disk Drive for Desktop, PC, Mac OS,Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/2003/Vista/Linux : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Shop External CD DVD Drive for Laptop USB 3.0 Type-C Slim Portable Player CD DVD RW Writer Reader Burner, Low Noise Optical External Disk Drive for Desktop, PC, Mac OS,Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/2003/Vista/Linux. Free delivery and returns on eligible orders.

Show threadRaptor Mar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith portable CD players with USB out can actually plug into the dash of any modern car and just work, you can pick them up off the shelf a lot of places still, most shops with car parts will have them as well, they only cost a few $ more than a normal external drive but they also are made to play back while moving so they won't scratch up the disk.
Show threadRaptor Mar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith (also radio still exists and works just fine for free, local radio stations tend to still play plenty of new music and frankly they seem to have LESS ads than the streaming services do these days)
Show threadHoward Chu @ Symas
@raptor85 @noodlemaz @IanDSmith radio's ok in an urban area I guess. Out here reception is spotty, hills and mountains block coverage, etc...
Mar 4 at 1:44amWeb
Show threadRaptor Mar 4

@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith you should be able to get reasonable coverage in suburban and rural areas (within reason, ~50 miles or less from the tower broadcasting), if you're experiencing less it unfortunately may just mean your car has a crap antenna. (you can get cheap aftermarket ones)

And true, as you get farther out and have hills/mountains that will affect it, but that's a tiny portion of the population, 95% of people live and commute within the easily covered zones.

Show threadRaptor Mar 4
@hyc @noodlemaz @IanDSmith (plus in context of this discussion if you're so far out you can't receive broadcast radio you're also likely not getting a steady enough 4g/5g signal for streaming)
Show threadHoward Chu @ SymasMar 4
@raptor85 @noodlemaz @IanDSmith true! Even more reason to just carry my own music library around with me on flash.