Panasonic CQ-DP171U

Price Paid:  $189.00 from Crutchfield

Strengths:
Good Sound - If you want only to play commercial CDs, it works fine.

Weaknesses:
If you want to play MP-3 CDs - I suggest trying another manufacturer.

Summary:
Do not buy this player. It works with Samsung CD-Rs, but as I can no longer locate a source for Samsung CD-R spindles, I am now forced to buy different discs in a vain attempt to find one that works. So far, I know that Memorex and Fujifilm brand CD-Rs do not work. According to Customer Service, the player will only work with TDK, Panasonic and Pioneer brand CDs. Another reviewer on this same website, however, claims that TDK disks do not work, which puts me back at square one (has anyone ever seen a Pioneer or Panasonic CD-R?).

Price Paid:  $114.00 from eBay

Year / Model Reviewed:
 CQ/DP171U

Strengths:
Second to cheapest car mp3 receiver. The cheapest one can only read DOS-formatted CDs. Has two blue light up buttons. Has mute and loud buttons.

Weaknesses:
Yellowish green display worthless in daylight. 128kps encoding limit. No pause! Doesn't play radio while reading disc.

Summary:
This car mp3 receiver is good if you only use 128kps mp3s. It's true that you cannot read the display during day time and it only displays 8 characters at a time. It will start playing at the last position that it was stopped, but it takes 5-10 seconds for the receiver to read the mp3 disc.

Similar Products Used:
None.

Price Paid:  $120.00 from Ebay

Year / Model Reviewed:
 CQ-DP171U

Strengths:
Cheap.

Weaknesses:
Not as good looking at all the pictures on the net show. Has trouble with 1 in 3 cd-r's or cd-rw's. The cd's play fine in the computer but they pop constantly in the receiver. It's not my burner I think it's just really picky about cd-r brands. The better the brand doesn't make a difference as nice Sony and TDK ones can have trouble but cheap-o cd's will play fine. Not only is it bad with Mp3's but as a receiver all around it stinks. I had this receiver in Oregon and I thought it was very hard to read during the day now that I live in Arizona it is impossible to read during the day. I am not kidding you cannot see what the display says at all. Maybe its the genius color scheme they used with yellow letters over a yellowish backround. Also the buttons for your FM presets are too small and the faceplate eject mechanism is garbage. I had the thing 2 weeks and had trouble getting it out of there.

Summary:
I cannot recommend this receiver to anybody. Especially since there are probably far better ones for a similar price nowadays.

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Whitby Hi-Fi

Year / Model Reviewed:
 Current

Strengths:
Flexibility in media supported

Weaknesses:
not enough bit rate support

Summary:
$250 CDN Wow, what a difference having mp3's playing in my vehicle. I am satisfied with the Panasonic CQ-DP171U, not amazed. After having this product for about a month I find that the only limitation I have encountered is the restriction on what bit rate the mp3 is recorded at. Limited to 128 bit for best replay means either conversion or re-ripping of material. Although it will play higher or lower bit rates there is static and popping through out the song. Great unit, good value but if your downloading and don't want to be bothered with bit rate conversion you will want to look else where. I don't really mind, only takes a few seconds...

Similar Products Used:
Sony, Clarion