iPod compatible head units with CD players - still a thing?

LCGuy · Post by **LCGuy** » Wed Jun 24, 2026 4:04 pm

Not sure if this belongs in the ‘Cars’ thread, or here, I guess its tech so I’ll stick it here and it can be moved if necessary.

In my daily I have a Pioneer CD player with iPod compatibility that I bought and fitted in 2011. I’ve noticed the CD player part is getting a bit janky, sometimes it thinks there’s a CD in there when there’s not, and sometimes it has trouble loading a CD and I’m a tad worried about a CD getting stuck in there. The radio/AUX input/iPod/USB functionality all works perfectly. I’ve been looking for another head unit with both a CD player and iPod compatibility (that allows me to control my iPod via my steering wheel audio controls) but it looks like they’ve gone the way of the dodo. Are these still a thing? Not interested in CarPlay or anything along those lines, I’m old fashioned and still use my iPod and my CDs daily.

Post by **obvs** » Wed Jun 24, 2026 8:06 pm

I'd check ebay. There's a good chance you could find the exact same product and just replace your original with it.

ConnertheCat · Post by **ConnertheCat** » Wed Jun 24, 2026 10:42 pm

You could buy a '25 Lexus IS with a CD Player; they just this year finally removed it.

Cheezus · Post by **Cheezus** » Sat Jun 27, 2026 8:07 pm

You can find them of all sorts in thrift stores.

LCGuy · Post by **LCGuy** » Sun Jun 28, 2026 4:49 am

Not here sadly, due to our electrical safety laws

Post by **obvs** » Sun Jun 28, 2026 6:26 am

Ooh, what kind of electrical safety laws? I'm really curious.

Cheezus · Post by **Cheezus** » Sun Jun 28, 2026 3:41 pm

Man, that sucks.

Non sequiter: I found three Apple Airport Time Capsule units yesterday, priced at $15 each. Didn’t buy them but am thinking that an external Time Machine backup might be a good way to divest from iCloud.

deyncourt · Post by **deyncourt** » Sun Jun 28, 2026 7:05 pm

Cheezus wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2026 3:41 pm
Non sequiter: I found three Apple Airport Time Capsule units yesterday, priced at $15 each. Didn’t buy them but am thinking that an external Time Machine backup might be a good way to divest from iCloud.

Two things;

1) Apple no longer provides any support (including updates) for any Airport devices.

2) I have been using Apple's Time Machine by connecting an external SSD to my MBP for daily backups. Nothing going to iCloud.

I use an older version (I bought mine in 2015, I think) of this updated version of a 2-slot drive dock from Other World Computing:
https://www.owc.com/solutions/drive-dock-u.2
I keep my 2 TB SSD in one slot, while the other slot has a 18 TB traditional hard drive for long-term storage. Every 3 months or so I tell my MBP to switch Time Machine to manual backups to allow me to force my MBP to power down then temporarily remove that backup drive. I then put in another 18 TB hard drive into the open slot, turn it back on, then use Carbon Copy Cloner to copy any additions I added to HugeDriveA over to HugeDriveB. When that is done, I disconnect then power down HugeDriveA, reconnect my Time Machine drive into THAT slot, power that up and reset Time Machine to do daily backups.

I recently added HugeDriveC because I think HugeDriveB may be having problems. I haven't decided if I will take HugeDriveB out